Safe With You

~ JAYAH ~

They had tried not to sleep the night before, to spend what hours they could be sure to have together learning each other. But eventually the silences between their whispers lengthened, the moments of quiet joy sharing the mindlink grew longer…

Jayah woke the next morning, blinking, immediately disappointed that they'd slept—but then just as quickly smiling.

The great hulk of her mate rose behind her shoulder. His breath fluttered in her hair, his lips almost brushing her neck. His thick arm was thrown over her waist, and his knee pressed behind hers, resting on her straightened lower leg.

She took a deep breath, and even in his sleep, his arm tightened on her, as if he instinctively feared she'd move.

Jayah smiled and let herself lean back into his chest.

Skhal sucked in a long, slow breath as he came awake—and his body did too.