Page 73 of Dark Awakening: Hidden Currents

She smiled, reaching out to take his hand. "Never. I love this slow pace. It allows us time to get to know each other better, something I have never bothered with before."

"Why not?"

She sighed. "It's hard to explain without sounding like I'm analyzing the twisted workings of my mind."

He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed her wrinkly fingertips. "I'm sure to be fascinated by those twisted workings."

Jasmine sighed again. "I didn't have much love in my life growing up. My mother died when I was very young, and my father was not affectionate with me. I did not even know what love was supposed to feel like, but I craved closeness. When I developed feminine curves and started to feel sexual urges, I didn't hold back. Sex provided the need for closeness and connection. I didn't need to work hard for it, it was pleasurable, and it filled some of the void in my heart."

As Ell-rom's heart flooded with sorrow for the lonely girl she'd been, he kissed her fingers again. "I vow to love you so much and so completely that your heart will be full to bursting with it."

52

JASMINE

"It already is," Jasmine whispered.

She'd never felt so…at peace?

Fulfilled?

Happy?

The right word eluded her, and perhaps it didn't even exist. The best analogy she could think of was arriving home, with home being a sanctuary of peace, love, and unconditional acceptance.

The soft glow of the bedside lamp cast a gentle light across Ell-rom's regal features, highlighting the curve of his cheekbone, the slope of his nose, and the fullness of his lips.

She was mesmerized by this male she'd fallen in love with.

Ell-rom's eyes were filled with adoration as he gazed at her face, and Jasmine reached out, tracing the line of his jaw with her fingertips.

"What are you thinking?" she asked softly.

Ell-rom caught her hand, pressing a gentle kiss to her palm. "I'm thinking about how lucky I am," he murmured. "To have found you in this strange new world."

"I'm the lucky one," she countered. "How many people can say they've fallen in love with a prince from another planet?"

A soft chuckle escaped Ell-rom. "One who wasn't a frog at any time before his arrival or after."

She wondered what animal name the translation had come up for 'a frog.' Did they have frogs on Anumati?

"It still feels like a fairy tale." Jasmine snuggled closer to her prince.

She reveled in the warmth of his body, the steady beat of his heart beneath her palm.

Ell-rom's arm wrapped around her, pulling her closer still. "Tell me what love feels like for you?"

That was a tough question because it was difficult to describe a feeling.

"A kind of a glow that starts in my chest and spreads throughout my entire body. It's the feeling that when I'm with you, I'm home. You are my sanctuary, my safe zone, my comfort."

She paused, gathering her thoughts. "I can be completely myself with you, flaws and all, and know that you'll accept me. It's wanting to share every moment, every thought, every dream with you."

Ell-rom leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to her lips. "That's beautiful. I feel the same way about you, but I wouldn't havebeen able to put it into words. Thank you for articulating it for me."

Jasmine felt her heart swell. She'd had relationships before, but nothing could have prepared her for what real love would feel like. "No offense, my love, but that's cheating. I don't want to hear my echo. I want to hear your thoughts and feelings even if you can't find the most precise words."

Ell-rom was quiet for a moment. His brow furrowed in concentration. "It's... overwhelming. It's like my heart is too full and might burst with everything I feel for you." His hand found hers, fingers intertwining. "It's also grounding. You anchor me. In this world that's still so new and strange to me, you're my constant. My home."