“I was in here, cleaning it up today. I thought it might be cool to live here,” he said with a shy grin. “That’s stupid. It’s so small.”
“It’s amazing!” I told him, walking over to the kitchen. “You could put a fridge right here and put in some electrical.”
Liam nodded. “I was also thinking of carving another door and adding an attached bathroom.”
His dream, living in Faerie in this tree, staying near me, it made my heart flutter, and warmth pushed outward into my limbs.
“What about your brothers?” I asked.
He shrugged. “They are so used to me being in and out. I’m only a few yards away. They could come get me if they needed me.”
That was true, and his second eldest brother would be thirteen soon.
Shaking out the blanket, he laid it down on the freshly-swept, packed earth and patted the spot beside him.
I walked over slowly, watching him as he pulled out soft cheeses, dried fruits, and a glass bottle of water. I sat cross-legged before him, pushing my dress down between my legs so that I didn’t flash him while he set the items gingerly onto the plate. His hands shook a little when he set a dried fig on my plate.
Was he nervous?
Finally, he sighed, deep and longing, and his shoulders slumped.
“What’s wrong?” I was having a nice time. Wasn’t he? This romantic place he’d found, the picnic, the flowers with roots all attached, it was perfect.
When he looked up at me, there were tears brimming in his eyes. “I… took your family.” His voice was hollow.
I took your family. What an accurate thing to say. Not, I took your mom. No. Because my mom was my entire family. But I didn’t feel the anger or grief that I had before. My mom made her bed, and she had to lie in it. She tried to kill an innocent child… I couldn’t judge Liam’s choice to defend his brother’s life any longer.
“You became my family.” I reached out and brushed the tear from his cheek.
He looked even more pained at my response.
“It’s true,” I told him. “You’re my family now. Soulmates, remember?”
The fates, the gods, whoever created us, made the blue light to lead us to our perfect partner. Liam was fiercely loyal, loving, kind, and strong. My mother, had she gotten over her prejudice, would have loved him. I truly knew that in my very being.
“Liam, look at me.” His head had dropped back down, and now he tilted it up to meet my eyes, so much anguish there. “I’ve forgiven you. I think it’s time to forgive yourself because I’m ready to move on.”
His jaw clenched as if the mere mention of forgiving himself was painful, but then he nodded. “You’re right. You’re always right.” He reached out and traced a circle on my thigh absentmindedly.
Warmth and wetness bloomed between my legs as need clenched deep in my gut. We were too far apart. Physically, emotionally, spiritually, I needed him closer. I needed us back the way we were because nothing felt right without him by my side.
I burst from where I sat, onto my knees, and knocked him backward, pressing my lips to his. The breath went out of him in a rush as shock colored his face, and then he was kissing me right back. This kiss wasn’t sweet. It wasn’t delicate. It was hard, fevered, and completely all-consuming.
I kissed him like his lips gave me life while his tongue stroked mine with a passionate rush. When I stuck my hand under the belt of his jeans, curling my fingers around his hardness, he moaned.
His hands climbed up under my dress as he peeled my panties off, and then his fingers slipped inside of me. An unrestrained growl left my throat as I sank into him, rotating my hips to rock on his hand.
Man, I missed this. I missed him, being intimate, being vulnerable, being loved. Soulmates weren’t perfect. I’d learned that the hard way. But we were better together than apart. As if the Universe wanted to show me the truth of that thought, the blue light started to pulse in my chest and then in his, reminding us just how special our bond was, and when he kicked off his jeans and we came together as one, I promised to never let anything come between us again. Forgiveness was probably the hardest yet most important part of love.
Chapter 9
Liam and I slept that night, draped in each other’s arms, inside the hollowed-out tree, and it was perfect. The next morning, I awoke with sunlight on my face and Liam’s arm wrapped around my waist. He was watching me with a smoldering expression.
“I was thinking.” I pointed to the far wall. “We could carve a little reading alcove there so I could bring my books.”
His smolder turned into a smile but then quickly vanished. “Lily, you’re the Queen. They’re not going to let you live in a treehouse.”
He laughed.
I scoffed. “They can suck it. I’ll do whatever I want. Besides, I’m a temp Queen until the real Queen wakens.” I quickly filled him in on my memory of Indra and how she flew off when we tried to arrest her.
“A witch? That makes sense.” Liam rubbed his chin.
I grinned. “So, you’ll carve the reading alcove for me?”
Liam reached up and fisted my hair, bringing my lips to his. “I’ll do anything for you. I love you, Lily.”
My heart fluttered in my chest. “I love you too.” I was breathless.
He released me and stood. “I’ll start today. Cam can help with the plumbing, and we can get a working toilet. Maybe Mara can pop me over to the hardware store.”
I grinned. Moving in with Liam sounded perfect. Living away from town, away from the responsibility of being Queen was even more perfect. By the time
