Page 14 of Shark’s Rise

He dipped in, lingering his lips atop mine in a tender but torrid kiss. “Demanding red devil.”

“But the one who’s all yours.” I grinned as I finished, just before tilting my hips to just the right angle. Sebastian groaned low while sliding deep into me, not having to use a hand to guide his shaft inside or wait for me to adjust. Our bodies simply knew one another’s that well and accommodated for what they wanted. What they needed.

No. More than just our bodies.

Our spirits. Our instincts. Our hearts. We were each other’s home. Each other’s safety. We fit together as though we were meant to be one. Because we were.

“My God, woman. I could die here and be a happy man. You. Are. My. Salvation.” Each word was punctuated with a thrust of his pelvis. “I’m going to come inside you now, Abbigail.”

“Bas…”

“What?”

His rejoinder was a croak of need, so clearly betraying how hard he was holding back, that I bit back my protest. Still, the smarter part of me knew I should stop him. But the wiser woman in me already staged a return argument. Every time he’d done this recently, we’d been rolling the dice. Even though I was taking my birth control pills religiously, they weren’t foolproof.

But the foolish, fantastical girl in me held on to another idea. The sweet dream of carrying his child. I would love to grow and nurture a life that we’d created together. To build a family with this amazing man. A little boy with his dangerous features…or a little girl with my crazy red strands…

But I didn’t tell him any of that. Instead, I showed him. I wrapped my legs tightly around his hips and held him close to me while he depleted himself deep within my channel. Sebastian buried his face in the crook of my neck and chanted my name over and over as he finished. It sounded like he was praying. I wanted him to be. I knew I truly was.

Finally, he rolled to the side and then tucked me against him. Our breathing slowed in tandem. For the first time since I’d arrived, a real sense of calm settled into my heart. A real peace blanketed my soul. Both had been missing without this man nearby.

Maybe that should’ve frightened me. I tried examining the sensations and seeing them as huge warning flares. I’d gotten way too close to him. Had let myself depend on him too much, too quickly. But the heart wanted what the heart wanted.

And apparently mine wanted Sebastian Shark.

And apparently I was done fighting that fact.

The next morning, I awoke to an empty bed.

The realization wasn’t reassuring. Not in the damn least.

I’d slept in much later than usual, my exhaustion finally catching up with me. But my body ached in all the best ways, and my cheeks ached from my wide, ridiculous smiles.

So all the physical evidence was here. Sebastian had been here with me. But for how long? And what if he had left already this morning?

At once, I cast out the concept. He wouldn’t do that. The man was a bastard, but not a heartless one. Well, not most of the time.

Quickly, I kicked off the sheets and surged to my feet. I was officially on a Shark hunt.

I found the en suite bathroom empty, but the shower was freshly used. The air still carried his distinct bergamot scent. He was definitely up and about the day already, though I sensed he was still somewhere near.

I breathed out with relief—but my new inhalation also brought my stomach’s normal morning pitch and roll. I gripped the counter’s edge, thinking I had some sort of Pavlovian reaction to this bathroom. Every time I went near the toilet, I seemed to have to drop down in front of it and empty my stomach—even when there was nothing in it to empty. Sometimes a splash of cool water from the sink helped. Not this morning. Swiftly, I made a new contribution into the toilet bowl.

I sat on the floor for a few minutes before I chanced standing to brush my teeth and hair. I wasn’t in the mood to answer a list of questions from Bas or Elijah about not feeling well again, so I made sure the color returned to my face before I went out into the hall.

At once, I heard voices in the kitchen. Elijah and—thank God—Sebastian. Their baritones were modulated a bit, giving away their animated discussion. A smile breached my lips as I followed the volume, though I attempted to tread lightly in hopes of catching part of their conversation.

Of course, they noticed me and fell silent.

“Good morning,” they said in unison.

“And good morning to you too.” I chuckled while darting my gaze between them. “As you were, gentlemen. You don’t have to stop talking just because I walked into the room.”

They stared as if I’d ordered them to go sit on a pair of cacti outside. But only for a second. “Would you like some coffee?” Elijah asked, as if my comment had never existed.

“And you don’t have to be nice to me all of a sudden because Sebastian’s here.”

Well, that got the man to react. “That’s not really fair, is it?” he stated evenly. “I’ve been nothing but kind to you since we’ve arrived.”