"I’m thinking about it," he wheezed.
"Remember, we’ve still got a few months to get used to the idea."
"Right."
His chest rose and fell with a few deep, calming breaths, hands on her hips pressing her closer in a motion that felt more protective than seductive. She tried to maintain a properly solemn and concerned expression, but it wasn’t easy—the thought of her fearless panther panicked by a helpless baby tickled the hell out of her funny bone.
He lost his look of suppressed terror in a sudden frown, eyes narrowing on her. "Wait. Does this mean I gotta spread my boy-genes around like your damn brother?"
She snorted, hands fisting in his shirt. "Over my dead body. And that’s the other thing I need to talk to you about." She took a deep breath, meeting his dark gaze with a surprising pang of anxiety in her gut. "I’m going to revoke my Materi status."
His eyebrows rose, but that was the only change in his expression. "Why?" he asked with gratifying calm.
"I finally figured out that being the Marish Mater wasn’t my path. I don’t have the temperament or desire to lead. I wasn’t made for it. My other sister Joy is much more suited to be First Materi—she’s practically Mom’s twin in temperament. She can take my place when she returns from her Guidance cycle."
Tipping his head to one side, he drew her closer with one hand warming the small of her back and the other sliding up to tease the nape of her neck. "What were you made for?"
Her lips curved at the melting sensation flowing from his touch through every fiber of her body. She stopped torturing his shirt, fingers spreading and flexing against the tantalizingly hard planes of his chest. "Mmm, aside from the obvious…" she purred, settling against him with a sinuous wriggle guaranteed to spark a flame in those penetrating dark eyes.
He pressed her closer, lips curving in sensual promise, but before he could dip his head and start something that would make her forget what she meant to say, she continued, "I think I’m meant to help the selkies. I mean, look what we’ve done for them so far. They’re a lot less afraid of our family than they used to be, and what we’re doing with the playground will only improve that relationship. What do you think about making similar constructs in other selkie areas?"
His eyebrows flew upwards again, his grip loosening. "Are you serious?"
"Sure," she answered, wrapping her arms around his torso on a surge of enthusiasm for the idea. "I’ve been thinking about it since you showed me your designs, but I couldn’t see a way around my responsibility to the Marish House. Mom’s been letting me slack off, but First Materi are usually expected to get involved with all the social, political, and financial facets of running a House. As First Materi, I couldn’t just zip off to some remote piece of the planet for a few months. But if I revoke my status, I can go where I need to and use the bond I have with the selkies to educate people and improve the selkie quality of life. This was their ocean first, and they’ve been forced out of most of their natural habitats first by hunting, then by fear of humans. If we can coax them back into more ideal breeding grounds…why are you laughing?"
"Startin’ to sound like a Serru groupie, Sunshine."
She rolled her eyes and pulled back a little. "I know the good doctor likes to lecture, but she’s got a point. Selkies may not be hunted anymore, but their populations are still dwindling. If we don’t make an effort, they’ll go extinct. Selkies are an important part of Kaska’s natural order, unique in the galaxy. Who knows, maybe they’re the reason our Goddess shorted us in the baby department. Selkies are her creations, too."
His mouth twisted as though he tasted something sour and Keza hid a smirk against his chest. Chase wasn’t exactly comfortable with their Goddess yet. True to form, he ignored her mention of the deity completely.
"Just putting up a construct won’t make the critters play if they’re scared."
"True. So I’m thinking we should get a boat, coax Meerie and her family to come with us, and enlist their help in making friends with selkies in new areas."
His brow creased and his hands tensed on her back. "Would that work?"
"You know how excited Meerie’s family group gets when a strange selkie comes into the area. They act like the selkie’s a long lost relative."
"Hmm," was all he said, studying her with a speculative gleam in his eyes, his fingers suddenly supple and moving in distracting circles.
Keza squirmed in his arms, anxious to know what he thought of her idea and, as usual, over-stimulated by his touch. She wondered if she’d ever get used to what he did to her, how he could melt her with just a look. So far, his effect on her just seemed to grow more intense over time. She also wondered if he would ever grow tired of her.
Sidestepping that painful thought with practiced alacrity, she cleared her throat and muttered to his chest, "So what do you think? Would you want to keep doing this, keep making more constructs? Or…or did you want to do something else? I know Harle’s been bugging you to join security—"
"Harle thinks it’d be funnier than shit to pin a badge on me."
"But you’d be good at it," she said then smirked at his sudden glower. "Remember, you know how criminals think." She squeaked when his arms crushed her against him and then snickered at his surly growl. "Okay, no badge. How are you with boats?"
"Guess we’ll find out," he rumbled, grip loosening and expression lightening. His head tipped to one side, hands sliding down her back to her hips and sending a cascade of shivers over her skin. "So what does your status have to do with me not spreading myself around?"
For a moment, she had absolutely no idea what he was talking about, her mind clouded with sensation as he shifted against her, hands teasing the upper curve of her bottom. He’d been semi-erect throughout their conversation, but now she could feel him hardening with decided interest against her belly, and her train of thought derailed in flames. Would she ever get enough of him?
"Keza mine," he purred, moving his hips in a slow arc against her. "You got a reason I shouldn’t do my duty and try to plant boy babies all over Kaska?"
Her head snapped up, eyes narrowing on him as a shaft of furious jealousy straightened her spine. "The only planting you’ll be doing is in me, Chase Stryker!"
A smile played around his mouth and his hands molded her even closer, but his shoulders rolled in a casual shrug. "Far as I understood it, only lifemates are exclusive here on Kaska. You taking me on as lifemate, Sunshine?"
She gaped at him in pure astonishment. His lips twitched with amusement, but his dark, dark eyes were vivid with solemn intensity. And there was a subtle tension in his body that hadn’t been there a moment ago.
Keza took a deep, shaky breath. "If I hadn’t thought you’d bolt for the nearest exit, I would have made you my lifemate the second we landed on Kaska," she whispered. "I am profoundly in love with you, Chase Stryker, so don’t tease me about this. Are you…are you saying you’d agree to be my lifemate?"
He sighed, looking faintly disgusted, though there was a furtive light in his eyes that sent tingles all down her spine. "Kessu, you’re slow on the uptake, farm girl. Far as I’m concerned, you’ve been my lifemate since you let me put my hands on you the first time. Just didn’t know what to call it ‘til I came to this place." His mouth tightened with surprising grimness. "And I’m getting pretty damn annoyed with all the horny bastards who keep showing up at your door, so unless you wanna see it get bloody, stop dragging your ass and make it official already."
"Really?" she gasped, sinking into him as the strength ran out of her limbs on a wave of incredulous delight. "You’d really…a-are you sure you won’t change your mind later?"
He made that soft sound of contempt she remembered so clearly from their very first meeting and hauled her off her feet, bringing their faces close together. "I’ve needed you like I need air since you pet me that first day. I’ve been yours ever since. Look at me, Keza mine," he murmured. "What do you see?"
He was smiling, her beautif
ul panther, his lips in a gentle curve and eyes warm and open, inviting her in. He might be deliciously dark on the outside, but the light she could see shining out stole her breath and filled her with joy.
"Love?" she breathed in an agony of suspended hope.
"Love," he confirmed on a deep rumble. Then he sealed his mouth to hers and let her feel the truth of it for herself.
* * *
If you enjoyed this story, be sure to look for more titles by Michelle O’Leary in the Kindle Store, or visit the author’s website Fertile Ground at: http://www.michelle-oleary.com
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