Page 24 of Elemental Becoming

All the effort he put into it. The thought behind it. And yet—

We only figured outusyesterday.

“I love it,” I say, smiling back.

“I know I didn’t ask you before, but are you okay with staying with me? I really don’t want you anywhere else.”

His words settle over me like the light of dawn after a night that refused to end.

“I don’t want to be anywhere else.”

His smile widens. “Good.”

I remember feeling the bond twice when I was exploring the room. “We have to figure out this bond thing.”

Thane blinks, then his lips curve. “Do we?”

“Well, it’s not going away,” I say, leaning back and propping myself up on one elbow. “And I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but it keeps—” I gesture vaguely with my free arm. “Doing things.”

His expression remains unreadable. “Doing things,” he repeats, his voice light.

“Yes, things,” I insist. “Unexplainable, possibly magics-related, mildly annoying things.”

His brow lifts. “Annoying?”

“Oh, don’t act like you haven’t noticed,” I say, waving a hand.

Why am I rambling instead of pulling him under the covers?

“The warmth, the pull, the whole ‘I can feel you even when you’re not here’ situation.”

I’m talking too much. I know I am. But gods help me, the way he’s looking at me—my brain has melted into a puddle.

Thane tilts his head slightly, like he is considering something. And then—

“I’ve noticed,” Thane responds, his voice caressing my skin like silk.

My stomach flips.

I force a scoff, pretending that those two simple words did not just send a shiver through me.

“Well, that’s great,” I say, too quickly, too flustered. “Then maybe you should . . . ”

I don’t even know where I was going with that sentence. Because he’s still watching me, his eyes stormy with hunger, while the rest of him looks composed.

And I’m unraveling.

“‘Maybe I should’ what?” His voice is pure confidence.

I hate how aware I am of how close he is. Of the way his eyes flick to my mouth. The way my pulse jumps, betraying me.

I swallow, forcing myself to look unimpressed. “I don’t know. Maybe figure out how to control this whole bond thing so it stops creeping up on us like that.”

Thane hums softly, like he’s considering it. “I think I have a better idea.”

Before I can ask what that means, he reaches for me—fingers brushing my jaw, angling my chin towards him. He moves closer, not rushing, his lips a breath away from mine.

Thane.