“Never.” The intensity in his eyes and the conviction in his voice almost quieted the doubts, worries, and fears that had been keeping her heart from him. Almost.

“Okay.” She smiled shyly.

“Okay?” Costin felt his wolf perk up. “Are you saying okay you believe me or okay let’s do this bonding thing?”

Sally giggled at the eagerness in his voice. “Yes,” she answered simply.

A huge grin spread across Costin’s face as he cupped her face and pulled her close, pressing his lips firmly to hers. Sally tensed at first but the passion she felt from their bond quickly made her overcome her insecurities. She wrapped her arms around his neck and tilted her head to the side so he could deepen the kiss. She tentatively separated her lips, offering him entrance and he wasted no time taking advantage of her boldness.  One of Costin’s hands slipped from her face and traveled to the back of her neck, while the other skimmed down her arm, ending up on her hip. He pulled her closer and growled when she moaned into his mouth. The kiss was intense. Sally felt a pull inside her reaching out to Costin. She felt like she couldn’t get close enough. Her inner Jen perked up at that and Sally smiled inwardly as she thought about how this must've been what Jen was always raving about.

Costin pulled back and, much to her embarrassment, Sally actually groaned in disappointment. This brought a chuckle from him.

Sally’s eyes narrowed. “What is so funny?”

Costin leaned forward, pressing a kiss to her forehead. “You are, my sweet. You are actually embarrassed by your desire for me. It’s cute.”

Sally groaned again and tried to hide her now blushing face in his chest. “You have got to be kidding me. How could you tell I was embarrassed?”

“I could feel it. That’s part of our bond. It must be getting stronger if I’m beginning to feel your emotions. See if you can feel mine.”

“How exactly am I supposed to do that?” she asked hesitantly.

“It might be easier if you close your eyes and just concentrate on me. Think about how I look, how I feel, how I smell –  and, if you want, you can think about how I taste.” Costin laughed when Sally playfully slapped his arm.

She closed her eyes and began to think about him. She thought about his messy hair, his beautiful hazel eyes that danced with mischief. She thought about the smile that stretched across his face that always seemed to say that he knew something no one else did, and then she thought about the dimple that accompanied that smile. Slowly she felt a pull toward him, almost as if a string connected them and it was drawing them together.

Suddenly intense warmth flowed over her and she knew it was his love. It was pouring out of him and covering her like a cloak of protection. It was intense, like the waves flowing in with the tide.His love was like those waves crashing into her doubts and fears, drowning out her insecurities, and just as those waves brought destruction they also brought life. The waves brought life from the open ocean close to the shore and to those who needed that life. So it was with his love for her. He filled her with life. Costin claimed to have darkness in him, but he was so much more than that.

Sally gasped at the overwhelming sensation and grabbed onto his arms for support. Her head slowly rose to look at Costin. Intense, glowing hazel eyes pierced her.

“You -” She tried to speak, but the revelation that had just hit her had robbed her of breath. She tried again. “You love me.”

Costin tenderly cupped her jaw and ran his thumb gently across her bottom lip. “More than anything in this life or the next.”

“But, I mean, you seriously love me.” Sally was trying to grasp the reality of what she had just felt. Her eyes were wide in awe as she looked at the man who was her mate.

“I’ve been trying to tell you that, Sally-mine. Do you believe me now?”

Sally slowly nodded her head and then her lips tilted up in a small smile. “Thank you,” she told him.

“It is my incredible honor to get to love you,” Costin told her sincerely.

She closed her eyes once more and opened herself up to him. She wanted him to know how she felt, and now that she had no doubt about how Costin felt about her, she opened the gates to her heart.

Costin pulled Sally tightly into his arms. He felt the wall between them crumble and Sally finally letting him in. Though his love was a crashing wave, her love was no less fierce. It came more in the form of a unswerving river that flowed steadily out of her. As water filled any opening, so Sally’s love filled every empty place in Costin. Any space, no matter how big or small, was now flooded with it.

When he opened his eyes, it was to Sally’s sweet smile. Her beautiful brown eyes looked at him in adoration.

Finally, he thought.

Sally’s eyes widened. “Did you just speak out loud? I didn’t see your lips move.”

“No, what did you hear?” he asked.

“You said, 'finally'.”

Costin grinned. “That was in my mind, love. It appears our bond has opened all the way.”

Costin’s smile widened as he used their new mental bond. He repeated her earlier words. “You love me.”

Sally smiled back at him. “I do.”

“Say it, please.”

“It?” Sally teased.

Costin groaned and growled at her through their bond. “You know what I mean, woman.”

Sally laughed and pulled him close. She pulled his face down close to hers and leaned in so her lips were next to his ear.