With his head bent, Parsnip wouldn’t look at me, and I wasn’t having that.
A single finger under his chin was all I needed to lift his gaze to mine. “You’re amazing. I am the luckiest warlock on the planet.”
Parsnip rolled his eyes, but a grin lifted his lips, and pink flushed his cheeks. “Or the most delusional.”
“Maybe. But if that’s the case, I’m good with it.”
Wings fluttering, dust filled the air, sparkling in the dim lighting. “You’re a fool, Vander Kines. But you’re my fool.”
“Damn straight. And…in that vein of thinking, I’ve got something for you.” I held out the unassuming quartz crystal.
“A charm?” Parsnip asked, mouth twisting with confusion. “But I don’t need a—”
“Maybe you don’t, but I do. You asked me to bond with you in the warlock way.” I held the charm a little higher.
Parsnip’s eyes flew wide. “V-Vander? Is this…? Are you sure?”
“I’ve never been surer about anything. You are my one and only, Parsnip, and I thank Gaia every day for the gift you are.”
Chest rising and falling in rapid succession, Parsnip’s big, light gray eyes gazed up at me. “What do we do?”
I waggled my eyebrows. “What do you think we do?”
“Get naked?”
“Oh yes. Very naked.”
Knees bent, Parsnip used his wings to steady his body as he perched on our bed. “I think I can get on board with that. Care to help?”
Oh, most certainly.
Pixie tops were called that for a reason. They were structured to fit around wings. The first time I’d undressed Parsnip had been anything but smooth. I felt like a young warlock trying to work their way around the first bra I’d ever seen. Byx might argue differently, but I was a fast learner, especially when motivated, and I was very motivated to get Parsnip undressed.
The special ties slipped through my fingers. Parsnip’s spider silk felt heavenly and eased off his body in shimmering sheets, pooling around his waist. Parsnip was slender and a good two feet shorter than me, but his body was well-toned and muscular. Pixies were works of art, and mine was no different.
“You’re beautiful.” I’d lost count of how many times I’d told Parsnip that. I meant it more with every whispered compliment.
“You’re not so bad yourself, warlock.” Parsnip’s lips teased my chin, nipping at my ear and ending with feathered kisses across my eyebrows and eyelashes. “I never thought anyone could love me the way you do.”
“That just confirms what I’ve always thought. The world is full of fools.”
Choking on a laugh, Parsnip leaned his forehead against my neck. “I have no idea how your mind works, Vander.”
“Good thing. We’re going to be bonded for life. It would be great if one of us were sane.” I grinned at Parsnip’s wide eyes and parted lips.
His relaxed shoulders, slight head shake, and small grin were my reward. “Kiss me before I decide you’re too crazy to bond with.”
“Too late, pretty pixie. You’ve already formed a bond, and now it’s my turn. No going back.”
“No.” Parsnip’s grin softened. “No going back.”
“Are you sorry about that?” I had to ask.
“Never, Vander. Never ever.”
“Good.”
I decided we’d talked enough, and Parsnip’s silence let me know he agreed. His warm lips pressing into mine was another hint. I groaned, loving the feel of his soft skin. Parsnip’s fingers skimmed over my flesh, their touch light yet possessive. My pixie was a contrast to me in nearly every way. Where my hands and fingers bore the callouses of charm weaving, Parsnip’s body was as silky as the clothes he wore.