“Dreams change, Aleksei,” Gabrielle said, pressing her fingertips to his lips. “That was a child’s dream. You are home to me. You. Not a house and a yard. We can turn wherever we are into a home because we’re together. My work is important, though. I really feel we’ve made a tremendous amount of progress. Shea’s a great doctor and she has a way of putting us on the right track when we’re all throwing out ideas, but with Gary gone, I’m needed.”
“Then if we stay, we will have to get together a laboratory for you to do your research in at the monastery.”
“You would do that?”
He smiled down at her, shaking his head. “Kislány. I am a selfish man and want you all to myself. I will not ever apologize for that, but I am not so selfish that I would not want you to do important work that only you can do for our people. If we return to the Carpathian Mountains I might even offer my services to the prince. I have not sworn my allegiance to him nor did I think I ever would, but I have a family to think of now.”
She burst out laughing. “Such a chore. Swearing allegiance to your prince.”
He gave her a mock scowl when her laughter was the most beautiful music in the world. “Woman. I have been on my own for centuries. I take no orders from any man.”
“You could just beat your chest,” she suggested, still laughing.
He wrapped his arms around her. “We are heading up the mountain, back to the monastery. Just for that crack, you can regulate your own body temperature.”
Gabrielle snuggled into Aleksei’s arms, realizing immediately that almost from the moment she had gone to him to give her allegiance to him, he had been ensuring she remained warm and comfortable. She hadn’t thought about it. She’d struggled with the whole temperature control thing, as well as keeping the volume down. It took practice, and her head was always filled with her work. Until Aleksei. Now it was filled with him. She also realized he was a puzzle her mind tried to work out and she probably would never find an entire solution to him, but that was okay with her. She loved that he’d regulated her body temperature.
She didn’t say a word, but as they moved through the cold air up farther into the mountains where the thick mist swirled ominously, she deliberately didn’t keep herself warm. She waited. Shivered. Instantly, she was warm. She smiled to herself. Aleksei. Taking care of her even when he threatened not to. She loved that even more.
The mist was disorienting and felt heavy against her skin. She heard voices whispering, warning, and she recognized the power of strong safeguards. She remembered moving through that mass on her own, seeking Gary. She’d been so afraid. Now, with Aleksei holding her, she wasn’t afraid at all. She realized he hadn’t had her shapeshift to go through the mist. He had noticed it bothered her and held her close to him, once again making her feel safe.
She had never considered that Aleksei could be so thoughtful. I’m falling in love with you. She had to give him that. He’d told her he loved her. He’d put himself on the line and he’d handled her with care once he knew she hadn’t been born Carpathian. How could she not have intense feelings for him? She wasn’t all the way there; she’d spent too long believing she was in love with Gary, not realizing how she loved him.
Trixie had been right all along. There was a difference. She had no doubt in her mind that had she and Gary never been converted, they would have lived a happy life together, but it wouldn’t have been anything like what she had now. She wouldn’t have missed what she didn’t know, but still, she wouldn’t have had Aleksei. She sent up a silent prayer that Gary would find his lifemate and when he did, that he would be every bit as happy as she was now.
She felt the brush of Aleksei’s lips in her hair.
Best not to tell me that when we are in the air, little cat. You giving that to me makes me hard. I suppose we could manage to have sex in flight, but keeping you warm, and making you shatter for me, it could be difficult keeping us from crashing.
She turned her face into his chest and laughed. Everything makes you hard and I have no doubt you would have no trouble making me shatter many times, keeping me warm and keeping us from crashing. You’re just that talented.
At last. Glad you recognize that.
Okay, that beginning-to-fall-in-love was heading toward definitely-there. She loved that he had a sense of humor and could tease her and that when she teased him back, he was all right with it. More than all right. She felt his answering laughter. She loved the sound because she knew he hadn’t laughed often—if ever—before he claimed her.