“Eat,” he instructed.
To please him, she did.
They finished their meals and wandered through Fira’s narrow streets again, hand in hand, entering several shops. She glanced around at the intricate jewelry made from coral, volcano rocks and precious gems from the island and fiddled through the racks of clothes.
His phone rang. Reaching into his pocket, he fished it out. “Hello,” he answered without sparing a glance at the caller ID.
“Cain.” Olivia heard Jocelyn’s familiar voice. “How’s everything?”
She turned and met his eyes just as he responded, “Good.”
“Did you—”
“Yes,” he answered before Jocelyn could finish her sentence.
“So everything is—”
“Perfect,” he responded.
“I’m happy for you both,” Jocelyn said. “Give Liv a kiss for me.”
“I will.”
“Love you both and take care of Liv.”
He smirked. “Love you, and you know I always do,” he responded. About to hang up, he quickly brought the phone back to his ear. “Joce, I forgot to say…thanks,” he finished then hung up and closed the distance between them.
She couldn’t help the questions spilling from her lips. “She knew? Did everyone else know, too?”
His hand went to her face, cupping her cheek, he nodded. “I didn’t tell them, but they knew.”
“For how long?”
“Remember the party Jenna threw for Joce?”
She glanced away from him then nodded. It had been just days after she met Cain for the first time, days after he’d saved her. Landon had still been denying Jocelyn, who’d just come into her powers. It didn’t mean he’d been ignoring her though. The minute they got to the impromptu gathering, Landon headed straight for her. Because he’d been so focused on his mate, he’d left Olivia to her own devices. Cain had kept her company. They’d talked for close to an hour. That was the night he promised to teach her about other immortal breeds, which she knew little of. He kept that promise in the weeks and months to come.
“Remember how Jacob and Benjamin made a comment about there being lots of mates?”
“Yeah, and you told me possessiveness streamed off of demons when they find their mates.”
He nodded. “They knew from the moment I found you.”
“Then Lucas told Jenna who then told Jocelyn?”
He shook his head. “No darling, they saw me with you and figured it out.”
“But…” She didn’t know exactly what she wanted to say, but knew exactly how she felt, just as she had earlier, ignorant. It seemed she was the only one who hadn’t realized his feelings for her. Her inexperience with men and her naiveté with all things within the immortal world had prevented her from deciphering what he’d clearly expressed with actions.
“I didn’t tell anyone. I didn’t discuss my decision to wait with anyone either, not Lucas, not Joce, not anyone,” he said, continuing to rub his hand on the side of her face.
“But…” Her words fell away again.
“Tell me,” he urged.
“I just…I feel like an ignorant—”
Leaning into her, he snaked his arm around her waist and said, “Don’t finish that thought. You aren’t ignorant.”
“Thanks to you, maybe not as much as I used to be,” she whispered.
His eyes softened, a tender glint in them shining through. She loved it when he looked at her like that. He’d done it before, many times. She noticed and loved it then, too. She’d just never noticed how with that one look it was clear he cared for her deeply.
“It’s always harder to interpret things when they’re happening to you. You’re too close to the situation and your emotions get in the way.”
She shrugged. “I guess, but…” She trailed off when a thought occurred, then she asked, “Did Joce tell you where to find me?”
Hesitating only briefly, he admitted, “Yes,” then quickly added, “I hope you don’t think she’s picking sides or—”
“I wouldn’t.” How could she when the result was all she’d dreamed of for months? “I owe her…for you.”
He kissed her lightly on the lips and smiled. “You’re beautiful, you know that?”
Though she didn’t believe it for a second, she blushed. “No.”
“Yeah, you are,” he contradicted.
“I’m average.”
Lifting a brow, he shot back immediately, “Nothing about you is
average
.”
“I am. Average height, average hair, average—”
Placing his fingers over her mouth, he silenced her. “You’re beautiful, Liv. I know so, and everyone thinks so.”
Shaking her head, she said, “If I was, don’t you think I would’ve been kissed before now?” Immediately, she regretted her admission. She looked away from him and attempted to turn.
His arm, firmly wrapped around her waist, tightened, not letting her. “None of that.” Her gaze went to his, then, as if knowing exactly what she thought, he said, “I
love
that I was your first kiss. I
love
more that I’ll be your last.”
He said it with such emotion, the air in her lungs escaped her, and she found herself gasping for breath.
“You grew up around your pack, isolated. Your brother’s alpha of that pack. No one wants to mess with the alpha, so unless you were someone’s fated, no one would’ve made a move. That’s why you’ve never been kissed. It’s not because you’re average, and it’s not because you aren’t beautiful.”
She held his eyes, not knowing what to say. After several moments, he spoke again.
“You know I love it when your face flushes. I get a kick out of it every time.” He winked.
Because he actually winked at her, because they were now official, she couldn’t help but ask what she’d had the urge to hundreds of times before. “Are you…are you flirting with me?”
His hand at her waist drifted up her spine, then under her loose hair he gripped the back of her neck. “Mrs. Thaler, I believe I am.”
She was sure she was as red as a tomato, and once again cursed her inexperience with all matters pertaining to men. Jocelyn would never flush repeatedly for a simple compliment.
“Don’t act coy. You flirt with me, too.”
Her eyes widened. “I don’t,” she said immediately. She didn’t know how to flirt.
“Really? So all that talk in the restaurant about me administering punishment, what was that?” he asked, his eyes glimmering mischievously.
“That’s flirting?” she asked, surprised.
“Yes, my sweet. You’re rather good at it. It’s not the first time you’ve flirted with me.”
“But I…I thought that was just teasing. We joke like that all the time. You joke like that with everyone—”
Shaking his head, he said, “No, Liv, I
don’t
joke like that with everyone, only with
you
.” Smiling, his eyes darkened.
It was news to her, and it lifted her spirits to think maybe she wasn’t as far behind as she thought. Maybe she knew a bit more than she believed.
“We should get going if we want to go dancing tonight. Don’t you think?”
She smiled and nodded.
Chapter 18
Cain insisted on taking her dancing. Whether in an effort to postpone the inevitable, making love, or because he’d promised he would take her, Olivia didn’t know but felt it was probably a bit of both.
She knew he was an honorable man who never made a promise he couldn’t keep, but her instincts told her there was a part of him that was hesitant to take their relationship to the next level. She feared what it meant.
Immortal males couldn’t control their need to claim their mates. Cain had. Being a demon, part of the most reviled, volatile and feared immortal breed, it was unheard of, and again, Cain had. Why?
If she was his, and he’d waited months, his needs should rule him by now. Unless…
Stop it,
she scolded herself, hating the negative path her thoughts took. She trusted Cain. He wouldn’t lie—certainly not about being her male.
Although she loved to dance and hardly went because of her overprotective brother, tonight she wasn’t tempted by the prospect of it. Dancing was the farthest thing from her mind. The only temptation was Cain. Having spent decades dreaming about what it would feel like to make love to another and a century waiting for her male, she needed him in the most carnal way.
After perusing her closet, she finally decided on a blue backless, fitted dress. She picked it because the short dress, which left little to the imagination, was blue, his favorite color. It hugged every curve and ended inches too high.
She dressed quickly and applied some make-up then went downstairs toward the living room. His eyes met hers, and they sparked, briefly igniting the fire in them. His jaw went hard, his hands fisted at his sides in a battle with his desires. The air suspended around her too thick to inhale; she held her breath.
“Olivia,” he said, his voice hoarse, laced with need. He mumbled in Latin, words she couldn’t comprehend.
She took a step toward him.
He held out his hand to stop her, the action surprising her.
“Give me a minute,” he rasped as if in pain. Closing his eyes, he breathed deeply.
Slowly, she walked toward him. His eyes snapped open suddenly, his gaze intensified, but she didn’t flinch. She continued to tread toward him until they stood mere inches apart, until she could feel his deep, cool breaths on her skin.
“What is it?” she asked.
Cupping her cheek tenderly, he said, “I want you so bad, darling. I’ve waited a long time for you, and that’s made it worse. You’re…innocent. I
can’t
lose control with you. But because I’ve waited so long, because I want you so bad, I don’t trust myself to be gentle.”
He wanted her so bad he feared his desire would overwhelm him and he’d hurt her? Was that it? Was that why he hadn’t made a move? Why he hadn’t claimed her as destined? She couldn’t believe it. She just couldn’t come to grips with it because it was nearly impossible for an immortal male to control his need to claim his fated especially for so long, and yet he said it, so she believed him because coming from him it made sense.
He’d always been extremely cautious around her, terrified of hurting her, as protective as a mate. Immortals who found their mates were consumed with the need to protect, guard and defend them. Why hadn’t she realized she was his? Hindsight was twenty-twenty after all.
Releasing a breath, she reminded him, “I’m a werewolf.” Pausing for only a split second, she said, “You won’t hurt me. I know you won’t.”
“I’d never hurt you deliberately, Liv, but we both know I’ve hurt you unintentionally.”
The somber tone of his voice gouged a hole in her chest because she knew he truly believed it. She shook her head. “That doesn’t count, and you’ve never
physically
hurt me. You shouldn’t be afraid to hurt me when we…” Her cheeks flushed, and she silently berated herself. “It’s why you’re holding back—”
Feathering a light kiss on her forehead, he said, “Darling, it’s more than that…even if I could manage to be gentle…” His words trailed off as he ran a hand through his hair.
“Tell me,” she urged.
“Remember I told you about a demon’s need to—”
“Mark their mates,” she finished for him.
“I’m afraid I won’t be able to stop myself from marking you.”
Her heart dropped to the pit of her stomach. “W-what…Why does it matter?” she stuttered, afraid to hear his answer.
“Every immortal will know you’ve been claimed. Before it comes to that, there are some things we need to work out.”
Her chest constricted. What things could they possibly need to work out? She was his and loved him, and he claimed he loved her. What else was there?
Pulling away from him, she asked, “What things?” Her voice rose, her cheeks heating in anger.
His eyes widened in response. “I’m just thinking of you.”
He tried to grab her hand, but she drew away from him. She couldn’t think with his hands on her. She could barely think at such close proximity to him, and right then, she needed to think, to understand what he’d said.
“So, we have things to work out and you’re doing this for me?”
Eyes on her, scanning her face, confusion muddled his expression, but he didn’t say a word.
“I was under the impression I was your mate and you loved me, but you admit you don’t want to mark me because we have things to
work out
.”
Shaking his head, he said calmly, “It’s not like that, Liv.”
Her eyes welling with tears, she asked, “What’s it like, then?” She couldn’t keep the quiver from her voice.
“Your brother, Liv.”
She froze, feeling every bit of the idiot she was. He was thinking of her after all, of them, and she assumed the worst. Her eyes dried instantly.
Truth was she hadn’t considered how she’d broach the subject with her brother. In fact, she hadn’t thought of her brother at all, not even after she’d spoken to Landon that afternoon, but Cain was right. Landon needed time to adjust. Her brother was a domineering, macho and overprotective alpha who often treated her like a child, overlooking the fact she was more than a century old. If Olivia waltzed into her home with her male’s mark on her, Landon would…what would he do? Have a stroke? Scream and yell? Try to kill Cain? But did it matter? She feared when confession time came, Landon would lose his temper either way. She loved Cain, and she was
his
. That meant he was
hers
. Why should they have to wait?
It’s the least you can do for your brother after everything he’s done for you
, her conscience sneered.
Guilt seethed into her anew, and she cursed the emotion altogether. Meeting Cain’s gaze, she said, “You’re right, but—”
He silenced her with a quick kiss then he pulled away and said, “Don’t apologize, darling. I didn’t explain it well. I don’t want you to feel guilty about this either. I’ve had months to think about it…You haven’t.”
She nodded, feeling his hands run down her bare back in a soothing and comforting gesture.
As his hands roamed lower, below her mid-back, realizing the dress left her bare, his eyes flared a deep crimson. He hissed. “Liv,” he said in a warning tone as his fingers continued to trail down her bare skin.
“Let me worry about my brother,” she said.
“No,” he retorted, too quickly and too harshly.