toward the door. Once outside, they paused so that Amarie could remove the heels.
She sighed in relief as she curled her toes in the grass. “That feels so much better.”
“Just think of how much better you’ll feel out of that dress.”
She laughed, the sound genuine as it skated over his senses. “I’m guessing you want to help me with that? Getting out of the dress, and feeling better?”
“Absolutely.” He tucked her free hand into the crook of his elbow as they took the grassy path back to their house. Night cloaked the compound, the stars overhead brilliant with no streetlights to mar the darkness. He kept them to a sedate pace, enjoying the feel of her on his arm. “You mind telling me what got you down back there? You know Rashon’s on duty, making sure the unmated males don’t go overboard trying to impress the witches. There’s nothing to be jealous of.”
“I’m not jealous, not really. It’s just that...” She sighed.
Kurik stopped, turning to face her. “What is it, Amarie?”
“All of this is new to me, and I don’t know how to handle it. The emotions, the wanting. The fear churning in my gut.”
His protective instinct rose, tensing his muscles with the need to defend her against any and all monsters. “What are you afraid of, sweetheart?”
“Of not being enough for you.” She looked down at her bare feet. “Maybe you should go back in there with Rashon and see if one of the Isis witches is interested in being with you guys. I bet you’ll have a couple of takers.”
Not being enough? She was more than enough—she fit perfectly in their bed and in their lives. “You said that before. Why would we choose an Isis witch over you?” Kurik finally asked, his voice soft.
“Because the Daughters are so beautiful and vibrant and full of life and magic that they’re damn near perfect. I can’t give you what they can.”
Her uncertainty tore at him. Rashon would know what to say to reassure her. Rashon always had the words. Kurik had always been about taking action, rushing into the fight claws first. Action would have to do.
“Amarie.” He settled his hands on her shoulders. When she wouldn’t look at him, he lifted her chin. Even in the slim light of the quarter moon he could see the tears that glittered on her lashes. Not knowing what to say, he settled for action instead. Carefully he thumbed her tears away, folded her in his arms, then kissed her.
A tremor swept her, then she pressed against him, her arms a welcome weight around his waist. Need burned through him, the need to prove how much he wanted her, how much they needed her.
He broke the kiss, resting his forehead against hers. “You fit us. You’re perfect for us. All right?”
“Kurik.” She cupped his jaw. “When you say it like that, I believe you.”
His tension eased, and he smiled as he gathered her hand again. “Let’s go home.”
“Okay.”
The rest of their walk passed quietly, but Kurik knew it was a better silence than before. She hugged his arm tight to her body, her head resting against his shoulder. Once home, he paused in the main room. He wanted to take her with an urgency that couldn’t be denied. More than that, he wanted to take care of her, see to her needs and ensure that she was fine.
“Are you hungry? Thirsty?”
She shook her head, dropping her shoes near the sofa. “I don’t need food or drink,” she answered, her voice soft. “I just need you.”
He scooped her up without a word, carrying her back to the bedroom. She giggled, and the sound sent crazy quivers through his chest. “I should have said that on the way over here. I could have gotten a free ride.”
Alarm swept through him as he tightened his hold on her. “Are you okay? You didn’t stub your toe or cut your feet on a rock, did you?”
She giggled again, softer this time. “No, I’m fine. You can put me down with no worries.”
He did, heat stinging his ears. For some reason, this moment, this time
She sighed in relief as she curled her toes in the grass. “That feels so much better.”
“Just think of how much better you’ll feel out of that dress.”
She laughed, the sound genuine as it skated over his senses. “I’m guessing you want to help me with that? Getting out of the dress, and feeling better?”
“Absolutely.” He tucked her free hand into the crook of his elbow as they took the grassy path back to their house. Night cloaked the compound, the stars overhead brilliant with no streetlights to mar the darkness. He kept them to a sedate pace, enjoying the feel of her on his arm. “You mind telling me what got you down back there? You know Rashon’s on duty, making sure the unmated males don’t go overboard trying to impress the witches. There’s nothing to be jealous of.”
“I’m not jealous, not really. It’s just that...” She sighed.
Kurik stopped, turning to face her. “What is it, Amarie?”
“All of this is new to me, and I don’t know how to handle it. The emotions, the wanting. The fear churning in my gut.”
His protective instinct rose, tensing his muscles with the need to defend her against any and all monsters. “What are you afraid of, sweetheart?”
“Of not being enough for you.” She looked down at her bare feet. “Maybe you should go back in there with Rashon and see if one of the Isis witches is interested in being with you guys. I bet you’ll have a couple of takers.”
Not being enough? She was more than enough—she fit perfectly in their bed and in their lives. “You said that before. Why would we choose an Isis witch over you?” Kurik finally asked, his voice soft.
“Because the Daughters are so beautiful and vibrant and full of life and magic that they’re damn near perfect. I can’t give you what they can.”
Her uncertainty tore at him. Rashon would know what to say to reassure her. Rashon always had the words. Kurik had always been about taking action, rushing into the fight claws first. Action would have to do.
“Amarie.” He settled his hands on her shoulders. When she wouldn’t look at him, he lifted her chin. Even in the slim light of the quarter moon he could see the tears that glittered on her lashes. Not knowing what to say, he settled for action instead. Carefully he thumbed her tears away, folded her in his arms, then kissed her.
A tremor swept her, then she pressed against him, her arms a welcome weight around his waist. Need burned through him, the need to prove how much he wanted her, how much they needed her.
He broke the kiss, resting his forehead against hers. “You fit us. You’re perfect for us. All right?”
“Kurik.” She cupped his jaw. “When you say it like that, I believe you.”
His tension eased, and he smiled as he gathered her hand again. “Let’s go home.”
“Okay.”
The rest of their walk passed quietly, but Kurik knew it was a better silence than before. She hugged his arm tight to her body, her head resting against his shoulder. Once home, he paused in the main room. He wanted to take her with an urgency that couldn’t be denied. More than that, he wanted to take care of her, see to her needs and ensure that she was fine.
“Are you hungry? Thirsty?”
She shook her head, dropping her shoes near the sofa. “I don’t need food or drink,” she answered, her voice soft. “I just need you.”
He scooped her up without a word, carrying her back to the bedroom. She giggled, and the sound sent crazy quivers through his chest. “I should have said that on the way over here. I could have gotten a free ride.”
Alarm swept through him as he tightened his hold on her. “Are you okay? You didn’t stub your toe or cut your feet on a rock, did you?”
She giggled again, softer this time. “No, I’m fine. You can put me down with no worries.”
He did, heat stinging his ears. For some reason, this moment, this time
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