“You’re telling me. It was absolutely nuts. I have zero desire to go out into the world for a while.”
He plopped down on the bed and pulled me with him. “It’s been a day.”
I huffed. “Kind of. Yeah.” I had a million worries and questions running through my head. What did Cosette mean about my darkest hour? About the Irish pack? Would there really be a war between the Weres and fey? It was a lot to take in.
Donovan pulled me until my head was resting on his chest. He opened the bond wide, and I felt his steady calm. I wasn’t sure how he’d managed it, but he was back to feeling upbeat.
I sat up enough to look at him. His eyes were closed, but he wasn’t asleep. The guy was just chilling. After a day like today? “How do you do that?”
He cracked an eye open, then closed it again, giving me one of his easy smiles. “Come on now. We were just getting comfortable.”
I dug a finger into his side. “No, really?”
He sighed. “When you’ve seen as many days as I have, you know there’ll be tough ones. Each time you go through something, you never know how you’ll reach the other side. But you will. And this time, I’ve got you. Whatever it is that Cosette’s goin’ on about… It doesn’t matter. When it comes, we’ll get through it. And on the other side of it, we’ll be together. That’s all that matters.”
If I told anyone that Donovan was a total softie, they’d say I’d lost my mind. But he was sweet. “You actually believe that?”
“More than. I know it.” He tugged me, but I stayed where I was, looking down at him.
He shook his head, sitting up on his elbows. “All right then. If we’re not after sleep, how about some food. I’m half starved.”
So was I. Only suddenly, looking at his crooked smile and glittering blue eyes, I was hungry for something else.
“If that’s what you’re after, I can make it happen, too.” The gravel in his voice set my heart racing.
I swallowed. “Maybe we should get food… My father…” Yeah. He wouldn’t be happy if anything happened before the ceremony.
“Aye. That’d be wise.” Donovan rose from the bed and held a hand out to me. “How about you show me the way? I’ve never been to your home before, and it’s right massive.”
I laughed. “Let’s go, handsome.”
“You think I’m handsome?” He held his hands to his chest.
I shoved him out of my bedroom. “Shut it. You know you are.” Laughing, he gave me another one of his grins, and I rolled my eyes. “Stop flirting.”
“Can’t be helped. It’s in my DNA. Especially with you.”
“Only with me.”
He stopped, pulling me to him. “Aye. Only with you.” The brush of his lips against mine was soft and tender. It nearly pulled all the worry from my mind.
Nearly.
Chapter Five
Donovan slept in another room. My mate was nothing if not respectful of my father’s wishes for no pre-ceremony slumber parties, so I ended up alone in my bed. Cold. Lonely. And missing Donovan.
But I didn’t wake up that way.
Donovan’s heat pressed against my back and his scent surrounded me. I leaned into him for a second. Light peeked around the edges of my blackout curtains, hinting that I’d actually been allowed to sleep in a bit. I’d been up before daylight every morning since I got home, but guessing from the light, it was maybe seven a.m.
This was more like it. I pulled the comforter up under my chin, snuggled back against Donovan, and closed my eyes again.
What was another few minutes? I was way too comfortable to get out of bed.
Donovan’s arms tightened around me. “I know you’re awake.” His voice rumbled through me in the most delicious way.
“Hmmm,” I said as I rolled in his arms. I felt gloriously rested for the first time in weeks. “What time is it?”