Page 21 of The Highseer's Mate

“That is not the case here,” he says. “Mates are for life.”

I knew he would say something like that. This whole mates situation isn’t for the faint of heart. It’s overwhelming to think that Varek believes I am essentially his soul mate—the one and only person he is supposed to be with for the rest of his life. We hardly know each other.

After cleaning my feet, he grabs more soap and works his way back up the inner portion of my legs. Up my calves, past my knees, and higher and higher until his fingers are rubbing dangerously close to my most sensitive place.

God, why is my body betraying me like this? Giving into the sensation of his touch when I should be terrified.

I push away from him, my hands firm on his chest. “I can clean that part.”

But Varek doesn’t let me escape. “Paige. It is my honor, my duty, to see to your needs. You have felt my body’s need for yours, why do you deny your feelings?”

The air tumbles from my lungs. It really isn’t as simple as just my feelings.

“Though you say you do not have mates on Earth, the glows chose you for me for a reason. You feel the pull too.”

The pull. The inexplicable pull to allow myself to unfurl and relax in his hold. The need and intense desire to spread my legs further and give in to his wandering touch.

I want it.

God, I want it.

But I shouldn’t, and that’s the problem.

I shove away from him harder this time. He lets me go. “I’ll finish myself.”

He sighs, his jaw clenching. His gaze turns pained, but doesn’t chase after me as I swim away.

I finish up the job, spending extra attention on my tangled hair, and then get out of the spring. I reach for my suit but it’s not there. I look around, heat clinging to my neck as I try to cover myself.

Where the hell is my suit?

“Those leathers are for you,” Varek says.

I look down to see a folded leather tunic next to his. When did this get here?

God. Was someone else in here while I was letting the big alien feel me up in the water?

“As my mate, you will wear our clothes. They do not carry the mark of my glows yet. Soon,” he says.

I grit my teeth.

I’d prefer my suit. But to be honest, it was filthy. I reach for the tunic and slide it over my head, straightening it down my curves. It fits perfectly. The fabric is softer than I expected and it hangs just above my knees.

Below the tunic was a pair of handmade shoes.

“Are these for me too?”

He turns and appraises me, his brows lifting. He reaches up and touches his chest as it glows bright.

“Hello?” I ask, shaking the shoes.

He nods. “Yes.”

Varek pulls himself out of the spring and walks toward me. I have to look away to avoid seeing him in all his… glory.

He dresses in his leathers just in time for the flush on my skin to fade away. We lock eyes and my stomach growls with an intense pang of hunger. Varek smirks.

“Oh. The troublemaker is hungry, is she?”

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