Instead of leading me to his car, Kane turned down the sidewalk and started walking further into the city. His shoulders had tensed, and it was clear that he was worried I wasn’t going to like this surprise. He was obviously crazy.
As we walked away from the block lined with restaurants and bars, our surroundings shifted to the entertainment side of things—clubs, theaters, a few museums, and an aquarium caught my eye. I was a bit surprised when we actually stopped in front of the latter. Kane didn’t strike me as the kind of guy who’d find that entertaining, but I was beyond excited.
An octopus adorned the door like it was resting on top of the frame. It was adorable, and I felt a grin spreading across my face.
“The aquarium?” I asked.
Kane winced. “Is it too childish?” He looked downright vulnerable now, his hand running through his short hair until I reached up to stop him, making him look me in the eye.
“It’s perfect,” I reassured him, pulling him inside with me. When I grabbed my wallet to pay, wanting to contribute since he’d covered dinner, he gently moved me out of the way.
“My date, my rules. I get to pay.”
As long as I got to explore, I didn’t really care who paid. The place was pretty empty since it was past the time for kids to be out and most adults chose boozier options for a date night. The opportunity to check the exhibits out at my own pace had me anxious to start, and the old man behind the counter was moving far too slow. When Kane finally made his way back to my side, I tugged him through the doors ahead.
As we walked the halls, I caught him staring at me more than once. I knew I was being a dork, loving every single exhibit, and he was studying my every reaction. It was a soft look containing a mix of possessive heat and love that could only come from someone who knew you deeper than you knew yourself. As I met his gaze, my heart pounded a little harder, and my stomach danced with nerves. Then, as if he were ensuring he kept this completely at my pace, he broke the moment.
“Let’s go in here,” he said, pulling me inside the room. The space curved around us, the round room’s walls made of a single tank. It was full of jellyfish floating listlessly in the water. As the door closed behind us, a lightshow started, illuminating the jellyfish in the tank with an array of quickly changing colors.
It felt like we were in a new world, and I spun in a circle, completely enraptured by the show. As if he couldn’t help himself, Kane rushed forward, placing his hands on either side of my face, then kissing me hard. It wasn’t hungry, but it was passionate. In that moment, I had no doubts regarding how Kane felt about me, and I felt the same.
I moaned as he deepened it, forgetting where we were as he consumed me, mind, body, and soul. My hands ran down his sides, making him shiver at my touch. It was intoxicating to know that I could affect him so deeply.
When he finally released me, I felt a bit dazed; we stood there and rested our heads together, both breathless.
“The things you do to me,” he mused with a chuckle.
“The feeling’s mutual,” I shot back. “Do we skip the ice cream and head home?”
“No chance! There’s still a whole wing left in this place.” He dragged me through the doors and into the next, tucking me into his side as we took in the tunnel. Water and fish moved all around us as we walked through it. The room beyond was oddly empty, and I searched the tanks for anything.
“What’s going on here? There’s nothing out there,” I said.
“Hold on,” he whispered as he glanced around. When he didn’t see anyone, he let go and moved to the tank, pressing a hand to the glass. I wasn’t sure what he was doing until a light show of sparks appeared in the water, the dancing colors luring in whatever creature was in the tank. First, the fish came like moths to a flame. He laughed freely as he stepped back and moved his hand up, making the lights rise. Every time he shifted, the sparks followed, and soon two sea lions joined the party.
He stopped it right in front of me, and I stepped up to the two sea lions resting there. Reaching out, I pressed my hand to the glass, laughing when one of the adorable creatures tapped his nose against it before swimming off.
We heard footsteps coming in, so Kane dropped the magic. The creatures dispersed, though I noticed they kept following us as we walked out quickly. We didn’t want to cause a scene and ruin an amazing date.
The last room ended up being a gift shop. Kane grinned down at me. “Well, now we have to get something.”
It took all of two seconds before he was rushing toward the back wall where a display of plush sea lions was. He plucked the one that most resembled the sea lion we had seen and went right for the checkout counter before I could protest.
“You didn’t have to do that,” I said when he got back to me and handed over the adorable animal.
He simply took my hand. “Come on. I believe we have ice cream waiting for us.”
* * *
We were lostin our own world as we walked back into the hotel. Kane brought me to my room, which was exactly where I wanted to be. The ride back had been an hour and a half full of sexual tension that left me horny and ready for him. As soon as the door closed behind me, I was pushed up against it. My clothes were hastily ripped away as my hands tugged at his.
He only broke our kiss long enough to take a breath and run his eyes over my exposed skin. Goosebumps formed in his wake, and I pushed my slick thighs together, needing friction.
“Fuck me, Kane.” It was an order, a demand, and an amused but hungry smile took over as he snatched me up and threw me over his shoulder. I gasped when his hand slapped my ass, reaching down and returning the favor. The scent of our need filled the air, and I had to bite my lip so I didn’t let out an embarrassing groan.
“You just love to play with fire,” he growled.
“I’m a dragon after all,” I said, but that bravado transformed into a protest when he started toward the bedroom. “No, Kane. Now.” Generally, alphas didn’t take kindly to orders, but Kane was still in control even though he was doing as I asked. He dropped me to my feet and bent me over the couch, his hands slowly teasing over my spine until he reached my ass, giving me another swift smack for good measure. When he dipped his hand between my thighs, he let out a groan. The scent of my slick was strong in the air; there would be no denying what he’d done to me.