Page 56 of King of Tides

I grasp the sides of his head and allow him to devour me. No matter what, somehow, he also makes me feel whole. I think it’s the bond between us.

I groan and whimper as my stomach growls loudly, interrupting our kiss. Ardan releases me to slide down his front. He kisses my forehead and then pecks my lips.

“Shower while I make you something to eat.”

“Can you feed me with magic?” I pout.

“I could, but I want to do something romantic for you. It will all be ready by the time you’re done. Then I will make good on my debts for the rest of the night. Now, that’s a promise I plan to keep. No matter what,” he says then kisses my lips once more.

“Fine,” I say and turn for the bathroom. “What’s the point of magic if you’re not going to use it?”

Ardan rumbles with laughter. I look over my shoulder and stick my tongue out at him. He gives me this bright smile that makes his eyes twinkle.

“Man, I feel stupid,” I mutter to myself as I enter the bathroom.

I should have talked to him from the beginning. I guess this is what Mack is always talking about, but can I really outgrow the habit now? I’m almost thirty.

“You can only try,” I say to my reflection as I look into the mirror.

And try, I will. I’m going to do my best to make this work because, for the first time ever, I have someone who feels like home.

I wonder when Bourne and Beck last felt like they were home. I’m going to nail that son-of-a-bitch uncle of theirs and help them to feel safe again.

Ardan

I wantto follow Billy into the bathroom to make good on my promises, but I want to give her time to sort her feelings. Here I stand in my kitchen preparing a meal for our first date. I truly do enjoy cooking.

It has been a pastime of mine for centuries. I have learned to prepare cuisines from all around the world. For tonight, I’ve made lamb over rice and samosas with Pakistani flavors.

The spices and tastes are sure to hit the spot for Billy. I think she’s going to love it. I get the nano ready and go to make a refreshing drink to go with the meal. However, I receive a mind link.

“I have one of yours down here in the main hall making a scene, brother,”Brass says.

I groan and roll my eyes. I didn’t used to mind when my folks would act out. I would head down there and straighten them out.

I have a mate now. Billy needs me as much as my people do. This is meant to be a night for her.

“I’ll be there in a minute,”I mind-link him back.

“Baby, I need to head down to the main hall. Our date and your food will be waiting when you’re done. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

“Okay. I’ll wait for you.”

“If you’re hungry, don’t wait for me. Go on and eat.”

Not Expected

Idecide to try my hand at magic once again. My instincts have been helping me out a lot, so I go with that to try to dress myself for our date. I stand in the mirror, looking at my naked body, wondering what to wear.

I get that we’re staying in and it’s late, but I feel like jeans and a T-shirt aren’t right for this occasion. I’ve been on dates before, but for some reason, this feels like my first date ever.

I chew on my lip. I can’t go wrong with pajamas, but what if I spice things up? I grin when I find myself dressed in a sexy two-piece with a garter belt and thigh-highs. It’s a cute lacy bralettethat holds up my firm breasts and panties that ride low on my hips.

“This could work,” I murmur to myself. I turn around and look over my shoulder. “Oh yeah, this can definitely work. Maybe…”

I change the color from black to red then blue. I frown and try one more time. This time, I find myself in a bright yellow. It works nicely with my skin.

“This is it.”

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