Page 35 of The Hunt

“Calliope?”

“I’d love for us to have a dozen kids.To have the house not know a moment’s peace, because of how many children we have.We’ll make our parents babysit when we want some time alone, but it won’t be often, because we love being part of a big family.”

“I want that,” Jaxson said.

“I want to spend Christmas and New Year’s with you.I don’t want another birthday to go by.”She sniffled.“You know, I sent them anonymously.I’ve been sending you birthday and Christmas cards ever since we had a falling out, and I just couldn’t bring myself to stop.I love you, Jaxson, and I would love to be mated to you for the rest of our lives.”

Calliope didn’t know what happened.One moment, she was about to sink beneath the quicksand, with no hope.But instead, she was shot out and landed on her back on the now-hard earth.

She groaned and looked up.Jaxson was on her, wrapping his arms around her, holding her tightly, loving her.

“I don’t understand,” he said.“You had the rope, and I should have been able to pull you out, and it shouldn’t have been able to pull you under.Calliope?”

She cupped his face and stared up into his eyes.“It’s changing.It’s making us face the facts we’ve been trying to avoid.”

“What?”

“We’re destined to be mated, and it is putting us in challenging situations.Our games were easy.They were child’s play.Talking about our feelings, and knowing what we want, being honest with each other, that is a whole different kind of game.”She pressed a kiss to his lips.“And I meant everything I said, Jaxson.I love you, and I do want a long future with you.”

****

Jaxson looked intothe fire and then toward Calliope.They had already eaten their food, and it was getting dark.Actually, there was no getting dark about it.It was already dark.

He ran his fingers through his hair, then got to his feet and moved closer.

“What does this mean?”he asked.

“The game is getting more intense.It’s going to push us in ways we didn’t expect.”She shrugged.“The only way out of this is for us to become mates, right?No one leaves here, still unmated.All couples are bound together.”

He took hold of her hand, locking their fingers together.“I’m happy to wait as long as you are.”

She offered him a smile.“You saw what happened today.I don’t think this is going to get any easier, Jaxson.This is going to get very hard.”She sighed.“We both know that.Not once but twice today, I nearly died.Tomorrow, that might be you, and I just ...I can’t stand it.”

“So, what do we do?”Jaxson asked.

“We need to get out of here, but I don’t think rushing the process is going to help either of us,” she said.She rested her head on his shoulder.

“How are you feeling?”he asked.

After she had gotten out of the quicksand, he wouldn’t allow her to walk on the solid ground.He wasn’t going to risk the ground opening up and swallowing her for good, and he had no way of getting to her.That was just not going to do for him.

“I’m fine.Tired, but fine.”

He looked over to her.There was no sadness within her gaze.

“You know, I meant every word I said today,” she said.“It was so strange, because all I ever wanted to do was tell you how I felt, and for us to regain our closeness again.I’ve missed you so much.Yet, telling you this stuff seemed like the hardest thing on the planet.I mean, who just randomly blurts out they’d like a future with someone?”

“I loved it,” Jaxson said.“The picture you painted of us sounds amazing to me.I’ve thought about it a lot, especially since the elder made his declaration that you and I are destined to be mates.It is what I wanted, but I also knew I had messed up.There was no way you would want to be with me.”

“You’re wrong.I do want to be with you.Always.”

He stared at her, and she looked right at him.At first, he didn’t move.There was no reason to.He just looked at her and knew she was everything he wanted.

And then, he couldn’t hold back another moment.Closing that gap between them, he took possession of her lips and heard her soft moan.It was so soft and gentle.He reached out and cupped that very cheek, kissing her, deepening the kiss with each passing second.

She was stunning, so beautiful, and there was no one else he ever wanted in his life.

Calliope surprised him, because even as they kissed, she moved and started to work her way onto his lap, settling close to his cock.He wasn’t inside her, but he felt how close she was and pulled back long enough to look at her, then he kissed her again.Jaxson knew he could keep kissing her for the rest of his life.Running his hands down her back, he slid one hand up and cupped the back of her neck, with the other he continued to stroke.She let out a little moan and he swallowed it down.

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