I didn’t have a choice—they would have seen us if I hadn’t pulled her to the ground—but I didn’t think I’d lose it as fast as I did. I thought I’d have some control over my cock.
Nope. Sifa is my weakness. Even if she drives me absolutely crazy.
I shouldn’t have snapped at her when she sat up. But she looked so fucking good, the sun throwing speckles on her skin, her eyes bright and full of questions. I was about to lose it. Pull her down, and take her then and there. I needed her away from me before I abandoned everything I know is right. And wrong.
She knows what I did when she left. But what else could I do? If I hadn’t, I’d have been trapped in that clearing until I did. Thinking about the feel of her ass riding my cock the whole time. About what it would be like to be inside her, to fill her up as I claim her as mine.
Gods. I need to get my shit together.
She smiled when I made it out of the brush, and I couldn’t figure out if I wanted to strangle her or go jack off one more time for good measure. I didn’t do either. Instead, I bit her head off again. I can’t stay away from her, so I need to keep her away from me. Now she’s pissed, but that’s better than us getting along. Because I can’t trust myself when she’s nearby.
The gods-damned problem is that now I’ve touched her. And with a mating bond, that changes everything. The draw to be together is stronger, our resistance weaker, after our bodies have connected. My resolve cracked when she woke me with her screams last night, but this could shatter it. It’ll be so much tougher now to push away from each other, especially with my savage demanding more of our mate’s touch. I don’t know if we’ll be able to.
“I need to bathe.” I almost jump in my saddle as her voice pulls me out of my thoughts. She’s snuck up on me somehow. Ireallyneed to get my shit together.
“We’re traveling,” I remind her as I drag a hand through my hair. “We don’t take baths.”
“Not an actual bath. A lake; maybe a river or stream. Even a creek. I’m sweaty and sticky, and I stink.”
I have to share a tent with her tonight.
Not that the smell would discourage anything. It might make it harder. Everything would be harder.
I need a cold bath too.
“There’s a lake ahead. I’d hoped to get past it today, but we can stop there for the night.”
“Will we risk being found?”
“I know where to go for privacy. We’ll be safe.” I make the mistake of turning to glance at her and am not surprised when my heart pauses for a beat. And my cock lurches. Traitorous things.
The sun is dropping toward the horizon as we near the final bend before the lake. I want nothing more than to watch Sifa’s face when she sees the lake for the first time. I’ve been here before, and I carry its image with me. The deep sapphire water, rippling with life. The meadows that surround so much of it, their emerald and sage grass dancing with the breeze. The trees that stand tall and proud all around.
I don’t stop myself. As we near the turn, I glance at Sifa. Her look is everything I’d hoped for. She tugs on Hilde’s reins, drawing her to a stop. And she sits there, barely breathing, as she takes it all in, a hint of a smile on her face. I wish I could see her eyes. But then she’d know that I’d rather look at her than the prettiest lake in all of Vanatia.
As if reading my mind, though, she turns, her grin growing wider. Her eyes are rich with emotion. And my fucking cock twitches again. Bastard. I’m just gonna ignore all its random little outbursts.
“It’s enchanting. I’ve never seen a prettier lake.”
“I also have never seen anything prettier.” The words spill out before I can stop them, my gaze still holding hers. “My little rabbit,” slips out to join my treacherous blathering, filling the air between us as I try—and fail—to wrest my eyes away.
Gods. I am so fucking weak.
Sifa’s eyebrow cocks up, a silent request for an explanation.
“It was our first meal together in relative peace,” I remind her, giving in for a moment to theneedto get closer to her. When the question remains in her eyes, I add, “You are soft but not weak, and as quirky, cute and smart as the bunnies I raised as a child.” The corners of my lips lift as I consider the real reason: just being near her makes me want to fuck like rabbits. Everywhere. All the time. And she’d be so fucking delicious, wet and slick under my tongue.
Not that I’ll ever find out.
I sigh as I admit one more thing to myself.
As fucked up as this mating bond is, the fates are right.
It’s only been a few days, but I already know that my little rabbit is my mate for life. My perfect match.
It will always be her.
Only ever her.
