Before I know it, I’m exploding all over him, flooding his tongue with release. And the way Abe groans sets off a second, stronger orgasm. My legs are trembling jelly by the time he emerges from between my thighs.
Dark eyes find mine, a smile splitting his lips. He slides his tongue between my legs and licks a slow path up my clit.
“You’ve been sleeping a long time,” he murmurs. “Must be worn out.”
I struggle to catch my breath as he slurps my clit between his lips, the sounds wet and messy and thrilling. I’m going to come again if he keeps that up.
“How is everything?” I gasp out. “Nothing’s wrong?”
He pauses his lazy perusal of my pussy with an understanding look. “Everything’s quiet. I don’t like it.” When he rises, I know playtime’s over. “I’d almost rather Wesley attack and be done. I don’t know how long we can keep doing what we’re doing.”
His voice falls to a whisper. “I don’t want to lose anyone else. I don’t want to lose you.” Deft fingers thread through my bun and drag my gaze up to him.
When he swallows hard, I reach up to cup his cheek. His beautiful scarlet eyes close as he leans his head into my hand, rubbing his stubble against my palm. Like this, he looks so peaceful, so innocent.
“I will protect you until my last breath,” I murmur.
Dark eyes snap open, his hand coming to rest at the base of my throat. “You won’t have to, Morgan. That is a promise I will keep until the day I’m dust and stars.”
But I make a promise to myself then. Abe has given up everything to protect others and ensure they have the happiest possible existence. He’s done all of that at incredible expense to his own happiness. He threw that happiness away for a century, choosing others first.
Now, I’m choosing him.
And I’m choosing us.
By dinnertime, I’m starting to wonder about that promise. While it’s a lovely theory, I don’t know how to carry it out in practice. I called my sisters, Lou, and Hana this morning, and we’ve spent the last six hours visiting every building and as many homes as we can to feel for anything amiss. Shit, I even visited every pixie gourd in the community garden and the pixie dust factory in the top of the garden’s only tree.
There was nothing. Wren even used her green magic to get a sense for the plants, but they all seemed happy to her.
“It sucks how little use my detective skills are here,” Thea grumbles as we shove cheeseburgers in our face at the Green Bean.
“Not useless,” Hana mumbles around a mouthful of veggie burger. “Merely on hold.”
Wren snorts and rubs Thea’s shoulder. “Not even on hold. You’re still keeping an eye open and patrolling with Shepherd. If there’s something to be seen on your watch, I trust you’ll see it.”
“Absolutely,” Lou says, reaching across the table to pat Thea’s hand. “You are a badass bitch. Not finding this Wesley asshole is not your fault.” Her eye twitches as she stares at my sister.
“Lou, you okay?” Wren asks.
Our aunt sets her burger down and nods. “Yeah, I’m… Havens have always been safe places. Living in Rainbow was such a dream for me. And Ever is famous for its hospitality and beauty among havens. After what happened with your parents, I really want peace for you girls. Peace and happiness.” A single tear slides down her cheek.
I lean over and wipe it away. “We are happy, Lou. And, yeah, there’s some sour along with the sweet, but we love it here.”
“You too?” she asks, her tone thick with tears. “I know it’s been hard.”
“Yeah,” I say with a smile, looking around at my girl group. “It all worked out in the end.”
“Yay for breaking through! You did it!” Hana says with a giggle, shoving another bite of veggie burger in her mouth.
“Hell yeah.” I laugh and take another bite of my burger.
By the time we finish dinner, I’m reinvigorated to keep patrolling town and seeing if anything is amiss. The protector team is doubling up on patrols as well. Dirk already called his team, and Evenia’s literal army is arriving tomorrow. I’ll have backup soon.
Thea and Wren head home after dinner, and Hana takes the first shift. I’ll come back in a few hours and take over. I haven’t asked Abe to join me, but I know he will. In fact, I think it’ll be kinda nice to fly around a quiet town and patrol together.
Lou and I walk to Scoops and grab ice cream, but by the time we’ve eaten it, she still looks mournful.
“Lou, we’re good, I promise.” I twirl her braid around my finger. “Is that all that’s bugging you?”