he’d make sure they spent time alone. He’d take her to the cottage he’d built into the mountain. The main house was good, functional. He’d built it to accommodate the team when they’d trained at The Drift when they’d first joined him, and of course now. The cottage reminded him more of his place in Alandia. Simple. Cozy. In sync with the outdoors. He’d show her the surroundings. They could sit on the low ridge overlooking the lake and watch the sunset.
A longing Dalir had never experienced slammed home. It also solidly nailed down the truth and dictated what he needed to do. Ari seeing him didn’t change or help anything or anyone. It just added another unneeded complication. Even if he wanted, he could never give Ari that experience of a barbecue or what she deserved from a man. A real relationship. Dalir’s chest tightened. He wouldn’t visit Ari again.
The couple’s laughter along with Reid’s voice filtered in from outside. “Beautiful, it always fits.”
Thane chuckled. “I don’t want to guess what that means.” He paused on the way out of the kitchen. “I almost forgot. Celine’s making some fancy dessert and needs a head count. You joining us?”
* * * *
Ari picked up a sheet of tissue paper from the table and crinkled it. The sound echoed in the storeroom at Diva Unique. Had last night really happened? She slipped the paper into an open space in the new baby and mom gift basket. Had she really woken up from a horrible nightmare and—
Another grin she couldn’t control snuck out. It must have. She’d awakened alone, aching in wonderful ways that confirmed it. She’d had lots and lots of fantastic, hot, sweaty sex with Dalir. At least she had after assuring him she’d enjoyed every minute of it the first time. He’d been so concerned. Yes, the man outweighed her by more than a hundred pounds, but she wasn’t made of porcelain. Ari encased the basket in clear wrap. She usually shied away from super protective guys. They drove her nuts, but with Dalir maybe she’d make an exception. Hold on. What was wrong with her? She couldn’t have a relationship with a guy no one else could see. Could she?
Brooke walked in. “Hey, Ari, is the basket done? The customer called. They’re on their way to pick it up.”
“Yep.” Ari tied a pink and white bow around the basket. “Here you go.”
“I think you forgot something.” Brooke pointed to the bottle of lotion on the table.
Great. Ari tugged off the ribbon. Add it to the list of Sunday’s blunders. She’d already miscounted a customer’s change and knocked over a jewelry display. Sex brain. That’s what Lauren called it. Man, she missed Lauren and Celine. But even if they were here, she couldn’t share this any more than she could tell them her other secret. They just thought she had uncanny instincts not the curse from her abilities.
“Earth to Ari. Return to the light.” Brooke waved her hand in front of Ari’s face. “Are you sure you’re feeling okay? You look tired. I knew I shouldn’t have let you talk me out of bringing you some chamomile tea when I checked on you after dinner. Did you sleep at all or did your head keep you up?”
“Kind of.” Ari added the bottle and retied the basket. It wasn’t a total fib. Her head had kept her busy last night. Somehow, she’d conjured him up again after her get past the terrible nightmare. He’d more than helped her through it. And Brooke had, too. She handed over the basket. “After our conversation about your paper last night, this documentary I saw on knights popped into my mind. There was this part on how knights were very picky about their horses. The ones with money rode coursers and the rest destriers.” She forced a laugh. “It made me think of how guys are today about their cars.”
Brooke raised a brow. “You were thinking about my paper. That’s interesting.”
And so random. She didn’t have to touch Brooke. She could see hints of bafflement in the
A longing Dalir had never experienced slammed home. It also solidly nailed down the truth and dictated what he needed to do. Ari seeing him didn’t change or help anything or anyone. It just added another unneeded complication. Even if he wanted, he could never give Ari that experience of a barbecue or what she deserved from a man. A real relationship. Dalir’s chest tightened. He wouldn’t visit Ari again.
The couple’s laughter along with Reid’s voice filtered in from outside. “Beautiful, it always fits.”
Thane chuckled. “I don’t want to guess what that means.” He paused on the way out of the kitchen. “I almost forgot. Celine’s making some fancy dessert and needs a head count. You joining us?”
* * * *
Ari picked up a sheet of tissue paper from the table and crinkled it. The sound echoed in the storeroom at Diva Unique. Had last night really happened? She slipped the paper into an open space in the new baby and mom gift basket. Had she really woken up from a horrible nightmare and—
Another grin she couldn’t control snuck out. It must have. She’d awakened alone, aching in wonderful ways that confirmed it. She’d had lots and lots of fantastic, hot, sweaty sex with Dalir. At least she had after assuring him she’d enjoyed every minute of it the first time. He’d been so concerned. Yes, the man outweighed her by more than a hundred pounds, but she wasn’t made of porcelain. Ari encased the basket in clear wrap. She usually shied away from super protective guys. They drove her nuts, but with Dalir maybe she’d make an exception. Hold on. What was wrong with her? She couldn’t have a relationship with a guy no one else could see. Could she?
Brooke walked in. “Hey, Ari, is the basket done? The customer called. They’re on their way to pick it up.”
“Yep.” Ari tied a pink and white bow around the basket. “Here you go.”
“I think you forgot something.” Brooke pointed to the bottle of lotion on the table.
Great. Ari tugged off the ribbon. Add it to the list of Sunday’s blunders. She’d already miscounted a customer’s change and knocked over a jewelry display. Sex brain. That’s what Lauren called it. Man, she missed Lauren and Celine. But even if they were here, she couldn’t share this any more than she could tell them her other secret. They just thought she had uncanny instincts not the curse from her abilities.
“Earth to Ari. Return to the light.” Brooke waved her hand in front of Ari’s face. “Are you sure you’re feeling okay? You look tired. I knew I shouldn’t have let you talk me out of bringing you some chamomile tea when I checked on you after dinner. Did you sleep at all or did your head keep you up?”
“Kind of.” Ari added the bottle and retied the basket. It wasn’t a total fib. Her head had kept her busy last night. Somehow, she’d conjured him up again after her get past the terrible nightmare. He’d more than helped her through it. And Brooke had, too. She handed over the basket. “After our conversation about your paper last night, this documentary I saw on knights popped into my mind. There was this part on how knights were very picky about their horses. The ones with money rode coursers and the rest destriers.” She forced a laugh. “It made me think of how guys are today about their cars.”
Brooke raised a brow. “You were thinking about my paper. That’s interesting.”
And so random. She didn’t have to touch Brooke. She could see hints of bafflement in the
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