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How many humans had I found mauled by monsters?
I swallowed hard, trying to chase away the darker thoughts.
The longer I knew Alex, the more I thought about such things. It made me paranoid. It made me think about all of those who had tried to hurt monster’s mates.
I’d seen so many things…
“Daddy?”
I snapped out of it, looking up at Alex. He gave me a soft smile.
“We should take a picture together for my screen saver,” Alex said. “Do you think the photo will see through your magic?”
“It will since I’m not using any today,” I chuckled.
I paddled a little closer to him, reaching out and pulling his kayak up next to mine. Alex fished his phone from his pocket, working his with ease.
I hated the devices. Every time I had to use one, it took me twice as long to send a message. They weren’t made for orc fingers.
“Smile,” Alex teased, holding it up.
I leaned in and grinned. Alex snapped the shot and then inspected it, humming to himself.
“No. One more. I’m not even looking at the camera.”
I snorted and leaned in again. Alex immediately turned and snuck a kiss, snapping the picture at the same time.
“I’ve been tricked,” I teased.
“Bamboozled,” Alex agreed, chuckling. “I’m making that my screen saver.”
I raised both of my brows. “Aren’t you worried about someone seeing?”
Alex shook his head, tucking his phone away. “No. If they ask, I’ll tell them it was for a cosplay photoshoot or something. Or I’ll just tell them the truth and say that I’m dating an orc. They won’t know. They’ll think we’re playing dress up.”
I belly laughed, pushing my paddle back down into the water. “Cosplay until they’re standing in front of a dragon shifter who wants to eat them.”
Alex’s laugh echoed and he began to paddle, following after me.
It felt nice to work my muscles, to soak up the beauty of the scenery. Alex and I fell into a comforting quiet, the type of silence that was sweet and easygoing.
“How did you get over your fear of the water?” I asked as we went out further.
Alex was quiet for a moment beside me. “I realized that it wasn’t the water that hurt me, but the monsters that were hiding underneath. And then I realized that the sirens who tried to hurt me were really just guarding their nest. They almost drowned me until one finally let me go free. And then, he dragged me back to the shore.”
For a moment, I wondered how hard it would be to find the sirens he was speaking about…
“Don’t even think about it,” Alex chuckled. “I nearly drowned, yes, but ultimately they let me go. And from there, the whole world changed for me. I like knowing about creatures. I like knowing that there’s magic.”
I cursed under my breath, trying not to think about the sirens who had almost hurt my mate.
“Speaking of magic,” I said, clearing my throat. “Uh…Well, so most creatures are able to develop a…mating bond of sorts. And well, I know that it’s very soon, but if you’re interested…”
“Are you proposing to me already?” Alex asked.
I swallowed hard and was about to launch into the full on argument as to why it would be beneficial when he bumped my kayak with his, pulling up close.
“Yes,” he said.
