Page 121

His head was dipped, and he looked up from under his thick lashes. “Good, because I want you to love it here, Iris.” His throat worked. “I want you to love it here…with me.”

My pulse thudded at my throat. “Well, this definitely helps.”

He grinned, flashing his white teeth. The male continually threw me off balance.

Goddess, I loved that grin.

“Can you swim?” he asked.

“Um…yes, but in case you haven’t noticed, because you shifters run hot, it’s freaking autumn. That water has to be freezing.”

The grin grew wider, and he shook his head as he tugged off his shirt. “It’s warm. Test it.”

I kicked off my shoes, pulled off my socks, and walked to the edge to dip my toes in.

“Another deal the previous pack made with one of the older covens from around here. It’s cool in summer and warm in winter.”

I stared out at the lake in awe. “That’s some impressive magic. Do you know which coven did this?”

He shook his head, and that grin widened. “But I’m not unhappy about it, especially now.”

I turned to him. “Why especially now?”

“Because I’m about to go skinny dipping with my hot as fuck mate.”

I laughed.

“What?” he asked, closing the space between us.

“I never know what will come out of your mouth.”

He grinned and slid his hands up under my sweater, pulling it over my head and placing it on a rock. “I’m full of surprises. Now take off your pants.”

Who was I to argue? “I will, if you will.”

He stepped back and undid his jeans. I quickly shoved mine down, my underwear with them, then my shirt and bra. Once everything was tossed aside, I ran straight into the warm water.

Draven’s growl and the sound of him chasing me had me laughing and spinning to splash him. He spluttered, then caught me up in his arms, his laughter deep and throaty. I’d never heard him laugh like that before. It was sexy and lifted goose bumps all over my body, even in the warm water.

Steam rose around us, and he pulled me closer, guiding my legs around his waist. “I didn’t like being apart from you today, petal.”

“I’m here now,” I said, because I didn’t want to go into why I’d stayed away all day. That I’d felt the distance between us even while I lay in his arms during the night. “Draven?”

“Yeah?”

I should keep my mouth shut, but that wasn’t how it was between us. I couldn’t help but say what was on my mind. “I know you’re disappointed with all of this…”

“With what?”

“Having a witch for a mate, especially from my coven. Not being able to do what Hannah and Linus did and go to your hidden oasis to consummate our mating. You already missed out on so much.”

This had been a no-win situation for both of us. That’s how I’d felt at first, anyway.

His fingers flexed against my skin. “Not disappointed…but I was afraid.” He tucked my hair behind my ear. “You scared the fuck out of me, little witch.”

“Are you still scared?”

His throat worked. “No.”