“No.”
He did not elaborate.
I sent out a thread of tourmaline colored magic through the ground. “Are you sure you want to allow this?”
Ben smiled. My heart did a little skip bump at the sight. “Know me,” he said again.
His breath caught when my magic touched him.
“Last chance,” I whispered.
Ben’s eyes glowed a startling blue. “I wish to know you, Evie. That means I want you to know me, too.”
My magic swept around his ankles, seeking entrance inside the massive shifter’s body. He made no move toward me, but when my power entered his body, his head tipped back, exposing his throat. It was a submissive gesture, and the sexiest thing I’d ever seen.
My breath caught as I moved close enough to touch him. The power always worked better when I was in close proximity, and while I didn’t have to touch him, I realized I wanted to.
I pressed my hand gently against his upper chest, my magic touching his heart. Closing my eyes, I lay my head against him and took a deep breath.
Pain. Ben had known so much pain in his life. So much tragedy. The magic showed me no pictures, and if it tried, I would deny them. I didn’t need to share his private thoughts. I only wanted to know he was safe. This was the part of my magic I showed no one. Plants felt things. Every living thing felt emotions, pain, joy, hope, heartache. Ben was no different. Except most of his life had been painful, only small moments of joy brushing against my senses.
He wasn’t a violent man, though violence had found him many times.
A small sigh of sadness escaped me. Ben’s massive arms wrapped around my waist.
“Every trial in my life brought me to this moment,” he said quietly.
The only darkness I found was external, things that had happened to him. Ben was guarded, deep, secretive, and had a well of power almost as large as mine. And to his credit, he made no move to examine me the same way.
I withdrew my power and wrapped my arms around him, tears streaming down my face. “Why?” I croaked.
We stood together wrapped in each other, and I can’t remember a time when I’d felt so safe. The last time someone had held me this close?—
I sucked in a breath and pushed Ben away, my heart thundering in my chest.
His eyes opened, a fierce glow shining from them, a terrible look forming on his face. “Who?” he snarled.
I shook my head.
Ben inhaled a deep breath and closed his eyes. When he opened them, the glow was gone, and his face was a neutral mask. “Did you find what you were looking for?”
“Why are you here?” I asked quietly. “No one wants to know me without an ulterior motive.”
A sad smile curved his lips up. “I’m sorry that has been the case.” His eyes swept my land. “Were you about to walk your property?”
My brow furrowed. “How did you know?”
He pointed at my bare feet. “You have boots and socks right by the edge of the uncleared land. Mind if I join you?”
I believed he wouldn’t harm me, but it didn’t mean he was here without an ulterior motive, especially with Caelan as his Lord. “You can, but I won’t tell you anything.”
Ben laughed. “The Lord is my friend, but he is not happy I am here. You might say we are in a bit of a disagreement.”
“I can only imagine he disagrees a lot,” I grumbled.
He grinned and gestured for me to go ahead. “I’ll wait at the edge for you.”
I hurried over to put my socks and boots on, tucking my overalls into my socks when I was finished. When I rose, Ben was watching me. Not in a predatory way, but in a soft way. Color touched my cheeks. I found the shifter unnerving. Not in a threatening way. In a...dangerous for my heart kind of way.
