Mari's Mistake (Icehome, #10)

by Ruby Dixon

We care for each other in the simplest of ways, and that reminds me that a marriage (or a mating) isn't just about sex. It's about being there for each other.

"I still want what we have," T'chai tells me. "Even if it is broken. Even if it stays broken forever. Because half a mating with my lovely, determined Mari is better than a lifetime alone."

"Being your mate is about sharing your life. It is not just taking you into the furs and making you scream my name. It is about being there for you when you are sad. It is about making you smile. It is about keeping you safe. It is about being happy together." He tugs lightly on my hair. "I still want all of those things with you. Nothing has changed for me, my Mari."

"This is why you must talk to me, my mate. This is why we are partners. Because we are better together than separately."

"Even if Niri would take me to our solar system, there's nothing to go back to. Earth is destroyed."