Fairytale Come Alive (Ghosts and Reincarnation #4)(94)
Author: Kristen Ashley

He grinned and asked, “Why no’?”

She couldn’t exactly tell him he was such a good kisser, anytime he did it, she lost track of pretty much everything.

Heck, just standing in his arms, his warmth beating into her, their bodies brushing, was running interference with her thoughts.

“We just… can’t,” she answered lamely.

His eyes grew warm (or, more accurately, warmer). “All right, baby, what did you want to say?”

She didn’t waste any time and launched right in, “I think you should tell the kids here, at the house, where it’s safe and I think that I shouldn’t –”

She didn’t finish, he agreed instantly, “All right.”

She stared at him in shock. She didn’t think he’d agree!

Her mind was telling her there was more to say, like the fact that he should do it without her present but Prentice also instantly let her go, turned and, taking her hand, strode from the room, dragging her behind them.

“Pren –” she started but it was too late.

They were in the great room, Prentice had wrapped an arm strong around her waist and he glued her to his side.

Then, without further ado, he announced, “Jace, Sally, Elle and I have something to say.”

“Pren –” Elle began again but it was Jason who interrupted her this time.

“Is Elle staying?” Jason asked and Elle looked at him.

He was studying his father and, Elle peered closer, not sure she believed her eyes, but she could swear he looked hopeful.

“Aye, Jace,” Prentice answered.

“For good?” Jason asked.

“Aye,” Prentice replied.

Elle watched in fascination as Jason’s ten year old boy’s body visibly relaxed and those beautiful eyes, his father’s eyes, warmed with something Elle couldn’t decipher, but was striking nonetheless (in a good way) and they came to her.

She had no time to process this.

“Hurrah!” Sally shouted and ran to them, throwing her arms around both Prentice and Elle’s legs but even attached to them, she was jumping up and down.

Elle thought that outside of Prentice’s kisses, his lovemaking, waking up in his arms (even when he was grumpy), seeing his devilish grin, watching him come home and talking to him on the phone, Sally’s hugs were the best thing she’d ever experienced in her life.

But she’d been wrong.

Sally hugging both her and Prentice while jumping up and down excitedly at the thought that Elle was moving in while Jason gazed at her with that look in his eyes was the best thing she’d ever experienced in her life.

And it was so much the best thing, the feeling overwhelmed her and she burst into tears.

She was moved fully into Prentice’s arms; she wrapped her own around him and held on while shoving her face in his neck.

She heard Sally ask worriedly, “Why is Elle crying?”

Sally’s worry made Elle cry harder.

“She’s happy, baby,” Prentice answered, his hand running soothingly up and down Elle’s back.

“Happy?” Sally asked, now sounding confused.

“More like mental,” Jason muttered, sounding amused.

At Jason’s mutter, Elle giggled through her sobs.

“Is Elle laughing too?” Sally asked, now sounding really confused.

“Yes, baby,” Prentice answered, sounding like his son.

“Girls,” Jason mumbled, “totally mental.”

Elle’s tears subsided but her laughter didn’t and she held onto Prentice but twisted her neck to look at the children.

She wished she was the kind of person who knew how to say the right thing, something strong, something momentous, something that would mark this occasion in a happy way for them all forever.

But Elle wasn’t that kind of person.

So she just smiled.

Jason smiled back.

Sally rushed forward again and hugged Elle’s legs.

The little girl tipped her head back and asked, “Can you make a chocolate cake so we can celebrate?”

“No, lass, we’re going to dinner to celebrate,” Prentice replied as he shifted Elle to his side.

Jason was now smirking. “Elle might want to do something with her face.”

Elle’s hands flew to her cheeks, exclaiming in feminine horror, “My mascara!”

Prentice tipped his head down to look at her and Elle saw he was grinning.

“Just wipe it all off, baby, we’re going to be late,” he ordered.

“I’ll do a touch up. It won’t take a second,” Elle replied, swiping at her cheeks, hoping she wasn’t making it worse.

“Just wipe it off,” Prentice repeated.

“It won’t take a second,” Elle repeated too.

“Elle –” Prentice started.

“Pren, it won’t take a second.”

“Can I come?” Sally asked excitedly.

Elle extricated herself from Prentice’s arm and caught Sally’s hand, answering, “Of course, sweetheart.”

They walked to the stairs as Prentice called, “Do it in a hurry.”

Elle looked down from her ascent of the stairs and repeated, yet again, “Pren, it won’t take a second.”

As she and Sally turned out of sight, she heard Jason say, “I don’t get it. She looks prettier without all that gunk.”

Elle slowed their gait so she could hear Prentice reply, “I know, mate.”

“So why?” Jason asked.

“She’s a woman,” Prentice sighed.

“Seriously,” Jason said, “totally mental.”

Elle giggled as she entered her rooms, Sally’s hand in hers and she led Sally to the bathroom so she could do a touch up.

* * * * *

Dinner ran long, mainly because Prentice felt the need (and acted on that need) to tell everyone they encountered that Elle was moving, permanently, to the village.

And at this news, everyone they encountered behaved like it was Christmas and their birthday all rolled into one and they all decided to sit down and chat for awhile and some of them sat down and chatted for a long while.

By the time they got home, it was well past Sally’s bedtime and the little girl was drooping. Elle didn’t even take off her shoes before she saw to getting Sally to bed.

Sally was so tired she didn’t want to be read a book. After Elle got her to brush her teeth and change into her nightgown, Sally just curled up with a somehow equally exhausted Blackie in her arms (though, Elle figured Blackie’s exhaustion had something to do with the decimated toilet roll in Jason and Sally’s bathroom) and snuggled into her pillows while Elle tucked her in.