More on this book
Community
Kindle Notes & Highlights
“A man loses the love of his life, and he yearns for night because in dreams, they’re reunited,” he says.
I smile into my drink. “Are you admitting I have a piece of your soul?” His eyes dip to my curving lips. “More than a piece, cherub.”
All these things are testaments to our friendship. Because that’s what this has always been. Long before I knew Des was my mate, I knew he was my friend. And
even though I wanted him in a distinctly un-friend-like way, that’s all the two of us were for the better part of a year.
I love you, and this is where you’re happiest.” That’s not true. Happiness isn’t a place, it’s a person—more specifically, the one across from me.
He searches my face. “Truth: Tell me, sweet little siren, how many nights did you get yourself off to the thought of me when we were apart?”
“I imagined you taking me in just about every position possible. I imagined your weight settling on me, your hips between mine. I imagined your evil-boy body fucking mine over and over and over again. I imagined it sweet and nice, I imagined it rough and kinky. I imagined you when I was alone…and when I was with other men—I even called out your name once. I imagined it all, and it still didn’t hold a flame against the reality of you.”
“Marry me,” he says. Time slows and my breathing stops. Marry me.
“Marry me, and I will cherish you forever, cherub.” Marry me.
“Cherub…there’s something I’m forgetting…” He snaps his fingers, and from the ether, a ring appears between his thumb and forefinger. “I believe this is yours.”
“I made a deal with the stars…” A deal—of course he did. I smile a little. “It’s captured starlight,” he explains, squeezing my hand. “I figured the Queen of the Night should carry a piece of her kingdom with her.”
Des grins, and the sight of it just slays me. “Cherub, it would frighten you how long I’ve carried that ring around.”
I mean HONESTLY.
I pretend for a few minutes that we’re just two long-lost lovers reunited at last.
The two of us don’t slide out of bed until hours later, caught up in each other. I’m pretty sure heaven consists of endless days like this one.
The Bargainer leans back in his chair. “Stop it.” “Stop what?” “Giving me your fuck-me eyes. I’m trying to be a gentleman and not screw you right here on your kitchen table.” I set my coffee aside. “The table can take a beating…”
But then, this is what our relationship is built on: we share our dirty little secrets with each other, things no one else might accept us for.
You ply me with sex, pastries, and coffee, and I’ll overlook a lot of crap.
I taste his magic on his tongue, like the night itself has a flavor.
“It gets to be like this; for the rest of our lives, we get to have this: the sweet moments, the confessions, the laughter, the magic—we get to have it all.” His thumb strokes my cheek. “Cherub, you’re every wish of mine.”
He still doesn’t seem real. I hope he never does. He’s my magic.
The two of us move up and down, in and out, pulling away and rushing in like the tides.
You’ve functioned without him once before, back when you thought you’d never see him again. You’re an old hand at this.
Even the stars seem to mock me. How can they continue to shine when the man who ruled them is gone?
There will always be bad men, and they will take and take and take. But so will I. People like us are not victims. We’re someone’s nightmare.
Dreams, desire—what wouldn’t you do to have what you most want?
“There are many uncertainties in life, but this one thing holds true: I will always come back to you, cherub.”
Des gives me a sly look. “How I tricked the Thief of Souls?” “No, how you learned to whistle. Of course, how you tricked the Thief.” Like pulling teeth with this one.
My skin brightens with interest because even after all these years, my siren is still a hussy when it comes to Des. The King of the Night laughs and scoops me up before tossing me lightly onto the bed. “Phew,” he says. “I’ve still got it.”
Too good to be true. All that hoping and wishing and yearning. Life is never supposed to give you what you want, and if it does, best to not assume it’s forever.
In a world full of instant entertainment, you who find yourselves lost in a book are rare gems. Thank you for letting my words be a part of your world.
