Chapter 316

It takes every single bit of Jesse’s control to keep his cool in this moment. To not shout in victorious joy, and pump his fist in the air, and snatch Daphne up into his arms and spin her in a circle. To refrain from telling her that hitting on her was never a joke – that he was just shit at it, and didn’t know what to do – and he just wanted to make her laugh, always just wants to make her laugh –

For the rest of his damn life wants to make her laugh –

But Jesse just exhales slowly, looking away to the side with a shrug, trying and failing to keep a smile off of his mouth. “I mean, sure, that’s fine,” he says, his voice only shaking a little tiny bit. He turns his eyes back to her. “Do you want me to like, start right now?”

Daphne’s blush deepens even as she beams, turning towards the door with the key in her hand. “No, Jesse, don’t be ridiculous,” she murmurs, laughing as she jabs the key at the door and then realizes that, of course, she doesn’t need it. That the lock turns from the inside in here – she won’t need the key until they’re out in the hall.

Jesse grins as Daphne’s whole face goes red and she hastily pulls the key back, unlatching the door and pulling it open.

“Because I can start now if you want,” Jesse says, following her out into the hall, his voice light and teasing as he peers at the beautiful rosy color on her cheeks. “I mean, your beauty outshines the moon and the stars, Daph –“

“Oh, shut up,” she says, laughing and giving Jesse a little shove as she pulls the door shut and deftly locks it, slipping her keys into her pocket. “You’ll embarrass me.”

“Ah, I’d never want to do that,” Jesse murmurs, giving an easy shrug and he smiles down at her. Daphne takes a deep breath and regains her equanimity, looking back up at him when the fire fades from her cheeks. “We’ll…give it a grace period. See how it goes.”

“Yeah,” Daphne says, her hands reaching up to play with the ends of her hair as she just stares up into his face. “Grace period sounds good. Sounds…logical.”

Jesse nods.

“Um, I’m this way,” Daphne says, nodding to the stairwell behind her. “And you’re that.” She lifts her chin to the hall behind Jesse. “So…I’ll see you soon?”

“I’ll walk you,” he offers, taking a step towards the stairs, meaning it. A step that conveniently brings him…very close.

“Nah, I’m good,” she says, giving him a soft smile. “I’ll make it by myself.”

“Okay,” he whispers. “Good night, Daphne.”

“Night,” she replies, soft. And then it takes far too long to peel her eyes from his, to turn towards the arch at the end of the hall that leads to the stone set of stairs.

As she walks away Daphne ducks her head, blushing and grinning ridiculously wide, hardly believing that she had the courage to do that – to just…ask him to throw away the rules that she had stupidly set up months ago when she thought she was only interested in Rafe –

But how – how had she had the courage to do that – to take down the rules - but not had the courage to just grab him, like she wanted to, and pull him close against her. And she totally could have – he had been standing so close! She could have just…stood on her toes! God, was she really that much of a chicken? Honestly –

Daphne gasps as she suddenly spins, someone grabbing her arm, pulling her back towards the hall.

Her mouth falls open as she finds herself again staring up into Jesse’s eyes.

“Please,” Jesse breathes, shaking his head as he pulls Daphne into his arms, “please tell me that that was long enough of a grace period. Because I – I can’t fucking wait anymore to do this –“

Jesse pulls Daphne desperately to him like he may never get another chance – like he can’t believe he got this one. And then he presses his mouth to hers like it’s the last thing he might ever do – like he’s desperate for her – like Daphne is the air and he a man alone and gasping on a dying planet. But here, alone, with her –

Everything is different – everything has changed.

Jesse bends Daphne back, just slightly, and kisses her like she’s the only damn thing on thing in this world that matters to him anymore - like having her in his arms is as natural and intrinsic as his need for air, for water. Like she always should have been here, pressed tight against his body - like he hates the months that passed when she wasn’t. Daphne’s arms find their way around his neck as the kiss sweeps absolutely through her – through them both, shaking them to their cores, cutting loose any doubts.

When Jesse pulls away a moment or a century later, panting, his eyes moving over her beautiful, perfect face like it’s some kind of masterpiece, the words just spill from him. “I’m in love with you,” he whispers, shaking his head, the truth of it plain on his face. “I’m so fucking in love with you, Daphne – I – I have been, since the moment you walked in our door -”

She gives a desperate little cry, slipping her hands from around his neck to grip his shirt, like something might try to tear him away and she fucking dares it to try. Daphne yanks Jesse even tighter against her, making him stumble forward with the force of it, both of them laughing as Jesse catches his balance and then pulls her up into his arms, falling back against the stone wall and staring at her, awed.

“I love you too,” Daphne whispers, smiling recklessly as she rests her forehead against his, laughing even as tears start in her eyes. “I’m sorry – I’m so sorry it took me so long –“

But Jesse just shakes his head – denying categorically any need for apology now that he’s got her at last. He just pulls Daphne close, kissing her again and again.

Because this is it, as far as Jesse is concerned. A door shut, complete.

Jesse’s shadows swirl out around them, gossamer and fervid, shielding the pair of them from the rest of the world and creating their own private space – just for them, alone.

But there – in the corner of the hall, beyond the reach of his shadows.

Something darker lurks.

And is displeased.

I exhale slowly as I slip into our room, pressing the door shut quietly behind me and taking a second to lean against it and close my eyes. Because Jackson is waiting for me in my bed, and Luca is currently walking away down the hall, and I need a damn second to get my thoughts together…

So right here against the door is…kind of the only place to do it.

God, but that was intense. Luca – he makes so much more sense now, but honestly I’m a little freaked out by how much of his whole easy-going playboy persona was a façade – built to purposely conceal the deeply restrained person he is beneath. And, really, I’m shocked at how ably he hid that from me for months – me, his mate! I mean, I know I was naïve at the start and didn’t even think to look for his wolf until my wolf connected so easily with Jackson’s, but Luca really did a good job of keeping him tucked away. It explains a lot, honestly, about how Jackson and I were able to get so close so fast while Luca has, oddly, been the slower burn of my two relationships.

And god – god I could kill his uncle for making him muscle through that. Luca – he was clearly a kid with a ton of emotions who was told to just grit his teeth and force his way brutally through them, to express himself only in the ring, where his uncle recognized that he had the unique physicality and talents to be a champion. Where he –

“Ariel?”

My head snaps up when I hear Jackson’s voice.

I glance over at Rafe’s bed, where I see the shape of him sleeping, and then at Jesse’s, which is oddly…flat. But I ignore that, pushing up from the door and moving to the nook.

“Hey,” I whisper, peeking in at the bed and smiling at Jackson even as a yawn overtakes me. God, but I’m tired. “I’m fine – I’m sorry if you were worried. I’ll just take a quick shower and –“

“Ariel,” Jackson says, sitting up and holding a hand out to me. “Just…come to bed. I don’t care if you smell like him.”

“But,” I say, glancing down at myself, knowing I must stink of Luca and feeling weird about it.

“You need your rest,” Jackson says, holding his hand out further. “Just…come to bed. That’s so much more important.”

My heart instantly reaches for my sweetheart mate and I beam at him, completely touched. “Okay,” I whisper, nodding to him. “Just…let me go brush my teeth, okay?”

“Whatever makes you feel good,” he murmurs, sleepy, laying back down amongst the pillows.

I smile at him again and then hurry away into the bathroom, stripping off Daphne’s clothes and leaving them in a pile on the floor, tossing the red wig on top. I splash water on my face and wash my hands, quickly brushing my teeth before skittering off to bed in my underwear, hoping that I got the majority of the scent off.

When I crawl into bed Jackson reaches for me and I sigh, content, as I lay myself out over his chest. He gathers me to him, one hand wrapped warm around the back of my thigh, the other stroking softly down my back. “Seriously, tiny,” he murmurs, pressing a kiss to my hair. “Are you all right?”

“I’m okay,” I say with a sigh, letting my eyes drift shut. “Can I…tell you about it tomorrow? I’m so, so tired.”

“You got it,” he murmurs, still softly stroking my back. I fall asleep faster than I think I ever have in my life.