Casey leaned against his chest, putting her cheek against him so she could hear the thud of his heartbeat close to her. His skin was so warm. He was like a glowing ember that would smolder forever, a bright light that would always keep her warm and guide her home with its perfect light.
Jake’s arms tightened around her. One hand stroked her hair gently, and she sighed with pleasure. Exhaustion was catching up to her, and she began to drift. Casey had never had so many orgasms before…she hadn’t known it was even possible.
That must be what being fated mates is all about.
She curled one arm around him, pressing their bodies together. She knew that he was feeling exactly the same way. As if when they joined their bodies, their hearts and souls became entangled too.
She wished this moment could last forever. There was no doubt, no silly rules from a strangely segregated society to confuse her and make her question Jake or his motives. There was only the pure strength of his need.
As if to prove the clarity of it to her, Jake stroked the top of her head and kissed her gently, whispering softly. “I adore you.”
She knew that he did. She also knew that life was not simple, and once this moment was done, it would be easy to forget the perfect clarity both of them were feeling right now.
Now.
She gave herself up to it, letting his breath and his heartbeat sing her to sleep.
CHAPTERTWELVE
JAKE
Jake hummed to himself as he collected plates and bowls from the kitchen to take out to the back garden. It was a mild evening, and the stars were just beginning to sparkle against the lapis blue sky. He’d ordered a selection of dishes from both Chinese and Mexican restaurants, and he wanted the mood set before Casey arrived.
It had been a few weeks since he had first brought his mate here, and he was starting to run out of ideas on what to do. Jake had no problem eating in and streaming shows with Casey, but he was worried that it would begin to bore her sooner or later.
He looked around the garden as he set the table, adjusting a couple of the lanterns. The soft glow flashing back on the nearby trees dappled the shadows and made them flicker against the coming night. To further set the atmosphere, Jake turned on the sound system, and strains of soothing music drifted through the garden from several hidden speakers.
As he surveyed the scene, his worries surfaced again. He knew that Casey was having a good time with him, but lately, there was just something amiss, and he couldn’t quite put a finger on what it was.
He knew that she was the one. There was no going back for him. So far, their chemistry and closeness had only continued to build. It looked like clear skies from whatever perspective he chose to look at it.
So why does she always come here instead of inviting me into her life?
The thought surfaced suddenly and with mind-altering clarity. He hadn’t met any of her friends or visited any of the places she liked to hang out. They were close, but it felt like there was still so much of her he hadn’t seen.
His family had been in and out over the last few weeks, and somehow, Casey had avoided meeting them too. It was only now, in his moment of doubt, that he saw it that way.
Maybe I’m just paranoid. Everything’s fine.
His slight feeling of anxiety did not go away as he set the table. He got so lost in his own thoughts that when Casey came through the back doors, he jumped in surprise.
“Hey, tiger,” she laughed. “Or should I say, my lion? You’re not being a fraidy cat, are you?”
“Never,” he said, smiling. He reached for her, immersing in her scent and bending down to kiss her lips. Her words lingered in his mind, though.
Am I afraid? Or is she?
Jake went to get the food from the oven and set up the big timber table. Casey perched on the edge of it instead of taking a chair and dipped her fingers straight into some avocado and spicy meat, putting it into a tortilla.
He watched her lick sauce from her fingers with extreme affection. It was small things like this that reminded him why he loved her so much. She was so casual and free…everything was a sensory experience. She optimized every moment of her life, being as unrestrained as she could be at every opportunity.
“Hmm, this is really good,” she said, taking a bite of her burrito. “Did you get it at that restaurant we went to a while ago?”
“No, a closer one,” he said, helping himself to fried rice and Mongolian beef. “I can take you there if you like.”
Casey shook her head, mumbling through her food. “No, it’s okay. We’ll just do this again. Did you pick something to stream later? I heard about this really obscure foreign film that has a great plot.”
Jake sat quietly, watching her. She was still the most beautiful thing he had ever seen and always would be. He loved the way her hair looked so dark in the evening light, but her eyes seemed to trap the lantern’s glow and shimmer with depths of amber. She was wearing one of her loose, patchwork gowns and the shifting shadows accented the different colors and textures, making her look more like a fairy tale sorcerer than a hippie.