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I looked around with a knot in my gut. My mates had ambled toward the mansion too. Marco had fallen a little behind the others, his expression uncharacteristically solemn. He didn’t look worn down exactly, but his usual sly energy haddulled.
The challenge yesterday had clearly taken more out of him than he liked toadmit.
I caught up with him, slipping my arm around his elbow. He brightened when he looked at me. “Hello,princess.”
I tipped my head against his shoulder. Suddenly all I wanted to do was wrap myself up in his warmth. Revel in the fact that he was still here, living and breathing, not lying broken under that tiger shifter’spaws.
“I feel like we both need a little more recovery time after last night,” I said. “Is there somewhere on the estate we can at least pretend to relax? Maybe that’s what you need to get those cleverness juicesflowing.”
The corner of Marco’s mouth quirked up. “Actually, I know just theplace.”
Chapter 19
Ren
With all the commotion yesterday,I hadn’t gotten the chance to explore much of the house yet. When Marco opened the door into the vast greenhouse I’d only seen from outside, my breathcaught.
“Wow.” I stepped onto the stone path that wove into the thick tropical underbrush. Overhead, trees jutted limbs in an arching canopy. Artificial cliffs had been carved out of rock here and there along the walls, offering climbing ledges at various levels. The air was warm and humid but not stifling. A floral perfume drifted aroundme.
“It’s like your jungle gym back at the New York house, only ten times bigger,” Isaid.
“That’s the idea.” Marco took my hand, and we headed together down the path. “The climate might be warmer here in Florida, but the winters are still cooler than many of us prefer. And this gives us space to exercise our feline natures without any worries about being observed. A wolf or a bear can get away with running around in the woods without too much caution. A jaguar or a lion? That’d draw some attention if any humans spottedus.”
No kidding. “I don’t suppose there’s areallybig one of these out at the dragon shifter estate?” I said. “Because if a big cat isnoticeable...”
Marco chuckled. “Your home base is in an isolated enough spot that you can fly near there without any problems. The dragon shifters have accumulated a lot of property in the surrounding area to keep humans at adistance.”
The temperature hadn’t felt too warm when we’d first stepped in, but a sheen of sweat was forming on my skin now. I rubbed my arms. “Too bad you can’t turn the temperaturedownif you needto.”
“There are other ways to cool off,” Marco said slyly. “Shedding clothes is always myfavorite.”
I shot him a mock glower. He grinned back, looking more like his usual self. At least that part of my plan wasworking.
“Actually,” he said with a tug of my hand, “I think I have just the thing to convinceyou...”
We ducked through a passage formed by an arching bush and came out on the edge of a manufactured pond. Water burbled into it from a spout at one end. The walls and base were painted brown to look like soil and the vegetation grew right up to the edges, but the water was crystal clear. And it looked delightfullyinviting.
“Hmm,” I said. “You make a compellingcase.”
“I’m going in even if you’re not,” Marco replied, still grinning. He stripped off his shirt in a single movement and undid his pants. Damn. The casual air with which shifter guys got naked was starting to seem normal to me, but it was still fuckinghot. In the best possibleway.
And I was still hot, in a not-so-great way, standing here in my clothes. It wasn’t as if Marco hadn’t seen me naked a dozen timesalready.
I yanked off the cotton dress I’d managed to find among the fancier offerings in my wardrobes. Marco made an approving sound and leapt into the pool. A little of the spray dappled my skin as I wriggled out of my panties. The droplets felt so beautifully cool that I didn’t stop to test the water. I just plunged right in afterhim.
The pond was deep enough that my head went under before my feet touched the bottom. I pushed myself back to the surface, reveling in the rush of the water against my skin. I’d never actually gone skinny-dipping before. Now I was thinking I’d need to make a habit ofit.
I flipped my wet hair back from my face. Marco beamed at me, his own hair shining like blackink.
“There are ledges along the banks,” he said. “If you get tired of treadingwater.”
“I think my legs can handle a littletreading.”
“Hmm. Just be careful of theeels.”
“What?” I jerked up, peering into the water belowme.
Marco cracked up. “I’m teasing, Princess. I solemnly swear the entire estate is eelfree.”
