It’s never been like this.No onehas ever felt like this.
And fuck, I think I’m lost.
Kael’s lips slow against mine, turning soft, gentle. Another press, then another, before he draws back just enough for our breaths to mingle, our noses brushing. His hands remain on my waist, anchoring me, but he doesn’t pull me back in.
I don’t move either.
I don’t want to move. Because fuck, I want him. Desperately. Fiercely. But not like this. Not here, in the cold, in a cave carved into the side of a mountain with a storm raging outside.
I think he senses the battle inside me, because instead of pressing for more, he exhales, slow and steady, his fingers tightening just briefly before he eases his grip. “Let’s finish eating and then sleep,” he says, his voice low and a little rough. “Tomorrow, we’ll need to be alert.”
I swallow, grateful for the out. “Okay,” I surprisingly manage, despite the lingering heat in my veins. “That’s probably a good idea.”
Kael watches me, something unreadable flickering in his glowing eyes. Then, before I can second-guess anything, he leans in and presses a small, sweet kiss to the corner of my mouth. Something in my chest—something uncertain and shaky—unravels at the touch.
“Okay,” I repeat, this time more confidently.
He studies me for a beat longer, then nods in satisfaction before easing back. The space between us feels unnatural afterall that heat, but I force myself to move, to refocus. I take stock of myself, running a hand down my arm, my chest.
Huh. I’m actually warm. I blink, then glance up at him. “I’m toasty.”
Kael tilts his head, clearly unfamiliar with the word. “Toast…y?”
I huff a quiet laugh. “It means warm. Comfortable.”
Something shifts in his expression—just a flicker of mischief—before he murmurs, “Then I will ensure you remain as warm as the sun that sets fire to the ocean’s edge, forever wrapped in my embrace.”
I blink. Then I stare. He meets my gaze steadily, like he has no idea he just said something straight out of a dramatic romance novel.
It takes a second for it to click. “Kael,” I start slowly. “Just how often did you read those romance novels?”
His lips twitch. “They were helpful for learning English.”
A chuckle bursts from me, sudden and real, breaking the tension that had coiled tight between us. Kael’s smile is small but there, and I shake my head, shifting off his lap before I do something stupid—like drag him back down and kiss him senseless again.
We eat, his hand on the naked flesh of my back, talking about everything and nothing, the storm still howling outside but feeling a world away. And when it’s time to settle in for the night, I don’t hesitate to let Kael pull me against him, my back to his chest, his arms wrapped securely around me.
His warmth, his strength, the consistent rise and fall of his breathing—all of it eases me into sleep faster than I thought possible. And just before I drift off, one final thought settles in my chest.
For the first time in a long time, I feel safe.
CHAPTER
NINE
“Well,something about Dawson’s arrival is seriously messed up. And not just because of the whole fated mate thing.”
Kael tilts his head, waiting.
We’ve been travelling for maybe two hours. The sun is rising, the storm has passed, and thankfully, after another hour of climbing almost vertically, we’re at the top of the mountain. Snow glistens on the ground, and with each step Kael takes, his booted feet disappear. I’m even more grateful to be in his kinky backpack.
I shift slightly, trying to get comfortable. “I’ve been here, like, two years. Dawson? Barely a few days. But here’s where it gets really strange.” We’ve been discussing Dawson’s arrival, and go me, I’ve managed to not get sulky even once with the whole “well, Prince Aelith came straight for his mate, but you didn’t, arsehole” thing. Everything shifted last night. Okay, make that almost everything. I don’t want to throw myself at Kael and fully commit just yet. “Dawson was pulled through the rift in Portugal.”
Kael frowns. “You both sound similar.”
“Yeah, we’re both Aussies. But the weird part is that he wasn’t the only one, was he?”
His brows lift slightly. “Jack.”
