Page 18 of Love Bites Harder (Mated to the King #3)

eighteen

CLEMENTINE

Kai woke me up to eat repeatedly over the next few days, but I went back to sleep immediately every time. Someone had installed a canopy to make sure I could sleep peacefully without my typical big fae blanket, which was very much appreciated.

When I woke up alone, in nothing but the tight black leggings he’d helped me into to force his vines to leave me alone, I always found a note and my phone sitting beside my pillow, beneath the canopy with me.

Dealing with eclipse messes. Be back soon. Austin’s recovering.

-Kai

Fixing general problems. They started rebuilding the city in the realm, and people are being ridiculous. As usual. Miss you. Be back soon.

-Kai

The fae love you now. Maybe they’ll start giving you vibrators too. I’m not going to be able to threaten to kill anyone for a while, so enjoy it while it lasts. Be back soon.

-Kai

Austin made a full recovery, but fuck, I hate being king. Be back soon. Love you.

-Kai

I bit my lip to stave off a sleepy smile as I looked through all of them. The one about how much he hated being king was the most recent one.

I noticed a yellow notepad that looked familiar, tucked beneath the notes.

My smile faded, my forehead creasing as I picked it up. I turned on my phone’s flashlight without checking the texts—it seemed safe to assume there were many—and read the title I’d written out myself.

Mate Questions

1. How many kids do you want?

Underneath it, in handwriting I now knew was Kai’s, there was an answer to the question.

You hate this answer, but as many as you want.

I laughed, ignoring the way my eyes were watering.

He’d gone through my questions and answered every single one, some of them in teeny, tiny writing that extended into the margins of the paper.

2. When do you want to have kids?

Another answer you’ll hate, but I don’t particularly care. Not immediately, but whenever we think we’re ready.

3. Do you want to spend most of your time on Earth, or in the fae realm?

Unfortunately, I have to do both. We can go back and forth whenever we want, as long as we’re available in both places from time to time, though.

4. Do you actually want a mate? Why, or why not?

I do. I’m tired of being alone. Spending my life with you is the first thing in a long time that makes me look forward to the future.

8. How do you feel about pools? And women who swim a lot?

I started to love them around the time I fucked you in one. But like I said, only a fool would try to keep a siren out of the water. I would never do that to you. I’ll learn to love swimming with you.

12. Do you prefer dogs or cats?

I prefer sirens, actually. Specifically, ginger ones.

18. Do you want me to take your last name? If so, what is it?

Yes. It’s another way to mark you as mine, so that seems obvious. Our last name is Dorin.

22. Is there anything you can’t live without?

You.

25. Do you consider flirting cheating?

The answer you’re looking for is no, but I think it depends. If you’re flirting because your life is in danger? Not cheating. If you’re flirting because you think they’re attractive, obviously yes. When you’re just being nice and it comes off as flirting, that’s also clearly not cheating.

33. What will we do if we start falling out of love?

I suppose I’ll have to research how to actually win over a woman, because we both know I’m terrible at it.

I think doing things we enjoy together is the right move. I plan on swimming with you, when you’re not already doing that with your sisters. Showing you around the realm, too. If we’re going to be best friends, we’ll be spending as much time as possible together.

38. How much sex do you think you’ll want to have?

A lot.

39. What do you think we should do if we don’t seem sexually compatible at first?

I just snorted. This clearly does not apply.

43. Do you like vacations? What do you like to do when you’re on vacation?

I’ve never taken one before, but I imagine I’d like to do just about anything if it’s going to make you smile.

I wiped away a few escaped tears and turned off my phone’s flashlight, unlocking my phone and hitting the button to call Kai. There were a few messages from my sisters to answer, but I’d reply to them in a bit.

He answered on the second ring, and I heard a bunch of voices behind him. “Hey, Five.” The voices were fading, so I knew he was walking away from them.

“Are you busy?”

“It can wait. You’re up?”

“Yeah. I think I slept enough for the rest of the month.”

He chuckled softly. “Finally.”

“I know.” I bit my lip, then forced myself to stop overthinking. “You answered my questions.”

“Of course I did. Someone has to be Prince Charming in this relationship, and you’re far too pretty to pull it off.”

I laughed, wiping a few more tears away. “You don’t have to be Prince Charming. I know that was ridiculous. I was just lonely and desperate.”

I heard an elevator ding on his side of the line. “As it turns out, I’m far more charming when the pressure of the eclipses isn’t hanging over my head. And when I have a beautiful redhead waiting for me in my bed.”

“Bad news—your bed is a coffin now.”

“At least they can bury both of us in it.”

I snorted. “That’s horrible, Kai.”

“You said you wanted romance. What’s more romantic than dying together?”

“How about living together?”

“Hmm.” He paused, like he was considering it. “Alright, have it your way.”

The door to our room opened, but the canopy was still down. “I really hope it’s you that just walked in.”

The canopy started to raise, and a gorgeous blond giant rolled beneath it, plopping down right on top of me.

Another laugh escaped me, and he buried his face against my throat as the canopy finished rising.

“What happened to your hair?” I demanded, my fingers moving over short, spiky hairs that had been shaved all the way down on the sides of his head.

“I cut it. All of Mistwood agrees that this is my best look.”

“You do not cut your hair without talking to your mate first. That is basic, common courtesy, Kai. What if I chopped all of my hair off without—oh, wow.”

He’d started lifting his head, and I cut myself off when I took in the new look.

His lips curved upward. “Oh, wow, what?”

“Mistwood is right. You’re fucking sexy with your hair cut this way.”

“I’m always fucking sexy.” He lowered his face back to my neck, inhaling my scent. “And if you chopped your hair, I’d have fun ruffling it. It doesn’t ruffle well right now. It always tangles.”

I blinked. “It does always tangle.”

“Mmhm.”

“I’ve never cut it above my tits before. My mom always told me long hair was more seductive. And sirens are supposed to be seductive.”

“I’d prefer you less seductive, actually. Maybe then, I could actually think about something other than screwing you.”

I swatted the side of his head.

Kai laughed. “I’m teasing you, Five. I don’t care what your hair looks like. You could seduce me just fine if you were bald, and I’m the only person you need to use your magic on now.”

That was a good point.

“I’ll think about it,” I said.

Truly, I would.

It might be nice not to feel like I had to protect myself with seduction and charm constantly.

“Your sisters have been texting me nonstop since the end of the eclipses. They’re threatening war again,” he said, kissing my throat lightly.

“They’re going to do that every time they’re worried about me now.”

“I realized that. But they are your family, so I think we should go see them.”

“Really?”

“Of course. That wasn’t on the question sheet, by the way—you forgot to ask about families.”

“Shit. How do you feel about close sisters?”

“Like I’d be a moron not to support it.” He kissed his way up my throat, and I tipped my head back, closing my eyes.

“What about kissing?”

“Clearly, I’m a big fan.” He lowered his body closer to mine so I could feel his erection against my abdomen.

“I’ve always loved kissing,” I admitted, sliding my hands over the spiky sides of his hair again.

His lips nearly made it to my mouth—but stopped abruptly just above my lips when his phone started to vibrate next to us in the bed.

“It’s probably one of your sisters again. They’ve taken to calling every twenty minutes.”

I picked his phone up, saw Zora’s name on the screen, and answered it.

“Hey, Zora.”

“You’re awake?” she demanded. “Are you okay? Kai won’t let us in to see you.”

“He’s protective, and I just woke up, but I’m fine,” I said, burying my fingers in the longer strands at the top of his head.

“I’m going to need physical proof of that this time.”

“We’ll head over there soon. I need time to put on a swimsuit, and shower too, probably.”

Kai’s lips met my throat again, and started moving down my breasts. My eyes closed, my back arching as he dragged his tongue over one of my nipples.

“Make that a long shower,” I corrected.

No showering would occur.

“You don’t need to shower before swimming. You know our magic cleanses every?—”

“Bye, Zora. See you soon.” I hung up the phone, dropping it next to me on the bed as I grabbed more of Kai’s hair in my hand.

“Roll over,” I ordered, a little breathless.

His gaze was hot when it met mine, his mouth still on one of my tits and his hand on the other.

He gripped my torso with his free hand, and in one motion, rolled us both.

I pushed his face away, and he growled at me—until I turned around and lowered my tits to his abdomen, freeing his cock from his pants.

It throbbed hard for me.

He growled again, lower.

Fiercer.

“Clementine…”

“You can fuck me with your vines while I suck you off.”

His growl became a groan the moment I wrapped my lips around the tip of his cock and sucked lightly.

He parted my legs wider and peeled my leggings off while I had my way with his cock. Instead of giving me his vines, he pulled my core to his mouth and dragged his tongue from my clit to my back entrance while I sat on his face.

I groaned against him, and he throbbed in my mouth.

I tried to focus on bringing him pleasure, but the way he licked and touched me was too insanely good. I came on his tongue, and he snarled at me, pulling me off his cock. He turned me around quickly so I faced him, still positioned over him, and he pulled me down over his cock a heartbeat later.

My toes curled, and I moaned loudly.

His hands were on my ass, his eyes locked with mine, but he didn’t yank me down.

He moved me slowly.

Steadily.

Intimately.

My nails dug into his abs as he kept going until I was coming again with a cry.

He snarled with me, losing control entirely.

Okay, I definitely liked slow and sweet with him, too.

Definitely .