She turned to him, gaping. “You have to be kidding me.”
“Why?” He put up his hands.
“Look, I know that you live in the magical world where people don’t need IDs or money or jobs, but I don’t. I’ve put everything I have into this. I can’t just walk away.”
“Even if it means always being here with him?”
“I’ll figure something out,” she said, folding her arms and turning her back to Seaton. Deep down, she knew he was right, but this was all she had. And there was no way out of it. It wasn’t like there were just tons of people waiting to buy. And it wasn’t like she had the money to do it.
And despite Seaton’s eagerness, she was pretty sure he didn’t either. He didn’t even have a job without her.
Which was fine; she accepted that. Nothing was really normal between them. But for him to just scold her, assuming such decisions were somehow easy… it really bothered her.
Seaton came around to look at her. “I wasn’t trying to be offensive. But what about when you settle down? When you have a man of your own and you don’t have to work there—”
“Whoa,” she said, jabbing him in the chest. “You know what I liked about you, Seaton? That you were different. That you seemed almost out of this world, unaware of how things worked and above all the bullshit that we down on Earth seem to deal with. But right now you sound just like any other guy who thinks my business is just something I’m doing while I wait for a man to sweep me off my feet. Like Drew. But I’m not.” She bit her lip, feeling tears at her eyes. “I came out here and started my restaurant because I wanted an adventure. I just didn’t expect it to come with so much crap.”
Seaton watched her quietly, as if he didn’t know what to say.
“Anyway,” she said, swiping at her eyes. “I get it. You don’t want to be involved with a bullshit situation. I’ll deal with it somehow. I’m fine on my own.”
She started back toward the house, eyes blurry with tears, but stopped when Seaton’s arms wrapped around her, catching her from behind.
His head lowered onto her neck, nuzzling in. “I’m not fine on my own,” he said in a low, tender voice. “I’m sorry I made you feel bad. I just hate seeing you in this situation. But if you want to stay here forever, then I’m here to fight beside you.”
She put a hand over his arm and leaned her head in against him. “Thanks. I’m sorry I overreacted. It’s just been really stressful.”
“Yes,” he said. “I get that.” He put a hand in hers. “But I’m here now, and I’m not going to run out on you. I promise.”
She looked up into his blue eyes, sparkling and honest, and nodded. “I believe you.”
Once again, she felt stronger. The world didn’t feel like it was tilting on its axis.
And she’d even hit Drew in the nads. “I did a good job taking him out, didn’t I?”
“Oh, yes,” Seaton said. “He won’t be thinking about anything sexy for a good while.”
She laughed. “I was inspired by Marina, you know.”
“I’m sure she’d be happy to hear that.”
“You know, maybe later, when everyone’s in bed, you can come to my room. We could finish up where we left off?”
Watching his beautiful eyes widen hopefully was the best reward in the world, and she practically skipped into the house ahead of him when he opened the door.
The only thing to dampen her mood slightly was the way Kai was standing against the wall, giving them a dark glare.
She decided to go clean up the kitchen and get ready for bed and let Seaton deal with his brother.
She’d dealt with all the difficult males she could for one day.
Seaton was so elated by the thought of more time with his mate that he didn’t see Kai coming for him ‘til it was too late.
Kai caught him roughly across the chest with one arm, knocking the breath out of him as he dragged him back out the front door with him. He pulled the door shut behind him as he practically shoved Seaton onto the front lawn.
Seaton had already been through a tiring day and didn’t really feel like fighting, but there was no point trying to deny Kai when he was in a mood like this.
“You promised her you would stay here forever? What the hell was that?” Kai paced back and forth on the grass as thunder cracked overhead. His blue eyes lit as if by lightning as he glared at Seaton. “When did you get so reckless? As if it’s for us to decide where we go!”
Seaton stepped forward. “I’m no one’s slave. I never was.”
Kai pointed to the heavens. “We serve a higher purpose.”
“We used to,” Seaton said. “At least we thought so. We fought sea monsters. We were sea monsters. That was hundreds of years ago. We’re in a new world, Kai, and you need to get used to it!”
Kai’s face tightened with rage. “You need to snap out of it. We didn’t wake up to play house here. You’re going to hurt someone if you aren’t more careful.”
“Like who, Jenny?” Seaton asked. “Because I’m never leaving her, Kai. I know it’s hard for you to understand, because you’ve never felt that way about someone, but—”
“Never felt that way?” Kai spat as the storm clouds above them grew darker, swirling overhead ominously. “How do you think I feel about you and Marina, then?”
Seaton felt slightly guilty, but he also felt he was being attacked unfairly. “Listen, Kai, that’s not what I meant, and you know it. Of course I love you and Marina, but—”
“There is no but,” Kai said. “You aren’t worried about us. We both want to contact our kind. Meanwhile, you’re just playing around with Jenny.”
Seaton frowned, knowing on some level his brother was right. He was being selfish. But he couldn’t think that fate had awakened him this close to his mate if he wasn’t supposed to be with her.
“You should be trying to figure out how we can get out of here, not promising to stay!” Kai said, folding his arms tighter as more storm clouds gathered.
“Watch it, Kai.”
“No,” Kai said. “I know my purpose. Do you?” He raised his hands and rain began to fall. “Do you even remember that you’re a dragon? Or are you happy to just playact a weak human as long as it gets you what you want?”
Seaton stepped forward until he was nose to nose with his brother. “Watch it, little brother.”
“You aren’t acting like the big brother right now,” Kai said. “You are acting like a selfish child.
Seaton stepped back, looking up at the sky as raindrops splashed over him, bringing clarity.
Perhaps it had been easier to focus on the good of the situation, in finding his mate, than it was to think about how confusing all of this was. Being in a new time. Not knowing how to find anyone of their kind.
But Marina and Kai didn’t have the same option. They hadn’t been awakened near their mates. They were waiting for him. They couldn’t just be at home there.
As much as he wished right now that they were human, they weren’t. They were dragons. Legendary sea creatures with purposes not their own.
He sighed, looking Kai in the eyes. Now that he’d shouted his piece, Kai seemed to be calming.
“I’m sorry,” Seaton said. “I know I’ve gotten carried away. I’ll start focusing more seriously on finding a way to contact the oracle or those connected to her.”
Kai nodded.
“But even when we find her, or the other dragons, I’m not going to leave Jenny. I don’t believe fate would bring me to her to make me leave her. I just don’t.”
Kai frowned. “So you would leave us?”
“I don’t know what the future brings,” Seaton said. “But it sounds like you would leave me.” Kai had nothing to say to that, so Seaton just waved a hand. “But I promise I’ll focus harder on getting in touch with whoever summoned us.”
“Do whatever you want,” Kai said sharply, walking in front of Seaton and pushing him out of the way to go inside. “Obviously, our opinions don’t matter
to you anymore.”
Seaton looked after his brother. He wanted to tell him that he cared about him, too. That he wasn’t trying to leave anyone. But when it came down to it, his mate was his first priority.
His dragon, and his heart, were sure.
He walked inside, wondering if Marina was also angry with him, but she just gave him an apologetic smile, nodding toward Kai, who was storming upstairs. Then she walked over to give him a hug, which he sank into, appreciating her kindness.
“He’s just antsy,” she said. “He doesn’t know what to do when he’s not fighting. You know that.”
“The problem is there’s no one to fight here. Not like there was before.” He pulled back to look down at his sister. “The monsters are walking on land.”
Marina nodded. “I know. And don’t worry. Jenny’s been upstairs this whole time. I don’t think she heard anything.” Then she climbed the stairs to her bedroom, blowing him a kiss.
Seaton paused for a moment, listening to Kai banging around in his room, and then climbed the stairs slowly, feeling achy.
But as he turned and walked toward Jenny’s room, where warm light was streaming out from under the closed door, his found his body gaining energy again.
Time with his mate. Somehow just the thought of it made him feel like the sun was rising inside him.
He walked to the door and gently knocked.
Chapter 13
Jenny’s mind was racing with anticipation when she heard a light knock on the door to her bedroom.
“Come in,” she called out expectantly.
The door opened, and Seaton walked in, sexy as ever. He was covered in a light sheen of water, just enough to make his clothes slightly see-through.
She didn’t have any complaints about that, though.
“It’s raining?” she asked.
There was a flicker of something on Seaton’s face for a moment, then it was gone. “Yes, out of nowhere,” he said with a shrug. The movement, though nonchalant, made his shoulder muscles bunch, bringing to vivid memory what they’d been doing together earlier that night at the lookout.
As if he could see her react to the sight of him, Seaton raised a blond eyebrow and pulled off the wet shirt, tossing it aside before closing the door and locking it behind him.
“So about where we left off…” He came toward her on the bed where she’d been sitting, reading, while she waited for everyone else to head to bed so he could join her.
“Yes?” she replied, her throat tightening at the overwhelming sight of him. It was like her entire body was at his beck and call, and he knew it. But unlike anyone who had ever tried to take control of her and her life, Seaton treated Jenny like she was his world. Like nothing else mattered.
“Was there anything you had in mind in particular?” he asked. His voice was so sexy, smooth and confident.
He was at the foot of the bed now. The pants he wore were slightly wet, and his muscles glowed in the soft light of her nightstand lamp.
“I dunno. Probably can’t let you have those wet pants on my bed, though,” she said, not believing the words that were coming out of her mouth.
The hornier she got, the stupider she sounded.
But Seaton didn’t skip a beat, watching her with those bright blue eyes as he removed the aforementioned jeans, leaving him in just dark boxer briefs.
“Satisfied?” he asked.
All Jenny could muster was a nod. His package was outlined perfectly, just as gorgeous as she’d imagined when she’d held it the other night in the ocean. A deep ache inside her made a tingle go up her spine, and she felt herself get wet remembering how he felt.
“Good.” And at that, he crawled onto the bed, surrounding her on every side with his size, trapping her against the headboard. “Because it only gets better from here,” he said, whispering into her ear, the warmth of his breath on the tip of her earlobe teasing her like a spark ready to ignite a bonfire.
Before she could even think about a response, his lips were over hers, kissing her deeply as he straddled her on the bed. Reacting instantly, she opened her mouth to let him in. His tongue was like a torch, searing her with pleasurable heat wherever it stroked, wherever it thrust in her mouth, promising her more with each second.
His hands found her breasts, and Jenny was glad she’d traded out her bra for a nightshirt because the feel of his fingers cupping her was so much better without the barrier there. And as his thumbs pressed lightly into her nipples, she let out a moan as warmth flooded her.
Somehow everything worked with Seaton. No matter what he did, it turned Jenny on. But was it because he was the one doing it, or could he just read her body, her wants, her desires that well?
Maybe both.
Seaton’s mouth left hers as he kissed down at the base of her neck, not letting up as his hands continued to caress her breasts, then moved lower to her stomach and waist.
But she didn’t even have time to feel self-conscious about her physique. So long as Seaton was pleasuring her, any criticism or uncertainty about it was washed away in a torrent of pleasure that left nothing but contentment in its wake.
Seaton kissed lower and lower, moving from her neck to her shoulder then down to one breast, covering the nipple completely as she felt the slick wetness of his tongue cover it. Her body writhed against the pleasure of it, the sheer intimacy of his lovemaking. Her hands found his shoulders, his hair, his arms, the feel of his iron muscles and smooth skin anchoring her amidst the sensation of kisses and touches that set her body on fire.
And then she felt Seaton’s hands on her legs, spreading them slowly as he came even lower. A second later, his fingers had hooked around the edges of her panties, and he gently pulled them off, further arousing her with the intention behind it all.
“But didn’t you already… tonight? Isn’t that too much?” Jenny said, trying to catch her words as they floated away from her like seagulls on the ocean breeze. Somehow, in the back of her mind, it seemed there must be some cosmic imbalance for him to give so much and demand so little. In her experience, men usually did the opposite.
Seaton scoffed. “There’s no such thing as too much when it comes to my mate.”
Mate? That was an interesting term. An odd way of saying lovers that she didn’t hear people say very often.
Though calling Seaton a lover was like calling the ocean wet. He was more thorough than a storm, more tremendous than an earthquake when he pleasured her, rocking her to the very core of her being every time they came together like this.
And that’s exactly what she felt when his tongue caressed over her center in one long stroke. White heat scorched a path inside her from her hips to the top of her head, and she felt Seaton’s hands holding her as she rode out her incredible release.
While she was still coming, the tip of his tongue flicked against her once, twice, pushing her even deeper into the abyss of pleasure that knew no bounds. Then, finally, as her body came back from its release, she was even more aware of the ache within her. A hunger that had been growing more and more with each orgasm, each touch from him, every glance.
It was getting later and later, and as much as she wanted to let him take her to new heights, there was something she just couldn’t wait for any longer.
“Seaton?” she asked, trying to catch her breath but only barely managing the task.
“Yes?” he responded from between her legs, mere inches from touching her again, so close his breath was on her.
“I think I’m ready for more.”
“More… like—”
“Inside me,” she blurted out.
There was a flicker in his eyes, instant like a flash of light, turning them from a deep sea to a bright Caribbean blue. But maybe it was just a reflection from the rain on the window.
Regardless, she needed him. Badly.
Seaton’s heart almost leapt out of his chest at Jenny’s words. He had to keep the dragon inside him tightly restrained just to keep in control of his
emotions.
Of course he’d pictured coupling with her. She was the most beautiful, most perfect being on this planet. Someone he would spend forever getting to know. He wasn’t Kai. He didn’t rush headlong into things, and though things were moving fast with his mate, he was trying to give her time to adjust to their weird situation.
But if she was ready, then so was he. More than ready. Bursting.
“Yes,” he said, only just realizing he hadn’t responded to her direct request a minute ago.
Jenny smiled, radiant as ever with her auburn hair spread around her on the pillow like a beautiful frame for her heart-shaped face. As he was about to disrobe entirely, she turned and rummaged around in the bottom drawer of her nightstand for a moment, pulling out a small, square-shaped packet.
“Here,” she exclaimed. “I know it’s old and, by my guess, a poor fit, but we have to be safe.”
“Safe?” he asked, holding the small thing in his hand with uncertainty.
“Here, I’ll get that for you,” she said, picking it up and tearing one corner off, revealing a circular object contained within.
“What is it?”
“You’re joking, right?” Jenny said, amused.
“No.” The more he looked at it, the odder the object felt in his hand.
“It’s protection.”
“From what?”
Jenny opened her mouth to say more. Then her mouth closed, a smile small curving at the corner, accentuating her luscious lips.
“Why don’t I just show you how it works?” she said, sitting up slightly on the bed. She tugged down on his underwear, and he helped pull it off completely. Then he felt her hands on his length, and he watched curiously as she unrolled the small thing over his member, though its length didn’t come close to covering all of him.
Some kind of sheath. Interesting.
“Wow, I guess they don’t make these in your size,” Jenny said, her voice husky as she moved closer to him, her hands teasing him with thoughts of making her scream his name as he moved inside her.
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