I shook my head in disbelief. “You should have left me. Your safety is more important."
"That's bull fucking shit and you know it!” She growled, her head snapping back up and getting in my face.
"I don't think a bull would fuck its own shit." I chuckled.
She smacked my arm again. "You know what I mean!"
I grabbed her hand before it came in for another smack and kissed her palm tenderly.
We were silent for a few moments, me holder her close, before she let out a heavy sigh. ”Oh, Jason, what are we going to do?"
"We will keep being brave.” I answered, pretending to be stronger than I felt at that moment. “We aren't alone in this. The others are here and they won't let us be kept here against our will. So you keep being brave, just like you were back at the hospital, which, by the way, was amazing. I never would have guessed you could fight like that."
She grinned. ”My father made sure we knew how to defend ourselves after…everything.”
"You were like a completely different person, an avenging goddess.” I joked, wanting to lighten the mood.
She stared up at me, her eyes distant. “I’ve been so scared, terrified really, my entire life. There comes this point in fear, where you can either choose to let it consume you, or you get mad, get so angry that you consume it. In that moment, I was tired of being afraid. Just like I was tired of being afraid the night Emmanuel’s sister invaded my home.”
I kissed her forehead. "I can’t lie to you, Atalanta. Being a Mer, living hundreds of years, having to hide what we are from humans. It's a hard life, and I'm so sorry I thrust it on you. I can’t promise you there won't be times we will be afraid, terrified even. But know that I will always be by your side. We will do this together."
"Jason...I think I'm falling in love with you."
Twenty seconds of bravery, Monroe.
"Well, I know I love you."
For a few moments, she stared up at me, her eyes as big as saucers, then she reached up, gripping my hair, pulling me down for a kiss. Even though my body was tired, it reacted instantly, sparking to life with lust. Gripping her waterlogged jeans, I pulled her to me, pressing her body against mine and deepening the kiss.
She pulled away. “Wait, wait.”
"What?"
"You're not just saying you love me because of the mate connection, right? It's not, like, clogging your mind or anything?"
I shook my head and snorted. “Hell, no. I was already falling for you before the accident. Our connection just pulled my head out of my ass."
"Good," She pulled me back to her and pulled herself up, wrapping her legs around my hips.
I dove my tongue into her mouth. She tasted so sweet, and was wearing far too much clothing. Instinctively, I gripped the back of her jeans and began to tear before she pulled away again and smacked me.
"If you want me naked, just ask. These are my only clothes and I will not be going around naked.” She scolded me.
I growled. “Then you better get out of those clothes, fast."
When she hesitated, I gave pause, mentally bopping my head, remembering how insecure she'd been about us seeing her scarred up skin. This stop and go was killing me, but I could be the better man. "Hey, we don’t have to do anything if you don't want."
"I'm not—I mean, I'm not a virgin, it’s just…”
"I know,”
"Maybe just the pants?” she asked, looking really nervous.
“Whatever you wish,” I opened my arms wide. "You’re in control here.”
Slowly, she began to unbutton her pants, and I was enraptured. Unable to take my eyes off her beautiful form as she slowly slid down her pants and underwear. The scales that ran down her legs glinted in the light, and fuck were they sexy.
Our matching scales were my claim, marking her as mine. Regardless if the council paired her with new mates. She was mine. I let out a possessive growl and immediately regretted it, afraid it would startle her.
But something amazing happened. She met my eyes, heat filling her gaze.
Straightening, she asked, "I'm in charge?"
I gulped, and bobbed my head up and down enthusiastically. “Completely.”
Confidence and command filled her posture. There, there was the strong girl I had first met.
"Hands behind your back, Jason."
Eagerly, I locked my hands behind my back.
"Now, shift."
I nodded and gave my body back over my human form, my tail receding, and I was back on two legs, completely naked to her and hard as a rock.
She studied me, her eyes roaming up and down my body. A part of me wanted to take command, grab her and fuck her against the wall until she screamed my name, but I stayed still.
Bouncing on the balls of her feet, she floated over to me, elevated to the point where she was a couple inches taller than me. "Keep your hands behind your back until I say so."
"Yes,"
"Yes, ma’am.” She corrected me.
I cocked an eyebrow at her.
"Too far?"
I slowly grinned. “No, it's hot. But I think I'm more partial to mistress."
“Hmmm, I think I like it." She ran her fingers along my jaw before grabbing me and giving me a searing kiss.
Her free hand ran down my arm and hopped over to my stomach, skimming down and causing me to involuntarily shudder. Already my body was showing my arousal as my scales rippled across my skin, surfacing and receding over and over again.
"Would you like me to touch your cock, Jason?" she asked against my lips, nipping the bottom one for good measure.
"Yes, mistress.”
Pressing her full body against me, she gripped the base of my cock and slowly ran her hands up and down. When she broke off the kiss and bit into the base of my neck, I groaned.
“Oh, gods, can I please touch you now?"
She rubbed her thumb against the tip, ignoring me. Her free hand slid across my back, her claws digging into my skin and sending tingles over my body. In one fluid motion, she changed positions, gliding through the water until her face met my cock. I tensed in anticipation as she slowly brought her mouth closer to me, her tongue darting out to taste me. Just as she was about to put that mouth of hers around me, she diverted her path and kissed right at the base, her hand massaging my length instead.
“Tease," I hissed.
She chuckled in reply, keeping that mouth of hers away from my dick.
My body was twitching now. Wanting her mouth on me, but wanting to touch her in turn. I clenched my hands behind my back, reminding myself to keep them there when I just wanted to wrap my fingers in her hair and fuck her mouth.
She nipped at an area right above my cock.
“Atalanta," I groaned.
She hummed before answering. “Yes?"
"Please."
“Please, what?” She asked, pretending to be so innocent.
Wrap that pretty mouth around me? Let me touch you? Let me taste you?
Crap, what did I choose?
“Oh, fuck!" She almost sent me to my knees when she suddenly shoved my dick so deep into her mouth, the head hit the back of her throat.
Her eyes looked up into mine, and if my cock wasn't in her mouth, I had no doubt she would be grinning like a cat who had caught the canary. Her eyes were glowing so brightly, one a dark amber the other an emerald green. I had no doubt that my eyes were glowing the same color, another one of my marks on her.
Mine.
I began to pull out for a thrust when she gripped my ass, keeping me where I was. I could feel her tongue rubbing against the underside of my shaft. Damn, did she know how to torture a guy.