Page 155 of Married to the Devil

Stella keeps her head resting against my chest. Her breaths start getting heavier. She’s obviously crashing after the rush of passion and emotion on the roof.

I place her under the blankets of the bed even when she shakes her head.

“Sleep, firefly. You need it,” I say and kiss her soft lips, my heart in my throat. She’s here, and she’s safe.

“I don’t want to wake up to find that this is all a dream.”

“Don’t mistake yourself for anything other than fearless,” I say with soft pride. The proof of her grief is all around us, but she did not fall to it. “I will be here.”

She sighs and within a moment is asleep.

Ben leans heavily against the bedframe to disguise his own weariness. Did neither of them sleep this week? I stand and gesture him to follow me to the bathroom.

He’s frowning when he walks in and closes the door behind him, and his flinch of alarm when I pull off his shirt is delayed.

“What?” he asks in confusion.

“You smell like a bog,” I say, not minding the smell, but there’s a tightness to the demon that needs to be addressed since Ben isn’t as dead on his feet as Stella.

And I want to see all of him. Touch him. Care for him. I’ll do the same with Stella once she gets some sleep.

It’s a pleasure as much as it is an honor to care for these two.

They both need it. Stella reeks of heartbreak, and Ben doesn’t look like he’s been much better. He’s lost weight since we were last together, and his movements lack his usual surety.

I turn the shower on hot, giving him a moment.

Ben swallows and pushes down the sweats. For all his weariness and tension, he’s still beautiful.

“I’m half expecting you to punish me for leaving her alone for so long,” he whispers, stepping forward as if inviting me to do such a thing.

I sigh as I remove my kilt. “I’m displeased she took on such a heavy burden with only my people to help her, but we both know Stella. She wouldn’t want to invite you to share her pain if she thought you wouldn’t stay.”

I hold out my hand in invitation.

“I don’t have much information on what’s happened the past week. I’ve been avoiding news about the territory.” He looks uncomfortable.

My lips curve. “I have Stella and Silas for that. All I want to do right now is hold you, and once the stink is gone, put you to bed with us where you belong.”

Something loosens in him, and Ben takes my hand, allowing me to pull him under the hot spray. I’m transfixed by the sight of water running down the muscles of his back and over the swell of his ass.

I take a measured breath. Sex can wait.

I have the rest of our lives for the two of them. Whether he knows it or not.

Once he wets his hair I start washing it, enjoying the muscles in his shoulders and back relaxing for me.

“I’m still wearing the charm. I don’t know how you can even smell that retched place still,” Ben mumbles as I rinse the shampoo from his hair.

I arch a brow. It’s not like I missed that he still wore the bracelet Stella gave him.

“It covers your scent and keeps other’s inherent scents off you. It does not perform miracles. I’m touched that you went somewhere so foul to find a cure for me,” I say.

Ben turns, his dark eyes full of promise. “It’s the least I’d do for you.”

His throat bobs. “When I heard you were cursed, I couldn’t stop thinking about how I never told you—” He swallows again. “How I felt about you.”

I’m sure my grin is wicked with how he shivers. “And how do you feel about me?”

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