“Thanks. I’m going to go yell at my lion now.”
“You want backup?” she called.
“I want coffee and a world without egos,” I muttered.
Phoenix and Caelen stayed behind. Slade followed me for a few quiet steps, his hand brushing mine once—grounding me before he went to speak with the other soldiers.
Because we all felt it.
The storm wasn’t just coming from the sea anymore.
I ducked into the lower deck cabin and found Leo leaning over a bucket, looking a little green.
“Hey, you,” I said softly, my voice gentle.
He tried to smile, but his face twitched. He groaned. “Please, tell me we’re almost on land,” he moaned.
I knelt beside him, brushing a hand through his damp golden hair. “We will be soon. You okay?”
He gave a weak thumbs-up, then immediately regretted it. “Nope. That was a lie.”
I smiled. “You know, for a big strong lion, you’re not great at sea.”
He slumped dramatically against the wall. “Lions weren’t meant for boats. We were meant for sun. For savannahs. For—” He paused to gag into the bucket again.
“—not this.”
I rubbed his back in slow circles. “You want me to get Maddie? She says watching you suffer is her new favourite hobby.”
He let out a pitiful noise. “That woman is evil. Beautiful. But evil.”
I kissed his temple. “Rest. We’ll be on land soon. Then you can roar at people again.”
He leaned into me, nuzzling my neck, eyes closed. “I don’t want to roar. I want hugs. And kisses. And a bed. That isn’t moving.”
“You’ll get both,” I promised, stroking his face. “But you have to survive the next hour.”
“Tell the sea that.”
“You know,” I said, folding my arms, “staying the cabin probably isn’t the best if you feel bad. Get on deck. Get some air.”
He glared at me. “If I stand up I am going to hurl all over you. I would rather that not be thefirstthing I do now you finally admitted how much you adore me.”
I smirked. “Adore is a strong word.”
He groaned, dropping his head onto his crossed arms. “Don’t backpedal now. I’m clinging to your love like it’s the only thing keeping me alive.”
“I thought the bucket was doing that?”
“It’s a team effort.”
I crouched down again, brushing his hair back from his forehead. He looked up at me through bleary lashes, and despite the greenish hue, he still managed to look unfairly gorgeous.
“You’re ridiculous,” I murmured. I leaned in and kissed him—slow, soft, lingering. His lips parted just enough for a breath to catch between us, and for a moment, he kissed me back like it was the only thing tethering him to the world.
I deepened the kiss, pulling him close. His tongue moved with mine, and he eased me back toward the bed. His weight settled over me, hot and solid—his arousal unmistakable, pressing into my thigh.
And then—
