Page 7 of Exiled Mate

She blinks, and I see her pupils expand. They change so quickly that I pause, waiting instead of running, as I try to decide if I should check and see if she’s okay…

She shifts, and I’m glad that I tucked her under the blanket so that she’s not too worried about waking up naked around me.

I see the minute that her eyes focus on me.

She’s surprised. That’s clear. I can see the shock racing over her face. Her mouth opens and closes, and I clear my throat.

“Hi,” I whisper.

It’s a terrible opening line. More than that, it’s not exactly how I pictured seeing Terra one more time, but then again, I didn’t plan on any of this.

Terra’s perfect lips purse. She opens her mouth and breathes a single word that makes my heart stop in its tracks.

“Rylan.”

Chapter 3

Terra

Ihave to be dreaming.

There’s no other explanation for what’s happening right now. Plus, I’ve had this dream many, many times, so it’s not exactly unfamiliar to look up to Rylan’s face hovering over mine.

In my dream, though, Rylan’s black hair is shorter. His face is usually a little rounder and isn’t quite as harsh as what I see before me. His body in the dream is usually a little less… cut. The Rylan I’m dreaming of now has muscles that are so defined, I could practically teach an anatomy class just from the way they flex and bunch under my eyes.

He’s always been big. Brutal looking, like a guy who you do not want to run into at night.

But underneath that, he’s always been mine. My Rylan.

Now, though… he looks strange. Rylan, but unfamiliar. It’s odd.

There are other little differences, too. For example, in my dreams, he’s usually smiling. Not staring at me like he’s terrified of what I’ll do next.

It’s a little weird, but he’s definitely positioned just like he is in my dreams. Usually, this is the point in the dream when I try to kiss him.

I never can, though. Every time I try, I get right to the point where our lips brush, and then he disappears.

On that impulse, I lean forward. The feel of my hand on his neck is so real. I can feel the sweat on his skin. I can smell his scent, a mix of pine and sandalwood that always drove me crazy.

The smell is so much more intense than usual. Did I take some of Mom’s special calming tea before bed? If so, I’m going to drink it every single night, despite the fact that I think she went a little heavy on the mushrooms this time.

It’s almost like it’s real.

Hungrily, I pull his mouth to mine.

When I feel his lips part, I groan.

This feels so real.

I never want to wake up.

Idly, I’m aware that I need to stop. That if I wake up thinking that this is real, my heart is going to break all over again.

But he tastes so fucking good, and I don’t care anymore.

Both of my hands curl over the back of his neck, my nails scraping against his scalp as I pull him closer to me. Rylan lets out a noise of surprise, which is not what I would want to hear in a dream that is becoming pretty darn close to just a straight-up fantasy, but eventually, he moans with desire as well.

When his hands cradle my face, I feel like I’m going to cry. He holds me like I’m precious. Like I’m something to be treated gently, and like he never wants to let me go.

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