20. Brandon

20

brANDON

B randon held Morelle's hand as the golf cart wound its way through the village paths toward Annani's house.

Thankfully, she hadn't argued when he'd suggested that they hitch a ride with Annani, which meant that she was exhausted.

"Jasmine's mother might be an immortal." Annani kept up a steady stream of conversation, speculating about Jasmine's godly ancestor. "Maybe she is one more of Toven's children. He traveled all over the globe and had countless paramours. Orion and Geraldine are probably not his only progeny." She continued with the story, telling Morelle about Cassandra meeting Onegus at a gala, the connection between Cassandra and Roni, and then how that led to Geraldine and Orion joining the clan.

Morelle tried to keep up, but Brandon could tell that she was tired and confused by the way her responses were growing shorter and the way she was leaning against him.

When they reached the house, she also leaned on him as they walked inside.

"You should rest," Annani told her. "I'm planning a small family dinner, so maybe a little nap before?" She patted Morelle's arm.

Morelle smiled. "I might take your advice. I'm very tired."

In her room, she sat on the couch, toed off her flats, and sighed as she settled onto the soft cushions. "Stay with me?" She patted the space beside her.

"Always." He sat down, and she immediately leaned against him, her head resting on his shoulder. "Perhaps you should lie down?"

"Not yet. I don't want you to leave."

His heart soared at her admission. "I won't go anywhere. I'll stay right here and watch you sleep." He wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "After all, I have a lot of experience doing just that."

"I'm worried about sharing the house with Jasmine," she said quietly.

"Why?" He stroked her arm.

"What if we don't get along? What if she finds me too intense? Too direct?" She let out a small laugh. "The head priestess used to say I was exhausting to be around."

Brandon's chest tightened at the hint of old hurt in her voice. "The head priestess was an idiot." That earned him another laugh, less strained this time. "From what I've heard, Jasmine is easygoing and friendly. I'm sure you two will get along fine."

Morelle shifted slightly, looking up at him. "It feels odd to me to share Ell-rom with someone else. He was always mine, and now he is also hers, and I'm trying to adjust to that, but I know there will be tense moments with Jasmine and me competing for his attention."

"I guess that's natural." He kept rubbing her arm. "I'm sure it was difficult for Annani to share Kian with Syssi, but she grew to love Syssi like her own daughter. Maybe that's the answer. Instead of feeling like you are losing a part of Ell-rom to Jasmine, think of it as gaining another sister."

Morelle chuckled. "What if she doesn't want to be my sister? Annani was fortunate with Syssi being so sweet and accommodating. Very few people are like her."

He was starting to understand what Morelle was really concerned about. She feared that Jasmine wouldn't like her and might try to keep Ell-rom away from her.

It wasn't a baseless concern because things like that happened in families, but Brandon didn't think it would in this case. He didn't know Jasmine well, but from what he'd heard about her, she was too smart to try to come between the twins even if she didn't like Morelle. Not that it was remotely possible.

Morelle was magnificent, and she had a good soul. So what if she was a little rough around the edges? She'd been raised as a Kra-ell priestess.

It was remarkable that she was as accommodating as she was.

"You are going to get along just great, but if you are so concerned about it, you could always stay with me. I have a whole big house all to myself, and you can have your own room, so don't think that I'm suggesting that to pressure you into anything. It's just?—"

Her laugh interrupted him. "What if I don't want my own bedroom?" Her eyes held a mischievous glint. "What if I want to share yours?"

Brandon's throat felt suddenly dry. "That would make me the happiest male alive. No expectations. Holding you in my arms through the night would be enough."

"And what if that's not enough for me?"

Her words sent heat coursing through his veins. "Princess, you're killing me," he groaned, reaching for her.

When their lips met, it was fire and need and barely restrained passion. Morelle's hands found his shoulders, pulling him closer, and he lost himself in the taste of her, the feel of her body pressing against his.

A knock at the door jerked them apart, and Brandon had to take several deep breaths before he could trust himself to stand and answer it.

Morelle's throaty giggle did not help matters.

Adjusting himself, Brandon cracked the door open, finding Ogidu standing in the hallway.

The Odu bowed. "Apologies for disturbing you, Master Brandon. The Clan Mother wanted me to inform you that dinner will be served shortly after Master Ell-rom and Mistress Jasmine arrive from the clinic. Master Kian, Mistress Syssi, and young Mistress Allegra will be joining us as well. The Clan Mother asked me to convey that dinner would be served at six o'clock in the evening."

"Thank you, Ogidu."

"You are most welcome, Master." The Odu bowed again and turned on his heel.

When Brandon closed the door, Morelle clapped her hands. "I'm so happy that Allegra is coming. I adore that little girl."

Brandon's heart squeezed at her obvious delight.

The image of Morelle with a child of her own—their own—flashed through his mind, but he quickly pushed it away. It was far too soon for such thoughts, no matter how appealing they might be.

When he returned to the couch, Morelle was sprawled over it, but she scooted aside, pressing herself against the pillows and making room for him to sit beside her.

He sat down, took her hand, and kissed the back of it. "You should follow Annani's advice and take a nap before dinner."

Morelle's eyelids drooped, but she fought to keep her eyes open. "I'm tired, but I'm also overexcited. I don't think I can sleep."

"Do you want me to tell you a bedtime story?"

A smile curved her kiss-swollen lips. "Yes, please. Something happy. Something about love winning against all odds."

Brandon smiled, thinking for a moment. "Let me tell you about ancient Rome, where a Vestal Virgin named Tuccia fell in love with a soldier..."

As he wove the tale, he felt Morelle's breathing become slower, and he continued the story even after he was sure she'd fallen asleep, his voice dropping to a gentle murmur.

She was so beautiful like this, all her usual sharp edges softened by sleep. The thought of her in his house, in his bed, was so tempting, but he meant what he'd said—he would be content just to hold her, to wake up beside her, and to share with her quiet moments like this one.

Still, her words echoed in his mind: "What if that's not enough for me?"

The memory of their interrupted kiss sent another wave of heat through him. He'd been trying to take things slow, to give her time to adjust to the new world she found herself in and all the difficulties she still had to face. But perhaps he'd been overthinking it. Morelle knew her own mind, and she wasn't shy about stating what she wanted.

She wanted him.

The realization both thrilled and humbled him. She wanted him, a former Hollywood producer who'd spent decades crafting stories about love without ever truly experiencing it himself.

Perhaps that was the reason he'd excelled at adventure stories and had only done so-so with romantic themes.

Was it love, though?

How could he be in love with a female he had known for all of a week?

But then, he had never felt like this before; his heart had never raced just because of a smile or ached when she wasn't near, and he'd never wanted to give someone everything he had and more.

Morelle stirred slightly in her sleep, murmuring something he couldn't quite catch. He pressed a gentle kiss to her temple, breathing in the clean scent of the soap she had used and her own unique fragrance underneath it.

"Sleep well, my princess," he whispered.