by S. L. Morgan
Chapter Four
While I was lost in the serenity of the ocean view, the natural instincts of my wolf perked up, prompting me to sense an attack coming from behind me. As soon as I went to crouch, I was in Dom’s shirtless arms. The smell of the ocean breeze didn’t compare to the fragrance of Dom’s warm skin. He smelled salty, citrusy, and absolutely delicious.
“How’s my girl?” he asked, cradling me in his arms. His usual dark shades served to complement his wet, smoothed back hair. “What do you think? Do you like it?”
“I love this,” I answered, looking out to the foaming waves as they crashed into the sandy shoreline. “The smells, the wind, and the freedom are so invigorating.”
Dom smiled and captured my lips quickly enough to keep focused on where he was taking me, and long enough for me to completely forget about our surroundings—this was a first.
“There’s one important thing for you to remember, babe.”
“Oh?”
“Yeah, oh!” he teased. “In order for you to appreciate your freedom, there’s to be no thinking about school or studies while you’re here on our vacation,” he said as he lifted his chin and smiled at some girls who were acknowledging him. “You’re with Vannah in the little beach house next to mine and E’s. Your closet is filled with all your clothes, and I had the fairy mark what is what.”
Dom let my feet drop to the ground and held my hand as I continued to walk at his side. “I’ve already been out in the ocean with E. I love that he loves swimming. Most shifters hate it, but oddly enough, my cousin and I share the same joy of being in the sea.”
I laughed, “I guess I’m not as crazy as you two because I hate large bodies of water like most normal shifters do.”
Dom laughed a laugh I’d never heard from him before. It was sexy and sweet all at once.
“You think you’re a normal shifter, eh?” he arched a thick eyebrow down at me, took off his glasses, and finally gave me his beautiful brown eyes to stare into.
“Of course, I’m normal, aside from the stuff that is bonding us or whatever is going on that makes things intense between you and me.”
“Aside from that, shifters hate sweets, Jen,” he teased.
“And he insults my pie addiction? Wow.”
“Listen, I’m not judging if you’re not judging. Now, would you be an angel,” he ran his hand over my butt and leaned down to peck my cheek, “and put on a swimsuit so you can see if you like the water here, at the very least?”
We stopped in front of a beach shack. The roof was made from straw, and even though it appeared that Dom made this by himself five minutes ago, when we walked in, I was blown away. It was light and airy, and the wood that lined the walls smelled sweet and luscious. Lights were strung throughout the ceiling, and three doors led to other places in this hut other than the area we stood in.
“This is your living room,” he said. “Although, you’ll be spending more time under the moon outside with me, so don’t get too attached to the rattan furniture.” He squeezed my hand, “Over there is a shared bathroom, but you have a personal one in your room through that door.”
“Well, I guess I’d better get changed to go swimming then?”
He nodded. “You’re gonna try it out?”
“I’m down with anything. I think I’ll love every part of this vacation.”
Dom left my side. “Then I’ll leave you to get changed. I’ll be out at the blue-cushioned lounge chairs.”
“Wait,” I stopped him from leaving this adorable beach hut. “Where’s Vannah? Ethan? Anybody.”
“Tanner and Vannah took off with those two fairies, Nick and Emma. Ethan shifted and will most likely be an owl for the rest of the trip,” he laughed. “I’m going to be working with him some on interacting with humans, though. I want him to be comfortable enough that when we graduate, it’s a smooth transition for him.”
Dom walked up to where I was now bracing myself against the door frame of my room that I hadn’t even looked in.
“Babe, what’s wrong? You’re as white as a ghost.”
“Please tell me it’s not happening again.”
“What?” he asked when my eyes met his concerned ones. “Jen, talk to me. Why would you say that?”
“Vannah and Tanner dated Nick and Emma when they started going nuts because of this school. Now, they’re off again with them? We can’t have a repeat of all that evil again.”
“I don’t see why that would bring back the horrible crap that went down before. Listen,” he pulled me into his side, “it’s you and me on this vacation. This next school year is going to be crazy enough, and right now, I want to enjoy as much downtime with you that I can.”
“My God, Dominic,” I said, pushing off of him. “Did you hear what I said? They weren’t normal when they dated those fairies. It wasn’t like them…at all, and suddenly they’ve both rekindled the romance this school forced them into before all hell broke loose?”
“Jenna,” his eyes were solemn, and he tried using the alpha tone that I was immune to. “You need to relax a bit. Don’t let what happened before control you now, you’ll be a nervous wreck. Vannah and Tanner are acting normal. Tanner told me himself he was here for all the ladies.” Dom rolled his eyes. “Does that sound like a guy who’s into only one chick?”
I smiled in relief, knowing that’s precisely what Tanner would say. “No. That sounds like Tan-man.”
“He’s not going to know what hit him when that little sprite gets jealous over Tanner hitting on the chicks who joined our reality.” Dominic rubbed his forehead and tightened his lips. “Although, I would like to know who got the word out about the quiet vacation we were supposed to have with only our friends. This whole thing was meant for you and me to have chill time and for Ethan to have freedom as his owl. Now, the whole damn school is here.”
“Cussing?” I ran my hands on his rigid back. “Damn, I got lucky.”
Dom chuckled. “You did.” His hand ran up my leg, “I have a feeling that when you put your cute butt in one of your swimsuits—sometime today, hopefully—we’re most likely going to have a problem with me confirming how lucky I am.”
“Yeah, this should be interesting.”
“Get dressed. It’s all cool, and I’ve got my wolf on high alert in case things do go south on us. I’m not getting taken by surprise like before. There’s nothing for you to worry about except for slipping into some swim clothes and meeting me outside.”
“Got it. No worries.”
“None. You and me,” he confirmed. “I worked for a month to make sure you are relaxed and without a care in the world at this place.”
“Alright, give me five minutes, and I’ll be out.”
“I’ll give you ten.”
“I’m not your average chick who has to do crazy crap just to take a swim.”
“We’ll see about that; in fact, make that thirty minutes, and when you do meet me outside, you’ll have some lame excuse as to why you’re afraid to get in that ocean with me.”
“A challenge?”
“Hoping it works.” He grinned, and then he was gone.
When I turned around to see the clothes—or lack thereof—in my closet, I cursed everything. Dom was right, dammit, and he was already picking up on how to get Jenna to do crap she didn’t want to do. Challenge Jenna, and she’ll do anything and everything to prove you wrong.
In my quick-acting move to prove my haughty and sexy beast of a man wrong, I didn’t realize I grabbed the skimpiest bikini that was in the closet. No cover-up, no towel, just me, walking my exposed butt cheeks down to where Dom was surrounded by some fandom crowd.
Whistles came from every direction, and if Dom’s wolf hadn’t picked up on me coming down to where he was on the beach, I would have turned and flipped these perverts the bird.
“Holy Lord,” he said with a proud grin. He bit his bottom lip, “Wow, Jen, I need to challenge you more often. That was the one bikini I figured you would have burned bef
ore wearing. Yeah, I’m definitely in trouble.”
“Good.” I kept my composure. “Now, why don’t we conceal my naked body in that water before I punch the next guy who cat calls me in his face.”
We were in the water in record time, and once the water was at my stomach, Dom gripped my waist and pulled me closer into him. I wrapped my legs around him, and there went all the outside noise. The one kiss I’d been waiting over a week for was finally happening.
Chapter Five
Dom ended our kiss sooner than I would’ve liked, but it was definitely a good thing because I felt myself getting more and more lost in him with every passing moment. It was so definitely not like myself, and it was unsettling. The serenity of the ocean environment served to settle that emotion down, and I refocused almost instantly.
We walked farther into the sea, and the deeper we got, the more exhilarated I became. Dom must have thought I’d drunk the fairy juice from the way I was screaming and laughing every time a wave slammed into us, nearly forcing me out of his grips.
“Looks like you do like the water—well, the ocean, anyway.”
He grinned as I tucked a piece of hair behind my ear. Before I could give him validation on that statement, another wave took my feet out from under me.
“Are the sprites doing this to the water? You dated a fairy and screwed her over, apparently, so I wouldn’t be surprised. This water is wild.”
“It’s the natural behavior of the ocean currents.” Dom’s lips twisted up as he turned to face the waves head-on. “Helps if you see them coming.” He motioned to a wave that was heading for us like it had an agenda, “When I say go, jump this next one.”
“Jump it? What?” I looked at him in confusion. Slam! Thankfully, Dom was holding onto me, and I was holding onto my top, or I’d have been a topless shifter who got washed up onto the shore.
“Turn back around and face the new wave coming at us.” He laughed.
I did, and as I watched the next wave come up to bury me, I shot out of the water and shrieked in victory that I’d conquered the fairy-driven wave. Again and again, like a kid, I jumped the waves gleefully. It was freaking awesome, and I took back everything I’d ever said about not liking the water.
“Dom!” I could tell by the way Ian called out to his friend that something was up.
“Yeah, be there in a sec.” Dom looked at me. “You want to stay awhile, or are you ready to go in for some food?”
“I definitely am done holding onto this skimpy bathing suit top,” I said, jumping a smaller wave and wiping the water from my face. “I’m good to go in if you are.”
He smiled. “We’re definitely doing this again. Let’s head in for now and give you a break.”
“Sounds good,” I answered, turning back to shore but keeping my eye out for any rogue waves that might attack at any second.
“Lus, Vannah, and a couple of the girls are having lunch.”
“Have we been out here that long?”
“No,” he laughed, “but you didn’t have breakfast, and it’s lunchtime here anyway.”
I spotted Ian and Scott in conversation down the shoreline. “You taking off with the guys?”
“For a while. I figured if you and I sort of kept to our routine of not getting too close, we’d be able to hold off from going farther than what is allowed. Besides,” he glanced down at me in my way-too-revealing swimsuit, “you are way too tempting in that bikini.”
“Yeah, I’m sure my pale butt looks tempting.”
Dom shook his head. “Your pale butt is going to have you fighting me off it if I have to sit around and try to keep my hands to myself all day.”
“Go and have fun. I’m starving anyway.”
Dom kissed me on my temple, and I took this moment to watch the man run down the shoreline in his wet swim trunks. This would be spectacular in slow motion.
I stood there, drooling over Dominic as he joined a shirtless group of shifters. You could see a shifter’s muscle definition a mile away…and then there was Dom. He looked like a god amongst men. Ian was the only one who reached Dominic’s height, but none of them were as well built and defined as the hardcore alpha shifter.
“Jennnnnnnaaaaaaa,” I heard Vannah’s voice echo through her cupped hands. “Hey!” she smiled when I looked over at the round, wooden table she was standing next to.
Vannah laughed as she caught up to me as I headed into our cute little beach hut. “Looks like vacation has brought out your daring, sexy side. This swimsuit is more revealing than your underwear and bra collection,” she said with a wink.
“You’d tell me if I were acting like a complete idiot around Dominic, wouldn’t you?” I asked as we disappeared into the room, ignoring her all too accurate comment about my clothing. “I’m sure it sounds insecure, but I seriously don’t know how to stop how I am with him. It’s not like me to get so lost in one thing or person. What if I accidentally screw something up, you know, having that thing locked up in me and all? I can’t let my guard down, I know this.”
“Of course, I’d tell you, Jenna,” she answered, heading toward my closet and pulling out shorts and a tank top for me. “It does suck that you two can’t be in a normal relationship, but you and Dominic have a dangerously close connection that forces you to keep it in check no matter what.”
“I love being a free spirit, but you’re dead on. I also feel a little from my wolf too. I try not to acknowledge her, but I feel her strong drive to confirm Dom as our mate when I’m with him. Shifter stuff—and shifter stuff that shouldn’t really be hitting me like this and so soon.”
Vannah’s lips tightened. “This is going to be tough because you can’t just shut off to your mate. You shifters are naturally all over each other when you first make the connection you and Dom have, but far too much is at risk with you and that demon you decided to take on all by yourself.” She sat on my bed and crossed her legs, “Take it one step at a time. You need to work to stay in tune with your surroundings when you’re with Dominic. You worry about Jenna and her wolf staying in control. Keep that thought going around him, and you’re gonna be fine.”
“You’re right,” I agreed. “I need to stay in control.”
“Dom is gorgeous, I’ll give you that, but you’re working with hot looks on top of you both having your supernatural connection. You’re dealing with two evils there.”
Vannah laughed, I didn’t.
“Don’t say that word,” I said in a soft voice. “I’m hoping with everything I am that this school gets fixed somehow before we have to worry about all of that again.”
“Then keep your head in the game when you’re with your man.” She shot the Vannah, witchy brow at me. Her lips curved up and glistened with the peach gloss that set off her dark skin spectacularly. “Listen, I’m here for you both. You and I are bunking here by ourselves. If you need to do some meditation or anything to keep you and that anxious wolf of yours calm, then we’ll do it. My advice is to try to thoroughly enjoy yourself, but don’t get too lost in being with him. You and Dom have had some close calls after you—” She paused, and her eyes darted around cautiously, remembering that we were being monitored by the school. “After you know what happened. Now, let’s go eat something and enjoy this salty air. I’ve never felt anything like this before in my life. You’re going to be fine, Jenna. You’re one of the strongest girls I have ever met.”
“Got it, and thanks for the talk. I’ll probably be doing meditations every night.” I laughed. “Let me rinse off in the shower and change. I feel like my skin is going to dry out and crack in half.”
“That’s the saltwater. It has extraordinary healing properties.”
“Good thing I’m a shifter, and I can heal on my own without feeling like a piece of wolf jerky.” I stuck my tongue out at my witchy friend and headed into my room to take a quick shower, get dressed, and meet the rest of the girls for lunch.
I ignored the death stares from Kat and her friends when I saw a whole pie si
tting on the table. I could smell the nutmeg, the brown sugar, the butter, the apples, and the cinnamon over all of the other flavors at the table.
“Dom thought you’d want some pie over a healthy meal,” Olivia chided. “Nice enabling boyfriend.”
“Why don’t you keep your damn opinions to yourself.” I shot back, pulling the entire pie up to me and stabbing a fork in the middle of it. “I’m not going to do this the entire time we’re on summer vacation together.” I glanced over my shoulder at the massive beach location where we sat. “There’s plenty of other places to hang on this beach if you’re all going to be up mine and Dom’s butt this entire trip.”
I took a bite of pie while Kat broke a piece of bread in half and dipped it into melted cheese. “You think you’re special, don’t you? You get the hottest and most feared shifter at this school with a wave of your hair, and that’s it, you’re on top. Eat your pie. Dom obviously wants something tonight, so that’s his—”
“I swear to God I’ll punch you in your perfect little face!” I said with my mouth full.
“Kat,” Lusa glared at the panther shifter, “I know we’re friends, but I’m not okay with you talking like that about Jenna or my brother. If rumors fly because you're acting petty, I’ll make sure Eileen has you pulled from the vacation myself.”
“You’re taking Jenna’s side? You did see the bikini she wore today, right? God, it’s like she’s begging to get laid by your brother.”
That was it. I was pissed off, and my wolf was snarling and ready to pounce. There was no turning back, except my fist didn’t connect with her face. I was dumbfounded that, even though my every intention was to punch the girl, I actually wasted a pie by smearing it on her face instead.
