“Sahvage . . . how is this possible?” she asked with wonder.
“The Book.” He shook his head. “It was a spell in the Book. And Mae, I just didn’t want you to do the same thing to your brother. All he would know is the deaths of those he loved, including you. I’ve had to separate myself from everyone, because how could I possibly explain my situation? Who would believe me? And as for destroying the Book—it was my only option to help you. Or at least . . . that’s what I thought at the time. You were right, though, and I’m sorry. I didn’t have the right to take your choice away, even if I was worried about its implications.”
Mae rubbed one of her eyes and then winced like it hurt. “So back at the parking garage . . . that first night, you were going to live anyway. I didn’t save you, did I.”
“Oh, Mae,” he said in a voice that cracked, “you have saved me. In all the ways that matter, you absolutely have saved me. My heart was dead, and then you came along—”
Without warning, Sahvage’s female launched herself at him, throwing her arms around him, pressing her lips to his.
“I love you,” she said as she pulled back. “And I’m the one who needs to apologize. I was just so tunnel vision’d about Rhoger that I was destroying everything—”
“Wait, what did you say?”
“I was destroying everything with my single-minded—”
Sahvage shook his head. “Before that.”
There was a pause. And then she stroked his hair. “I love you. And I don’t care about what comes next. All I know is that you belong here. With me.”
On a shudder, he closed his eyes. And remembered standing out on the lawn of the little cottage, thinking he would love to be able to clean the place up.
Because it was where Mae lived.
Now? It was where they would both live.
Slowly lifting his lids, he stared into Mae’s face. There were so many things he didn’t know. So many veils obscuring the future. So many things left to question and talk about.
But he knew one thing for sure.
“I love you, too,” he said simply. “Forever.”
• • •
Up in the cottage’s second-floor bedroom, Mae lay naked in between cool sheets, her head on a plump pillow, her breathing deep and easy. Downstairs, she heard heavy footsteps moving around . . . and then they started up the stairs.
The weight ascending was so great, the old wood creaked, but it was a cozy sound.
Because she knew who was coming up to her bed.
In the open doorway, Sahvage appeared, his huge body resplendent, powerful, naked as well. Light from the fixture overhead bathed the cuts and valleys of his muscles, and when he came forward into the room, she saw his massive chest tattoo clearly.
Except now the finger pointing to her felt very different.
She felt like it was the answer to the question . . . of who he loved.
Mae smiled as she moved the bedding aside, revealing her body.
“Oh, Mae,” he sighed.
“Come to me, my male.”
Sahvage prowled his way up to her, and when he started to roll to the side, she shook her head.
“I want to feel you on me,” she whispered.
“I’ll be gentle.”
“I know you will. You will never, ever hurt me.”
“Never.” He started to kiss her. “My love.”
The contact of their lips was sensuous, and she had the sense that he wanted to take it slow. But she was too hungry—and so was he.
“Mae—”
“Please,” she begged. “I just want you inside me. I’ve waited so long. I’ve waited a lifetime.”
He groaned, and then she felt one of his hands between her legs. When he brushed her sex, she purred in anticipation.
As Sahvage started stroking her, and she felt her pleasure rise, she shook her head. “No, I want to be with you.”
“You will.”
Just when she was on the cusp, his hand disappeared—and she felt the blunt head of him right where she wanted to.
“I love you,” she breathed.
Sahvage dropped his head in her neck as he repeated the words she was never going to tire of hearing or saying. And then he moved his hips forward and there was a brief flare of pain—that was instantly forgotten as a miraculous feeling of fullness and stretching carried her over the brink of a release that brought tears to her eyes.
As Mae started to orgasm, she called out her love’s name, scoring his back with her nails, her body arching into his.
And he did the same, joining her in all the pleasure.
It was so beautiful, so perfect, she cried tears.
Of joy.
No known cause,” a man’s voice said.
“They haven’t figured out how it started?”
“Nope. But the fire inspector is coming back for a second look.”
“So weird. The witnesses said it went up like a match strike.”