I’d been exhausted and hadn’t even really realized it. But now? I felt like I’d spent a week sleeping and eating good food. Like I’d had a relaxing massage and then hydrated like they tell you too, which I always forgot to do.

The heat from Declan made me drowsy, despite all the rest I’d had. I didn’t want to get up, though I should. Considering everything Declan had been through, I didn’t think he was thinking clearly. To be fair, I wasn’t sure I was thinking clearly, either. While I’d been pretty happy with managing a comforting back pat at the tattoo shop the other day, this seemed like a mighty big jump.

We didn’t know each other enough to cuddle, and certainly not well enough to cuddle naked. Or mostly naked in my case. The shorts the ferrets had brought me barely covered my butt. Which was currently tucked into Declan’s lap. Our current position had to be an after-effect of the bond.

I could admit that I would be fine cuddling with Declan naked because…well, he was hot and I was apparently shallow. But he seemed way more comfortable with me than he usually would have if magic hadn’t intruded, which meant that me staying here and soaking in the warmth of him was taking advantage. It was like making out with your super drunk friend when you were stone cold sober. Which was sort of unfair, because hot naked guy. I mean, I couldn’t even objectify him in my mind, because he might see it.

Being an adult was hard.

I tried to turn so I could talk to him, but he held me in place with his arm and a low, rumbling growl. Which just made me mad, something I was grateful for. Anger cleared out my lust-fogged brain.

“Declan, let me go.” I kept my voice firm and clear, being careful not to put any real command into it. This was going to be tricky. I wanted him to let me up, but I also didn’t want to override his will, because that would make everything so much worse.

His hold softened slightly, but didn’t let up. “Five more minutes.”

I sighed. “Declan, you only think you want to be here. It’s the bond. It’s creating intimacy where it doesn’t exist.” Though my words were gentle, they’d still hurt. I knew this. I wondered if I was his grapefruit spoon—none of my smooth edges cancelling the jagged tip digging into the heart of him.

I realized my hand was back in his hair and I pulled it away, but he butted into it, attempting to keep the contact. I tried again, softer. “As soon as you’re fully awake, you’ll remember that my magic makes you uncomfortable. I don’t want to add to your anger or resentment. I’m not actually your teddy bear, remember?”

Declan’s laugh was a short, pained sound. “I remember. It’s just…” His arms tightened. “Please?”

He buried his face in the back of my neck and I got a sudden rush of emotion from him before he put up his mental walls and closed the link off. Declan was a lone wolf and he wasn’t meant to be. Even if the link was creating a false sense of closeness, he still wanted it. For five minutes he wanted connection. Comforting.