Page 53 of Light Magic

Or …

I went back to my bedroom, walking fast, trying not to run. I burst through the doors, and Levi was exiting the bathroom.

“Morning, sweetheart,” he said, with a lazy grin. “I was wondering where you were.”

I stopped long enough to admire his fine, naked body. But only for about ten seconds. “Morning,” I said as I took off my sweater and went to him.

One of his eyebrows shot up, but he wrapped his arms around my waist when I was in arms' reach and pulled me tight against him. “Insatiable, sweetheart?”

For him? “Always.”

I rose on my tiptoes, but Levi met me halfway. Holding me, he carried me backward to the bed, where he made quick work of getting rid of my clothes and extinguishing the fire the way only he could.

* * *

I lay half beside and half over Levi, my arm folded on his chest, my chin on the top of my hands.

He propped some pillows behind his back and looked at me. “Are you going to tell me what has you in such a good mood, sweetheart?”

I smiled, still feeling exhilarated about my phone call with Kaz and about what we had done in this bed. I told him about the call, while Levi ran his fingertips up and down my back. I didn’t think he noticed what he was doing.

What he was doing to me.

Yes, the lust, the want … it was the bond.

But was it all the bond?

I wasn’t sure anymore and I guess I never would be.

“That’s good, right? He’ll call and you’ll get your magic back.”

My smile widened. “I can’t wait.”

His intense eyes met mine, and suddenly, they darkened.

“Sweetheart,” he started and I tensed. “There’s something I should tell you.”

I pulled away. “Hm, nope. We’re not doing this.”

His brows curled down. “What do you mean?”

“This …” I pointed to me and him a couple of times. “It’s casual. It’s fun. Let’s not bring personal stuff and secrets into the mix.”

“I’m involved in a lot of your personal stuff.”

“Well, I was the one to come to you for my wings and my magic, so that’s on me. But it’s fine. We’ve established we’re enjoying the bond while it lasts, right?”

I put on a brave smile, but inside I was cracking and I knew he could feel it. I wanted to be a strong, badass angel, but I had feelings too, and it was really hard to put them aside most of the time. But I tried. I forced them to the back. Because if I didn’t, then I would certainly get hurt again.

“Right,” he said, his jaw popping again. He sat up on the bed. “I’ll just say this once: I think you’ll want to know about this.”

“Is it about my magic? About my sword? About my wings? Does it involve Rhodes and his betrayal?” Or assumed betrayal. I still didn’t have all the facts. “Or the dragons?”

“No.”

I shrugged and got up from the bed. “Then I don’t want to know.”

I started building the wall around my heart faster. Soon, the bond would be broken and he would leave. If this wall was only half built by then, I would crumble.

---