“The idea crossed my mind, yes.”

He set aside his drink. “Give me some credit, Dara. I’ve never touched you when you didn’t want me too.”

It was true, and she lowered her eyes, heat scorching her face that she’d even suggested otherwise. When she did, he slipped the snifter from her fingers and set it back behind him, off the rug.

“However much you like living in the mortal realm,” he said with a sigh, “you belong here at Japan with me. Of course I have all the time in the world to wait for you, and don’t get me wrong, love, your happiness is very important to me, but I’m growing impatient.”

“Oh, is that all….”

He lifted her hand and laid a soft kiss against her knuckles. “It’s not easy living alone, you know? Thinking about someone you can’t touch every day. It’s damn maddening.”

“You could have come to Korea at any time if you wished to see me.”

“Yes, I could have.” Sly eyes regarded her. “And if I’d paid you such a visit, would it have made you accept tradition? Would you have agreed at last to complete the Heart Spell?”

At the mention of those two words she felt a frisson of panic race over her skin.

“Did my mother put you up to this?”

“Good gods, no. Bom is the last person I’d call. Nothing against your mother, but she’s too bent on grandchildren right now. She’d likely try to talk me into some hair-brained, romantic scheme. I much prefer the direct approach.”

Her brows lifted. “Besides, it’s not as if a transport spell hidden in a candle isn’t hair-brained enough.”

“Ah, but it worked, didn’t it? Would you have come to me any other way if I’d asked?”

“Probably not,” she admitted softly, and then upon thinking about it, shook her head and frowned, that faint restlessness nagging her again. “I don’t know. Maybe I would have. The point is you could have asked.”

“Very well, I will ask you now. Dara, I love you and I want you near me. Will you please come to live with me in Japan?”

Butterflies sprang to life in her stomach at the husky promise in his voice.Oh, dear. This is not good. Not good at all!

She hadn’t truly expected him to ask, or that he’d sound so y doing it. He waved his hand and the fire dimmed, throwing orange shadows around the room. All around them, the sparkle of sensual energy crackled in the air. It feathered over the fine hairs on her body, like the caress of static against her skin.