Page 47 of Whispering Waves

The mark itched again, and she looked at Kimo. “Can I borrow you for a moment?”

He said to Reg, “I will be right back.”

She got up, and when they were in the kitchen, she pulled her wrap aside and looked at him. He nodded and leaned in, scraping his tongue across the marks and soothing them. Nina exhaled in relief. “How long does that go on?”

“A day or so.”

She wrinkled her nose. “It itches and throbs a bit.”

He nuzzled it and licked it again. “How about now?”

“Better.”

Drake came in. “Don’t mind me. I am just grabbing another beer.”

Nina froze, and Kimo carefully covered the marks under the dark blue cotton gauze.

Nina kissed her mate and kept it up until her brother was out of the room. She exhaled slowly.

Kimo smirked. “Are you going to kiss me every time Drake comes by?”

“I have no idea how he will react.”

“He will be enthusiastic about it, Nina. Congratulations.” Drake poked his head around the corner and gave her a thumbs-up. Her knees buckled in relief.

Kimo caught her. “Aw, there, the worst is over.”

Nina shuddered. “Yeah. Good. Wait. You knew he knew.”

“My dearest Nerina, we both reek of each other. Alphas know, and they have just been pretending not to, to save your feelings.”

“How polite.”

“Yes, it is very nice of them.”

She exhaled in relief. “So, you can take care of the mark without us leaving the room?”

“Oh, I would really prefer to leave the room.”

“Why?”

“Because then, I can do this.” He lifted her to the countertop and stepped between her thighs. He gripped her hips and held her tight to him.

Her breath escaped on a soft, “Oh.”

He smiled. “My reason for wanting to wait was so that I wasn’t on you the entire time. Since we are now in a fresh link, I would rather be wrapped around you than socializing.”

She blushed. “Ah. That is an interesting visual.”

He leaned in, and a soft rumble came from his chest. “I think so, too. Shall we head upstairs and leave the researchers to their own devices?”

“Weren’t you talking to Reg?”

“We had covered most of what we need to know about the area they want to go out to tomorrow.” He rocked his hips against her. “I know where I want to be right now.”

She whined softly and clung to him.

His eyes went stormy, and he took her upstairs. Their clothing was still on when he pressed her against the wall and got inside her a few minutes later.