by Starla Night
His gaze followed the path of her hand down her body, trailing over her breasts, caressing below the navel, down bare legs and all the way back up. “Hmm.”
Oh. God.
Her throat went dry.
She coughed. “What? You have a problem?”
“Yes.” He rested a forearm on the doorjamb above her cottage and leaned in, casting his gaze over her bedroom and then back to her. Protective, but sensual. “Do not sacrifice your safety for our momentary happiness.”
“My mission—”
“Is honorable. I do not disagree. Our warriors do need mates, and to repopulate the oceans, we desperately need young fry. But Dannika, you also deserve to feel safe.”
“I know, but if I don’t support your warriors once they find their soul mates, I’m not a very good matchmaker, am I?”
“You are an excellent matchmaker.”
Her heart throbbed. “You…think so?”
“Yes.” Ciran’s true belief blazed into her. “You have brought happiness to many warriors, and you shine like a beacon of hope those who are still searching. Zoan would never forgive himself if you had gotten hurt in his absence. Please value yourself as we do.”
“Oh.” She swallowed hard. “You are so sweet.”
He tilted his head. “And you will value yourself?”
“I hear what you’re saying, and I’ll think twice before I dismiss my guard again. I just know what it’s like when you’ve met your special someone and you’re falling in love. Every moment is precious. You want to spend it together.”
“Warriors are the same. But we can endure a separation. Once a warrior has found his soul mate, he will not stop until she accepts his claim.”
A thousand silent signals passed between them. This gorgeous, protective warrior focused on her with his huge, intellectual heart, and a hot current in her blood pounded to his rhythms. She wanted him now just as badly as when they’d first met. Worse, now, because the craving to taste his love had only increased.
You deserve to feel safe. Please value yourself as we do.
That was all very sweet, but the truth was that these pure-hearted warriors deserved all she could give and more. Ciran especially. She needed him to be happy.
She needed him to have a wonderful life.
And that was why she had to put aside her shallow lust and focus on his future. “I am so happy you’ve come back. Are you finally ready to open your heart?”
“Dannika.” His dark gaze stole her breath. “My heart has always been open to you.”
“No, I meant…” She cleared her dry throat again. “You’re ready to find the bride you truly deserve?”
“More than ready.”
“I’ll be so happy to guide you to your soul mate.”
“She is right here.”
Her heart throbbed again.
Focus on his happiness. His future. His bride.
“You know…” She cleared her throat. “You know that I can’t accept.”
He tipped his head, listening to her with dangerous intensity, hearing every word she said—and every word she didn’t say. “Do I?”
“You should. I’ve told you before.” Dannika rested her hand on the door knob and inched away from the hard wall of muscle she just wanted to cling to and squeeze. “It’s common for a client to fixate on his first point of contact at a dating agency and ignore the many wonderful potential matches just inside.”
“I do not fixate because of a misunderstanding.” His gaze dropped to her chest and a slight smile curved his firm lips. “Your soul glows with my presence.”
Dannika pressed one palm to her chest. “Many warriors have told me that my soul is bright.”
“They see your affinity to the sea. But I sense your resonance. It grows when I am near.”
“Well…ah, that’s because…uh…you should focus on yourself, not on me.”
“Our souls resonate, Dannika. That is how a warrior recognizes his bride. How I recognized my bride.”
His voice dropped low, and the burr made her heart squeeze. Rivulets of desire flooded her feminine channel, and need pinched her breasts.
“I will not descend again until she is mine.”
Ciran knows his soul mate, but he doesn’t know how his life is going to change in a few short hours when he and Dannika board a plane. Find out how their mission intersects with Bex, Prince Ankena, and the rest of the castaways in Shattered by the Sea Lord!
Did you miss the beginning of the series? You can get a discount on the first four books in the series in the Lords of Atlantis Boxed Set!
Also by Starla Night
Lords of Atlantis
Seduced by the Sea Lord
Sacrificed to the Sea Lord
Enslaved by the Sea Lord
Stolen by the Sea Lord
Surrendering to the Sea Lord
Secrets of the Sea Lord
Spellbound by the Sea Lord
Shattered by the Sea Lord
Saved by the Sea Lord
Sheltered by the Sea Lord
7 Virgin Brides for 7 Weredragon Billionaires
~ ONYX DRAGONS ~
(Complete Series)
Malachite
Pyrochlore
Kyanite
Amber
Jasper
Alexandrite
Flint
~ CARNELIAN DRAGONS ~
(Linked Novellas)
Syenite
Peridot
About the Author
USA Today bestselling author Starla Night was born on a hot July at midnight. She hikes, scuba dives, and swims naked in the ocean. She writes about smokin’ hot dragons and tattooed mermen at StarlaNight.com.