Page 63 of Found at Sea
We hadn’t kissed since the night he’d taken my innocence in his bed—theonlytime we’d come together in that way. I didn’t know which of us was more stunned by my action, but after a second of silence, Kellan moaned deep in his throat before deepening the kiss.
It ended much too soon.
“I take that as your approval?” Kellan’s voice rang of haughtiness, but the soft expression still lingered in his multi-colored eyes.
After I nodded, he placed the charm around my neck. I stared at him as he did, feeling extremely conflicted. He was evil, ruthless, and held no moral compass. So why did I wish to join our lips—and bodies—again? Why did I crave him with an insatiable hunger?
Why did one look into his eyes make me feel the safest I’d ever been?
“Sit,” he spoke, pulling me from the clutches of my mind.
There he is commanding me again. But instead of spouting off a sarcastic remark, I did as he said. He had moments where he was tender and almost sweet, and then he’d revert back to his dominating demeanor.
I was beginning to realize that’s just who he was; both fire and water. Neither wild nor tame, but somewhere in between. Like me, in a way.
Conversation was light as we ate our evening meal. Being used to eating mostly fish, the pork was a lovely treat, and I had to force myself not to scarf it down in a hurry like my taste buds screamed for me to do.
Kellan asked about my day, and I told him about exploring areas of the island with Alek—how we’d climbed one of the rocks jutting out from the sea and dove off it once we’d gotten to the top, and then I explained how we’d found the cove and thought it was a wonderful place to spend the afternoon.
His jaw clenched. “You jumped off a cliff?”
“Um.” I wiped my mouth and gave him a sheepish grin. “It was a small cliff?”
His eyes narrowed, but he didn’t fight me on it. Shocking.
Parched, I took a drink of the wine and was pleasantly surprised that I liked it. Normally, wine was too bitter for me, but this one tasted sweet. I drank more.
“Watch yourself,” Kellan said, eyeing me. “It is potent.”
“I do not feel a thing,” I said before belching. Mortified, I slapped a hand over my mouth. “Oops. Excuse me.”
Kellan pinched the bridge of his nose before taking a drink of his wine as well.
Rolling my eyes at him, I helped myself to more wine, and when my goblet was empty, I looked around for the bottle and poured myself some more. He watched me with a humored expression, and I shrugged. Another silence passed between us as we finished eating. Once the pork was gone, and I’d eaten most of the vegetables, I looked at my wine.
After downing my second goblet, I went to pour a third, but Kellan locked his fingers around my wrist and stopped me.
“You’ve had enough, boy.”
“No,” I said, scoffing. “The boy hasnothad enough.”
“So your plan is to become inebriated in my presence?” Kellan asked, not taking his eyes off me.
I didn’t want him to take them off me. Warmth shot south and my body tingled, aching to be touched. I shifted in my seat. Feeling a bit lightheaded, I concluded he might have a point, and I refrained from drinking more.
“Why am I here, Kellan?” I asked, staring at his too luscious lips before lifting my gaze to his. “Not on this ship, although that’s a great question too. But I mainly mean, why am I here…right now…wearing fancy clothing and eating in such a formal setting?” I waved a hand to his uniform. “I’ve never seen you in anything other than a revealing shirt and sometimes wearing nothing at all. And now you are dashing and beautiful and—” I hiccupped. “I forgot what I was saying.”
Kellan regarded me and seconds ticked by. Maybe minutes.
“You think I’m beautiful?” he whispered.
I focused on him as a rush of intoxication washed over me, but through the haze of it, I saw the vulnerability in his expression. As if no one had ever complimented him before. No one had ever called him beautiful.
The revelation made me sad.
“Yes,” I answered, seeing the shy look in his eyes before he averted them to his goblet. “Kellan?” I waited until he looked at me again. “I don’t detest you. In fact, I kind of like you.”
His lips twitched and he pressed them into a line. “You asked why you’re here. The truth is I’m not certain as to the reason, Fletcher. All I know is when I’m near you, I don’t feel as empty inside.” A smile lifted one side of his mouth, and he used his finger to slowly turn his goblet on the table. “I wished to do something special for you, which is part of why I invited you here this night. To share a meal together and attempt to put the tension behind us. As for the other part, alas, I’m at a loss for words. I just know I need you.”
