I pushed his chin until he let go. He was out of his mind if he thought I’d ever let my guard down around him again. This morning was enough. I tried to ease my skirt from under him with little result.
“Can you get up?”
“No, lass. I like having you in my lap.”
“You know what your problem is, Storm? You run this island like it’s your own little fiefdom and everyone bows to your will.”
“Not true.” He rested his chin on my shoulder and whispered, “I listen to members of the council and seek the wisdom of the elders.” He dropped a kiss on my shoulder. “One day, lass, my happiness will be your mission in life.”
I snorted. “Never gonna happen.”
“I love your spirit.”
“Then I’ll stop fighting back and see how you like it.”
“Can you stop?”
I couldn’t. He did way too many things that pissed me off. Worse, I was too aware of so many things—his chest, his breath against my temple, his scent, the pounding of my heart, my ass on his masculine thighs, and the full length of him. He was hard. Worse, my body was reacting to his. Sexual attraction was a new territory for me. The fact that I was attracted to my kidnapper annoyed the crap out of me.
“Relax, she’lahn. I’m not going to rush things. We have all the time in the world.” He nudged me to him, leaned back against the wall, and sighed with contentment.
How could he be so relaxed? I couldn’t breathe, and I was sure he felt my tension. And he was wrong. I didn’t have much time. I was getting out of here one way or another.
“When are you leaving to raid Tullius’s outposts?”
“Tomorrow, or the day after. Depends on when we finish fixing his ship. We plan to lead with it.”
I tried to get off his lap again, and his arm tightened. “Let me go, Storm.”
“I can’t.” The way he said it told me he wasn’t talking about the moment. He rubbed the side of his cheek against mine, but I bumped him with my head. “I’m giving you a chance to get used to me, lass. To us.”
“There’s no us, pal.”
“Not yet, muh’Lexi. But there will be, and I’m willing to wait for you because I don’t just want your body. I want you. All of you. Your heart and soul. Your loyalty and kindness. Your courage and passion.” He kissed my temple, and I palmed his face and pushed it away.
“Keep your lips and rum breath to yourself.”
“And the sweetness you hide behind your bad temper and mean streak,” he added.
“You haven’t seen my mean streak yet,” I shot back.
He chuckled. “Good, because the sweetness afterward will be much more worth it. Let’s see what you are reading.” He covered my hand with his large one and turned the book to check the cover. “This is an older version. Some islands are not included in here. Some have signed peace treaties only to declare war on each other over water boundaries. There’s more water than land on Earth, yet they squabble instead of sharing. Idiots. This is why we ignore their stupid laws. The gods gave us the waters to share, but they act like they have more rights than we do. Sometimes I wish the gods would leave the comfort of their secret islands and drag them to the bottom of the sea.”
He kept talking, the seductive timbre of his voice and accent working at full throttle. I didn’t even realize I was resting against him until he reached for the other two books I’d chosen. He read the titles and put them down.
“Those are ancient history, too. Hy’Brasil and Atlantis recently signed a peace accord, which means they could combine forces and crush us and other smaller islands because we are right in between their so called shared-water territory.”
“You don’t sound worried,” I said.
“No. My people are fierce fighters, and no one enters the waters surrounding our island or the port without our permission.”
“Port?” When he didn’t respond, I glanced up. His eyes were closed. “Storm!”
He opened one eye. “What is it, she’lahn?”
“There is a port on this island?”
“Of course. Read to me.”
There was a freaking port, which meant ships from other places. Hope returned. I had to find this port.
“Are you drunk?” I asked so he wouldn’t pick up on my excitement.
“Aye. I mourn the death of my friends, and rum takes the pain away. Kigan and Reith should never have died and left behind their mates. Nothing makes a man feel helpless like the pain in the eyes of a widow and her children. Read to me, lass. I don’t care what it is. I just want to hear your voice.”
I ignored the request. “What does she’lahn mean?”
“Sweetheart. Only a man can use it when talking to a woman.”
“Why can’t women use it?”
“He’lahn. I wait for the day I will be your he’lahn.”
I laughed at the absurdity of his statement. He kissed my temple.
“Read to me, lass. I love the sound of your voice. Even when you are mean to me.”
Happy about the possibility of a new escape route, I started reading to him. He was asleep before I finished the first page. I tried to ease off his lap, but his arms tightened. I wasn’t sure if it was a reflex, but he refused to let me go every time I attempted to get up, so I stayed. Besides, he was a nice seat warmer. I went back to reading.
The ruling monarchy set laws and controlled how people lived and mated, while in the rogue islands, like Vaarda, the inhabitants chose the traditional ways. They didn’t explain what these traditional ways were, but I had a feeling they included kidnapping women, forcing them to participate in weird mating ceremonies, and claiming they were true mates.
Maybe it was the rain or being surrounded by his warmth, but I became drowsy and stopped reading.
CHAPTER 8
When I woke up, it was dark, and I was still in Storm’s arms.
My eyes became accustomed to the darkness, and I took stock of my position. I was draped on top of him with my head resting under his chin and my legs wrapped around his midsection. Storm’s arms were locked around my waist. He must have carried me to the bed and stayed to act as my bed pillow. I wasn’t sure whether he was awake, but a part of him was and it rested between my butt cheeks as though seeking entrance.
I scrambled to get away from him, but the man had a sixth sense about me and his hold firmed, one hand landing on my bare knee. He inched up, stroking my skin. I grabbed his wrist and pushed his hand away.
“Where are you going, lass?”
“Trying to get up. You should have woken me up.”
“Compelling you to sleep and the time difference between mainland and Vaarda are finally messing with your sleep pattern.” Long, rough fingers skimmed over my cheek.
Once again, I pushed his hand away. “Quit pawing me.”
“Your skin is so soft, and you smell so nice when I touch you.”
“Delia said you shouldn’t sleep in here.”
“I don’t care what Delia says.” A spark shot through the air, and the candles on the table across the room flickered on. It illuminated his face. “You are my mate, and I belong here with you, not on Ryun’s guest bed or Levi’s sofa.”
His hair was tousled and he was shirtless, while I… I glanced down and groaned. I was in my chemise. I struggled to get off him, but the hand around my waist was like a vice. When I tried to knee him, he trapped my leg with his. I became aware of the rigid flesh along my inner thigh and froze.
“Did you undress me?” I asked, my voice sounding funny to my ears.
“Aye, but I promise I was well-behaved. Didn’t peek or kiss you anywhere.” The twinkle in his eyes said he was lying. I impaled him with a glare. His grin grew.
“Gah, you live up to every reputation of a despicable pirate.”
“Guilty. You are breathtaking.”
“And you are a sick bastard.”
“Unrepentantly.”
There was no point in getting mad at someone who didn’t seem to be bo
thered by my opinion of him. “Can I have my panties back?”
“If you want them, you’ll have to give me something in return.” His hand strayed to my butt, his intention clear.
I grabbed his wrist and pulled his hand away, but some of the material rode up with it. Cool air rushed up my thighs and reached my heated flesh. The contrast between the heat from his body and the cool air on my nether regions was so stimulating.
“I’m not having sex with you, Storm,” I said quickly.
“Are you sure? It might be a good start to what we both want.”
“What I want is to go home.”
“Okay, what you need.” He rolled us over and trapped both my thighs with his while I cradled his erection with mine.
He was long and hot. The sexy grin on his face brought to mind every naughty thought I’d ever had about guys. It also said he was aware of my pounding heart. Part of me wanted to move my legs and stop hugging him, but he’d take that as an invitation.
“I could make you feel so good, Lexi.”
I swallowed. “You promised to make me wait.”
“You should never trust an islander, lass. Not when it comes to wenching. Of course when it is with a mate, we don’t call it that. We call it ravishing. Pleasuring.” He gave a long sigh. “Fine, I’ll wait, but there are other fun things we could be doing.” He traced the neckline of my chemise. I gripped his finger and twisted.
“I swear, if you paw me one more time…” I wiggled, and he growled, his eyes darkening. I stopped when I realized he was enjoying every movement I made. My stomach came to my rescue when it grumbled.
“Here I am, thinking about ways I could make us have fun when I should be feeding you. Hungry?” He pushed his hand through my hair and gripped my head. “Or maybe you are hungry for something else, lass?”
“Food,” I said quickly. “I’m hungry for food.”
He laughed. He was so annoying.
I needed serious distance between this man and me. An ocean apart. “What time is it?”
Storm closed his eyes. “Around four in the morning.”
“And you got that from closing your eyes?”
He opened them and grinned. “Aye. Kiss me, lass.”
“No, thanks.” I tried to move my head, but he was faster. He pressed his lips against mine in a soft kiss. My heart stilled. Gently, he rubbed his mouth across mine as though daring me to open my lips and kiss him.
I fought back, pressing my lips together. Once again, my body betrayed me. My heartbeat crept up until blood roared past my ears. My nipples ached, and wetness pooled between my legs. I was so close to giving in when Storm lifted his head and studied me.
“You won’t resist me for long, she’lahn.”
“Wanna bet?” I shot back.
“Your heartbeat is elevated and you’re breathing hard, lass,” he teased.
“Because you are lying on top of me and crushing me, you big oaf.” I tried to bump him off again, and he laughed, the sound vibrating through me. He rolled over and stood in one smooth, fluid motion.
“Come on. I’ll get you something to eat.”
My lips still tingled, but I refused to give him the satisfaction of knowing how much that kiss had affected me.
“But everyone is asleep. Please, don’t wake them up. It won’t be fair. I can wait until morning.” My stomach growled again.
“No. It would be remiss of me as your mate if I didn’t feed you when you are hungry.” He disappeared inside the dressing room, returned with a dark-blue robe, and then pulled me. “Come on. We are raiding the kitchen. I know where Gráinne keeps the meat for breakfast.”
Eew. I could already taste the nasty sauce.
“Without the sauce,” Storm added. “I heard you don’t like it.” He helped me with the robe. It swallowed me, a third of it dragging on the floor. “You are so tiny you could fit in my pocket,” he said, chuckling. “Want to hop on my back? I could carry you downstairs.”
“Only if you morphed into a horse.”
“Would you ride me?”
“All the time.” He laughed, and I realized why. “You have a one-track mind. I happen to love horses.”
“Then I’ll be your horse.”
Shaking my head, I rolled up the sleeves of the robe, then grabbed most of the hem so I wouldn’t trip. He scooped me up before I took a step.
“I’m not having you trip and fall down the stairs when I just found you, lass. Put your arms around my neck.”
“You are a bully,” I grumbled, refusing to obey him.
“No, I’m your selfless mate, willing to raid the kitchen and suffer Gráinne’s wrath just so your stomach can stop rumbling. Willing to wait until you are ready before I make you my mate. Suffer countless sleepless nights when your scent drives me insane. So I’m not moving until you give me a kiss.” I planted one on his cheek. He sighed. “One day, Lexi, you will be running to me for a proper kiss, and I’ll make you beg for it.”
“Ha! In your dreams, pal.”
“You have no idea the kind of things I do to you in my dreams, muh’Lexi. I’ve had years of honing these amazing skills, and six weeks of playing them over and over in my head without knowing what you looked like. When I saw you enter the lobby at that hotel in Florida, I had a face to my dream girl. For two days, my fantasies were vivid. Then on the third day, you rescued me, breathed for me, and I scented you. And now here we are.”
Talking about events in Florida reminded me of Sienna and my brother, which made me upset and worried, so I pushed them aside.
“What would you have done if I wasn’t your mate?” I asked as we headed downstairs. The Great Hall was asleep, but the torches still lit the stairs.
Storm’s grin broadened, and I realized I’d just called myself his mate.
“Supposed mate,” I corrected.
“Then I would have been in deep trouble. Mates don’t share. If they scent another female on their man, they go feral. Murder is not permitted in our society, so we know better than to stray. I was planning on Harvesting you anyway.” He stopped in the middle of the stairs and studied my face, his expression serious. “I would have kept you for myself until I found my true mate.”
“Then what?”
“Tossed you aside,” he said and continued walking.
My jaw dropped. “That’s a horrible thing to say.”
“Sorry, she’lahn, but mates don’t share. What were you doing in Malibu?”
And we were back to discussing home. Resigned to feeling like shit, I sighed. “Working. The Sinclairs own a beach home there.”
“Twice I visited the place, following your scent. Then San Diego.”
“Mr. Sinclair had a conference. We flew to Miami last week.”
“And I followed. I think my crew was happy I found you. They were getting tired of crossing the Veil every week just because the water brought me your scent. That’s why I’m happy you claimed me while we were on that ship. They needed to see you were the one.”
I frowned. “I did not claim you,” I protested.
“You did, lass. Bit me right here on the shoulder. I have two ships full of witnesses. All we have to do is finish the claiming process by mating.”
Mating? Hell no. I studied his shoulder. The wound was still there. I hadn’t even checked mine since he’d bitten me.
“That doesn’t count because I didn’t know about your traditions,” I protested.
His eyes narrowed on me, light flickering on the planes of his face. “Okay. That means we have to claim each other again.”
I grinned because I knew that was never going to happen. When I got off the island and made it home, I would avoid the ocean so he’d never scent me again.
“Yes. Let’s do it again. Do we need witnesses?”
“No, though I have no problem biting you in front of the entire island.”
“No witnesses,” I said quickly. “Just you and me, claiming each other and swearing to love each other for eternity.”
His expression stayed serious. “Then I’ll do this for you. Just remember, in the eyes of the islanders, you are already mine. And in my heart, I know we belong together.”
I didn’t respond. I didn’t want to acknowledge he had a heart or that he really believed I was his soul mate. As long as I saw him as my kidnapper and a pirate, I would survive this place and keep my sanity.
“I just lost a bet to a damn water dragon,” he grumbled, taking the last steps to reach the bottom of the stairs.
Torches lit in the hall, but I caught only a glimpse of it before he turned left into a broad hallway. The tables, the benches, and the dogs from last night were gone.
“You made a bet with a dragon? Did you tame it? Is that why you two are friends?”
He laughed, the sound bouncing off the walls. He really should laugh more often. The thought sneaked up on me.
“If I ever dare suggest to Leviathan that I’ve tamed him, he’d bite off my head.”
I studied the beautiful ceiling running along the hallway. The stone masonry was amazing, the design similar to the arches in the front hall. Doors lined each side.
“Are these the quarters of the unmated?”
“No, these are food storage rooms, winery, and sleeping quarters of some of the unmarried hall staff, including Delia.” He pushed open a set of doors with his shoulder. The warmth and scent of bread and spices wrapped around us. My stomach growled, causing Storm to chuckle. “You’re really hungry.”
“Starving.”
The kitchen was dark, but he knew exactly where to go. Sparks sizzled in the air, and candles on a table lit up.
The room was huge with several tables and fire pits. Trays of dough were slowly rising on racks, and piles of wicker baskets were against the wall. He lowered me to the table with the candle. The peat and half-burned wood in the nearest fire pit burst into flame.
“You control fire with magic?”
“I control bolts, and magic has nothing to do with it. It’s more like an unwanted gift. A curse.” He disappeared through one of the doors.
I stared after him. How could magic be a curse? He was full of contradictions. So serious and intense about things, yet quick to laugh.
He returned with a breadbasket and a side of a pig on a tray, which he placed in front of me before grabbing a leg.
Storm: Phantom Islanders Part I Page 13