UnMasked

by Yara Gharios

  Luckily, he doesn’t think much of my silence, and he goes back to being serious. “You know how the tales we heard since we were kids about true mates describe it as this… amazing connection, filled with love and devotion?” I get the sense it’s a rhetorical question, so I don’t answer. “Well I think they left out some pretty important details that explain why there is this connection.”

  “You mean aside from the fact that it makes us want to rip each other’s clothes off?” I ask with complete seriousness.

  I see him trying to hold back a grin. “Yes, aside from that,” he confirms. “Haven’t you been feeling different, too? Emotionally?”

  Assuming he’s not talking about the three little words I still feel shy uttering, I frown. “Not really. Why? Have you?”

  He seems a bit disappointed. “So… you haven’t once felt an urge to… throw a punch at…?”

  Why does he keep tiptoeing around the subject? I wonder.

  “Logan, I have no idea what you’re trying to say,” I admit. “Just spit it out. What is it you’re feeling?”

  “I’m not…” he searches for words, frustrating himself, “it’s not jealously, because there’s nothing to be jealous of, but… I want to punch any guy that even looks at you, no matter who they are –even Cade. Back at the party, when you were singing, and everyone was ogling you, it really ticked me off. I had to get you out of everyone’s sight, but I don’t know why. I mean, what is that? I’m not the jealous and controlling type! What is the bond doing to me?”

  My eyes widen in shock for a second. I definitely haven’t felt anything like that, but I guess it may have been different if I had actually seen him around other girls. There aren’t many in the pack, and aside from Sadie, they generally don’t hover around him the way my brothers and friends do around me.

  “I thought you pulled me offstage because I was embarrassing you,” I confess.

  He looks at me sideways with confusion all over his face. “How were you embarrassing me?”

  “Because I was drunk, and I was pointing at you and basically telling you that you f*cked up everything,” I remind him.

  He understands and shakes his head. “No, I knew you weren’t really saying that,” he reassures me. “Even if you were, I kind of deserved it. But I still wanted to take you away and hide you from the rest of the world so that no one but me can ever look at you like that.”

  My heart melts. I can almost imagine an invisible audience in the background going ‘Aw!’

  “It’s called being possessive,” I tell him affectionately, for some reason pleased by it. “I guess we should have expected something like that. I’m always around guys. That’s the way it’s been for me my whole life. I should have known this wouldn’t sit well with the mate thing. Sorry.”

  He softly squeezes my hand. “Don’t apologize. I’ll just have to get used to it.” He smiles mischievously at me. “This helps.”

  As the butterflies settle, all I can do is smile and look up at him expectantly, hoping he’ll read my mind. The moment is perfect. No one can see or hear us, thanks to the sound of the waves, and we have yet again found a new way to express our feelings for each other. What better way to seal the deal than to actually seal the deal?

  Trying to be subtle about it, I bring my free hand to cover Logan’s, and use the tips of my fingers to draw circles on the back of it. I’m barely touching him, but I feel goose bumps run through him until he shivers. Our eyes are still locked together, and I see the change in his pupils as they dilate. A low growl rumbles deep within his chest, but before I am sure whether I heard it or not, he lets go of me and swiftly shift until he is standing inches in front of me, his arms caging me on either side.

  With his nose practically at my ear, and his breath on my neck, his face has gotten too close to mine. I close my eyes. The same longing I felt earlier returns, only much stronger. This is completely foreign for me, though, and all I can do is stand motionless against the side of the cliff and wait for his next move, thankful for the fact that I’m still upright.

  Ages later, though it’s probably just seconds, Logan presses up against me, confirming that he’s just as eager as I am. He puts his hands around my waist and grips the towel tightly in his fists until it falls off. Unashamed, I bring my arms up to wrap around his neck and run my fingers through his hair, the way I learned.

  I was told the anticipation before a kiss happens is just as great as the kiss itself, but right now, I completely disagree. The wait is killing me. Why hasn’t he gone for it yet? It’s obvious I want him to do it, although I can’t say it even to myself.

  When he plants his lips at my neck instead, the satisfaction is only brief, because then he pulls away. “Come on,” he whispers. “Let’s go.”

  My disappointment is instantaneous and crushes me until I’m almost hurt. Doesn’t he want to kiss me anymore? I wonder.

  “What?” Logan asks with shock, seeing my expression.

  I fake a smile and shake my head. “Nothing. Let’s go.”

  When I take two steps away from the only thing that was supporting me, he grabs both my wrists and pulls me back roughly against it. It stings my back a little, but I’m too surprised by the gesture than anything.

  “Dylan, what did you say?” he demands with urgency.

  His question confuses me. “I didn’t say anything.”

  Something like wonder flitters across his face, but he only blinks. “You asked if he doesn’t want to kiss you anymore, he as in me,” he specifies.

  Shocked, my eyes go round. “You heard that?”

  His face splits into a wide beam. “Yes, I did!” he enthuses.

  I’m excited for only a fraction of a second. Then it registers for both of us what it is he heard. He frowns, I blush and try to look away.

  “You can’t keep confusing me, like that,” he says reproachfully.

  Surprised, I look up at him. “How am I confusing you?”

  “You know how badly I want to kiss you, but you asked me to take things slow,” he reminds me. “You can’t change your mind so quickly; it’s either one way or the other.”

  Even more confused than he is, I simply blink. “But that’s… I mean, it’s just kissing,” I point out. “That’s not too fast.”

  One of his eyebrows pulls up. “Isn’t it? Think about our situation, Dylan,” he requests. “We met about three months ago. We were close friends after just one week, and we remained just friends until we came to terms with the fact that we’re true mates only two days ago. We haven’t even taken the traditional way and gone out on a date.”

  I give him a flat look. “Nothing about us is traditional.”

  “Still, I know we did some things wrong, me especially, and as you’ve so graciously pointed out a bazillion times, your first kiss was a total flop,” he reminds me. “I’d like to do something right.”

  All I can do is stare at him as I try to make sense of what he’s telling me. “Are you kidding me right now? You’re saying you’re not going to kiss me until we go out on a date? What is this, the sixties?”

  He sighs and shakes his head with frustration. “Treat a girl wrong, you don’t hear the end of it, treat her right, and you’re suddenly too old fashioned for her,” he complains. “And you women wonder why chivalry’s dead.”

  “Hey, this has nothing to do with chivalry,” I protest, “and I don’t have anything against it.”

  “Oh really? Because –”

  I cut him off. “But you and I, there’s nothing normal about us. For one thing, we have this insane need for each other that no one else feels this strongly, but we could choose to see that as a good thing.”

  “Dylan –”

  “No, listen,” I object. I’m on a roll, here, and there’s a lot I suddenly want to say. “I know I said it bothers me that my first kiss was ruined, but twenty seconds ago, I didn’t even care! No matter how slow we want to take it, that was the right moment…”

  “Can I just –�
�

  “…because all I was thinking about was you.”

  “Shut up already,” Logan whispers, before pulling me to him and roughly planting his lips on mine.

  All at once, I come alive. My body is pulsating with electricity that’s making my skin burn, especially the places where he is touching me. His hands wrap around my bare waist and then move up my spine until they reach my hair and tangle in them. But the part that’s bringing me to life the most is his rough lips, moving against mine in harmony.

  I expected this to feel different. Hell, I even thought it might be something like the empty lump of skin on lump of skin feeling I got from the last time I was kissed, which I imagined would have been much more enjoyable just because it would be Logan this time. But this burning passion that flows through our kiss makes him feel like an extension of me that I can’t believe I’ve never felt the absence of before. This is what we were supposed to be doing from the start, and I can’t believe it took us this long.

  The longer we do this, the more that same need I was just talking about multiplies. Our craving for each other intensifies until we are desperate to be as close as possible. That’s when Logan’s tongue slips into my mouth and dances around with mine. I don’t know what I imagined this would feel like, but it is just another stronger way for us to be closer, and I love it.

  Logan then grabs the back of my thigh and lifts my leg around his waist. The other one follows, until I am straddling him. With his hands gripping the bottom of my thighs, he kisses me more urgently, catching my lower lip in both of his at one point.

  I’m blind to everything around me. I don’t feel the rocks digging into the skin on my back. I don’t hear the waves crashing into the shore or the distant laughter of our friends. I can’t even process what any of them mean to me, anymore. All I’m aware of is how amazing it feels to be this close to Logan, and how I don’t ever want him to stop kissing me.

  We come up for air, both of us breathless, but Logan simply moves to my neck. My legs tighten around him unconsciously, and I keep my eyes closed. As he nibbles on the skin at the base of my neck, one of my hands remains in his hair while the other travels down to his chest. Our movements are frantic, because we just can’t get enough.

  “I love you,” I pant.

  I can’t help it. I’m soaring right now, and I need to convey in words just what it is he’s doing to me, how amazing he’s making me feel.

  Saying it out loud, though, is like a wakeup call to both of us. This is not the right place or time to get carried away, and although kissing would have been harmless, with the mate bond pulling us toward each other so much, the lines have blurred.

  At the same time, I put my hands on his shoulders and freeze them there, and he pulls back with a final kiss on my neck. We stare at each other, both of us panting and obviously not wanting to stop.

  “I love you,” he says back, his voice hoarse.

  We take a few seconds to catch our breaths, and then he gently sets me back on my feet.

  “See, that wasn’t so hard,” I throw in to try to ease the insane tension crackling in the air. “Sure took you long enough.”

  Logan laughs whole-heartedly when I say that, and I know he’s still as drunk as I am over the kiss.

  Beaming, I lace my fingers through his. “Next time, don’t make me wait so long.”

  “Next time won’t happen until we go out, and I mean it this time,” he warns me playfully, pulling my head close so he could kiss it.

  I pout, too giddy to believe him. “But with your pace, that could take ages.”

  He raises one of his eyebrows in amusement. “You didn’t seem to mind my pace ten seconds ago.”

  I blush and try to shrug it off. “Meh, it was good.”

  “Just good?” he repeats, pretending to be offending. “So that’s how it’s going to be? Fine. You’ll change your mind when I make you forget your own name.”

  My heart has barely calmed down a second ago, but when he says that, it completely skips a beat. Embarrassed, I look down. How cheesy is that?

  “But about that next time,” Logan continues in the same manner, “do you want to get out of here?”

  Taken aback, my eyes snap back up to his. “Now? Are you serious?”

  “Completely.”

  I glare at him. “That was a very bad way to ask me out,” I tease him. Something I don’t like then occurs to me. “Wait, you’re not going to make some big romantic gesture and then ask me to be your girlfriend, are you?”

  Logan looks at me with perfect seriousness. “Okay, first of all, I didn’t realize I have to ask,” he objects. “We’re not twelve. Second of all, you know you’re more than just my girlfriend. And third, what is so wrong with big romantic gestures?”

  I grimace, seriously hoping he’s not planning something extravagant. “They’re cheesy,” I complain. “I mean you do this big show of affection to tell us something we already know.”

  He gives me a look of disbelief. “You really go against every law of nature given to women.”

  “That’s not a law, it’s a stupid concept,” I say. “I mean, sure, it must be nice to be reminded every once in a while, but I don’t see the necessity of the grandiose.”

  “It’s not a necessity,” he acknowledges, “but it’s nice to know someone cares enough to go to great lengths.”

  “I already know you care,” I point out, and then pretend to be worried. “Unless… have you been lying to me this whole time?”

  He catches on to my mood quickly, and sighs with frustration. “Will you just shut up and go out with me right now?”

  I grin, for some reason feeling like I’ve just won a battle. “Gladly,” I agree.

  CHAPTER 20

  “You know, when you said ‘date’, this isn’t exactly what I imagined you had in mind,” I comment with difficulty.

  Logan’s voice replies from below me, sounding strained. “You’re a very confusing person, you know that?”

  “I’m just saying, of all the ways you could have gone with, rock climbing at the beach is really not the most ideal one to win a girl’s affections.”

  “We’re almost at the top,” he assures me.

  “You said that ten minutes ago.”

  “No, ten minutes ago, I said we’re halfway to the top,” Logan corrects me. “Besides, you’re doing just fine. It’s not like you’re afraid to break a nail, or something. We both know you’re not that type of girl. So what are you really complaining about?”

  I huff with annoyance as I steady my foot enough to lift myself up, not answering him. I really don’t see the point of this plan. This is not the least bit draining for either of us, so we can’t really call it exercise. And we’re not doing anything that people generally do on dates. Obviously, I didn’t expect something like dinner and a movie, since there’s no way I can go out in public as a girl, and it’s not like I want a cheesy date.

  Still, I hoped we would at least include some romance. I know, I shock even myself with these thoughts. Lately, meaning for the past two days, I’ve caught myself a few times having very girly thoughts that include cozying up to Logan and speaking in a very pouty voice. It annoys me just thinking about it, but I guess Logan isn’t the only one being affected by the other. Being in a relationship changes people.

  “You do realize that if I fall, my butt will be in your face?” I point out sarcastically.

  “So?” he throws back, and I can hear a smirk in his voice.

  I scoff, secretly pleased. “Pervert,” I retort. He laughs.

  It turns that Logan actually knows what he’s talking about because seconds later, I reach the top. Once up there, I lay sprawled on my back on the rocky ground. I’m not tired or anything, but it feels good to be motionless after almost half an hour of climbing.

  “That was a waste of time,” I comment, eyes closed.

  Logan sits upright next to me. “You might not think so if you open your eyes,” he hints.

  Curious
, I take the bait and straighten up. We’re facing the horizon. The afternoon sun is still high in the sky, but the ocean water is glistening in a path, ascending in size where the rays shine down on the surface. It’s kind of nice to look at, actually; the glimpse of romance that I was hoping for, without overdoing it. He’s done it right.

  I smile in spite of myself. “Okay, I’ll admit, this is pretty cool.”

  Logan stares sideways at me. “Is this not cheesy enough for you?”

  I pretend to shrug. “It’ll do.”

  Suddenly, Logan’s arms wrap around me and he throws me down on my back. Letting out an involuntary yell, I grab onto his arms reflexively. Eyes round with shock that he would actually push me like that, I stare up at him wordlessly. He is much closer than I anticipated him to be.

  “I’m starting to realize it’s going to take a lot more than niceness to break through your walls, Dylan,” he murmurs, just inches from my lips.

  Unconsciously, I gulp, his closeness suddenly making it hard to breathe. A smug smile splits across his face upon seeing my reaction, but for once, I don’t snap out of it at the first sign of teasing on his part. If anything, his confidence is a big turn on. I didn’t think it was possible to be attracted to something non-physical about him, but here I am hoping he’ll tease me more knowing just what he does to me.

  “You’re speechless,” he remarks, lowering himself even more until he’s hovering at the surface. “Did I just discover the secret to disarming the great Dylan Connolly?”

  My skin burns with anticipation, but he keeps me waiting. At this point, I’m ready to do whatever it takes to make him kiss me again. I mentally scroll through every method I’ve learned for one that I don’t feel self-conscious applying right now.

  Bite your lip, I remind myself victoriously.