Page 124 of My Summer Girl

Por Amarte Asi – Cristian Castro

It’s been three days since Abue told me that in order to form the mate bond, I need to bite them both.

In the last three days, it’s also been hectic, and there hasn’t been a moment for an intimate conversation. The festivities are all day tomorrow and into the evening. When it gets dark, we have the bonfire. I want to ask Dulce and Vera if they’ll bond with me then. Then maybe I'll be brave enough to ask Vex. They make me anxious because I want to respect their journey with me.

“Whatcha thinking about, big guy?” Dulce asks, prancing around me. She’s been such a ray of sunshine since she and Vera had their day together. Even Vera—dare I say it—seems over the moon and in the clouds.

If the absolute fire in the bond told me and Vex anything while we were away, it’s that these two have a lot of chemistry and they smelled like they bonded in a more carnal way when we got back.

Since then, I’ve watched them kiss and hug, and seen the little touches they probably don’t even realize they’re offering each other.

When my expression doesn’t change, she stretches as much as she can, attempting to rub the wrinkles from my forehead.

“Thinking of the dragon races we won’t be having,” I solemnly admit, which isn’t entirely a lie. I’m wondering how else I was going to show Vex that riding a dragon is nothing like riding a horse and that they’ll definitely like the former more.

“What do you mean?” she asks, concern etched on her forehead. I lean down, trying to kiss that expression away. Behind her, Vera comes up, wrapping her arms around Dulce’s middle, eliciting an excited hum from little sweet.

“Unfortunately, we’re a little short on dragons this year. The less pollination there is, the less they migrate here. They too start families during the fertile window,” Vera explains, her voice tight as if she’s trying to hide how truly upset this whole ordeal makes her.

That solemn expression is back on Dulce’s face and I want to erase it again. She shouldn’t have to feel that kind of sadness.

As soon as it arises, it’s wiped away with bright eyes and a renewed optimism. “What is it?” I nudge, feeling hope in the bond.

“Dormir,” she enthusiastically says, almost jumping up and down with her excitement. My expression must show my confusion because she settles to explain. Vera still holds her waist, her head on Dulce’s shoulder in one of the softest shows of affection I’ve ever witnessed from her.

“He came here because fate made it so. Maybe him being a dragon could communicate what is needed?”

Vera seems checked out, her eyes a bit lost. And that makes sense. Whenever the Pollination is brought up, it’s tough on her.

“I think it’s a good idea,” I say, pressing a finger under Dulce’s chin and smiling.

“What’s a good idea?” Vera asks, coming back to the conversation. I wink at Dulce and lean to kiss her before reaching for Vera.

Leaving a chaste kiss on her lips, she seems to be speechless, so I finally answer. “Nothing for our queen to worry about.” If she caught the fact that I didn’t use my language for her pet name, she doesn’t object.

Instead, she kisses Dulce’s temple and then mine before heading toward the throne room where everyone prepping for tomorrow’s events will be.

***

Dulce

IT DOESN’T TAKE A GENIUS to realize that I’ve diluted myself into thinking this pollination subject wasn’t bothering Ver.

She’s hurting, and the fact that I’ve only truly recognized it when talking to Raev hurts my heart. Something that I struggled with for a long time while being a Cupid daily was failure.

Oh, wow.

A Cupid. I’m a freaking Cupid and I almost forgot.

Rushing toward the room Vex and I’ve been staying in, I wonder if they’re here. They’ve been busy, doing a lot, and I’m unsure if that’s a positive thing or not.

They seem happy for me—for us, really.

Yet they’ve been distracted.

Or maybe I’m an anxious pleaser who worries about everything before it’s a problem.

Hitting the room, I note that everything is clean. Immaculate, and I just know they were in here tidying up.

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