Chapter 10 Ocean Magic
Caspian
Once we were out of view, Juniper tensed, and from the lines around her eyes and the way her mouth pinched, I knew she was pulling back.
“I meant every word,” I said.
Endlessly dark eyes blinked up at me. Her lips parted to form a little “o”.
“Come on, little witch. I have a better idea for our day.”
She leaned into me, wrapping her other hand around my arm. “Really? What would that be?”
“You’ll see.”
We hurried back to the condo. She punched in the door code and then hesitated. “Caspian, I’m not sure we should do anything. I mean, there’s the whole—”
“Get inside, Juniper,” I ordered.
Her expression relaxed, and she stepped over the threshold as I pulled the door shut behind us. She looked up at me with such trust, I wanted nothing more than to strip her down and fuck her until she didn’t know her own name. But that was too much, too soon. I couldn’t risk losing her.
“Now go to your room and change into your swimsuit,” I said with measured, deliberate words.
Her eyes flicked over my face, lingering on my mouth, and I raised an eyebrow, waiting for her to argue. She nodded, her beautiful face still soft and compliant. My control wavered, and I reached for her, brushing her hair back from her face.
“Hurry, baby.”
Juniper padded back to the bedroom, and I couldn’t help noticing how she left the door slightly ajar. That was not helping my fraying control.
Shaking my head, I grabbed swim trunks and headed to the bathroom to change. It took a few minutes and some decidedly unsexy thoughts to calm down.
“Come on, Rafferty, get it together,” I muttered.
I emerged from the bathroom, and Juniper stood there, an expanse of bronze skin framed with glossy hair the color of warm moonlight. A navy bikini pushed her gorgeous tits up. I could have perished at the sight. All of her delicious curves were on display .
“I didn’t think I’d ever wear this swimsuit,” she said quietly.
“I fucking love it,” I said, squeezing the door frame so hard I was worried I’d leave a mark.
“So, what now?” she asked, a blush warming her cheeks. Tides, she was perfect.
“Let’s go swimming,” I said, sounding a little strangled.
“I figured that was the plan with the swimsuits,” she said, holding up a bag with towels tucked inside. “I’ve got water, towels, sunscreen.”
“You always take care of everyone else, don’t you?” I asked, dipping my head. “You don’t need to do that, but I appreciate how thoughtful you are.”
Her bottom lip rolled through her teeth, her eyes full of conflicting emotions. I hated to see her uncomfortable, so I reached out and offered her my hand. Her expression melted into affection as she threaded our fingers together.
The comfortable silence wrapped around us as we walked the block to the beach. A few people enjoyed the beach, but we walked down the sand to a less popular area. I held her hand the entire way. The magic flowing between us was intoxicating, and I knew she felt it.
“How’s right here?” I asked.
“Looks good,” she murmured, setting her bag down.
I couldn’t help running my hands over her sides and settling them at her waist. She leaned into me, and I drew her toward the water. She followed me without hesitation. The faith and trust in her eyes sent my heart soaring.
My magic prickled at me, urging me to shift into my seal form at the touch of the ocean, but my coat was back at the condo, so the sensation was dulled. Even if I could shift, I wouldn’t. Not when I could get my hands all over my witch in this form.
The white foam swirled around my hips and her waist, and she held her other hand over the surface. It looked a little odd, but I could feel her draw on the magic flowing between us. She was awakening a part of herself, and I wanted nothing more than to support her and see her reclaim her power.
Another bigger wave crashed into us, and salty water splashed over her chest.
“Oh!” she yelped.
Grinning, I pulled her against me and wrapped my arms around the small of her back, lifting her up against my chest. Her hands grabbed my shoulders, and her legs opened to bracket my waist. The heat of her against my bare skin in contrast with the cool water felt exquisite.
“Caspian,” she breathed out.
Her eyes widened as I fell back into the water, taking her with me. The ocean enveloped us, and her shriek was cut off in a stream of bubbles and a rush of water.
Her pale hair billowed around her beautiful face that was all scrunched up as she squeezed her eyes shut.
For a moment, we floated, and I reached up, brushing her hair back and admiring how it swayed in the current.
Her hands pressed against my chest, and I kicked my feet, pushing us above the surface.
Juniper gasped, water droplets trickling over her skin. “Hey, what was that for?”
“You are beautiful in the water,” I said without thought. Holding her tight, I shoved off the bottom and pushed us into deeper water. She clung to me, and I swam backward, loving how her fingers dug into my skin.
The water slicked her hair back, leaving her face bare. The elegant lines of her features were more pronounced, and I wanted to trace my lips over every part of her.
“How does your magic feel?” I asked.
She blinked, and sparkling droplets flicked from her lashes. “Um, it’s actually fairly strong right now. I guess being in the ocean, in a natural source of water, makes more of a difference than I realized.”
My smile turned wry at her stubborn refusal to acknowledge our connection. There was no way she didn’t feel her magic surge every time we touched.
“Show me what you can do,” I said.
Juniper’s teeth sunk into her bottom lip, and my attention snagged on that small movement. I wanted to be the one biting her. She ran her tongue over the spot, and my body reacted to her, the feel of her soft curves against my chest, her skin sliding against mine. She was irresistible.
“Honestly, I haven’t been able to work much magic in a few years,” she admitted. “But I feel like that’s changing. ”
“Yeah?”
Those gorgeous lips curved, and she lifted one hand up, eyeing the water lapping around us as I kept us above the surface. Her thighs tightened over my hips to hold herself steady as she used her magical talent.
The water around us lifted up in a shimmer of droplets. It was like being in the middle of a disco ball. The sparkling drops spun around us, catching the sun and throwing it into a million tiny rainbows.
My mouth fell open. The droplets slowed and then rained down in a circle around us.
Juniper let out a pealing laugh as if she was surprised at what she’d accomplished.
“You are amazing,” I said.
Those ocean eyes locked onto mine, and that connection between us flared. The magic between us tightened, pulling us together. Flashes of our dreams ghosted over my skin—the feel of her lips all over my body, my fingers and tongue and cock inside of her.
Her hands trailed over my shoulders, and I slowed until we treaded water, her legs wrapped around my waist and her hands at the back of my neck. I looked up at her, unable to believe she was mine.
My heart raced, and I was sure she could feel it where we were pressed together. For a long moment, we stared at each other, and I could see her reservations finally dissolve.
She closed the distance between us, brushing her nose over my cheek. Her lips swept over mine in the lightest kiss. My arms tightened around her, showing her exactly how badly I wanted her.
The dam broke, and her mouth crashed into mine, lips parting. It was desperate and needy and everything I’d felt toward her since the first moment I’d touched her hand. Her lips slid across mine in a messy, euphoric kiss.
We slipped under the water, and her mouth never left mine, her nails clawing into my upper back. I wanted to fuck her right here in the ocean, but it was the middle of the day, and I wasn’t sure I could do it well and keep us above the water so we could breathe.
Fuck breathing, I just needed her.
Kicking my legs, we broke the surface, and she reeled back, sucking in lungfuls of air. I let her hold onto me as I swam toward the shore. She pressed kisses to my cheek, my jaw, under my ear.
We hit the sand, and I scrambled to stand up without letting her go.
“Caspian,” she spluttered.
My chest heaved as I paused. It was a struggle to focus on anything but the feel of her body.
“We need our stuff,” she said, giggling.
“Oh,” I grunted stupidly. With a shake of my head, I let her slide down my body to stand, and then I stooped to yank out a towel and wrap it around her before grabbing one for myself .
“Thank you,” she said sweetly, taking my hand.
I’d rather have carried her all the way back to the rental condo, but I had to settle for walking hand in hand as my thumb rubbed over her wrist.
Heat and magic sparked between us, urging us onward.