Page 24 of Hallows End
How did you bear it?I ask as I push my face into Nera’s fur.
Don’t cry, darling. I’m at the gate. May I come in?
I dash from the bed, down the stairs, and out to the backyard, seeing that Jonas is, indeed, waiting at the gate, looking impatient and...wonderful.
“You don’t have to ask,” I say as I pull open the gate. Jonas tugs me into his arms. “You never have to ask. You’re in my head, for the goddess’s sake.”
He simply picks me up and carries me back inside, but rather than taking me upstairs, he sits on my sofa and cradles me on his lap. Nera paces next to us and finally sits right at Jonas’s shoulder, watching us closely.
“He’s worried,” I whisper into Jonas’s neck.
“That makes two of us,” he replies and buries his lips in my hair at the top of my head.
“You have no need to worry aboutme.” I pull back so I can look him in the eyes. “For fuck’s sake, Jonas, what you’ve lived through is torture.”
“I didn’t know you’d dream that when I linked us,” he says, shaking his head, his voice trembling with guilt. “I would have done whatever was needed to block that from you.”
“No, I’m glad you didn’t.” I take his face in my hands and feel his arms tighten around me. “If anything, this only reinforces how important it is for us to find a way to break this curse. Wewillfigure this out.”
“I have one request,” he says as he pushes my hair off my face.
“What’s that?”
“The next time you run out of your house, please put something on.”
I glance down and realize that all I’m wearing is a white tank top that’s so old you can see through it and a pair of Hello Kitty panties.
“I mean, the important bits are covered.”
He raises an eyebrow, and I grin. “Call me old-fashioned,” he says. “Also, I’m still a human man, and you tempt me when you’re fully clothed, Luciana. Makes it difficult for me to be a gentleman.”
A slow smile spreads across my face, and I press a little closer to him. “Is that so? How fascinating.”
His mouth latches on to mine, and I bury my hands in his hair, unable to resist him. My breasts ache for his touch, and as though he justknows, his hand closes around one, and his teeth scrape over my lower lip.
Goddess, I want you.Even in his thoughts, his voice is rough with need.
But before I can shift and straddle him, we hear voices in the other room.
And then, “Oops.”
Instantly, Jonas shifts to block me from view, and I just sigh.
“Hi, Breena,” I call out.
“Lorelei’s here, too,” Breena replies. “Sorry for interrupting, but we brought bagels from Jaho.”
“And I know you need us,” Lorelei says, having no issue at all walking right in and propping her hands on her hips. “Hi. I’m Lorelei. And this is Breena. We’re all practically sisters. There’s something fishy about you.”
“Lora,” I hiss, but Jonas just chuckles.
“It’s okay,” he says. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’ve heard much about you.”
“I don’t think we’ve heard enough aboutyou,” Breena says kindly. “But I’ll share my bagel with you, and we can ask all the nosy questions.”
“I’m going to get dressed,” I announce and climb off Jonas’s lap. I walk unashamedly up the steps to my bedroom without even bothering to try and cover myself.
“I like your panties,” Lorelei calls after me.