by S. E. Smith
“We’ll try the shower later,” he groaned against her neck.
“And the bed,” Jenny said, releasing the fastenings of his trousers and pushing them down.
Orion deftly unbuttoned Jenny’s vest. He pushed the material from her shoulders, following it with his lips. He loved the slight taste of salt against her skin. Cupping her breasts, he sucked on one of the taut nipples. His tongue rolled over the hard pebble before he nipped it.
“Oh, damn!” Jenny cried out.
Orion hissed when both of her hands wrapped around his cock, and she began stroking his throbbing length. He moved his hands down to her pants and quickly released the fastenings, pushing them down. The moment she was free of them, he lifted her up.
Her legs wrapped around his waist, reminding him of the last time he had held her like this. The difference this time was there was no barrier of clothing between them, just hot, aroused flesh. His cock was stiff, full, and straining. Any fear he had that Jenny wasn’t ready for him was quickly alleviated when she rose up high enough for him to sink into her slick channel.
Orion locked his knees when he felt the tip of his cock against her liquid femininity. Her molten core was tight as it stretched around his sensitive head. She paused and gazed into his eyes.
“Don’t let go of me,” she instructed.
“Never,” Orion promised in a voice thick with need.
His heart thundered at the triumphant smile curving her lips. She pulled back just far enough to stroke the head of his cock once more before sliding all the way down on his straining shaft, impaling herself as far as she could go. A shudder ran through him and he tightened his arms.
“Hold on to me,” he ordered in a strained voice.
Jenny leaned against him, wrapping her arms tightly around his shoulders and pressed a kiss against his neck. Orion took a small step forward. If he didn’t get into the water soon, they would both be on the hard path. He barely made it down the steps and into the pool. Now that his feet were planted against the ledge at the bottom of the steps, he relaxed his hold on Jenny and let the water help him.
His hands kneaded her buttocks, caressing them. She began to rock her hips, and she leaned back far enough that she could stretch her upper body to expose more of her breasts. Orion rocked his hips hard, squeezing the cheeks of her ass.
“You wanted to tease me,” he said, thrusting into her.
“Yes,” Jenny moaned.
“That can be very dangerous to a man who wants you as much as I do,” Orion said, pulling back and thrusting again.
“It can? How dangerous?” Jenny asked, gripping his arms and gazing up at him.
“Very dangerous,” Orion replied.
Jenny ran her hands up his arms, pulling herself close to him again. She threaded her fingers through his hair and gazed into his eyes. A mischievous smile curved her lips.
“I love danger,” she retorted.
“Goddess, you will drive me over the edge,” Orion muttered, capturing her lips.
Her confession and her teasing opened the floodgate inside Orion. Breaking the kiss, he gripped her hips and pulled out of her. Her loud hiss of protest soon turned to one of surprise when he turned her in his arms and gripped her wrists.
“Bend forward and brace your arms on the steps,” he ordered.
Jenny swallowed and nodded. He gripped his throbbing cock in one hand and her hip with the other. The crystal clear water swirled around his thighs. With a soft order, two twirling bands of water wrapped around her wrists, holding her in place.
“What…?” Jenny gasped, startled.
“Water can be very playful,” Orion murmured.
“I… Yes…,” Jenny groaned, her head falling forward.
Jenny’s broken groan died as he pushed into her again, this time from behind. He wanted her, every way, everywhere, with total abandon. Loving Jenny was nothing like the tame experiences he’d had in the past. Loving her was fierce, hot, and raw. Their coming together was primitive and powerful in need.
“You are mine, my beautiful mermaid,” Orion cried out, feeling her warmth wrap around his cock.
Each movement brought painfully intense pleasure. Leaning forward, he cupped her breasts and pinched her nipples. His hips moved with agonizing precision as he pleasured her until she was pushing back against him with increasing need.
“Oh, baby. Oh, baby,” her breathy chants increased until she stiffened and shuddered.
Orion felt her body tighten around his. Already stretched like a glove around his cock, her channel pulsed around him. He tensed as his body reacted to her orgasm, a long, drawn-out groan escaping him, and he shuddered as he emptied his hot seed into her womb—just like he had dreamed about for weeks.
“Release her,” he ordered the water, before pulling her back against his body and falling backwards into the water.
They sank down, keeping their legs tangled in an attempt to keep them joined as long as possible. Floating under the water, Orion tenderly caressed Jenny’s breasts. He could feel his body already anticipating their next joining.
“I love you, Jenny,” he murmured, gazing up at the sunlight dancing through the water.
“Forever, my magical merman?” she asked, half-serious and half-teasing.
“Absolutely forever, my beautiful mermaid,” Orion promised.
Jenny’s body relaxed, wrapped in his strong embrace. Orion loved holding her tightly. She pressed back against him and moaned in disappointment when he eventually slid out of her. He tenderly turned her in his arms. Gazing at her, he drew her close once again and kissed her.
Drawing back, Jenny buried her face against his neck. “I love you, Orion. I never thought I could love someone the way I do you,” she confessed.
Orion heard the faint uncertainty and fear in her voice. She had been hurt before, he was certain of that. The time they had together now would give her a chance to realize that he hadn’t made his confession lightly. He loved her. She was everything he could wish for and more. She was his beautiful mermaid, and he would do everything he could to make sure she never had a reason to doubt his love.
They sat on the beach watching the sun slowly sink on the horizon. After their first round of lovemaking in the pool, they became famished. Too impatient to dress, they had used towels as temporary clothing.
Orion had grilled the sea mushrooms while Jenny washed and cut up the fruit. She giggled when Orion’s towel kept coming loose. He had finally emitted a long expletive and tossed it aside. They barely made it through the meal before they tested out the hanging bed. Jenny discovered Orion liked her on top—and on the bottom and from behind and standing up and bending over.
In all honesty, she was amazed that she had the strength to walk down to the beach. She leaned her head against him and stared out at the fading light, thinking about how much her life had changed.
“Are you happy here, Jenny?” Orion asked.
Jenny sat up and looked at Orion in surprise. “Yes, very happy. Why?” she asked, trying to keep the self-doubt out of her voice.
Orion dug his toes into the sand. “I worry that you might miss your world. I have never asked if you had family—or someone else that you cared about,” he confessed.
Jenny reached up and touched his cheek. This was the first time she had ever heard the sound of uncertainty in Orion’s voice. He gazed back at her with a troubled expression.
“There was no one. Carly was really the only family I had. That is why it hurt so much when she disappeared. What about you? Are you happy?” she asked.
Orion reached out and gripped her hand, pulling it to his lips. Warmth filled her at the love shining from his eyes. Once again she was struck by the beauty of his features.
“More than I can ever show you, but I’m willing to try,” he said.
“The shower?” she teased, laughing when he stood up and pulled her off the rock they’d been sitting on.
“I was thinking more of the beach,” he said.
<
br /> A soft gasp escaped Jenny when he pulled the thick towel off of her and laid it down. He placed his next to it, forming a bed over the warm sand. Gripping her hand, he twisted and pulled her down on top of him.
The warm, gentle breeze caressed her heated flesh as she sank down on Orion’s thick cock. She rode him, slowly, tenderly as the stars began to shimmer up above, lighting their makeshift bed.
Chapter Eighteen
“I thought I would find you here,” Kapian said, walking out of the water.
“I sent a message,” Orion grunted, refocusing his attention on the rope he was weaving.
“You said ‘I won’t be back for a few days. Don’t worry and don’t come. Tell the boys to behave until I get back.’ That is hardly a message. It is very cryptic,” Kapian dryly stated.
Orion glanced up again with a frown. “What have they done now?”
“Who? Oh, the boys? Nothing. Well, almost nothing. Juno has been driving Kelia crazy with questions about the baby, like what color his baby sister’s room should be and whether she should stay in his and Dolph’s room so they can protect her better. Other than that, they have been surprisingly mellow for a change,” Kapian replied.
Orion grunted again when Kapian sat down beside him. It would appear his anti-social behavior was not going to drive off his friend. Glancing over his shoulder, Orion hoped that Jenny was aware that they were no longer alone. The last few days had been blissful—and relatively clothes-free.
He had pulled on a pair of trousers earlier so he could take care of Sea Fire and harvest more food. He’d been heading back when he felt Kapian’s approach and decided it would be best to wait for his friend. A deep sigh escaped him. It would appear life and responsibilities were about to intrude on their ‘honeymoon’ as she called their time alone.
“If the boys have not destroyed the kingdom, disappeared, or created some other type of havoc, what could possibly be so dire that you couldn’t wait a few more days?” Orion asked.
Kapian chuckled before he grew serious. “The Queen of the Isle of Magic wishes to speak with you—in person,” he said.
Orion frowned. “I can meet with her at the palace on the surface,” he said, rising to his feet.
Kapian shook his head. “She has asked that you journey to Magic. She says it is imperative that she remain on the isle,” he said.
“What is going on? First the Elementals disappear, then the Queen of Magic wishes for me to present myself to her. I have not seen either in almost a decade. I have enough on my hands with my own kingdom!” Orion retorted, standing.
Kapian looked back at him with a grim expression. “I fear it has to do with your cousin,” he admitted with a grimace of distaste.
“Magna. My father should have struck her dead instead of just banishing her. It would have prevented the continuing misery that she unleashes!” Orion bit out in frustration.
Kapian nodded in agreement. Staring out at the ocean, Orion couldn’t help but think of his cousin. The three of them had spent many a day—and night—on this beach dreaming of their plans for the future and plotting ways to change Orion’s. The last time they’d been here was the night he and Magna had seen the meteorite flashing through the night. They had raced out to retrieve it.
Orion didn’t remember much of that night. Something had spooked his sea dragon, and he had struck his head. It wasn’t long after that night that he’d noticed a change in Magna and an end to the friendship that had been created out of love, laughter, and dreams.
“We will return within the hour. Prepare to leave later this afternoon,” Orion stated.
“I’ll ready the members of the elite guard,” Kapian said, walking back toward the water.
Orion nodded. “Kapian….”
Kapian turned. “Yes, my friend?”
“I want you to know the shower idea was a good one,” Orion replied with a wry grin.
Kapian groaned and shook his head. “Now I will have an image of you stuck in my head that I never wanted to see,” he groaned.
Orion’s laughter followed Kapian as he dove back into the water and swam over to where his stag was playing with Sea Fire. Orion didn’t move until he knew Kapian was gone. With a sigh, he turned back toward the hut. It looked like the honeymoon was over.
“Listen carefully to what Kelia tells you and don’t give her any trouble. Promise?” Jenny asked.
“We promise. When you come back, will you please bring our sister with you?” Juno asked.
Jenny resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Juno was one of the most single-minded, persistent little boys she had ever met—and she had met a lot of them! When he’d heard that they had returned, he had come running out with a yell of excitement. He had swept past his dad’s open arms and straight to her.
“So, do you have her? Is she still in your stomach?” he had asked, pressing his ear against her. “I don’t hear anything.”
Jenny choked back her laughter even as everyone around them chuckled and started ribbing Orion. Juno had been heartbroken when Jenny carefully explained that even if she had a baby sister in the oven, it would take months before the baby would be ready to visit. That would have been fine except for Juno’s precious response when he turned his determined gaze to his father.
“You need to keep father busy if it is going to take months to make her,” Juno informed her.
Jenny didn’t correct Juno’s misunderstanding of how his baby sister would be made. Instead, she leaned forward, pressed a kiss to Juno’s cheek, and told him she would do her very best to make sure that she kept his dad busy. She had to admit, the idea was beginning to grow on her—especially the part about keeping Orion busy. She glanced up at Orion to see how he was handling her conversation with Juno. The heated look in his eyes made her think of other things that turned her cheeks a nice rosy shade of red.
They had been on their journey for nearly two hours before Orion reined in Sea Fire to swim near Jenny who was riding her new sea dragon, Sea Star. She hadn’t minded. Orion and Kapian were discussing a wide range of issues, most of which she didn’t understand. Before long, one of the guards named York had struck up a conversation with her, answering the questions she had about her sea dragon, the Isle of Magic, and how long it would take.
“York,” Orion nodded, dismissing the guard with a curt nod of his head.
“Your Majesty,” York politely replied, reining his sea stag in behind them a fair distance to give them privacy.
“Ouch,” she said in a quiet voice.
Orion turned his head to look at her with a frown. “You are hurt?” he asked.
Jenny shook her head. “No, but I think York is feeling the effects of the freezer burn you just gave him,” she reflected.
Orion turned to face forward. Jenny could see the muscle twitching in his jaw. Reining Sea Star closer, she reached out and touched Orion’s arm.
“What is it?” she asked.
She could feel the muscles tense before they relaxed under her concerned touch. It was obvious that there was a history between the two men, but she couldn’t fathom what it could be to have upset Orion so badly. Every time she had seen the guard at the palace, he had been very polite and attentive.
“York was Shamill’s personal guard,” Orion stated in a tight voice.
“Oh,” Jenny replied, unsure of what else to say.
“It would appear he was very personal,” Orion added.
“Oh! I… Kelia said that Shamill died after Juno was born,” Jenny said.
“Kapian and I had been out at sea when we felt a minor earthquake. Concerned, we hurriedly returned to the Isle of the Sea Serpent. There had been some minor damage to the older buildings, but nothing serious—or so I thought. York approached me to tell me that Shamill had been injured. She had been in poor health off and on throughout her pregnancy with Juno. That and her fear of heights made it highly unlikely that she would have been walking along the upper paths near the cliffs. Shamill was deathly afraid of heigh
ts to the point where she would not even climb the stairs to the second floor,” he told her.
“Oh my god, she didn’t fall off the cliff did she?” Jenny asked in horror.
Orion shook his head. “No, part of the wall along the path collapsed. Her injuries thrust her into early labor. The injuries, her already weakened health, and giving birth to Juno were too much. She died shortly after the birth,” he shared.
“How did you know…? Are you sure they were, you know, friendly?” she asked.
Orion glanced at her and nodded. “Shamill was on her way to see York. I found copies of letters among Shamill’s belongings. She was trying to find a way to break off their affair. It would appear her love for her children outweighed her love for him,” he bitterly retorted.
“I can’t imagine loving someone and finding out they had betrayed me like that. It is especially difficult if there is no closure for understanding why,” she said.
“I didn’t love her, nor she me. At least not the way I love you. We were friends. Our marriage was arranged by our parents out of fear of what Magna might do next,” he admitted.
“An arranged marriage? Okay, I’m putting my foot down, here and now, so that we are on the same page—our kids get to make their own choices. If they screw up, that is up to them to live and learn,” she said with a wave of her hand.
Orion chuckled and nodded. “I think I have done the live and learn lesson. Our children will make their own choices,” he agreed.
“You bet your ass they will,” she giggled when he grabbed her hand and pulled her off of Sea Star and onto his lap.
There were some serious advantages to living under the water, she thought as he bent his head to kiss her.
Chapter Nineteen
