Page 41 of Tide Touched

My eyes shutter as I squeeze his hand a little. ‘I like warm.’ In that moment, I know I’m enjoying myself with Killian the way I never had, never could, with Carter. I close my eyes, letting myself enjoy my mate’s touch.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Katie

Killian and I walk back to where I’d woken up, both of us pretending not to notice that I am fully naked, and he’s only wearing his jeans and, probably-wet, underwear. I feel him beside me like my own shadow, though we are careful not to touch. Heat radiates off him like steam from a shower—maybe drying his underwear?—and I want nothing more than to lean into it. To wind my hand into his, to press into the hard, warmth of his body. For him to slide a hand around my waist, keeping me close.

Neither of us looks at each other again until we reach the camp by mid-afternoon, judging by the sun’s position in the sky. Moira has a low fire going, this time a deer roasting on a spit. Her face balloons in a full-on smirk-grin—smgrin?—when she sees us. She lets out a low whistle. ‘No wonder you’ve been gone for hours.’

I ignore her and duck into my little cove of branches.

‘Katie, wait, we got new clothes.’ She points to a pile.

I grab a pair of jeans which are clearly worn and slightly dusty. ‘New?’

Killian rubs his hands by the fire, still shirtless. ‘Well, new might be an overstatement. We bought them from a street vendor.’

I roll my eyes and glare. ‘Remember our bet.’

‘Indeed.’ At Moira’s odd look, Killian explains, ‘We placed a bet on who could swim faster. We agreed on a tie. Katherine wishes to sleep indoors tonight. If so, we should get moving as soon as we’ve eaten. That vendor said the nearest town is about a day from here. If we run as wolves, we’ll get there tonight.’

‘Sounds good,’ Moira says. ‘So, what’s your side of the bet?’

I emerge in my ‘new’ jeans and shirt, glad I’m not putting on someone else’s underwear. That’s a hard no. I watch Killian shift from one foot to another, then realise that he might consider what he offered me to be too personal to share with Moira.

‘Did you burn our food?’ I snipe, changing the subject.

Moira glares at me. ‘I burned one deer, one time, jeez. How about a thank you?’

I smirk, then cast a side-ways glance at Killian. He inclines his head in thanks. He doesn’t want to reveal his past to Moira, about not having someone teach him how to shift.

I wonder if Moira’s mother or father taught her.

We all settle down around the fire and eat. The other two catch me up on their journey, including a surprise meeting of Earth Pack wolves. Killian’s mouth is kicked up in an amused smirk. ‘You should have seen them, Katherine, your friend all googly eyed for Elijah.’

Moira’s face contorts, and I reach out and hold her back. She threatens Killian with a pointed finger. ‘You’re on thin ice, wolf.’

Killian grins in a way I find charming. It only seems to anger Moira further.

I hug Moira, defusing her. I’ll ask her about the guy later. I get to my feet. Right now, I would love not to be covered in dirt. I stretch, all too aware I’m not wearing a bra. The girls are free to bounce and move as they please. ‘Right, lead me to the nearest place with a bed.’

Killian arches a brow. ‘You’d like to visit the brothel on the edge of town?’

Moira chuckles.

I make a face. ‘Not what I was aiming for.’ I poke him in the chest. ‘How do you know there’s a brothel?’

‘The vendor told us!’

‘Mmm-hmm. Lead the way to Brothel Town, then.’

Killian rolls his eyes. ‘I do not think it’s called that.’

Moira comes and links her arm with mine. ‘I don’t know, I like the name.’

We fall into easy chatter until night blankets us. Killian stands with Moira and me. ‘How many times have you shifted?’

‘Twice,’ I say. ‘The first time I got my wolf. And today.’

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