Bab 73: Not Like Them

AARYN

He was trembling. She clawed at his back, his hair, desperate and he couldn't let go. She'd given over to him and it was stunning. Half of him wanted to throw her to the ground and take her here and now, to cement this. The other half wanted to weep.

"This is how we find each other, El," he whispered into her hair. "This is how we make it work."

"What do you mean?"

He cleared his throat and forced himself to loosen his grip so he could look at her. She let her leg slide to the ground to stand, but she leaned into him, neither of them willing to lose contact yet.

"When we're out there in the world and under other people's eyes, you're in charge," he said. "I submit myself to you. But when we're here or at home, by ourselves…"

"I submit to you," she whispered, and her eyes sparked.

Aaryn's body twitched. "Yes. You let me carry you when you're resting, I'll let you carry me through everything else."