Sitting up, her gaze tracked to the pool, and she realized it was Reginald swimming in the quiet morning. Engaged in a flowing backstroke, he curled over in the water and dove under, exploding off the far wall with a powerful movement and undulating his body to surface midway. He was naked; entirely, gloriously naked, and as Layla stared at his perfect body gliding through the water, she felt him notice her attention as he swam.
Reginald continued swimming, letting her watch. She could feel him like music in the water, each languid stroke pristine. His body rippled through the saltwater of the pool like a mer-creature, though he had no fins in human form. Diving under, he undulated like a dolphin, propelling himself to the pool’s near edge. Layla saw a flash of opal scales, or perhaps it was Siren-magic shimmering in the water, but he was suddenly breaking from the near end of the pool with a strong heave.
Palming his golden hair back as he strode from the shallows, Reginald’s blue-grey eyes pierced Layla as water cascaded down his chiseled body. He walked like a dancer as he strode up the pool’s steps; every movement perfect. In danger and glory he came for her; his oceanic power rippling through the hall like the tendrils of a leviathan, strong and silky. Layla felt his power stroke her, like the tongue of an oyster. Clutching the blanket to her chest, she shuddered, her Dragon rising in an erotic rush as a bourbon-orange scent careened from her.
Reginald’s lips quirked; his arrogant, beautiful eyes sparkled with glimmers of gold, though he didn’t leave the pool, only stood on the topmost step with his high-arched feet still in the water. Reaching up, he curried water from his golden hair, making the most of his lean muscles as they bunched in perfect coordination. Reginald knew how to use his amazing body – keeping himself just out of Layla’s reach and making her heart hammer hard.
“Good morning, my beloved,” he spoke in his elegant, haughty baritone as his gaze devoured Layla – drowning her with his exquisiteness.
“Hi to you, too, Aquaman.” Layla swallowed as she at last found her voice.
Reginald’s lips quirked as if he was trying to not grin. And then with a spectacular laugh, he stepped out of the pool. Striding to Layla, he bent, scooping her up into his arms. She gave a surprisedeep, which only made him laugh more as he tugged the blanket from her hands, then strode them both to the pool. Walking in, Reginald dragged Layla into the pool with him.
Crushing her close to his lean frame and kissing her, hard.
Layla was obliterated as they kissed. She was seafoam in his arms as she melted into her Bound Royal Siren. Kissing him back, licking into his luscious mouth, she wound her arms up around his neck. The roar of the sea poured through her as they kissed, letting Layla feel the depth of Reginald’s passions, and his glory as they tasted each other.
With a growl, he suddenly turned and dove them both into the pool with a powerful heave of his thighs. Layla was plunged underwater, but before she could startle, Reginald had pressed his lips to hers. Even as she struggled, terrified, his lips opened – and suddenly, he was breathing into her mouth. Layla inhaled his breath. Like it had been when he’d saved her from drowning at Manarola, his breath was fresh as a day at the seashore, reviving. Layla’s eyes blinked open as he held her so she couldn’t break their seal. He breathed into her again and she inhaled with life. Cool and pristine, Reginald’s breath was invigorating, and Layla suddenly felt his ocean-bright power rushing through her as she drank him in.
Filled to overflowing as he breathed his power deep inside her, Layla was suddenly trembling with energy, surging with it – and it had to go somewhere. Breaking from Reginald’s kiss with the thunder of the ocean filling her, she threw back her head and screamed underwater. As she roared all that magnitude into the pool, cascades of water thrust back, erupting up to the watery dome and slamming against the sides of the pool. Jets of water blasted up in powerful thrusts, raining a salt spray that dazzled the early light. The hall was flooded as Layla’s head broke the surface. She gasped real air as Reginald crushed her close – laughing as water rushed back into the pool all around. He kissed her again; ravenously. She was breathless as he finally pulled away – his eyes bright like icebergs flooded by the sun.
“A man could get used to that.” He spoke, smoothing his impossibly silken lips over hers.
“I guess so!” Layla laughed, amazed at the change in Reginald this morning, and at her own sudden use of his offered Siren-magic. She could still feel his austerity today, but it was like everything had become inundated with sunlight since last night. “To what do I owe this grand awakening?”
“To water, air, and heat,” he murmured sexily, corralling her close and smoothing a hand down her back as his lips slipped to her neck. “To salt, sand, and wind. I feel alive this morning in a way I haven’t for years. Smelling you with the scent of saltwater on your skin…” He drew a deep breath at her neck, then growled sexily. “Intoxicates me.”
“Good to know.” Layla grinned as he kissed her neck.
Pulling back so he could see her, sunlight flowed in Reginald’s eyes as he stroked back a lock of Layla’s hair. “Forgive me for making you wet this morning.”
“I was already wet, bucko.” Layla quipped smartly. “And the pool had nothing to do with it.”
Reginald laughed, a good sound as he corralled her closer. “Ummo and all the gods, you make me feel like a youngling, Layla Price! Every turn of Courtier’s grace leaves me; every cultured movement abandons me. I find myself simply wanting to throw you down and fuck you underwater for as long as we both might last.”
“Could we do that?” Layla blinked at the surprisingly sexy thought.
“Sirens have all the best amenities for engaging sex underwater.” Reginald spoke as he lifted a hand, stroking her neck with his fingertips. “In human form or Siren-form, though I’ve actually only done it in human form since my change is so new.”
“Wow. Ok.” Layla blinked again. “I am quite suddenly making a mental note to try all that.”
“So am I.” He breathed back, his lips curling up into a sexy, dangerous grin.
“How are you this morning?” Layla asked, marveling at his demeanor today. “You seem—”
“Blissful.” He spoke as he stroked her neck. “You awaken me in ways I thought long dead, Layla, and I owe you everything for that.”
“Did you get any sleep?”
“I didn’t need any.” Reginald’s lips quirked, subtle humor flashing in his eyes. “The flow of water called me after our coupling, and I indulged it all night long. Besides, after you drifted off, I found I couldn’t wake you. You were too beautiful, resting in the water’s glow.”
“You swam all night?” Layla spoke, amazed that he had that kind of stamina.
“Every day I am on land, I feel like a fish out of water.” Reginald answered, gazing at her deeply. “Like Mermaids, a Siren’s true element is the sea. I have been denying myself the touch of saltwater for centuries, too afraid it would spark my full nature. When I dove into the ocean to save you off the coast of Manarola, the shock of seawater and my fear for your life brought my first true shift. But now… our Bind tempers me. And I can once again enjoy what I love most.” Stroking her wet hair back, Reginald’s gaze suddenly became intense. “How are you today?”
Layla paused, taking an internal reading on her emotions. Surprisingly, she felt clear this morning, as if something about her time with Reginald last night had washed her worries away. “I feel good. I feel ready for whatever we might face with your family in the next few days.”
“I would like to speak with you about that, actually.” Reginald gestured to a gilded rack of white towels nearby. “Shall we return to your rooms and have some breakfast?”
