Which made zero sense.He should have scented her immediately.
She stepped toward him, her tread surprisingly light for a human, and took a seat at the edge of the pool.When her toes were dipped in the water, she tilted her head to the side.Knowing she was studying him, he stayed silent.Treading water in the early dawn light was a bizarre time to connect with one’s mate, but hell, stranger things had happened.
They happened every damn day.
“I’ve never felt like this before.”
Her tone was almost dreamy, and now he came to think about it, everything about her was.Was she sleepwalking or something?Humans did that, didn’t they?
They could walk around, talk and even eat, go driving, all while they were asleep.
Swimming over to her, he let the silken water slip and slide over his nakedness, unashamed to approach her in his skin.
All that he was was for her.
That was all that mattered.
He caged her with his hands, letting his fingers grip the stones either side of her thighs as he looked up at her.Her eyes were as dreamy as she was, but she was awake.Just in some kind of odd… what?Mood?
He wasn’t sure what it was, but it was strange.Kind of nice though.
It was like she was half-awake, he realized with a soft smile.
“Why are you smiling?”she asked him, a little frown puckering her brow.
“You make me happy.”
His admission had the frown hardening with confusion.“But I haven’t done anything.”
He shrugged, and the motion had the water tickling at her calves.“You don’t have to do much.Just breathe, and you make me happy.”
A grin danced about her lips.“You guys don’t seem to ask for a lot.Well, aside from the accepting of three men in my life thing.”
Trip chuckled.“Give us time.We can be as demanding as the next guy.”
“Shush,” she chided him.“Don’t spoil it.”But the teasing in her eyes had his chuckle deepening.
“I didn’t expect you to be up and around at this time,” he told her.“I thought you’d still be sleeping.”
She shrugged.“I usually am.My sleep was… eventful, I guess.”
“Is Marc still pestering you?I told him to leave you alone that first night.”He grimaced.“How couldn’t his walking into your room wake you up?But he never listens.”
“No, he didn’t and he isn’t,” she countered.“I woke up from a nightmare and saw him on the floor opposite the bed.But since then, he only comes in if there’s a light on.He isn’t bothering me.Honest.”
“And that didn’t scare the hell out of you?A strange man in your bedroom after everything that happened with… You know?”
Her lips twitched.“You think that Jamie betraying me was unusual?It’s happened more times than you can count.”
Concern plundered him.“Why, El?Why so many times?”
The dreaminess left her as she cupped her elbows and hugged herself.Seeing her need for comfort, he pressed one of his hands to her knees and squeezed gently.She surprised him by clutching at his fingers with her knees, holding him there in place.“Marc asked me that other night after I woke up.Why me?My mom’s in the press more than I am.My brothers are trying to take on the political sphere… but I get more threats than any of them.”She jerked a shoulder.“I don’t know.Maybe it’s because I’m the only girl.Maybe it’s because…” El blew out a breath.“My trust fund is bigger than my brothers’.”
Trip scowled.“Seriously?”
“Yeah.My grandfather had a soft spot for me.”
“But why would that make a difference?You wouldn’t be the one paying the ransom, would you?”
