23. Leo
Chapter 23
Leo
Hanna has decided to make a summer barbeque a new tradition. So on the first weekend in August, we all gather at her house on a hot, cloudless day. Kai and I are staying in a nearby hotel. Hanna offered to put us up, but her home is likely crowded, and we’d rather have privacy.
It’s the first time we’ve seen most of the family since Saffron and Jensen’s wedding in late spring of last year. We visited Saffron more recently. We had to give her the picnic basket back after all.
The last few months have been a blur of happiness. It’s a little strange having a partner who technically doesn’t exist, but the moment he kisses or holds me, I forget it. I pat his head often, loving the way he smiles when I do. He makes me happy every day. Hopefully, I do the same for him.
Occasionally, he transforms into Cayenne so I can take my cat to visit Janice. He’s perfected the art of moving more slowly in cat form. Soon, Cayenne will have to vanish forever. It’s strange how sad that makes me, even though the cat isn’t real and Kai will still be by my side.
The other strange thing is the mark over my heart, which hasn’t faded despite countless showers since the night Kai fell apart in my arms. My assumption is Kai accidentally marked me with the intensity of his love and fear that night. He is an angel after all. I felt his power when he transformed into his true form. Besides, it doesn’t hurt, so why worry about it?
The only thing I need to worry about is getting through a family barbeque without being embarrassed by someone, which is bound to happen sooner or later.
“We can go whenever you want,” I whisper to Kai.
“I’m good. I can stay entirely visible for longer without getting tired now.”
I raise my eyebrows. “You’ve built up your stamina?”
“For that and other things. Thanks to you.” He leans across to kiss me.
“Hmm, I don’t think I’m entirely to blame.”
“Just mostly.”
Saffron clears her throat. We pull apart. I have to shade my eyes against the fierce sunlight to see her clearly.
“First, you claim you’re not together, but now you can’t keep your hands off each other,” she says.
“I didn’t have my hands on him, just my lips,” Kai says in that amusingly innocent tone of his .
He’s a lot less clueless than he was. A lot less. But that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have fun pretending he’s more innocent than he is.
Saffron rolls her eyes. “Well, it’s a good thing the two of you make such a cute couple. When am I going to get an invitation?”
“To what?” Kai asks.
She folds her arms. “Your wedding, of course.”
He looks at me.
I thread my fingers through his. “We’re not getting married.”
“Why not?”
I shrug. “It’s not what we want.”
Kai bites his lip and stares at the freshly cut grass.
“Why?” Saffron asks.
“It just isn’t. Marriage isn’t for everyone.” I squeeze Kai’s hand.
He smiles at me.
Saffron hums, stares at us for a few moments longer, and then walks away.
“She really wants us to get married, huh?” Kai says quietly.
“Come on.” I stand and pull him to his feet.
“Where are we going?”
“Somewhere we can talk.”
My aunt’s garden is pretty big, but the best thing about it is that there’s a walled orchard at the bottom. It doesn’t belong to Hanna and Clive. I have no idea who owns it. The black wrought- iron gate has never been locked. I lead Kai inside and shut the gate behind us.
The grass in the orchard is overgrown. Apple and pear trees grow in rows. The air is thick with the sweet aroma of the fruit, some of which has fallen on the ground. I pick up an unspoiled apple, clean it on my T-shirt, and take a bite.
“Whenever we visited Hanna and Clive as a kid, I came in here and climbed the trees.” I run my hand through the leaves on a low-hanging branch, rustling them.
“It’s lovely here. Peaceful.”
I laugh. “Not so peaceful when you’ve got a nine-year-old charging through it, arms outstretched, pretending he can fly.” I turn to face Kai and hold his hands. “That boy never imagined he’d fall in love with someone who could fly.”
Kai blushes and dips his gaze.
“I have a clear memory of Saffron bringing all her dolls and teddies into the orchard one day. She spread a picnic blanket and pretended two of her dolls were getting married. It was spring, so all these trees were covered in white blossoms. I collected some petals for her to use as confetti for the wedding.”
Kai smiles. “You are such a kind person.”
I shrug. “It made her happy. My point is that for as long as I can remember, getting married has been Saffron’s dream.”
Kai tilts his head and stares into my eyes. “And what was your dream? ”
“Meeting someone who makes me happy.” I step closer, put my hands on the small of his back, and pull him against my chest. “You make me happy, Kai. I don’t need you to marry me to prove that. Anyway, I thought I already told you I didn’t want to get married?”
Kai looks away.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to remind you of that night.”
He grazes his fingers over my heart. “It’s all right. It’s more like a dream now. A distant memory.”
“I’m glad.” I brush my lips over his.
He pushes into a kiss and wraps his arms around me. We hold each other, enjoying each other and the quiet of the orchard. But there’s something I need to do, so eventually, I cup his cheek to signal an end to our kissing.
“Come with me.”
He laughs. “Again? Where are we going this time?”
“To make an announcement.”
He gives me a quizzical look but follows me all the same.
We return to Hanna and Clive’s garden. My relatives have gathered in clusters, chatting and laughing. Clive and Jensen are at the barbecue. The scent of cooking meat and vegetables is mouth-watering.
Near the barbecue, a trellis table is set up, laden with plates of salad, dips, bread rolls, sauces, and drinks. I grab a glass and a fork and ting them together, creating a ringing sound that draws everyone’s attention to me and Kai .
I put the glass and fork down and hold his hand. “Everyone, I’d like to introduce you to the love of my life.”
Kai’s face goes bright red. It makes a nice change. It usually’s me who’s blushing so fiercely I could give a power station a run for its money.
“And I’d like to formally tell you all that we are not getting married.” I turn to him, forgetting the existence of everyone else, and stroke his cheek. “I don’t need a ring or a piece of paper to show the world how much I love you.” I stare into his eyes. “Kai, you are the best piece of me. I love you.”
“I love you too. Good announcement,” he whispers.
“I’m glad you approve.”
“Very much so.”
“And now it’s Kai’s turn,” Clive says.
“Yes! Speech!” Hanna says.
Within seconds, everyone is clapping their hands or stamping their feet while chanting “speech!”
“You don’t have to say anything,” I whisper.
“I want to.” He presses his hand over my heart and clears his throat. “I love you more than I ever thought possible, Leo. You are the kindest, most loving person I have ever met. I wish—” His voice has become a little rough. Tears sparkle in his eyes.
I brush my fingers over his nape. “I know.”
“I want to be with you forever. I want to hold you forever. I want to be with you for eternity.”
My skin tingles and warms beneath his hand. It’s an oddly pleasant feeling like he’s reaching into my heart—or even my soul—and claiming me as his. Does he know he’s doing it? Probably not. He’s my beautiful, chaotic, instinctual angel. He’s doing what feels right, and I love him for it, even as my mind reels with the enormity of what he’s saying. What he’s asking for. My heart beats faster. My breath catches in my throat. Something presses against my mind and soul. A question needing an answer. Like a supernova lighting me from within, but no burning. Warm, comforting, and steady. I understand now what I didn’t understand that night. I understand what Kai is offering me. He’s making a vow. A promise. Offering an infinity of love. I just have to accept it.
“I mean it. I want an eternity with you, Leo.” Kai’s voice is almost entirely drowned out by applause, but I hear him. I feel him.
I know my answer.
I press against his hand. “I want that too, Kai. I want to be with you forever.”
“Aww, that’s so sweet,” Hanna says.
We get another round of applause.
I kiss him fiercely.
My family whoop, cheer, and clap. I kiss Kai like he’s the missing part of my soul or the air I breathe. I kiss him with all the love in my heart. If a kiss can wake up Sleeping Beauty, the power of Kai’s love has given us an eternity. I kiss him until everyone laughs and tells us to get a room, and then I kiss him some more. When I finally convince myself to stop, we have to steady each other. The world spins around us. Everything is a blur except him and his beautiful eyes and his stunning smile and his adorable freckles.
I run my thumb over his damp lips. “Do you—uh—want to leave and go back to the hotel?”
“Definitely.”
I grab his hand. The world comes crashing back in. Everyone is staring at us. Did they hear what we just said? They must have. Wonderful. Now I’m blushing so fiercely my cheeks are radioactive.
I tug Kai past Hanna. “Great party.” And then around to the front of the house, where my car is parked on the side of the road. I laugh so hard my sides ache.
“What’s so funny?”
I lean on my knees and, wheezing with laughter, point at the house.
“What?”
“They all know we’re going to go have sex.”
“And that’s funny because?”
I straighten and shrug. “And I don’t care.”
“Hmm… your red face says otherwise.”
I rub my cheeks. “No. I don’t. I promise I don’t. I just declared my love for you. I don’t care that they know we’re going to make love. I don’t care.” I stretch my arms wide, tilt my head to the sky, and scream, “I love you, Kai and I want the whole world to know it!” I let out a breath. Curtains twitch along the street. I. Don’t. Care.
“What has got into you today? ”
I hold him in my arms and kiss him tenderly. “You, Kai.”
“I’m sure I haven’t.” He raises his eyebrow. “Yet.”
I kiss him and whisper against his lips, “There’s plenty of time for that. I mean it, Kai. I needed everyone to know that I love you. I needed you to know it.”
“I do.”
“No more worrying about getting married?”
He shakes his head.
“Good. Now, let’s go back to the hotel before I do something that will make everyone’s tongues twitch.”
“Like what?”
I laugh and pull him to the car. “I’m sure you can use your imagination.”
He grins. “Yes. I’m sure I can.”
We tumble into our hotel room. I manage to knock the door shut with my foot while losing myself in kissing and touching Kai. He pulls my T-shirt off and then stops, eyes wide, mouth forming an O.
“What?”
He runs his fingers over my heart, presumably tracing the pale mark on my skin. Then he grips my shoulders, marches me into the bathroom, and manoeuvres me in front of the mirror. I gasp. There is no longer an indistinct smudge. Although the shape and size are the same, it has more form and detail. It is now unmistakably a delicate feather .
“What does it mean?” Kai asks in a shaky voice.
“You made me yours. Forever.”
“I—What? How?”
“I don’t know how or what form it will take, but I know we’ll never be parted.”
Kai blinks slowly. “But how can you be sure?”
“I feel it. Here.” I take his hand and lay it over my heart. “My instincts are telling me it’s true. You offered me an eternity with you, and I accepted it. As for this mark, maybe it’s the angelic version of a wedding ring. You did profess your undying love to me in front of your family.”
His smile is beautiful. Radiant. “I did, didn’t I?”
“And I accepted that love.”
“So does this mean I never have to lose you?” His wide eyes fill with hope twined with sadness.
“Yes. That’s exactly what it means.”
“It’s weird.”
“What is?”
“You explaining angelic stuff to me. I should know .”
“No rule book.”
He laughs. “No. I could really do with one right now.”
“What are your instincts telling you, Kai?”
He stares into my eyes and strokes the feather over my heart. “That you’re right. We’ll never be parted.”
“Then trust your instincts. They’ve always served you well in the past. They’re not going to fail you now.”
He nods. “I can do that.”
He inhales deeply. “I think we just got married. ”
Kai bobs his head from side to side. “I think so too.”
I raise my eyebrows.
His smile becomes brighter, more certain. “I know so. You’re stuck with me, Leo. I’m pretty sure there’s no such thing as angelic divorce.”
“No take-backs. I’m good with that.” I turn, pat his head, and pull him into my arms. “When humans get married, it’s tradition for them to consummate their relationship.”
Kai frowns.
“They make love.”
He widens his eyes. “Oh! Well, yes, we should absolutely do that.”
“Now?”
He grins, grabs my hand, and tugs me into the bedroom. “Right now.”