Page 39 of Tide Touched

Then Katherine’s body pulses, trembling, and she cries out, the hottest sound I’ve ever heard. My cock twitches as I watch the flush crawl over her skin, up her chest, over her water-battered breasts, up to her cheeks. Her red hair is drenched and plastered to her back. She turns, and I get a beautiful view of her ass, her pleasure slick between her thighs.

My heart is trying to beat out of my chest I want her so badly.

She cleans herself, then turns… and meets my gaze.

Shit.

Her face slides from surprise to horror—which is kind of adorable—to fury. Much less adorable. I take a step back. ‘Oh… there you are. I was, uh, looking for you.’ I offer what I hope is an innocent smile instead of a pervy-caught one.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Katie

Holy shit. I meet Killian’s auburn gaze. His cheeks are flushed, his pants bulging. My feet move, about to find a way to shield my super naked body, then I pause. No. I won’t hide. I square my shoulders. ‘What are you doing?’ I school my features into one of indignant fury.

Did Killian really just see all that? My cheeks burn with pleasure instead of embarrassment. He got hard from watching me. That’s… really hot. I watch Killian try to calm himself, turn to the side to try to hide his hard-on, realise that’s probably the worst thing he can do, then face me again with his hands extremely obviously clasped before his cock.

‘I was—’ His voice is thick and breathy. He clears his throat. ‘I was looking for you.’ He averts his gaze, staring just above my head. ‘I realise the note was a mistake. I shouldn’t have, uh…’ His cheeks blaze. I’m finding his discomfort thoroughly amusing. ‘I shouldn’t have asked you to stay put.’ He gives a nod, and I realise this is him coming to understand he did something wrong, which means Moira’s already bitten his head off for it.

Killian slides his shirt off and carefully climbs up close enough to hand it out to me. ‘Did you shift and run out here? Where are your clothes?’

‘If you looked somewhere other than the rocks above my head, you might be able to look around.’

His gaze doesn’t shift.

Now I get to stare at him, though it’s hardly fair as I’m totally naked. I’m tempted to point out this flaw in the universe when he shoogles his arm, indicating the shirt. ‘Come on, take it.’

Boldness fills me. I don’t need him. I don’t need him to provide for me, or take pity on me. I lift my chin and close the distance between us. I take his chin and guide his gaze to mine. ‘I’m not a damsel in distress,’ I whisper, ‘I was just taking a shower. I don’t need your shirt.’ With that, I walk slowly past him, feeling his gaze on my back, my ass, and smile. It feels really nice to be clean. I try to ignore the dampness between my legs.

‘Katherine.’

I turn to see Killian’s black shirt scrunched up in his hands, his cock still hard. His brows are beaten as he takes me in. He seems to visibly calm himself. He doesn’t put his shirt back on. ‘Are you okay?’

I blink. Not what I’d expected. I clench then unclench my jaw. ‘Loaded question. Be more specific.’

The way his eyes darken, I know he meant the full scope of it. Instead, he says, ‘Last night, the smoke. Are you healed from it now?’

I touch my chest, my forearm brushing my nipple, making it harden again. ‘Oh. Yeah.’ I climb into the river, wading in just past my breasts. I watch as he decides what to do.

After a moment, he chucks his shirt aside, rolls up his pant legs, and sits on the bank, his feet breaching the water. ‘Sorry,’ he murmurs, ‘if… I keep offending you. I’m just trying to help.’

I hide a smirk. ‘By watching me get off?’

Guilt washes over his face and I burst out laughing. ‘I—I was… I’m sorry.’

‘Oh, I’m going to hold that one over you for a while.’ I let him see me smile. ‘But it’s okay.’ My gaze finds his pants. It must be uncomfortable, his cock caged within. ‘Maybe I would have done the same, if it were you.’

Killian’s mouth kicks up in a smile. ‘Ah. Thinking about me, were you?’ His eyes shine with hope.

I just smile. I swim up to the bank, staring up at him. ‘Thank you,’ I murmur. ‘For the shells. I know it was you.’ Morning light catches his fine muscles. I’ve seen him shirtless nearly every day for months. Since he shifted for the first time. Since he started running along the beach. I narrow my gaze. ‘What kind of Fire wolf runs on the beach?’

‘Ah.’ He runs a hand through his hair, flexing his large arm muscles. My pussy clenches, as though she’s hungry for him. Holy shit that’s sexy. In that one, ordinary movement, my soul wanted him in a way I never, not once, was attracted to Carter.

Killian offers a half-guilty smirk.

I splash him. ‘Tell me. Did you know, back then? That we were mates?’

‘I… I knew I wanted to see you. That’s all.’

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