Page 22 of Lover from the Waves

“I’m afraid you’re going to start seeing me as nothing more than a clumsy human,” she said.

He raised a hand and gently closed it around hers, guiding her arm up until the fish was lifted off his face, leaving the fillet to dangle above him. “You are so much more than that, Kathryn.”

Her expression softened.

The strain placed on the flaky meat proved too much just as he finished speaking, and the bottom half of it tore away.

Kathryn started, her arm tensing. “Oh!”

Ector quickly shifted his head, opened his mouth, and caught the meat between his teeth. He chewed and swallowed before offering her a smile. “I suppose you win, after all.”

Her body shook as she laughed again, creating delightful friction against his closed slit. “I suppose I do.”

He kept his eyes locked with hers as he opened his mouth again, lifted his head off the ground, and ate the remaining fish, lips and tongue briefly brushing her flesh. After a moment’s consideration, he slowly licked the juices from her fingers.

Kathryn’s laughter was cut short by a sharp inhalation. Her eyes dipped to his mouth, and something lit within them, something heated and wanting.

Ector very well understood his potential double meaning when he said, “Delicious.”

Her other hand, which was still resting on his chest, moved up, lightly brushing over his skin. When it reached his face, she traced his jawline, lips, and nose with the tips of her fingers. That touch—so simple but so powerful—nearly stole his breath.

Of their own accord, a few of his tentacles curled up to wrap around her legs, and his cock pressed uncomfortably against the inside of his slit. He clenched his jaw to maintain control; extruding now was very unlikely to endear him to her. His time amongst humans had taught him that they usually didn’t appreciate genitalia being openly displayed.

Finally, Kathryn flattened her palm against his cheek, smiled, and met his eyes with hers. “We should get some sleep so we can get an early start tomorrow.”

He knew she was right, and part of him wanted nothing more than to sleep right there with her nestled securely atop him. It would have been worth the discomfort of having a rock digging into his back for the entirety of the night. “Indeed, we should.”

Kathryn lingered upon him, stroking his cheekbone with her thumb, and Ector breathed in her sweet, floral, sea-kissed scent.

Lowering her face, she kissed his cheek. “Goodnight, Ector.”

He released his hold on her hand and legs with a surprising amount of reluctance as she pushed herself up and climbed off him. Cold had never bothered him, but the air felt unreasonably cool in her absence—contrasted by the warmth lingering on his cheek in the wake of her kiss.

“Goodnight, Kathryn,” he said softly.

She walked to the tent, paused at the entrance, and looked back at him over her shoulder. The corners of her mouth rose in a small smile. Then she ducked through the canvas flaps, exiting his view.

With a groan, Ector dropped his head onto the ground and pressed a hand over his aching slit. He’d not felt quite so strong a need for release since he was on the cusp of adulthood many, many years before. He forced his gaze skyward.

Little points of light twinkled amidst the field of dark blue, purple, and gray, and the first hints of moonlight were reflected on the landside edges of the clouds. Those stars were not unlike little flecks of halorium sometimes found floating in the deep, dark parts of the sea. Beautiful as the sky was, it could not fully distract him from the female only a few meters away from him.

He couldn’t be sure of the best way to move forward with Kathryn, couldn’t be certain of how to win her favor or whether her favor could be won to begin with, but he knew one thing without a doubt—he wanted her. More than that, he was already thinking of her ashis. His female, his mate. And he knew that building a bond between them would be the most fulfilling part of this new adventure.

Chapter 6

The next couple of days passed pleasantly and without incident. Kathryn and Ector fell into an easy routine—though she wasn’t sureroutinewas the right term for it. She’d been stuck in a routine back at home, doing the same things at the same times every day even though the faces and the conversations were often different.

But out here, with Ector, routine was a malleable thing. They had certain things they needed to do—watch for hazards in the water as they sailed, prepare meals, set camp—but they were free to accomplish those tasks whenever and however they pleased.

Plus, the sights were ever-changing; each hour brought new sections of the coastline into view, and Kat would hold all of it in her memory for the rest of her life. The Watch was home, and it would always hold a particular beauty for her, but the rest of Halora was beautiful, too. Kathryn was glad she was finally seeing more of it.

The one part of their routine that had remained solid, however, was proving to be her favorite. Each evening, she and Ector lounged beside the fire, shared a meal, watched the sunset, and traded stories about their lives and their people as the moons and stars came out. Each night, Ector moved a little closer to her, and his touch grew a little bolder and more familiar.

And each night, she welcomed it,cravedit, just a little more.

But like every night for years before this trip, Kat went to bed alone. And no matter how exhausted she was, she’d lie awake in her tent, her body throbbing with need. For the first time in forever, she’d found herself tempted—tempted to touch herself, to bring herself to completion knowing that Ector was right outside, possibly listening. Part of her thrilled in the thought of him hearing her and entering her tent…thrilled in the thought ofhimbeing the one to bring her to completion.

And those thoughts, thosefantasies, shocked her.

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