Cloud Riders(71)

‘It had to be that,’ Kayden was agreeing. ‘I would never dream of treating you so appallingly. I’m so ashamed. You have no idea what a blessing it was when I came home and found you in bed. It was such a relief that you hadn’t run a mile from me, from us.’

‘I too was under the drug. Calm but just so tired. Hardly able to stay awake or think straight. The potion was obviously meant to keep me in a dreamy state of mind so I’d go to him as if it were nothing. It is only because Starburst is so clever I am here now. You know, he may have just saved us from being on opposite sides. That old man of mine, if he really is of course, has a bloody lot to answer for next time we meet. I won’t be falling for any more of his potions either,’ she said, now understanding what had gone down and feeling ticked off with Pops.

Kayden was still very emotional as he spoke. ‘I’ve been lying here most of the night, not game to sleep in case you woke up and left before I had a chance to beg you to stay. Please say you forgive me, Cassie. I’m so very sorry.’

‘I’m sorry too, Kayden but I do have to go.’ And then she smiled. ‘But only to go to the little girl’s room and then I’ll be right back,’ she said, teasing him a little.

He knew she was trying to joke and lighten the moment and he tried giving her a smile before he rolled off her. But she could feel his emotions as he watched her walk to the door and knew he was still devastated about the whole situation.

When Cassie slipped back into the bedroom, he had his arm across his eyes, still miserable for what he had put her through. It was hardly fair for him to take all the responsibility; Aldebaran also had a lot to answer for. She eased into him very gently and he put his arms back around her as she tried to find the words to heal the moment. ‘Next time a big black blanket attacks me, can you at least get me back to the clouds before you stop and talk to me?’ she squeezed herself closer to him. ‘Also, maybe not talk to me until the next morning just in case.’ She kissed him around his neck. ‘Because there is so much more we can do to pass the time away while we’re waiting for the spell to break,’ she whispered, kissing his lips.

His arms wrapped around her affectionately as he deepened the kiss, his love for her sending warm pulses through her body, luring her into his magical world. Cassie smiled, knowing that not even a wizard could break up a love like their’s forever.

After she caught her breath and Kayden had fallen into a restful sleep, she left him to nap and headed for the kitchen. If the others were feeling like him, they would also need some of her forgiveness. The best way she knew to show them that was to cook some yummy food for when they surfaced. Within no time at all, hot sausage rolls, cheese scones, and chocolate muffins were being pulled from the oven and the third batch of pancakes had been flipped from the pan. While she worked she thought about all the happy times they had together and mixed all that love into what she made. She was just flipping the last pancake and putting the last batch of scones in the oven, when Kayden came out. He came over, more confident and so much happier now.

‘That smells so good,’ he said, kissing her neck. Cuddling in behind her, he looked over her shoulder. ‘Looks and smells delicious, honey. If this aroma doesn’t wake the men up, nothing will. You’re one of them now you know and they’re not happy with how this trip went down. They slept out in the shed. They wanted to be here when you woke up so they could say sorry too.’

‘Well, I kinda figured they wouldn’t be far away if they were feeling as bad as you were. You think this should cheer them up a bit?’

Just as she finished saying it, the door flew open and they bounded in.

‘While you lot chat, I’m just going to have a quick shower,’ he said, kissing her cheek and ducking past a worried Woody who was heading straight for her.

‘I feel rotten, Cassie,’ he said, looking like he had barely slept.

She put down the tea towel and put her arms out for a hug. ‘I thought my cooking would bring you to me.’

Jason came over and made it a group hug. ‘We were all such mongrels to you and yet here you are, cooking up a storm and making all our favourite foods. Does this mean we’re forgiven?’ he said, kissing her all over the side of her face and making her giggle.

Then Conor and Ethan came in, joining the fun and making her giggle even more as they struggled to be the ones closest to her. They were all laughing and feeling better by the time Woody snatched Cassie up in his arms and pulled her from them. His warm smile and sweet face was all she needed to see to know that was how they all felt. There was a connection that none of them could deny. What one of them felt, they all did.