Free Obsidian (Mystic Stones Series #1) by Kayla Curry Page B

witnesses. This is something I wish to do as a gesture of intimacy.”
    “I’m happy to share this with you, and although I’m still a little scared, I know you can get me through this. I have come to trust you over the last few days. You’ve saved my life and for that I am grateful. Now, you’re saving me from certain danger, and I don’t see how I can ever repay you.”
    “Repay me by picking up your glass. Let us toast to a day of merriment, and to an eternity of bliss,” Tom said as he raised his glass of wine.
    I did the same and said, “To merriment and bliss.”
    With a smile from both myself and Tom, we drank our wine.
    I would miss Tom’s cooking. His hospitality deserved five stars. I would also miss him. Had we met under different circumstances, Tom may have been the one, but I would never find out. After tonight, I hoped we would never cross paths again. I didn’t want to break his heart, but I didn’t want to give mine up either.
    After we finished eating, Tom cleared the table while I enjoyed the sunny day. The overnight rain released the aroma of Hilo and the air gave me a moment of relaxation. After Tom finished clearing the table, he returned to the deck and refilled our wine glasses. He let his fingers trail over to the black box then handed it to me.
    “I want you to take this as a symbol of my dedication to your well-being. It’s also a symbol of my deep feelings for you.”
    I opened the box to find a necklace inside. The pendant hanging from it reflected the one I’d seen yesterday, but appeared smaller and more feminine. The “W” was cast in white gold and set inside a circle of 18 rubies. It sparkled in the sun on the spider-web-thin chain that made me nervous.
    “Would you give me the honor of being your Swami once you are changed?” he asked, taking my hand into his.
    “Yes, Tom, I would be lucky to have you as my Swami,” I replied.
    “Can I wear it now?” I asked enthusiastically.
    “Yes, my dear, of course you can.” Tom took the box from my hand and pulled out the necklace, then stood and moved behind me to fasten it around my neck. It hung lightly as I ran my fingers over it and smiled. Tom kissed my cheek from behind me and moved around to see the necklace on me.
    “It’s perfect for you,” he commented.
    “Yes, I love it. It’s so beautiful.”
    “As are you, Ava.”
    Sadness swept across me like a rainstorm as I realized how much I was going to hurt him. The rain turned to tears and a few escaped my eyes. Tom noticed them immediately.
    “What’s wrong, sweet Ava?”
    I tried to compose myself. I failed miserably. More tears came. I quickly tried to come up with a reason for the tears.
    “I’m overwhelmed with happiness. You’re more than I could ever ask for. You aren’t a monster. I’m sorry I ever said that about you. No one has ever treated me so considerately before.”
    Tom took my hand and pulled me into his lap as he sat in the chair. He held me there for a while as I tried to get the tears under control. He turned me so that I was looking him directly in the face and said, “Don’t cry, I know that you may feel bad about calling me a monster, but after what you saw in the warehouse, I don’t blame you. I’ve spent the last two days, and I will spend the rest of eternity, trying to make up for that. I’m so sorry that I scared you that day.”
    Tom kissed my cheek and I moved so that he would kiss my lips. I pushed my fingers into his thick, gorgeous hair. The butterflies came back. We kissed on the deck for a while longer. In a whoosh, he carried me to the couch where we continued to kiss fervently. He was on top of me and I couldn’t stop myself this time. This was our last day together. As his kisses grew more and more passionate I couldn’t help but want him to be even closer to me. Somehow this wasn’t enough. I wished he would rip off my clothes, but at the same time I was afraid he actually would.
    He stopped kissing me and stared