She relaxed as he held her, but she looked so damn fragile when he pulled away to look in her eyes. He’d done that to her. Those tears, that not-quite tremble in her lip. All his doing. He shouldn’t have done it, shouldn’t have gotten carried away like he did. Father would kill him if he found out. But it didn’t stop him from taking one last kiss, from promising she could never be a bad secret to him. He hated that she would have to be a secret at all, but Father was clear.
That promise seemed to make her feel a little better, though, and she leaned into him. Her sun-bathed skin felt so good, the soft gray pressing against his lavender. His heart was already racing again, and watching his gentle caress to her cheek ignite something in her eyes made it hammer even harder. Damn, and she must have felt it too, crushed so perfectly together this way. And maybe he got a little carried away again, maybe he just couldn’t help it, and his lips found her throat again. He wanted to taste her, needed to hear and see and feel his touch push her back into that incredible place that made her squirm beneath him.
What kind of more, she asked, her lips brushing his jaw. His eyes closed with a breathy sigh, and his body ached for more, to keep going. But his head fell a little at her next words, drifting to rest lightly against her forehead. For comfort, he needed the comfort. Why would Daddy hate you, Khari? And softer, Would he hate me too?
He didn’t say anything for a long while. Could only just stand there and breathe her in, feel her face against his and the warmth of her body. Father definitely wouldn’t be happy, but he could never hate Kali. It was Kharon that would get the blame, and rightly so. He’d told him not to do this kind of thing and he’d done it anyway. This was all his fault.
Maybe something in him was broken. Maybe there was too much of his grandfather. But even Umbra, with her sexy smooth body and glorious wings, couldn’t entice him away. They’d toyed with each other, had a great deal of fun stirring their blood for each other and earning gasps of pleasure and delightful moans. But in the end, he still hadn’t wanted her. Not really. Flirty friends rather than lovers.
He could never hate you, he said quietly. He shouldn’t have dragged her into this, his problems or whatever it was. He should learn how to control it better, or something. There was a sad sort of smile on his face when he finally pulled back again, brushing a sweet kiss to her forehead. Don’t worry about it. I shouldn’t have played with you that way. I’ll try not to do it again. Dad won’t have any reason to be upset. He shifted to stand at her side and covered her with his wing as he always did, teasing at her hair one more time before leading them forward again.
Will you come out with me again tomorrow? We can go all the way to the river this time... Out here, alone with her where no one could find them, was far too tempting. Where she could moan and cry out for him all she wanted and not a soul would be bothered by it. Maybe it was better to be somewhere else instead. Somewhere away from the lick of the sea against their skin. Away from urging rock of the ocean.