Chapter Eighteen

Rett

 

I pulled Laia against me, not even daring to smile yet, or let my hands stray. A tremble was running across my skin, both from need and from the fear that this was another dream.

Do you know how many times I’ve thought about this? How much I’ve wanted this?

The last few weeks now seemed interminable. I didn’t know how I’d done it.

If I’d known kissing her would be like this…

Her soft lips parted, and I swept my tongue inside. Like our arguments and banter, it was playful, but there was that underlying intensity. Now the energy had discharged, and I was ravenous. The fevered contrast of skin to soaked clothes only made me wilder. I wanted to peel them off of her, push her down on the cool, damp grass, and let the woods echo with her pleasure.

My hips ground into hers, urgent and demanding, my pants throbbing with pressure. Laia let out a wicked, lovely laugh, and suddenly her hand traced down my side, then brushed my bulge.

I sucked in a breath and pulled back, trying to get a grip. “Laia,” I said hoarsely and reluctantly let her go. “I…”

I didn’t know what to say besides, I’ve wanted to do this since I first saw you.

And, maybe, Sorry for mauling you like a bear.

She looked up at me, with dripping hair, flushed cheeks, and sparkling eyes. Then her arms went around my neck, a leg was slung around my hip, and her lips were on mine.

“Don’t,” she gasped between kisses. “Stop. Kissing. Me. Rett. Deacon.”

A rumble of pleasure and agreement rose in my chest, one hand sliding through her hair and angling her head back, while the other found her ample bottom and squeezed. She arched against me again and all but scorched my veins. With one arm, I hoisted her up, and her legs went around me, her face now slightly above mine. Her hands were in my hair, and I groaned.

Our kisses were growing more heated, and the beast inside of me was getting impatient. I wasn’t sure how much longer I could hold out. But I also didn’t want to rush this…

We broke apart, gasping, and Laia gave me a troubled look. “What’s wrong?”

“I was trying to be patient,” I said thickly. “But when you ran off, I couldn’t lie to myself any longer, Laia. From the second I saw you, I’ve wanted to make you mine.” The last word was almost a growl. “Spending time with you is the best part of my day. Our weird partnership—it works.”

“It does,” Laia said and pressed her forehead to mine. “So, you think we’re going too fast?”

“It’s like light speed and a snail’s pace combined,” I said, closing my eyes and listening to Laia breathe, feeling her warm body pressing into me. “I don’t know what to do.”

“We could stop.”

“No,” I snarled and tightened my arms.

Laia laughed, and I opened my eyes onto her teasing face. “Yeah, I thought so." She pressed her hands to my cheeks. “Do we have to figure it out right now? Can’t we enjoy the moment?”

“It’s your call,” I said, trying not to focus on her lips and how badly I wanted to kiss her again. “We could do that, though. Although, maybe we should wait before…”

“I don’t want to wait. I’ll go to Veda, get cured, and we can keep all this up.”

My heart leaped. “You mean it?”

“Of course,” Laia said and kissed me lightly on the nose. “Everything’s possible with you around. Now go put me down so I can take a shower.”

“Or we could stay outside, get dirty…” I suggested.

“Dirtier,” Laia corrected.

I closed my eyes and listened intently. There was no one around for miles.

“What are you doing?”

“Making sure we’re alone,” I said and pressed a kiss to her neck.

Laia gasped, and her fingers dug into my shoulders. I tasted her skin in a deliberate and leisurely way, moving down the column of her neck. At her pulsing heartbeat, I lingered and took the skin between my teeth, rolling it gently so as to mark it.

“Rett, dammit,” Laia whispered in my ear. “We should…”

But whatever we should do was lost as I lifted my head and met her eyes. The gold was dancing and soft, as bright as starlight. And an idea slowly pieced itself together.

“I have an idea,” I said and gently placed her down. “Get cleaned up, and meet me in the kitchen in twenty minutes. Fifteen, if you can.”

“Why?” she asked and gave me a dubious look. “Aren’t you…?”

“Yes,” I said, knowing I’d probably have to use the outside shower for one reason or another. “Don’t worry about that. You can make it up to me later. Hurry, hurry.”

“Okay,” Laia said and then gave me a quick kiss. “You’re something else.”

 

Fifteen minutes later, I was in the kitchen, dressed in comfortable jeans and a nice shirt—and packing a bag. I went to go into the living room and get a blanket when Laia appeared.

In a soft, sky blue dress, with her hair pinned up and her feet bare, she looked like a summer goddess who’d deigned to visit my kitchen. The red of her hair made her skin glow, and her cheeks went bright pink as I gaped at her.

“Stop it,” she murmured and smoothed out the skirt. “It’s just a dress.”

“I’m more interested in what’s inside of it, but damn if that doesn’t make you light up, firecracker,” I said and held out my hand. “Spin around.”

Making a face, Laia did so and laughed as she faced me again. “What’s this big plan? Am I too dressed up?”

“You’re perfect,” I said. “Although you might want to grab a jacket.”

“We’re going outside?” Laia asked.

I nodded and heaved the bag off the table. Laia followed me into the hall, stopping to grab one of my hoodies from the closet. In the living room, I took the blanket off the back of the couch, rolled it up, and shoved it on top. Good enough.

At that moment, my stomach rumbled, and Laia gave me a skeptical look. “Should we eat?”

“Taken care of,” I said mysteriously and walked to the side door, then ushered her out. “Come on, before we miss it.”

We hurried across the lawn and into the woods, Laia giving me a look as we struck out onto the path that led to the small cove. When we arrived, I set down the bag and shook out the blanket. Without a word, Laia helped me spread it out and plopped in the middle of it.

First, I handed her bug repellent, then the hoodie, and asked, “You like my clothes, huh?”

She gave me a small, furtive smile. “They smell like you.”

“I like you in my clothes, firecracker,” I said. “Steal all you want.”

Putting the bag at my feet, I pulled out a thermos of tea, a jug of water, and our dinner. My mom had stopped by at some point and left a big container of her famous chicken salad, with chopped apples, nuts, and spices, that I’d never been able to replicate. We also had thick pita chips and a homemade tabouli dip.

“This was a good idea,” Laia said and leaned into me, watching the water turn a silvery blue from the setting sun. “Picnic on this memorable spot.”

“I wanted to balance that out with some good memories,” I said. “And I do really like this spot at the end of the day. Almost as much as I like you.”

“Deacon, you old softie,” Laia teased.

We ate dinner, laughing and talking about the events of earlier today, then of the past few weeks. It seemed impossible to me that there had ever been a time when I didn’t know Laia Llary.

As the sun went down and the air grew chilly, the air filled with the mellow hush of summer evenings. Water rustling at the edge of the sand, wind in the trees, and gulls circling overhead. Pine mingled with the scent of the ocean and with Laia’s.

Rubbing my knuckles up and down her sleeve, I asked, “So, did you steal my shirt just to throw me off your scent, or were you getting sentimental on me, Llary?”

“Can it be both?” Laia asked, and I laughed.

“Sure,” I said and pressed a kiss to the top of her head.

“I’m sorry I took off like that,” Laia said with a sigh. “I didn’t want to, and I think that’s why I did it.” I laughed, and she hunched her shoulders. “Shut up.”

“No, I actually get that,” I said and cupped her elbow. “Well, guess we should go back.”

Laia turned her head and gave me a mischievous look. “So, you didn’t bring me down here to make out? Weak sauce, Deacon.”

I gaped at her and then slid my arm lower, cupping the side of her waist. Pulling her closer, I turned her face to mine with my other hand, letting my fingers drift up her collarbone and down to her lips. Rubbing my thumb on her bottom lip, I watched in satisfaction as her eyes dilated.

Bending my head down, I let my lips brush hers and then kissed her cheek. Her look went from startled to indignant in almost no time at all.

“What was that?” Laia asked.

Laughing, I kissed the corner of her mouth and murmured, “What? I liked it when you gave me that kiss on the cheek last week.”

“Oh,” she said and shivered as I nuzzled her jaw. “That.”

“What was that for, by the way?” I asked.

“You were being so protective, sweet, and bear-like, I couldn’t help myself,” Laia said. “Worried about me and Alphas, when honestly that was the furthest thing from my mind.”

I studied her. “You’re sure about that?”

Laia nodded. “It wouldn’t be fair to you, my cousin, or the other Northbane Commands to hold that grudge. Besides, it’s…it’s in the past.”

I wanted to ask her what she had been going to say, but she reached up and ran a hand through my hair. Catching her arm, I kissed her wrist, and she shivered against me.

“You run cold, huh?” I asked and looked up at her.

“It’s not from the cold,” Laia said in a soft voice, the gold in her eyes catching flame.

“You sure?” I asked. She went to answer when I let my hand drop to her bare calf and grip it.

“Maybe a little,” she murmured, her eyes flicking between my eyes and lips. One of her hands fisted in my shirt as my hand moved higher, circling her knee. “I’m warmer now.”

Rubbing my hand from her ankle to her knee, I watched her for a moment, grinning. I was about to kiss her, but Laia beat me to it. This time, the kiss was languid, savoring the moment and each stroke of the tongue. A kiss to end a romantic sunset dinner.

Only it didn’t stop there.

When neither of us pulled away, the kiss deepened and grew hungrier. My hand slipped up to her thigh, gripping the warm flesh and rubbing circles on it. Laia had slid her hands inside my shirt and was exploring my back. Each touch had me closer to losing it.

My other hand found the zipper of the hoodie and pulled it down, then found the curve of her waist. I pulled her closer until she was straddling me, and Laia rocked her hips against mine.

I groaned into her mouth, and she smiled.

Finally, I pulled back and started when I saw the sun had long gone down. It was nighttime, and the stars were out. The moon was a thin crescent, almost directly overhead.

“I could kiss you forever,” Laia murmured, pulling my attention back to her.

A powerful emotion overwhelmed me. Filling me up even as it split me apart. The same words from earlier came back to me. I didn’t know I could be this happy.