“False,” he argued, feigning offense. “I take my bite at exactly the same time you do.”
“Oh, whatever.” I rolled my eyes as he dished up a single slice and set it on a plate. Then he handed me a fork.
When he picked up his own, we each watched the other intently as we reached out and scooped up our separate bites. I paused, squinting his way. He squinted mine. Then we moved in unison and tasted the pie at the same time.
I refused to react as I chewed, but Indigo closed his eyes and he moaned. “This,” he reported with a mouthful as he pointed at the rest of the pie left on his plate with his fork. “This is it. This is the best one yet.”
A statement he said after basically every pie he baked.
The man made cooking look as flawlessly easy as he did making friends. It was quite aggravating, actually. But every freaking one of his pies usually did turn out better than the last.
When he opened his lashes to gauge my reaction, I waited until I swallowed and finally gave a slow nod. “I think you’re right.”
He whooped and flew out of his seat. “Yes! I knew it!” Tugging me from my chair, he pulled me in for a kiss. “Now thank your chef properly.”
I rolled my eyes over the corny demand but complied anyway, never able to stray far from his soft, soft ground-walker lips.
Tasting the spiced apple and crust straight from his tongue made his usual taste even better. Arching against him, I gripped the front of his T-shirt and pulled him closer.
“Mmm.” I broke away and glanced around the quiet house, realizing how alone we were.
“Where’s everyone else?”
“Taiki and Melaina went shopping in Melbourne,” he answered against my collarbone as he leaned down to nibble his way along my shoulder, where the thin straps of the camisole I wore left too much skin bared for him to resist.
One of my eyebrows lifted. “Really?”
He grinned knowingly. “Really.”
“In that case…” I tugged on his shirt and got him to trip after me as I started back toward our bedroom. “I think I’m in urgent need of another nap.”
“I like where this is going,” he agreed. “Allow me to tuck you in properly, my empress.”
With a laugh, I pushed him down on the bed and then crawled on top of him. “Please do,” I returned huskily.
His dancing blue eyes glittered up at me with love as he paused to just gaze at me a moment. Then he smiled and touched my face.
“No matter what,” he murmured, running the backs of his fingers gently along my cheek. “It was worth it.”
“Yes,” I said. Yes, it was.
It didn’t matter what our future held, I decided. We were ready to face it no matter what.
Together.
The End.
Next up in the Love Mark Series:
WAIT FOR LOVE
Olivander’s Story
For maps and family trees, visit the Love Mark Series webpage!
About the Author
Linda writes romance fiction from YA to adult, contemporary to fantasy. Most Kage stories lean more toward the lighter, sillier side with a couple meaningful moments thrown in. Focuses more on entertainment value and emotional impact.
Published since 2010. Went through a 2-year writing correspondence class in children’s literature from The Institute of Children’s Literature. Then graduated with a Bachelor of Arts, English with an emphasis in creative fiction writing from Pittsburg State University.
Now she lives with her hubby, two daughters, cat Holly, and nine cuckoo clocks in southeast Kansas, USA. Farm girl. Parents were dairy farmers. Was youngest of eight. Big family. Day job as a cataloging library assistant.
Harry Potter House Gryffindor, Patronus White Stallion, character match Hagrid. Supernatural Team Dean. Game of Thrones Team Jon Snow and Tyrion Lannister. The Walking Dead Team Daryl. Outlander Team Jamie Fraser. Teen Wolf Team Stiles. Avenger Team Thor...or Hulk (can’t decide). Justice League Team Flash. Arrow Team Stephen Amell. Stranger Things obsessed. Heard Laurel, not Yanny.
Started out reading with the Baby-Sitters Club. Then moved to Sandra Brown, Linda Howard, Julie Garwood, and LaVyrle Spencer in high school. Now all over the place with her romance reading tastes.
Find her online at www.LindaKage.com
Contents
Prologue
1. Quilla
2. Quilla
3. Indigo
4. Indigo
5. Quilla
6. Quilla
7. Quilla
8. Indigo
9. Indigo
10. Quilla
11. Indigo
12. Indigo
13. Indigo
14. Quilla
15. Quilla
16. Quilla
17. Indigo
18. Quilla
19. Indigo
20. Indigo
21. Quilla
22. Quilla
23. Indigo
24. Quilla
25. Indigo
26. Quilla
27. Quilla
28. Indigo
29. Indigo
30. Indigo
31. Quilla
32. Indigo
33. Quilla
34. Quilla
35. Quilla
36. Quilla
37. Indigo
38. Indigo
39. Indigo
40. Quilla
41. Quilla
Epilogue
Epilogue
Epilogue
About the Author