“Your faith in them is so endearing,” Phelan said, grinning at her for a moment. “They’re grown men and they’ll be fine.”
“Mmhm,” she said, sounding as wholly unconvinced as they both knew she was. She couldn’t help but grin back at him, though, and he laughed.
“They will,” he assured her. “They’ll be fine, Jac. Like I said, they’re grown men.”
“They will not be fine if those two figure out what they’re up to before any of them actually tell them.” Jacqueline checked the tea and shook her head, planting one hand on her hip. “You know what they’ll do and I won’t stop them.”
“I don’t think you should, either,” Phelan admitted. “Is the tea ready?”
“Almost.” She watched him. “You seem a little too unconcerned.”
“Do I?”
“Yes.”
He considered that for a moment, then shrugged. “They’re writing their own story, Jac. Kind of like we are.”
“So says the Taliesin,” she said softly. She brought him his mug and nudged her work basket aside, settling against his hip. “You’re certainly singing a different tune now. You’ve been different since Seamus came.”
“No,” Phelan said softly. “I’ve been different since Thesan ripped my soul out of my body and split it in two.” He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and kissed temple. “But I’m all right. You don’t need to worry.”
“Don’t I?” she asked softly. “I love you, Phelan. Someone has to keep you safe.”
The smile he gave her made her heart skip a beat and left her warm from head to toe.
“Safe,” he said softly. “I don’t need to be safe. But I do need to be loved.” He kissed her again. “And you do that better than anyone I’ve ever known or seen. After thousands of years, I’ve finally met my match.”
Coming from anyone else, it would have sounded trite or cheesy, regardless of whether or not it was true. From his lips, though, it sounded right.
“Drink your tea,” Jacqueline whispered. “And then I’m done working for the day.”
His brows rose and she shot him a wicked grin.
He laughed and drank his tea.
thanks for the chapter. It is romantic for those two. Well done.