Chapter 18 #2
Stacey marveled at him. She couldn’t even begin to imagine where all that fur had gone or how the insides of his body would’ve had to change back and forth.
Her gaze traveled along his body and eventually dropped down into the sand.
He stood with his foot directly inside the much wider footprint that’d been left behind by what he’d been a moment ago.
Bear and man, all in one. It was what she felt that truly riveted her.
He kept revealing the deeper mysteries within him, but now she knew it was her turn, no matter how odd it sounded.
“Dylan, do you remember me telling you about having a near-death experience?”
His brows quirked together as they slowly resumed their walk, closing in on the base of the lighthouse. He obviously didn’t expect that response from her. “Sure. That was why you moved out here.”
“Yes.” She focused on the way her feet sank into the sand and the breeze felt on her skin.
It kept her grounded while she relived that unbelievable moment in her mind.
“I saw my father, and he told me there were still people here who needed me. He also showed me a little bear statue. It was beautiful on its own, but the truly amazing part is that it’s the very same bear statue that’s on the mantel in your living room. ”
“Wait, the one Lila made?” Dylan asked.
Stacey nodded. If they hadn’t already discussed so many odd things between them, she would’ve worried all over again that she sounded crazy.
She was starting to realize that almost nothing could be crazy at this point.
“The very same. I didn’t know what to think about it at first. That can’t just be a coincidence. ”
He rubbed his lips together and squinted into the night ahead of them. “No, I wouldn’t think so.”
“When my mom explained to me about fated mates—”
“Wait.” He stopped, grabbing her hand in his. “You know about that?”
She smiled and shrugged. “Only a bit. My mom dated a shifter in her day, apparently. Dylan, I don’t know much about what’s going on here. I don’t understand how things work for you, but I’m starting to wonder if some bigger force has been pushing us together.”
“Stacey.” Now, he took both of her hands in each of his.
They stood not far from the lighthouse, in a little cove where the beach was little more than a strip of sand, and the trees reached out over the water.
“I wondered about that, too. I wasn’t sure if that could happen between a shifter and a human, but I know for sure now.
The way I feel about you isn’t like anything I’ve ever experienced before.
I love you so much that I can hardly stand being away from you.
When you’re nearby, I can sense your presence even before I lay my eyes on you.
You’re my mate, and as such, I will always protect you and your family as my own. If you’ll have me.”
“Of course I will,” she breathed, feeling her heart reaching out for him even though he was only inches from her. The whole ocean seemed to pulse in her veins. “I don’t understand everything about who you are or how things will work between us, but isn’t that how it is between any two people?”
“You’re probably right.” He pulled her closer, one hand letting go of hers so he could wrap it around her waist. “I’m sure you understand why I had to before, but I want you to know that there won’t be any more secrets between us.”
“Then I suppose I have one I need to tell you.” Her whole body was alive as he held her in his arms. It’d taken so long to find him, but she knew he was worth it. “I love you, too.”
She rose on her toes to kiss him, her body immediately remembering how good it felt to be with him before.
That was before they’d known so much about each other, before she’d had any clue that shifters existed or that two people could be fated to each other.
She knew it now, though, and believed it because she could feel it in her bones.
Dylan kissed her in return, his tongue gliding confidently between her parted lips.
It was hot and greedy against her own, igniting sparks all over her skin.
She slipped against his tongue and his lips, feeling his love and need for her.
His heart pounded in his chest, and she curled her fingers there as though she could capture it and keep it forever.
But now she knew she could.
Stacey braced herself against him, tipping forward slightly in the soft sand as she spread her palms against his chest and up to his shoulders.
There was a strength in him that took her breath away, something she’d always thought she could only find in herself.
Her palms pivoted and ran down his biceps, feeling the determination with which he held her.
She made her way around to his back, making long strokes along either side of his spine.
Dylan pulled back just enough to break their kiss, but she could still feel his breath on her skin. He tipped his head slightly toward the darkest spot under the trees. “I think there’s a blanket in the lighthouse.”
At her nod, Dylan took her hand and led her to the door at the base of the building, not wanting to leave her for even that short moment. He let go as he swiftly unlocked the door and ducked inside, but he reemerged a moment later emptyhanded.
“Couldn’t find it?”
He grinned, a mischievous spark in his eyes even in the dim light. “I changed my mind.” Dylan grabbed her around the waist and threw her over his shoulder. The door slammed shut behind them as he turned and ran up the stairs.
“Dylan!” she shrieked, laughing. The dark, shadowy world of the lighthouse interior spun around her, but it made her no less giddy than being with Dylan already did.
They emerged on the landing, and Dylan swung her forward, sliding her body firmly down his as he put her on her feet.
They were dizzy and breathless, and she didn’t want that feeling to end.
Maybe it never would as long as they were together, and she was determined to find out.
Her body buzzed with a fresh flush of desire as she kicked off her shoes and pulled at his shirt.
She shrugged aside the material of her blouse as he peeled it from her shoulders and dropped heady kisses there.
As she reached for his fly, Stacey could tell he was already hard for her.
She impatiently pushed aside whatever bits of clothing came between them, desperate to have her mate all to herself.
Up there, at the top of the lighthouse, they were exposed to the world, yet no one could see them.
They were on display only for each other, and she marveled at the remarkable hand that fate had dealt her.
She admired those wide shoulders and his arms, strong from so many years of hard work.
His torso displayed his chiseled muscles, and a thin line of dark hair led down to his solid erection just above his powerful thighs, sending a whole new wave of heat through Stacey’s core.
Dylan took her in his arms and guided her to the floor with him.
She straddled him, bending forward to kiss him.
She rocked her hips, taking pleasure in the smoothness of his shaft as it pulsed in her hand, his obvious need for her already pushing her excitement higher.
She held him between their bodies, gliding her hand slowly up and down his length, feeling greedy but not interested in stopping until she could no longer stand not having him inside her.
She lifted her hips and guided his cock inside her, slowly sliding downward, and it felt like coming home. She rocked again, not wanting to let go of him for even a moment.
Dylan pulled her shoulders down and took her breast into his mouth, his body pushing all the right buttons. He licked and sucked, his tongue making heated miracles against her sensitive skin. Her nipples became hard buds at his touch, sending even more waves of excitement through her body.
As his hands skimmed her bare skin, capturing her, holding her, making her feel like a goddess, Stacey felt the heat that’d been building inside her coalesce in her core.
Her heart thundered, drowning out all sound except their desperate breaths.
The bottoms of her feet pinched, curling her toes.
Spasms started in her calves and worked their way up until her thighs quivered.
She pressed her hands hard against the floor on either side of his head as her body ratcheted up the final few notches, and she cried out as she lost control, her body shaking and shivering around him.
Dylan wrapped his arms tightly around her as he rolled over, taking her with him.
He lifted her hips off the floor as he wrapped her legs around his waist. Stacey watched with pleasure as his torso undulated, his hardness thrusting into her.
His thumb made small, slow circles against her most sensitive spot, spinning her up all over again.
Her thighs gripped him, and she panted as she felt his girth expanding.
He drove it home, his hands hard on her hips, his face a picture of pure rapture.
As they caught their breath, Dylan pulled her into his arms. They watched the slow rotation of the light far above their heads, a beacon as bright as their love.