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“I know we’re in the middle of a situation with tracking down the mage.

And my unit has an ongoing mission to identify and take down those responsible for putting a price on our heads and forcing us into hiding.

But I can’t deny that I’m feeling things when I’m around you that I’ve never felt before.

Things that feel important, Celine. Do you know what I mean?

” Zeke turned to her, taking both of her hands in his and waiting for her answer, holding his breath and hoping for the best.

“I…” She trailed off, seeming to search for her voice. “I do know what you mean, Zeke. And I’m confused, and thrilled, and unsure what happens now. I mean… You’re not a shifter. I don’t know how it’s supposed to work between someone like me and, uh, someone like you.”

“I think we can make our own rules. At least for now, babe. Don’t you think?” He drew her closer and couldn’t wait any longer.

Zeke seized her lips with his, demanding the response he’d dreamed of from her.

The response she gave him easily. As if she was made to be right there, in his embrace.

The sand was warm and fluffy beneath them.

They weren’t as close to the shore today.

No, he’d deliberately kept them clear of the water line so if things progressed, they could sit—or, even better, lay—on the sand without getting drenched.

He’d had the plan in mind when they’d begun this walk, but it was Celine, in the end, who dragged him down to the sand. Somehow, he ended up on his back with her perched over him, her legs straddling him as their kisses went on and on, only growing hotter the longer it went on.

“You make me feel alive again, Zeke,” she whispered, gazing down into his eyes.

He could see the fire in her gaze and feel the softness of her feminine form touching him in all the right places.

He hadn’t counted on anything happening between them on this walk, though he’d hoped.

And as if in answer to his prayers, Celine had taken the reins and moved them forward.

He liked that. He liked that a lot, and he wasn’t about to miss this opportunity.

“I like it when you look at me that way,” he replied as she leaned up, her core moving downward to press against his hard cock.

There might be layers of clothing between them, but he felt her touch like a rocket of joy up his spine.

Damn, she felt good. He put his hands on her waist, gripping lightly.

“What way?” she asked playfully.

“Like you want me to be inside you,” he whispered back, just as playfully.

She gasped, moving downward as his hands roamed upward on her torso. She brought her lips close to his as she whispered her answer.

“I do want that.” Then, she lowered her lips to his all the way, and for the first time, she initiated a kiss between them, and it was hotter than anything that had come before.

They kissed for long moments, a tempestuous joining of lips, mouths and tongues that stoked the fire between them higher.

Then, Zeke moved his hands into her hair, holding her closer as he rolled them on the soft, forgiving sand so that he was on top, her luscious body cradling his as she opened her legs, and her mouth, for him.

Her knees were on either side of his hips as he pressed down into her, learning the way their bodies fit together. Perfection.

She made a soft sound that made him move back to look at her. She wasn’t in distress. Far from it. She used the opportunity to move her fingers to his shirt, unbuttoning the uniform blouse so she could get her hands under it, then moving to the waistband of his pants to tug his T-shirt free.

“I want to touch you,” she whispered. He felt himself grow harder with each touch and sound she made. This woman turned him on like no other.

“I want that too, babe. And I want to touch you, but we’re in a public place. A patrol could come through at any time,” he reminded her.

For a moment, he thought he saw a spark of deviltry in her eyes, then she sighed heavily. Her fingers were under his T-shirt, stroking his abs. Damn, he liked her touch.

“I could say that makes this even more exciting, but for the fact that it would undoubtedly get back to Gramps, and while shifters aren’t generally prudes about sex, he is my grandfather.

” She rested her forehead against his chest for a moment.

“I’m not ready to go public just yet, but I do want to be with you, Zeke. ”

Her small voice thrilled him, but he needed to take this down a notch.

She was touching his bare skin, and as much as he wanted to do the same to her, he also wanted to respect her boundaries.

He wouldn’t do anything she didn’t want, and for now, she wanted to keep their relationship status private.

While on the one hand, he could feel a bit strange about that, he also felt a little cautious about letting his friends and comrades know about his feelings for Celine.

He wanted to keep this new thing between them private for a little while.

Maybe until she decided if they were going to be a long-term thing or not.

For his part, he already knew he wanted her in his life going forward.

It seemed strange, but he couldn’t quite picture his life from this point on, without her in it.

It was going to have to be up to her, though.

He was a human guy, even if he had been gifted with magic late in life.

He didn’t have the same mating requirements as shifters did.

The ball was in her court. If she thought he was her mate, then he wasn’t going to argue.

He’d happily take her to wife and live the rest of his days happy. However long that happened to be.

But he wasn’t going to pressure her. He wouldn’t try to hold her if she really didn’t want him.

He felt strongly about that. As strongly as he felt about her.

He wouldn’t tie her down. She was a free spirit, and if she chose to spend her life with him, he would count himself the luckiest son of a bitch alive.

But he was getting way ahead of himself.

Right now, he had to figure out how to arrange a rendezvous so they could both get what they wanted without anyone else being the wiser.

And in light of that last requirement, he pulled back, sitting beside her on the sand for a moment so they could both catch their breath.

“Do you have a private room in your barracks?” she asked a bit breathlessly.

“Yeah. Why?” Zeke’s head was still spinning as he looked over at her.

She shrugged, but it didn’t look quite as casual as her words sounded.

“Maybe it’s something about almost dying yesterday, but I really want to finish what we’ve started, Zeke, and we can’t do that in my dorm.

Damn lions can hear a pin drop at fifty yards.

I’d never get away with smuggling you into my room for the night, but I might be able to sneak out and come to you. ”

He sucked in a breath. It was as if the Tooth Fairy, Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny had all decided to grant him his fondest wish at once. How could he say no to that?

“My room is private, and you know we regular folk don’t hear as well as you shifters. Once you’re in my room, nobody will have anything to say about it. But I wouldn’t want to get you in trouble, and I definitely don’t want to cross your grandfather in any way. Are you sure about this?”

She had the audacity to chuckle as she rose to her feet. He followed suit and couldn’t resist when she turned to him and patted his chest. His arms looped casually around her waist, and he did his best not to draw her even closer.

“Most shifters don’t take relationships very seriously unless it’s with their perfect mate. Then, nothing can keep them apart, and there’s no question of being with anyone else, ever. Has anyone explained about mating among shifters?”

“Yeah, it was part of the briefing,” Zeke admitted, frowning a bit.

“But how does that apply with us? I mean, what if I want something more serious, but you’re not feeling the mate vibes or whatever?

How would that work?” He really wanted to know her take on this and was grateful, in a way, that she had brought it up.

She sighed, smoothing her hand over his heart.

“Remember all those old tales about selkies breaking the hearts of their human lovers? That’s probably the result of that kind of thing, but in our case…

” She licked her lips and placed a small kiss against the corner of his mouth.

“I don’t think we have to worry too much.

I’m drawn to you, Zeke. Have been since I first saw you.

And I think you feel the same. All we need now is time to establish whether or not we’re mates in the fullest sense of the word.

If we are, then nobody will object to our being together.

Especially not Gramps. If we’re not, then I think we’ll both enjoy our time together and part as friends when it’s time to move on.

At least, that’s how it’ll be for me.” Her face contorted in a small frown.

“I’m not sure about how it would go for you.

I’d hate to break your heart. I mean, I don’t think I will, but according to those old legends, it is a risk.

The question is, are you willing to take it? ”

She was laying it all on the line, he thought. His courageous, beautiful girl was tempting him with her honesty. He really liked that about her, and he wanted to give it right back to her. He took a deep breath.

“And what if we belong together?” he barely whispered. “What if we’re true mates?”

A beatific smile broke over her lips as she grinned up at him. “Then you’ll be mine, and I’ll be yours. Forever.”

Zeke wasn’t sure he’d really considered joining his life to a woman before, though he had to admit to admiring the relationships he’d seen blossom between some of his teammates and their ladies.

It was a lonely life, being single, especially when they’d all been sidelined to this base for the foreseeable future. But mating? Marriage? Forever?

He found the concept didn’t scare him as much as it once had.

In fact, if he was downright giddy, contemplating forever with Celine.

The prospect held no fear at all. Only an eager sort of anticipation.

He found himself rooting for them to find that special magic together that meant they were mates.

It didn’t take courage at all, in the end.

Just a willingness to give his heart and hope and pray she’d give hers in return.

He’d do that. Starting tonight.

*

Later that night, after everyone but those assigned to night patrol had gone to bed, Zeke met up with Celine, just outside the barracks building.

“This is ridiculous,” Celine whispered as she crouched beside him in the narrow space between the side of the building and a large shrub.

Zeke grinned in the dark. “You’re the one who didn’t want to be seen.”

“Because I’m not ready to be the talk of the island,” she shot back, though her eyes sparkled with amusement.

“Then keep your voice down, babe,” he murmured, lips brushing her ear. “We’re almost there.”

She rolled her eyes but followed as he motioned her around the side door. The hallway beyond was dimly lit and quiet—but not empty. He could hear footsteps near the stairwell. Probably one of his buddies on night patrol.

Zeke held up a hand to signal stillness, then peeked around the corner. Sure enough, there was his friend Dan, heading toward the exit. The guy moved like a ghost, but Zeke knew the rhythm of his steps. Timing would be everything.

He turned back to Celine. She was pressed against the wall, eyes wide, one hand clamped over her mouth to keep from laughing.

He felt the chuckle rising in his own chest and barely swallowed it down. Instead, he reached for her hand, interlacing their fingers, and waited. As soon as Dan’s footsteps faded toward the back door, Zeke pulled her gently down the hall.

“Now,” he whispered.

They made it up the stairs without incident, both of them holding their breath, bodies close. At the top, she stumbled slightly, and he caught her with a soft grunt, her weight falling briefly against his chest.

“Shhh,” she whispered, breathless and grinning as she looked up at him.

He grinned back, heart thudding in his chest for reasons that had nothing to do with being caught. “My room’s the third door on the left,” he murmured.

Celine nodded, and together, they tiptoed past the other bedrooms, one door cracked open with soft snoring coming from within. Another had a faint glow behind it—probably one of the guys watching a late movie. Zeke moved faster.

They reached his door, and he opened it with a soft click .

As soon as they stepped inside and he closed it behind them, the tension snapped like a rubber band.

Both of them burst into quiet giggles, shoulders shaking, hands over mouths like they were teenagers sneaking in past curfew.

Zeke leaned back against the door, breathless with adrenaline and amusement.

“We’re terrible at this.”

Celine was still laughing softly as she stepped farther into the room, glancing around. “So. This is your lair.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Disappointed?”

“Not at all.” She turned back to him, her expression shifting from playful to warm. “It feels like you.”

Zeke crossed the room slowly, heart kicking into a new rhythm. She stood still, waiting, her eyes locked on his.

When he reached her, she slid into his arms like she belonged there. No hesitation. No tension. Just trust. Man, he liked that.

He cupped the back of her head and brought his lips to hers—no longer sneaking, no longer hiding.

This kiss was slow and deep. It was the kind of kiss that unraveled him from the inside out.

She melted against him, her hands fisting in his shirt as she kissed him back with quiet intensity.

When they finally pulled apart, her breath was unsteady, and her voice was barely audible.

“This was totally worth the risk.” She chuckled low, leaning into his embrace.

“Not yet, but it will be. I promise.” His gaze held hers, and the fire of desire leapt between them.