Circle of Fire (Damask Circle 1)

“Hello, Madeline.” His warm, velvet voice held a hint of uncertainty.

It was his uncertainty that convinced her he was real and not just a figment of her imagination. She swallowed heavily, trying to stem the sudden rush of joy. “Nice to see you again.” Her voice sounded deceptively calm, given the turmoil in her heart.

He nodded and ran a hand through his hair. Slivers of sunshine seemed to dance through his fingers. His hair was a little shorter now, and lines of weariness shadowed the diamond brightness of his blue eyes. But everything else was the same, right down to the thigh-defining tightness of his jeans.

Maddie clenched her fingers ar

ound her brush. She wanted to reach out and touch him—wanted to feel the heat of his body, the touch of his lips on hers. Wanted it for real and not just in her dreams. But the first move had to be his.

“We need to talk,” he said softly. “Please, come and sit down.”

She didn’t move. Moving would only take her closer to him, and that was a risk she dared not take. Not yet. “What do you want to talk about?”

He sighed and pulled his gaze from hers. “Can I start with an apology?”

Hope fluttered. She shifted her weight from one foot to the other and raised an eyebrow. “For what?”

“For being such an ass. For taking so long to get back to you.”

“As good a place as any to start, I suppose.” She crossed her arms and stared at him. “Why did you take so long? Another couple of days, and I would be gone.”

“I know.” He glanced up, a slight smile tugging his generous lips. “Have you bought another house yet?”

“No.” How did he know she’d sold her house? The “sold” sign out front had been moved several days ago, so he couldn’t have seen it coming in. Her heart skipped several more beats. Had he been keeping tabs on her all along?

His smile widened, then he turned and walked across to the window, opening the blind. “Won’t you miss this place? It’s so peaceful.”

She frowned. Why was he discussing the house? “Of course I’ll miss it, but I can’t afford the upkeep on my own.”

“Uh-huh.” He leaned a hip against the sink and crossed his arms, staring out the window for several long minutes. “I often dreamed of owning a place like this,” he said softly.

“Then you’re about a week too late. Some woman named Seline Whiteshore bought it.” She slammed her hairbrush down and walked across to the refrigerator. “Want something to drink?”

He shook his head, not bothering to turn around. She poured herself a glass of soda and dragged out a chair. Whatever he’d come here to say was obviously going to take a while.

His next question was another bolt from the blue. “Do you still have my ring?”

Maddie frowned and glanced down at her finger. Damn. She’d left it in the greenhouse. “Yes, I have it. Why?”

“Do you know its significance?”

“Of course I don’t!” Why was he fixating on the house and the ring? She swallowed hard, but her voice still came out a croak as she continued. “Didn’t it belong to your father?”

“Not precisely.”

He turned to face her. Something in his eyes made her breath catch in her throat.

“My father actually gave it to my mother, who then gave it to me when I was old enough.”

She had no idea where all this was leading. “So?”

He smiled. “In our family, it has become known as the Heart of the Hunter. It is a gift that the first-born son of each generation gives to the woman he loves.”

It took several seconds for the meaning of his words to hit her. He was saying he loved her—wasn’t he? She licked her lips, refusing to let elation bubble free. After a year and a half of waiting, she had to be sure. Even if he was admitting he loved her, he hadn’t actually mentioned any plan to stay.

“Do you want it back?”

His smile was rich and warm, but she could see the uncertainty in his eyes. “No, I don’t want it back. It belongs to you, as does my heart.” He hesitated, then added softly, “I love you, Maddie.”