Page 31 of Courting the King of Cliffs

Storm grimaced.

“I’m moving in with him. With my mate. I don’t know when I’m going to come back. I need some space, and even if I didn’t, I think we both know it’s time for me to build a life of my own.” I stepped closer, wrapping my arms around him for a quick hug. He squeezed me tightly, and I waited until he was ready before stepping back and giving him another small smile. “I’ll come by to see Reeve soon. My little brother still needs me.”

Storm’s expression softened. “He does. We love you—I hope you know that. And we’re happy for you, even if we fucked things up. I hope you know that too.”

“I do.” I stepped back inside Tremaine’s place. My place. “Thanks, Dad.”

I closed the door, and Tremaine’s magical lock reappeared, once again covered in spikes. I took a few shaky breaths before I finally turned around. When I did, I found my mate still sitting on the floor—but he was dressed again, and wearing a gentle expression that made my eyes sting more.

Silently, I walked over to him and then sank to the ground. He pulled me into his arms before I landed on my knees, and cradled me to his chest.

I squeezed my eyes shut as my emotions got too intense, but the spiciness of his scent and the soft brush of his power wiped away the magical tension, leaving me with just my true emotions.

Sadness, more than anything.

“I feel like we lost so much time,” I whispered, closing my eyes tightly.

“No,” he murmured, resting his chin on my head as he held me close. “We didn’t lose anything. The time apart gave us a chance to realize how much we need each other. We wouldn’t appreciate it, if we’d had each other back then.”

“I guess not.” I wiped my eyes.

“Now, I’m going to take you to the kitchen, and you’re going to teach me how to cook something very, very simple,” he said, his voice still serious.

A choked laugh escaped me. “Am I?”

“Yes. And then, when your stomach’s full and you’ve told me one of the happiest stories of your time in the wind kingdom—because I know you were happy—I’m going to strip you and taste you.

Heat flooded my lower belly. “Sounds hot.”

“It will be.” He flashed me a sexy grin that made my body clench a bit. “Ready?”

“So ready.”

He scooped me up off the ground, laughing when I shrieked at the sudden motion, and I held on tightly as he jogged into the kitchen. We may not have known each other well, but he’d figured out the perfect distraction.

Chapter 10

Dove—one month later

“I can’t believe you already talked me into this,” I said, as I stepped into the pit of soft sand at our land’s heart.

“Well, I can’t let you win every argument, Lavender.” Tremaine flashed me a grin.

We had both come alive in the past month without the pain or stress that had been weighing us down because of our magic. Tremaine had become the most incredible assistant chef in our kitchen, and I had decided I wanted to see our world with my adult eyes. We’d agreed to start traveling the elemental lands to seal cracks the way Quake used to do when he was single.

Things could get pretty dry on the earth fae throne, after all.

After we finally emerged from our home, we’d expanded the land the way our people needed us to in a matter of days. We’d reorganized some of the mess they had going on, and then determined that if we got tired of traveling, we would offer our services to the other kings, because building was so damn satisfying.

I gave him a dramatic sigh. “I think this was your plan all along. You gave me everything I wanted to sweeten me up, so that when you asked me to mate with you officially, I wouldn’t have the heart to say no.”

“Yes, that’s exactly what I was thinking every time I made love to you,” he drawled. “Will this convince her to mate with me? Then yes, I must make the sacrifice.”

I laughed, and he did too.

“What a huge sacrifice,” I teased him.

“The biggest.” He squeezed my hand.

---