Her chest heaved against his and he saw the hurt flare in her eyes. She tried to hide it from him by looking away.
“I believe you are my bride, Cori. But, I wanted to give us time. Give you time to get to know me. I’m not sorry we made love back in the cave, and given the chance, I’d do it again in a heartbeat. From the moment I saw you on the deck of the ship I knew—listen to me, Cori. I knew. How could you even think what we’d shared was a one night stand?”
“That’s—that’s impossible. You don’t know me, you don’t love me.”
He shook his head. “You’re thinking like a landwalker.”
“That’s what I am.”
Even though they were in the water, he could still see the tears in her sweet brown eyes. She couldn’t hide them from him. “I’m not. My people only begin to age after meeting the soul meant to join with theirs. It is when an unbreakable bond is formed. I hadn’t aged for three hundred years, and looked like an adolescent about fourteen or fifteen. I began to age about ten or fifteen years ago, and have now stopped.”
“But you and I have never met before a couple of days ago, Xavior. So, she must be someone else, this bride of yours, one of your sea people.”
“No. I have always known she was not of the sea. I have been searching for her on the land. And….” He inhaled. “She is also the only one who can bring me to orgasm.”
She shook her head. “What? But you came. I felt you, inside me.”
He grinned. “Yes, my love, I know.”
“Are you saying you’ve never had an orgasm before?”
“That’s exactly what I’m saying. I’ve never climaxed with any other woman.”
“That makes no sense. If you did it once, you can do it again. Maybe it’s just a chemical thingy. But whoever your mate is, she’s not me. I’m not a sea person, so I would like to return to the world where I belong.”
The ache in his heart grew stronger. “Do you feel nothing for me?”
She glanced away from him and then back. “I will not lie about my feelings. Yes, there is something there.” She shrugged. “But it’s just not meant to be.”
That gave him hope. He took both of her hands in his. “There is one way to find out for sure.”
“How?”
“Sit in the chair.” He released one of her hands to gesture toward the chair made out of living starfish and other shelled creatures.
“No. No.” She tugged at his hand. “I just can’t bear it. What if you’re wrong?” She sobbed.
Xavior took her into his arms and placed her head on his shoulder. She put her arms around his neck and held on to him. “What if I’m right?” Shifting their bodies, he lowered his head at the same time, she raised her face to him and he captured her mouth. He breathed into her and bubbles rose up around them, tickling his skin as his blood rushed through his body and he dove deeper into the sensation of their kiss.
She wrapped her arms tighter around his neck, pulling herself against him.
He lost himself in her arms and in their connection. He wanted to do more, but restrained himself. They were in a public place, and word they were there would have already travelled through the city. She would be put to the test. He raised his head and sent out a mental call to the dolphins to keep the people back. Cori did not need an audience.
He kept his arm around her waist and walked her to the chair, gesturing with his free arm for her to take the seat.
She glanced up at him, her lower lip trembling slightly, but she sat down upon the throne. As soon as she did, the coral of the chair began to glow, accepting her, otherwise it would have thrown her off. Her eyes opened wider, turning from brown to gold and back to brown again. Her mouth curled into a huge smile, lighting up her face, making her look like a little girl.
In that moment, Xavior remembered that smile.
Once in his youth, he’d been caught up in a dark storm. Something hit him, rendering him unconscious. The dolphins. Yes, the dolphins had guided him to shore. He looked around and there they were, hundreds of them ringed around him, with Cori seated in the chair, confirming what they’d known all along. And now, so did he. He always thought it odd, how the pod hadn’t just taken him home that day. Instead, they’d guided him to a sandy beach. He’d opened his eyes to blue skies and the face of a little angel.
With the memory, he smiled at Cori, took her hand and squeezed it. “You had a dog named Coco.”
“Xav!” she cried and threw herself into his arms.
About The Author
LaVerne Thompson is an award winning, best-selling, multi-published author, an avid reader and a writer of contemporary, fantasy, and sci/fi sensual romances. She also writes romantic suspense and new adult romance under the pen name Ursula Sinclair.
She is currently working on several projects. Both of her daughters are now away at college. However, she and her husband don’t like the term empty nester. She’s added a cat to the household to keep the dog of the house company. Hopefully writing will keep her sane. Visit her website at http://lavernethompson.com to read excerpts of her books or Facebook to contact her, http://facebook.com/groups/lavernesnews or http://facebook.com/ursulasinclair98 .
BOOKS BY LaVERNE THOMPSON
**Self-Published from Isisindc Publishing
Dragon’s Heart- Story of the Brethren
The Ballerina & The Fighter- Book 1 (writing as Ursula Sinclair)
Maze- The Ballerina Series Book 2 (writing as Ursula Sinclair)
Come To Me
**Coming 2014/2015
Sea Storm- Children of the Waves 2/27/2014
Journey of the Princess of Ice- The Elementals 3/06/2014
The Three Sisters Series- Ringside, Northern Exposure & Masquerade
Skye High
New Adult Boxed Set
Promises
Hold On
Chances Are
Day in The Sun
Titanna
Living on The Edge
Kissed By A Rose
Highland Jack
**From Decadent Publishing
Writing as Ursula Sinclair
White Wedding- The Guardian Agency Series Book 1
Something Blue- The Guardian Agency Series Book 2
Wine and Roses- The Guardian Agency Series Book 3
In print
Guardian Agents- All 3 books in The Guardian Agency Series
**From Phaze Books
Model Misbehavior
**From Freya’s Bower
Believe
Lavernethompson.com
Some Great Authors I Read
Stacy Deane- Bruised (Contemporary),
Aliyah Burke- His Purrfect Mate (Paranormal),
Mary Moriaty- One Thousand Years To Forever- My Beloved Vampire (Paranormal),
Dariel Raye- “Dark Sentinels Book Two: Torin (Paranormal),
Victoria Wells- The Sweetest Love (Contemporary),
Dara Joy- Matrix of Destiny series (Sci/fi)
Sea Bride- Children of the Waves Page 6