Page 26 of Hybrid Hearts

I waited years for my true mate to walk into my life.

Now that she’s here, I’m never letting go.

We collapse into a breathless pile, and I hold her close, ready to fall asleep with her wrapped in my arms. We’re alone out here. We’re safe and happy and shaded from the overwarm sun.

It couldn’t be a more perfect moment.

She puts her hand to her throat and a pang of guilt hits.

“I didn’t know you could mark me more than once,” she admits.

“I don’t know what came over me,” I tell her. “It won’t happen again.”

“Why not?” she asks. “I liked it. I liked when you kissed me there too. It was intense.”

“Well, then…” I trail off to lean in and kiss her throat.

She sighs softly. “Oh Goddess, it’s like you’re stroking my clit when you kiss me there.”

“Then how does this feel?” I ask, moving a hand to stroke her clit while I kiss her throat.

She makes an incoherent sound, and a second later she tenses under me, cursing under her breath.

“Okay,” she says. “It’s incredible, but maybe we use it sparingly.”

She blows out a breath and I nod.

“Agreed. I’ll use it sparingly.”

“And no telling Parker and Dante.”

“Never,” I promise, knowing how much they’d love to have this extra, easy way to turn our mate on.

“Good,” she says, smiling as she snuggles into me.

“This would be comfier if we had a bed,” I muse, wishing I’d at least thought to bring a blanket.

The ground isn’t that comfortable. Why the hell didn’t I think about a blanket?

I thought about a picnic. Don’t those require blankets?

I should have asked Parker to arrange this. He would have thought of it.

“So, how’s school been?” I ask, realizing she’s unlikely to talk about it unless I bring it up.

She’s quiet for a second, then she sighs.

“I feel like a loser,” she admits. “I know I’m not the only one, but I don’t have a lot of experience with magic and some girls in class were kind of mean about it.”

What girls? I’ll rip their sorry throats out.

I push those instinctive but unhelpful thoughts away quickly. I can’t kill everyone who’s kind of mean to my mate. Real, tangible threats to her life, yes. Random bitchy girls from her school, not so much.

“You’re not a loser,” I tell her. “You’re a hybrid, and you’re at the academy to learn how to use your magic. They don’t expect the students to know that stuff. They know hybrids get a raw deal. If people are being mean, that’s their issue. It’s not really about you. They’re just assholes.”

“I know,” she says, smiling wryly. “It just sucks to be so behind with that stuff, you know?”

“I get it. Could Dante help?” I ask, wondering if she’s even thought about it.

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