“Sure, but your body says differently. You get wet for me.”
She blew out a breath. “Fine. You’re attractive in a rough kind of way. But that doesn’t matter. I won’t take advantage of you. It would be wrong. I’d hate for you to regret being with me later.”
He couldn’t believe she would say such a thing. “Really?”
“My blabbermouth sister told you I’m a virgin. I am. Not that I don’t have needs, I just want to trust my partner, to feel affection for him. And I don’t know. None of my past boyfriends felt right.” She swallowed hard and lifted her gaze to meet his. “You feel right, but I’m scared. I don’t either of us to be hurt.”
“And you think by giving me multiple orgasms, you’d be hurting me?” He laughed so hard he lost his breath. “Woman, you’re as nutty as your sister if you think I’d forego sex with you foranyreason.”
“I think you’re complimenting me, but I can’t be sure.”
He laughed again. “Oh, I am. I’ve never been so hard in my life. And I rarely come in my pants after fingering a woman.”
“That’s crude.”
“It’s honest.” He walked to her and put his hands on her shoulders. “I know what I want. Look, we have time together, alone. You say you want to help me. I believe you. I’m happiest making you happy. I’ll leave the matter of fucking your brains out to you.”
“What?”
“I’m yours, sweetheart. We have days to spend together staying safe while we wait for Macy to figure things out. Whatever we do is up to you.”
“But your opinion matters just as much as mine.” She looked so sweet with her concern. Worried she might be hurting a vampire’s feelings. She really was too naive for her own good. Kaia needed a strong mate to protect her.
Someone like Orion.
She did have a point though. He didn’t normally care what others thought so long as he was happy. He did the killing or fighting then relaxed however he wanted. Right now, he cared for nothing but making the pretty sea nymph happy. The way a vampire might see to his mate.
What harm could sex do but give him—and her—plenty of hours of mindless pleasure?
“I’m happy just being with you,” he said plainly. “Focus on whatyouwant and I’ll make it happen. Now, are we going to fuck or would you rather watch TV?”
Sadly, she opted for the television. But she sat in his lap upstairs. The large, upholstered chair fit him perfectly, and feeling her breasts against his chest, her heart beating in time with his, made the world right.
She fell asleep against him while they watched a murder mystery. It ended, and he turned the channel to a rerun of one of his favorite animes while he stroked her hair, the long, black stuff like silk. He remembered the sight of it floating in the water, a dark halo framing such beauty. She sighed in her sleep and curled closer.
Definitely a snuggler. He smiled and realized he’d never had more peace with a female he hadn’t even bedded properly. Such an odd happenstance that he wondered what it would be likewhen—notif—they had sex. Would he feel more for her or less? Was all this fascination for the nymph a need to conquer? Or because he had in fact found his mate?
He noted the time and realized Kaia would be a mess when she next woke, her sleep cycle off kilter. But no matter. He’d wait up here with her until the sun forced him to seek alternate accommodations.
Orion didn’t believe in gods, destiny, or demons in charge of his choices. But Kaia could order him about however she wanted. She meant something to him. How to show her how he felt? And so what if a spell had brought them together?
He paused as something inside him struggled, a feeling of anger that didn’t belong near Kaia, so he forced it back down.
He felt good with Kaia in his life. Like he felt when he’d met Kraft, when he’d rescued Smoky, when Varu had finally become his patriarch. The pieces of the grand puzzle were coming together. Kaia belonged to him. He’d just have to find a way to make her see that.
* * *
Kaia woke plasteredover the vryko. She yawned, relieved to see it still dark outside. How terrible would it be for Orion to burn to death because he didn’t want to disturb Kaia’s beauty sleep?
She lifted her head to see him watching her. “Hi.” She felt shy.
“Hi.” He was so much bigger than her, but in his arms she felt nothing but cared for and safe. In the arms of a vampire.
It seemed only natural that when he lowered his head, she lift hers to meet his kiss. Nothing overwhelming, a soft press of lips, yet the the feel of him sent her heartbeat into overdrive and her entire body on alert.
Need, pure and true, sizzled in her veins, and she moaned into his mouth, wanting to feel him everywhere.
He pulled back, his eyes bright red, a fang peeking out when he smiled. “Girl, you know how to kiss.”
