Zircon (Awakened Sea Dragons Book 1)

by Terry Bolryder

  Little sprays of yellow and blue, a few red flowers dotted here and there, cheered up the bar as they sat in their vase, and she smiled.

  “They’re beautiful,” she said. “Thank you.”

  “What did I miss?” he asked, stepping in close to the bar and taking a seat there.

  “What do you mean?” she said, backing up until her back hit the counter behind her. Even with him seated and the bar between them, she felt slightly trapped.

  His blue eyes were calm, but that devious curve was still at the corners of his lips. “Do human women like flowers that much, or were you doing something while I was gone?”

  Damn. Damn, damn, damn.

  “I don’t know what you mean,” she said stubbornly, facing away from him.

  He stood up and swiftly came around the bar, his huge masculine presence making the space seem small as he reached for something under the counter. He withdrew the book. “Is this what you were reading?”

  She blinked in shock. “Um.” She reached for it to swipe it away, but he held it high so she couldn’t reach it.

  “I’m trying to learn about the world, after all, and even I know books have info.”

  “Don’t, please,” she said, feeling as though her face was going to burst into flames from sheer embarrassment.

  He lowered the book. “I won’t if you really don’t want me to.” He folded his arms, keeping the book in one hand. “Of course, I can just assume that my flowers really did have that much effect on you.”

  “Ugh,” she said, coming out from behind the bar and sitting down in resignation on a bar stool. “Fine. Go ahead. I’m not ashamed of reading it. Not usually anyway.”

  He took the book to the table he’d been sitting at with her phone and opened it to where her bookmark had been.

  She saw his eyes widen, saw him straighten and reach for her phone to type something into it occasionally. She heard a sharp intake of breath as he set the phone down and then set the book on the table and turned to her with blazing blue eyes.

  The rest of his face was calm, but the rigidness in his body told her the book had affected him. Whether he was angry or turned on, she wasn’t sure, but he folded his arms and just glared at her.

  If anyone looked at him sitting there with his fashionably tousled hair and normal clothes, they might just assume this was just any man, if not for his beautiful looks.

  But the intense look in his eyes was anything but normal, and he studied her as she fidgeted awkwardly. Then he stood and came over to the bar, planting his palms on either side of her and leaning over her.

  “So,” he said.

  “So?” she asked, moving her braid back over her shoulder as she looked up at him instantly. She felt her body responding instantly to his closeness, his heat, the muscle all around him and his spicy scent, like woodsy aftershave. She inhaled it deeply and sighed.

  He bit his lower lip and closed his eyes as if he were trying to resist something.

  Surely this gorgeous man wasn’t attracted to her as well?

  When his eyes opened, he appeared to be gritting his teeth together. She was sure they were straight and perfect, just like the rest of him.

  “I… Do you like the flowers?”

  She nodded.

  “I want to court you,” he said.

  She reeled back mentally from the shock of it. Then she put her hands on his chest and pushed, moving him back a step or two. “Wait a second. What?”

  “The flowers,” he said. “I want to court you.” He looked over at the book. “Based on what you were reading, you want to be courted.”

  “Um, I just read those for fun.”

  “Those? There are more of them?”

  She felt herself going bright pink and hated it. “Maybe. Hey, I’m a woman who lives on her own.”

  “Not anymore,” he said, trapping her before she could get off the stool and sneak away. She could still feel warmth in her core, wetness in awkward places just from reading and thinking about him, and if she didn’t leave, she knew she was going to do something incredibly… stupid.

  “Well, we should keep things professional. After all, we work together, and—”

  He cut her off by softly pressing his lips to hers. It was a gentle embrace, one she could have escaped easily if she wanted to. But it was also dominant, his hands on either side of her, pinning her against the counter.

  His lips parted and his tongue gently explored the seam of her mouth, and she moaned and opened wider, inviting him in.

  She didn’t know what she was doing, but she didn’t care to stop it any longer.

  He might have been innocent about a lot of things in her world, but not about this.

  His tongue deftly swept as his hand moved to her waist, pressing her up against him, her softness to his hard muscles, making her even warmer inside. He knew just how to take his time exploring her sensitive places, entwining his tongue with hers and stroking in and out, feeling her everywhere, making her want to melt into a puddle and slide right off a stool.

  When it felt she couldn’t even breathe anymore, he pulled back from her, his blue eyes smoky and warm. “If you want, I can do anything in that book.”

  “What?” she asked, still feeling dazed by all of it. Her body was aching with need, and she couldn’t believe he’d stopped so cruelly.

  Until she looked around and realized it was bright daylight and there were voices in the distance. She looked quickly out and saw a group of people was turning on the showers, probably to come to the restaurant.

  “Tonight,” he said. “After work, I can show you what I mean.”

  “But Kai and Marina,” she said numbly, not sure how she was even considering any of this. At the same time, she’d never had anything like this happen to her before and didn’t want to miss out on any chances. Besides, wasn’t it simple?

  Seaton wanted her, and she him.

  “Don’t worry about it,” he said with a smile that was slightly rakish. She wondered what he’d been like before losing his memory, before he had that sometimes-lost look in his eyes. “I promise my siblings will be fine.” His eyes moved over her, caressing her like strong fingers. “I’m more worried about taking care of you right now.”

  Swoon.

  Well, she wanted to. Instead, she fanned her face and went behind the bar to make sure she was ready to serve drinks and pull out a few menus.

  “When they get here, I’ll take their orders and show you how it’s done, and then on the next table, you can do it,” she said, speaking rapidly and trying to keep her mind busy.

  “I’ll do my best.”

  She snorted. If he was half as good at waiting tables as he was at kissing, she was sure he’d be fine.

  Heck, the women here would probably tip him absurdly after just looking at him.

  For some reason, the thought made her feel like a ship hit by a cannonball, sinking slowly into the sea.

  Chapter 8

  Seaton finished his shift, wondering if human women were always this forward or if he just had the same effect on them now as he had in his few encounters with them in the past.

  He’d been polite but distant with them, not wanting to do anything that would put off his mate.

  He was hers now, as far as he was concerned, whether she knew it or not, and he didn’t want to give her any reason to doubt him.

  He was large and intimidating enough that even a glare from him seemed to stop even the most forward woman in her tracks, making her turn away in embarrassment.

  “That’s the last of them,” Jenny said, walking up to Seaton with a glass in her hand, drying it. There was always work to be doing, and Jenny was always cleaning or putting more dishes through in between orders.

  The restaurant had gotten slow toward the end of the night, and they’d both been able to eat during a one-hour break between visitors. He supposed since the summer was ending, there would be less people every day for a while.

  When they’d eaten, there’d
been an awkward tension between them, though he’d tried to make things comfortable for her. Even though he’d promised—well, offered—her pleasure tonight, if she wanted to take it, he’d tried not to let it color all of their interactions.

  He had no expectations and was just happy to spend time with her here in her restaurant.

  Well, in truth, he couldn’t wait to get his hands on her, but he didn’t want her to ever feel pressured by him. She would have to come to him if that was what she wanted.

  With a sigh, he sat in a chair and looked around. “That wasn’t so hard.”

  “You were doing really well by the end there,” she said, sitting at the table across from him. Her auburn hair had taken on a slight wave around her face, from the humidity and hard work most likely. Her face was slightly flushed, forehead lightly sheened with sweat, and she’d never looked more beautiful. She pursed full lips. “Maybe a little too well with some of the ladies.”

  He shrugged, leaning back in the chair and trying to look casual. “Yes, women can be forward at times.”

  She looked up at him warily. “I suppose you’re used to it. With how you look, I mean.”

  He cocked his head to the side slightly. “How do I look?”

  She flushed, and he loved the way it colored her cheeks. “Don’t make me say it.” She buried her face in her arms on the table. “You know already.” She looked up at him with a sigh. “I mean, obviously I want you. Obviously, what you said has been burning in me all day. Obviously, any woman would fantasize about being with you.”

  “So you want to take me up on my offer?”

  “Here’s the problem, though. You aren’t some guy with a regular job and a family and a… well… a history. You’re a complete stranger, one who doesn’t even know himself. How can I take advantage of something like that?”

  Seaton snorted. “I know myself.”

  “You don’t know where you’re from.”

  “I know where I am.”

  “You don’t know anything about your past life.”

  “I know my life now,” he said. “I am with my siblings. I assume they are my only family. Marina said anyone we knew is dead, so it seems she remembers that much at least.”

  “But still—”

  He leaned forward, ‘til they were eye to eye. “I’m an adult. I can make my own decisions. I want you, and you just have to decide if you want me back. I’m sorry the rest is a mystery, but just know that some things are very clear to me.”

  She sighed, and he felt that maybe they just needed to get out of the restaurant and get some fresh air by the ocean.

  “Come on,” he said, standing and taking her arm to gently pull her up out of the chair. She stood reluctantly and stretched, clearly a little tired. “Let’s go out on the beach.”

  “Shouldn’t we get home? Get food for your siblings?”

  “I’m sure they can take care of themselves. You showed them around the fridge.”

  And dragons were quick learners. Especially when hungry, Seaton was sure they would figure things out.

  “Fine,” she said, sounding exasperated as she put her hand in his and walked out onto the sand with him. He slid the restaurant doors shut behind them and looked out at the sunset over the ocean.

  He enjoyed the feel of her hand as he watched the blinding orange rays spread out over a darkening sky and sea, creating shimmering reds and blues on the ocean. “Come on,” he said, squeezing her hand as he walked toward the edge of the water.

  She followed, watching him apprehensively. He turned her to face him and then reached back for the tie to her braid, pulling it off gently. She moved her hands up, undoing the hair and shaking it free, and it caught and lifted in the sea breeze. In the stunning twilight, she looked luminously beautiful.

  He couldn’t resist a kiss. It would be up to her if she wanted more. He dipped down and captured her lips while his finger grazed her chin in a subtle caress. A promise. It made her shudder slightly in the warm air that was rapidly growing cooler.

  “Seaton,” she murmured against his lips.

  “Come into the ocean with me.”

  She pulled back in shock, looking up at him. “What do you mean?”

  “We can kiss there.” He pulled off his shirt and tossed it onto the sand. His pants quickly followed.

  He stood there in the tight shorts humans apparently wore under their garments and saw her jaw drop for a moment before she pulled her mouth shut, biting her lower lip softly. She wanted him. It was more open in her eyes than ever before, but she would have to make the first move.

  She reached for the buttons and then paused, looking around.

  “No one is here,” he said. “And besides, humans seem to swim in their undergarments, from what I observed.”

  “It’s different,” she said, undoing another button and making his mouth go dry with desire. His human was so beautiful, with her auburn hair whipping in the sea breeze, her full cleavage showing above the undone buttons.

  “It’s fine,” he said. “I’m here to protect you.”

  That seemed to undo the last of her reservations, and she hastily shed her blouse, revealing a beautiful but odd garment that cupped her breasts and wound around her in a strap. She then unbuttoned her pants and placed them in a neat pile with the other discarded clothing.

  When she looked at him, nearly bared save for a few scraps of silk, alone with him on the beach, arms wrapped around her waist nervously, as if she were afraid of what he’d see, he felt something very deep well up in him.

  She walked forward, and he ran his hands over her arms, warming her, trying to make her comfortable. She shuddered slightly, and when she looked up, her brown-green eyes were blazing with lust.

  “What now?” she asked.

  He held out his arms, gesturing for her to jump. “Now, if you just say yes and trust me, I can take you in that water and do things to you that you have never imagined. Pleasure beyond your wildest dreams.”

  She bit her lip, looking torn for a moment, then smiled slightly. Her beautiful hair whipped back as she jumped forward, throwing her arms around his neck as he lifted her so she could wrap her legs around his waist.

  None of this was planned, yet it all felt truly perfect. Seaton carried his mate into the sea, where he truly felt he belonged.

  Jenny gasped as the first wave of cool water brushed her feet as Seaton carried her into the water. She focused on the warmth of his body pressed to hers and his strong arms buoying her up.

  He promised pleasure beyond her dreams, and heaven help her, she believed him.

  “Is this even safe?” she asked as he carried her past another cresting wave, not even flinching as the water burst over them. He lifted her, protecting her, and just laughed.

  “I’ve been in the water my whole life,” he said. “That I do remember. I feel utterly at home here.”

  She felt reassured and kept her arms wrapped around his neck as he cleared the next few waves, jumping in time with them to keep her face and shoulders clear of the spray.

  When they reached the deeper part of the ocean where the water gently swelled and depressed in shallow rolls, a feeling of utter peace came over her. Somehow, he was keeping them afloat easily, and she loved the feel of her thighs wrapped around his hard waist, his hands on her hips, his eyes looking a dark blue with the sunset behind him.

  She looked over at the horizon where the sun was just setting, sending blinding orange beams across the water, highlighting waves in the distance.

  “It’s beautiful,” she said.

  “Yes, it is,” he said, looking at the horizon for a moment with her. Then he leaned in and kissed her, creating a seal of warmth between them as the water slowly bore them up and then down in a gentle rocking motion.

  She rocked her hips against him as he deepened the kiss, awakening a need in her more passionate than ever before. She gasped as his tongue swept deep inside, and his hands gripped her soft hips, pulling her harder against him.
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  She needed more.

  She wrapped her hands in his short hair and pulled his head in tight, her tongue thrusting to meet his, joining him in a dance that was warm and intense and wet and an amazing contrast to the cooling sea spray around them.

  She’d lived here for more than a year, yet she’d never been out here in the ocean like this. She’d dipped her toes in, tried to go swimming once or twice, but on her own, she hadn’t been able to clear the cresting parts of the waves, which liked to toss her head over feet back onto the beach.

  It felt like going through a washing machine, and she’d decided she liked watching the ocean more than she liked going into it.

  But this, this was different.

  The water felt as if it were caressing her all over, cooling and soft and silky and erotic, and it was oddly calm, holding them suspended.

  She pulled back, licking against his tongue and biting his lip and then releasing her breath in a sigh. “How are we floating like this?”

  There was a twinkle in his now dark-blue eyes. “Saltwater I guess. Higher density.”

  She shook her head. “I guess it doesn’t really matter.”

  She leaned forward, offering her neck, and he took it, biting softly on the skin there, nipping and sucking and making her moan and press her hips harder against him as pleasure shot through her. Her neck had always been sensitive.

  He bit his way up to her earlobe, took it between his lips, and sucked, running his tongue along the edge of it. She shuddered and moaned again as a wash of sea spray skittered over the top of them. Somehow, though she saw it when she opened her eyes, none of it hit her, as if they were in some kind of safe zone.

  It was too beautiful out here, with the waves in the distance, the horizon twinkling in different colors of red, purple, orange, and blue as the sun set. She looked at it as she felt his hand play along her rib cage. It moved over her breast, and she pushed into it, begging for more.

  His thumb played over her nipple, and he gave her a smile before taking her earlobe with his lips again, licking and sucking as his hand played at her breast, building the pressure in her higher while his other hand held her hips against him. She’d never seen a man do so much with his hands, let alone while treading water in the ocean.