Page 20 of Secret Pleasure (Bound Hearts 13)

There was no stopping it.

There was no controlling it.

There was only the whipping, terrified flight she had no idea how to control or ease.

There was a certainty, though, that somehow she had lost part of herself.

*

She was going to kill them and Sebastian knew it.

Sitting on top of the wood picnic table his aunt Landra was so fond of, he stared at the beach below. The lazy roll of the waves, the sun worshipers as they took up nearly every available space along the beach.

Alyssa was a bit uncomfortable among the crowd, he’d noticed. She went out when the sand wasn’t as crowded and came in as it began to fill. She would enjoy the private beach he and Shane preferred that the De Loren property bordered. She could lie beneath the heat of the sun without the bikini she wore, brief though it was. The rays of the sun could kiss all her flesh, giving it that lovely lightly golden hue that made her appear a sun goddess.

Their siren. And she was killing them. She would kill them. It couldn’t be healthy sporting a hard-on that never seemed to soften. To be so fascinated by a woman, a virgin. An instinct no man should feel warned them that she wasn’t quite ready for their possession.

He’d never felt something so sure and so powerful before rise up inside him. Sebastian looked at his cousin and saw the confusion and wonder on his face that he was sure was stamped on his. Alyssa was indeed a siren. Beautiful. Magical. She was stealing their hearts. If they weren’t very careful, she’d mark their souls as well.

The door opened behind him and he swore the scent of her wrapped around him. Feminine, so soft and sweet, as intoxicating as the most potent wine.

“’Bastian?” She said his name softly, uncertainly.

Turning to her, Sebastian couldn’t help reaching out his hand and, when she took it, drawing her to him. Pulling her to sit between his spread thighs, he propped his chin at her shoulder, his gaze returning to the beach.

“I’m sorry.” The regret in her voice should never be there, he decided.

“If you’re sorry for climbing on these damned tables and nearly falling, then I think I should tell you, the next time it happens, I’m paddling your ass,” he informed her. “If you’re talking about the moments you allowed us to give you such pleasure, then I will definitely paddle your ass. Never apologize for that, Alyssa.”

She swallowed tightly.

“Well, I was perfectly safe—”

“Should I give you that paddling now?” he asked.

“Well, perhaps we should wait awhile on that,” she sighed. “I have a feeling it would be far too enjoyable, and I’m not certain I’m ready for that quite yet.”

“Then perhaps you had better keep your feet off tables; otherwise, I promise you, you will refrain from climbing once I’ve finished explaining the hazards of it,” he grunted.

Turning just enough to give him a little moue of mock retribution, she smiled a moment later.

“So fierce.” She wrinkled her nose enchantingly. “I’ll give your warning due consideration should I ever want to clean the windows again.”

He was definitely going to end up spanking her. But not today. He simply didn’t have the self-control.

“I’d give it more than consideration if I were you,” he pointed out. “Now, did Shane mention dinner while he was giving you his own warning about the windows?”

“His bribe, you mean?” She laughed.

“His bribe?” He had obviously lost his mind.

“If I promised to never climb again then he’d give me his share of his ranch in Texas.” She laughed at the thought. “What the hell would I do with a share in it? I told him; when he could give the whole thing I’d think about it.”

Oh hell, there went his own share in the damned place.

“Siren,” he murmured, shaking his head. “What are we going to do with you?”

Turning back, she leaned into his chest, her head resting on his shoulder.