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DAVID TOOK SARITA BY the hand and pulled her behind him to a tent. Once inside he pulled her close and simply breathed her in. She was here in his arms. How many times had he dreamed of this moment? Hundreds? More like thousands.

Her arms tightened around his neck as she burrowed her face against his chest. “Thank you, Goddess for keeping her safe and bringing her back to me,” he prayed.

She leaned back, met his gaze and brushed her lips against his. That wasn’t enough. Would never be enough. Deepening the kiss, he took control, tasting and teasing her.

They broke apart gasping. Her gaze narrowed. “You’ve been practicing, it was never like this before.”

“You’ve been practicing, you didn’t bite me,” he challenged and then smiled.

She laughed. “I’m never going to live that down, am I? How old was I that first time?” She moved with him toward the cot.

“When you returned from the kidnapping,” he said placing his hands on her shoulders, fingering the fabric of her blouse.

“That’s when you told me I belonged to you.” She grinned.

Serious, he met her gaze. “Was I wrong?”

She swallowed hard and slowly shook her head. “No. You always knew, always said.”

“That’s because you’ve always owned my heart.” Gazes locked, he placed her palm on his chest.

Unable to speak, she nodded as her eyes filled. “I’ve always loved you, David.”

He nodded and gently pulled her close. “I know. Stop being afraid of it.”

She leaned into his chest, silently marveling at how much he’d changed. Taller and much larger than the last time he held her, yet just as gentle.

“I didn’t think I was afraid, but you may be right. The idea of not being your mate... I couldn’t face it. Seeing you with someone else like this... no. Never. Still messes me up thinking about it.”

“Silly. I was always yours.” He leaned back, placed his finger under her chin and met her gaze. “Always yours.”

Sarita shivered. David wasn’t the boy she left at the airport all those years ago. In her absence, he’d become a man. A man she wanted more than her next breath. He slipped his finger beneath the fabric of her blouse and slid it off her shoulders.

Her gaze never left his. “I’ve dreamed of this moment.”

“Me too.” Her breath hitched as his palm brushed against her pointed nipple.

“Have you?” His fingertips trailed the dark vines on her skin.

Shivering beneath the exquisite sensations, she held onto his arms as he untied her pants, allowing them to drop to the floor.

Naked, her breath caught at the fire in his gaze.

Leaning forward his tongue ran the length of the longest vine, shoulder to belly.

Her core clenched.

“Sensitive?”

She nodded and took several deep breaths as his fingertips flicked her nipples, something she had always loved for him to do.

“Turn around.”

She did as he asked.

“None on the back,” he murmured placing kisses down her quivering spine.

“No,” she breathed as she dropped her head back. “What are you doing to me? This is different.”

“This is me finally taking you as my mate. The other times... wasn’t this time.” Gently, he bit her neck.

She shuddered and almost fell.

He caught her and blew on the spot.

“David, please...”

“I’ve waited for you to come home.” Standing behind her, he reached around, pulled and rolled her nipples between his fingers before biting her neck again.

She moaned as her head fell to the opposite side. “You’ve changed...”

“Changed?” His palm slid down her stomach and rested on her mound.

She pushed his hand down further between her legs. “Yes, yes, yes.”

One hand tormented her nipple while the other flicked her nether lips. “Did you give what belongs to me to anyone while you were gone?” he asked near her ear.

She stilled and glanced at him. “You know I didn’t.”

“I want to hear you say it.”

“If I say, will you say it?”

“You already know what I’ve done. I told you every time and you agreed.”

She frowned. “Really? We’re discussing this now?”

“I need to know if you had sex with anyone else,” he said plainly.

“No. Satisfied?”

“Not yet.” He picked her up.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist. “Still stubborn,” she murmured.

“Says the one who refused to come home and take care of her man,” he said before placing her on the cot.

“I did what I could,” she said smiling up at him as he removed his clothes.

“Video chats are not the same thing,” he growled. “I’ll prove that to you very soon.”

“No, but it took the edge off, right?”

He growled again but didn’t say anything.

“Admit it. You loved it when I danced and entertained you. Remember I saw the proof.” She giggled.

“Are you laughing at me?” He toed off his boots and set them aside before crawling on top of her.

“Never.” Laughter escaped, as she covered her mouth.

His lips covered her nipple.

“Ahhhh, yes,” she whispered holding his head in place and widening her legs. 

He moved to the next breast, teased the nipple and bit down gently. “That’s one difference between video and real time,” he murmured before nibbling on her nipple.

Tingles of pleasure raced through her. “For real. I missed this.”

“You missed me,” he growled, biting down a little harder.

“Yes, you. I missed you, David.”

Rising up on his elbows he stared into her gray eyes and pushed the hair from her face.

“You are very, very important to me,” he said.

She swallowed hard and traced his lips with her finger-tip. You’re much bigger everywhere.”

“Yeah?”

She nodded, loving the strength emanating from him. “I approve.”

He grinned and kissed her cheek. “You do, do you?”

“Umhmm. You were a scrawny kid.”

He laughed and fell on top of her. “That was then, this is now.” He rubbed his hardness against her. “Does that feel scrawny to you?”

“That was never scrawny,” she said in a husky whisper. “Most amazing that you were big down there and —”

“Don’t say it.” He kissed her and rolled his hips against her.

“Mmm, yes,” she hissed at the delicious friction.

He inhaled and rose on his elbows, the tip of his cock poised at her entrance. “I’ve always known you were mine, Rita. Do you accept me as your mate?”

Her core quivered in expectation. The air filled with her willing, scent. “Yes. I accept you as mine. My mate.”

He lifted slightly, adjusted his cock and slid forward slowly, watching her.  “Perfect, always perfect for me.” Fully seated, he took several breaths and dropped his forehead against hers. “So tight,” he whispered. “You okay?”

She nodded and bit her lip. “Give me a second.”

He nodded as she wrapped her long legs around his waist, moving slowly as if testing the waters. Beads of sweat popped on his head as he fought his beast to remain still and wait until she asked for more. It had been so long, he thought he’d explode.

Seconds turned into minutes. She moved beneath him, killing him with each stroke. His beast clawed for him to take their mate, to get the job done. Still, he waited. There would never be another moment like this, neither of them would ever forget it.

“Are you going to move?” she asked.

“You asked for a second, five minutes ago.”

“Seriously?”

The incredulous frown she wore meant he had miscalculated. Placing a hand beneath her hip, he lifted her slightly for leverage, while leaning on his other elbow, he withdrew and thrust forward. Her legs tightened around him as he continued thrusting into her.

“Oh shit,” she said grabbing his arms and holding on.

Turned on beyond anything he ever imagined, he sought their link and pulled on their connection. It was like lighting a match to tinder. Ribbons of color exploded in his mind.

Heat raced through him as he increased the speed of his thrusts.

“Yes, yes,” she moaned egging him on.

Her link shimmered as it braided his. Gold and silver, tightened as it grew longer, stronger. Almost there. He felt the connection between his fingers and toes.

This woman, his mate meant everything to him. This... this joining robbed him of breath and he didn’t care. Time stopped. Frozen at this moment, on the precipice of joining their hearts, souls, and minds, the world disappeared.

They faced each other on a plane he didn’t recognize. “With everything in me, I love you, David,” she whispered, sealing her fate of being his forever.

“As Goddess is my witness, I love you, Sarita.” The moment the words left his mouth he flew over the edge, erupting into orgasmic wonder.

Nothing ever happened like this before. He couldn’t stop shaking. Colors filled his mind. Her thoughts rolled through him. He saw her pain, experienced her fear of hurting the ones she loved. Jerked from the pain of the fire she used to burn away the lines.

Her memories, both good and bad, filled him, bringing tears to his eyes from all she suffered. In the midst of all the pain, disappointment and disillusionment, her love for him remained a bright gem. She’d never given up on them as he’d feared. Over the years, he’d wondered, now he knew for sure. She had always loved him.

Drowning in sensations, Sarita basked in the security of her connection with David. After all these years, now she belonged to him fully, completely. Even if the curse separated them, it would be temporary because she would find him on any plane and spend eternity with him.

“Don’t think of the curse,” he murmured. “We will win.”

She snuggled into his embrace and continued processing his memories. Some made her laugh, others brought tears to her eyes. His protection of her filled her with loving warmth. They all asked him questions, but he never discussed their relationship. Knowing how close he and his siblings were, that surprised her.

“It was none of their business,” he said, answering her thoughts.

“I know. Looking back, it seems silly not to have come home and let Daddy work out things. I would’ve been home with you and the others. I missed so much.”

He brushed his lips against hers. “Look at me.”

She met his tawny gaze.

“What do you see?”

Swallowing hard, she touched the corner of his mouth. “You. Love. Peace. My heart.”

“That’s right, the rest doesn’t matter. We've joined. A new beginning. Nothing can change that. No one can come between that. Believe in that. Our bonds aren’t new.”

She smiled. “No, they aren’t new. Still, I wish I could’ve seen the fight at the museum,” she mused.

“I heard it was epic.” He rolled over and pulled her on top.

“You weren’t there?” She positioned herself against him and moved slowly.

“No. At the moment I can’t remember why. Do that again.” He reached up and cupped her breast. “These are bigger than I remember.”

“You aren’t the only one who’s changed.” She winked, lifted and placed the tip of him against her opening.

“Show me,” he urged as she sheathed him.

David watched as she closed her eyes, threw back her head with her palms on his chest and slowly licked her lips.

His dick jerked and throbbed inside her heat. As she lifted slowly, rolled her hips it felt like she melted around him, reforming to match him perfectly.

“Ahhhh, right there, baby.” The low, deep, moan came up from her gut and caught down in her throat.

He held her hips, helping her to move faster, taking more of him. Her nails scored his chest, inflaming his beast.

“Yesssss,” he moaned as she babbled incoherent sentences and lost her rhythm.

When she stiffened and screamed, he held her tight as an anchor as her walls throbbed around him, igniting his own cataclysmic release.

Shaken, he pulled her down, holding her close and stroking her hair as their heartbeats synced and slowed.

“Unbelievably good,” she said.

“Thank you,” he said when he could talk.

She laughed. “Arrogant man.”

“Your man,” he corrected with a grin.

“That too.”