Regina gave her thanks with the brush of her knuckles against his abs, a simple enough gesture, but one that said so much more than it seemed. This time, especially, it served as a stopgap as she pushed away to hang the wish from the tree.

A brief stopgap, since it took her only an instant and then she was settling back in the circle of his arm. It hadn't taken her long to become comfortable with the public intimacy he enjoyed; if he had his arm around her, it saved her being possessive or shooting death-glares at women who paid him too much attention.

"Mmm-hmm. Safer to do it this way. Wish magic is too powerful in my realm."