“What?” Kel huffed. “I like food.”
“Me too.” I nodded. “So I'm expecting a really tasty lunch today.”
“Oh, I have something tasty for you,” Kel said and only smirked when my men glared at him. “What? You were thinking it too.”
I frowned, something else occurring to me. “Hey, if I take a lover, and they don't love me back or they go off to be with someone else, that might destroy my love. And then what? Will they still receive my magic? I mean, I have to be nearby for our bond to even work. If I don't love them, it might not work at all.”
The men exchanged a grim look.
“I don't know,” Keltyr said. “But it could be a possibility. And that's some information that I will definitely share.”
“Why?” I asked.
“Because then only the most serious of men will pursue you,” Rath said with a nod. “Only those willing to fall in love with you in return. And willing to remain in that love.” Looking over at Kel, he added, “Spread the word, Keltyr. About that and the no sex rule.”
“You got it.” Kel winked at me. “Only the best of the best for Ember.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
That afternoon, Kel fetched me from the suite for our date. I'd done some combat training and showered even though we'd be going to the lake. I didn't have to worry about drying my hair though. I answered the door with it still wet.
“It looks as if you're ready for a swim.” Kel looked over my shorts, wet hair, and the towel I had slung over my shoulder. “But you'd better put some shoes on.”
“Why? Can't you just fade us there?”
“Oh. Yeah, sure.” Kel adjusted the satchel slung on his right shoulder, then held out a hand. “All right, then. You ready?”
“Yup.” I stepped into his arms as I shut the door behind me.
Kel grinned and tightened his hold. “You fit perfectly against me.”
Before I could respond, he whisked us away, directing our fade. I quickly shut my eyes, and when I opened them again, I found myself on the mossy bank of a woodland pool. Not a lake at all. The body of water was only twenty feet across at most. It was a pond, practically a puddle compared to the lake where I'd trained to use Water Magic. But it was stunning.
Sunshine filtered through the tree branches above, with only a small gap between the canopy allowing the light to come through and gleam off the clear water. The scent was fresh, aquatic, and green. I inhaled deeply, and my shoulders relaxed as if they could sense that we were safe there. The citadel was a fortress, but this was a refuge.
I stepped out of Kel's arms, tossed my towel onto the thick moss, and went to the pool's edge. Tiny pebbles lined the bottom, the purity of the water allowing me to see their varying shades of gray. I stepped in and sighed. It was the perfect temperature, cool but not frigid, and the pebbles massaged my feet. I glanced at Kel over my shoulder and grinned before I jumped in.
When I came up in the center of the pool, Kel was in his swimming trunks, wading in with a grin on his face. He looked as if he belonged there—a forest creature in his element. Horns ready to defend, but tail lifted in curiosity. It was enough to make me shiver. That broad chest with its tan nipples peaked atop solid pecs, the bulging arms swaying with the ease of an alpha male, and that taut belly with a trail of dark hair creeping up from his shorts. The trail soon vanished beneath the surface as he drew closer.
The center of the pool was just shallow enough for me to touch the bottom, leaving my shoulders above the water. But Kel was much taller and larger than me. When he reached me, most of his torso was still dry. But not for long.
With a wicked grin, Kel grabbed my waist and fell backward. I gasped in a breath as he took us under. Opening my eyes underwater, I found him staring back at me. We fell to the bottom softly, and I bounced on his belly. Kel's tail curled around me as he lifted his face, and I lowered mine.
An underwater kiss. How lovely.
I lost track of gravity and direction down there. With Kel's lips on mine, I couldn't keep my eyes open. Even though the sight of him, with his hair undulating around his horns, was incredible, I had to close my eyes to feel everything better. To luxuriate in the heat of his tongue as the water cooled my skin. To fully enjoy the slide of our bodies. And then Keltyr rolled us, our bodies writhing and twining, and his tail slipped up the leg of my shorts to tease the underside of my ass.
By the time we came up for air, I was rock hard. “Damn it.” I pushed away from him. “You're tormenting me.”
“Just some light teasing. It's not like I'm unaffected.” Kel floated on his back, the bulge in his shorts bobbing up to stick out of the water. “But if you can't handle it, I can swim over here.”
“You're not going to get me to make out with you by calling me a chicken.”
He lifted his brow.
I dove.
I made a circuit of the pool, ignoring his smug face. After a while, my erection subsided, and I was able to go closer to Kel. He grinned knowingly as I settled in front of him at last, and I splashed water in his face.
