Page 120 of Dragon Charmed

“No. Everyone is fine. I just need a minute with you.” He needed way more than a minute with this woman, but he didn’t think he should lead with that since her expression was vacillating between curiosity and annoyance. He glared at John.

John had the balls to act surprised. “Oh. You mean alone. Well why not. I mean, it’s my home and all, but I’ll go inside and leave you two alone.” And then the cranky bastard chuckled as he went inside. Adam was surprised he remembered how.

“What are you doing here, Adam?”

“I wanted to talk to you.”

“You already said that. How did you know where I was?”

“Megan talked to your mom, and we figured you were here.” Okay. He might have just thrown Lina and Megan under the bus, but he was not starting this conversation telling her about Lily’s drawing. He had some sense.

“Okay. What did you want to talk about?”

“I’ve been thinking that you’re a bit of a hypocrite.”

She turned to face him fully. “Come again?”

Okay, on second thought maybe he didn’t have any sense. “You called me Superman the other day, and then you turn around and go into Wonder Woman mode.”

Oh boy. Her denim eyes were sparking now.

Was it bad that he wanted to kiss her when she was like this? He kept talking instead. “Didn’t you tell me that I wasn’t responsible for everything that happens? But you assume that you being a witch is going to somehow destroy the clan? That’s a lot of responsibility on your shoulders.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. And I want you to learn from my mistakes. I do still blame myself for what happened in the past because I shouldn’t have tried to do everything on my own. I should have reached out to Eric and pulled Marcus in sooner. Things might have been different. I have regrets about all of it.

“I don’t want you to have those same regrets. You told me that I needed to protect my family and clan, but I would argue that you are a part of my family and clan. And so would everyone else. You need us in your life. And we need you. I need you.”

Tessa stared at him for a moment, and he made himself stand still and not reach for her. Let her think things through.

“You have a lot to say, don’t you?”

Okay. Not a bad response. At least she didn’t throw her glass at his head. “I do. And I hope you don’t think I’m trying to tell you how to think or be. I know you’re smart and capable, and I want you in my life.”

Tessa’s eyes filled with a vulnerability that made him want to wrap his wings around her.

“I worry that this is too much for you,” she said softly. “You just remembered who you are.”

He did reach for her hands now. “Before I got my memories back, I asked Sienna if she thought I was the same person. She said yes and no. I know Ben and Adam are both a part of me now, and I love you.”

She blinked up at him and her eyes glistened. “You love me?”

“How could I not? You are the most amazing and exasperating woman I have ever met, and I can’t imagine my life without you. I guess maybe I should ask if you want to be with me now that I’m Adam?”

“I do. I thought once you had your memories back, you wouldn’t feel the same.”

His heart finally started beating again. “You have been the one by my side while I found myself. I thought a magical pendant would fix everything. But you’re the true magic in my life, and I don’t mean because you’re a witch. You charmed me from the moment I saw those denim eyes and heard that sassy mouth.”

She shook her head. “But I am a witch, and we don’t know what that means.”

He squeezed her hands to stop her from backpedaling. “Then we’ll figure it out together. I’m not the same Adam I was, and you’re a huge part of that. I’m going to move forward without regrets. Which means I refuse to have any regrets regarding you. I will not be walking away from you. From what could be. And I think it could be fudging fantastic.”

Tessa laughed as the tears finally fell down her cheeks. “I love you too. And I think we could be great together.”

He leaned down and kissed her, and his dragon purred like a kitten. She wrapped her arms around him, and he deepened the kiss, plunging his tongue into her mouth and tasting her.

“Okay. You’ve made up, now go away!” John barked through the door.