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‘But we’ve…’

She didn’t have to finish the sentence for him to know the thought. ‘Yeah, we have, but it’s the first time we’ve been together like this since you woke up to magic.’

‘Do you think it will be like this every time?’ She wasn’t sure if she wanted him to say yes or no.

‘I’m not sure, but would you be offended if I said I kind of hoped not? I mean, that was… beyond words… but I think if it was like that every time, you might actually wreck me.’

She giggled, and he felt the echoes of her amusement through his skin.

‘It’d be one helluva way to go, though.’

‘You didn’t tell me you’d had more artwork done.’ Her fingers lazily traced the patterns of his tattoos, over the patch that had finally stopped driving him mad with itching. ‘They’ve healed incredibly well.’

‘I haven’t had anything done. When would I have found time?’

‘Aiden, I can see it’s been finished.’ She traced her fingers over the stylised heart that twisted through his other tattoos. ‘It’s lovely.’

‘Glad you like it. I think it’s your fault.’

‘My fault?’

‘It started happening recently. Since you and I… The magic did it.’

‘That’s a thing?’

‘Seems it is. Turns out the ink includes vegetable glycerine and witch hazel.’

‘Both things you use in the kitchen?’

‘Yeah.’ He nodded.

‘And you think your magic made your tattoos change. Because of me?’ She shook her head, smiling. ‘This is all so amazing to me still.’

He rubbed his nose and lips against her shoulder and neck, and kissed her behind the ear. ‘You’re what’s amazing, Mia. Or is it Camilla?’

‘Definitely not.’ She sighed happily and let her eyes drift shut.

‘I don’t understand why, after the things that we just did…’

‘Things that I very much enjoyed.’

‘…that you won’t let me know what Mia’s short for.’

She opened her eyes to look at him. ‘But that’s your problem. I enjoy tormenting you.’

‘You’re going to tell me eventually, you know that.’

‘Maybe I will, maybe I won’t.’

‘I could torture you, you know. Tease you until you’re begging to tell me.’ The low threat in his voice made her shiver in the most delicious way.

‘Just remember, two can play at that game.’

Aiden chuckled and tugged her more tightly against him. ‘You really do give as good as you get.’

‘Warned you about that months ago.’ She kissed his neck. ‘You should have listened then. And speaking about you listening to me, I wanted to talk to you about our next date.’

‘Oh, you think we’re having one, do you?’