Page 58 of Crystal Luna

He sent the kids off on their own before taking Velora’s hand. “Now to spoil you.”

“I don’t need anything.” Though she shied away from his offer she leaned into his touch, loving the way it sent tingles spreading through her body.

“I just want you to pick one,” he insisted, lifting her hand to his mouth to press a soft kiss to her knuckles. “Please.”

“If you insist.”

“I do.”

He followed her through the rows of books, watching as she’d pick one up, read the description, then put it back. Then, her eyes lit up when they fell on a book with a floral spine. He picked it up and read the synopsis out loud to her.

“This one is pretty, and it sounds good too.” He opened the book and continued reading the first chapter. “If you don’t take it, I will.”

“Then that settles it,” she confirmed with a smile.

“We’d better find the monsters before they shop me out of the pack’s food budget.”

As suspected, they found Curtis with a stack of books he almost couldn’t carry. Velora helped him narrow them down by going through them with him one by one. Heath discovered Mia in the toy section, having settled on a princess crown over a book.

They stopped for burgers on the way home, the kids happily munching away while Velora fed Heath fries from the passenger’s seat so he wouldn’t starve. Velora carried their things inside while Heath carried a sleeping Mia to bed.

“Will you stay?” Heath asked as he quietly closed Mia’s door. “You don’t have to stay the whole night, but… just a little longer?”

“Curtis was asking for you. I’ll heat up your food while you say goodnight.”

Heath’s eyes sparkled and he gave her a heartwarming smile before heading to his son’s room. He joined her in the kitchen just as she pulled his plate from the microwave. “Should we find a movie? Or would you consider reading that new book to me?”

She turned, surprised by his suggestion. “You want me to read to you?”

“Yes. It sounded good.”

“Can we lay on the couch? My feet kind of hurt.”

“Sounds good to me.”

She grabbed the book, and they settled on the couch, with Heath pulling her legs into his lap while he tucked a blanket around them. She was a little nervous to read aloud, but excited to share that journey with him. She read until her eyes got tired and the words began to blur together.

“I like listening to you,” Heath admitted. After he’d finished his dinner, he’d closed his eyes and massaged her feet while she read.

“I’ve never read to anyone before, but it was fun.”

“You read to Curtis.”

Velora shrugged. “This felt different.”

“Will we finish the story together?”

“Yes.”

“I should apologise for pulling you out of training earlier. I didn’t realise the kids went after you. Curtis only told me to meet at the truck afterwards. I didn’t mean to put you in the spotlight.”

“It’s fine—training was horrible anyway.”

He opened his eyes to look at her. “What happened?” He then seemed to second guess himself and added, “Unless you don’t want to tell me.”

“I don’t do well with the others around me. One on one I’m fine, but with so many of them around I struggle to keep up.”

“You’re just not comfortable with them. That’s perfectly fine.”