Page 10 of Swimming With the Sharks
“I know I can’t do all those things, but I’d behappy to at least do a few of them.I got to visit hauntedlighthouses and go deep-sea fishing, and like I said, I did atleast get to see a shark feeding up close.”
Taking a chance, Jabari asked, “But what aboutlove?In all that dreaming and wishing have you ever given love aconsideration?You keep saying those stories you read areparanormal romance.Where is the romance?Don’t you dream aboutthat?”
Foster gave a wistful smile, “Of course I’vethought about it.I wish there was a way for me to experiencelove...but how can I do that, Jabari, without hurting the otherperson?That would be selfish on my part.”
“Not if the other party knows what they’regetting into and is willing to take that chance.”Jabariwhispered.
Foster sighed, “Jabari...”
“No, I listened to you, now you must listen tome.It’s only fair, right?”Jabari asked with a raised brow.
Foster thought a moment, then nodded.“You’reright, it’s only fair.”
Kneeling down on his knees, Jabari took Foster’shands in his own and looked deeply into his mate’s eyes, hopingthat his honesty and deep need shone through as he said, “I havedreams too, Foster.I have dreamed of walking the streets ofAtlantis, hand and hand with my mate by my side and showing him theplace I call home.I’ve dreamed of swimming the waters with him andintroducing him to the only true ones I call friends, and takinghim to meet my parents just to show them how much I have beenblessed.I want to experience things with him that I have neverexperienced myself so we can share so many firsts together.I justwant to be with the man fate deemed as my own, and that man is you,Foster.I don’t care if we only have four months or three...I wantto spend that time with you.I want to show you all those thingsyou mentioned, and if I’m lucky, I’d love for you to do some of thethings I’ve always dreamed of too.You’re mine, Foster.No matterhow long we have...you are mine.Please don’t deny me the littletime the gods may be giving us.”
Tears fell from Foster’s eyes and trickled downhis cheeks.His nose began to run, and the next thing Jabari knew,he and Foster were falling to the floor with Foster’s arms wrappedaround his neck as sobs grew harder from his mate.Jabari heldFoster tightly against him, gently rubbing his mate’s back,whispering words that made no sense even to him, but it seemed towork.Foster’s tears slowed, and soon all that was left was asniffling, hiccupping, ragged-breathing man, who was holding on toJabari as if he was a life preserver in the churning waters theyhad been in not so long ago.
Pulling back a bit, Jabari took the dish towelhe had tucked into his pants when he went to clean up the kitchen,and handed it to Foster.His mate laughed, but took it, then wipedhis eyes and blew his nose.After a few moments, Foster said, “Youare the sweetest, most romantic man I have ever known...well, readabout at least.How these stupid people don’t see the softnesswithin you is beyond me.”
Jabari softly laughed, “Maybe because that partof me is reserved only for my mate.”
“Well, we might have to do something about thatbefore I leave here.”Foster said with a smile.
Ignoring the hurt those words caused, Jabariasked, “When do you wish to leave?”
Foster cupped Jabari’s cheeks in his hands, “Idon’t know.How long will it take to do all those things you talkedabout?”
Hope filled Jabari’s soul where despair had justbeen, “You’ll stay with me?You’ll be my mate?”
Foster sighed and pulled back.“I’ll make you adeal.If I stay we can be mates as far as being with each othergoes, but there will be no bonding.I don’t know how you bond, butyou must promise me that no matter what happens, you will not bondwith me, Jabari.I won’t have you dying when I do.Besides, apartfrom the fact that the people of your world need you, you haveparents who would be devastated if their only child died with hismate.”
Jabari went to interrupt, but Foster quicklyheld a finger to Jabari’s lips.“And I would be devastated knowingthat I was the cause of such a wonderful man’s death as well.So,if you promise me there will be no bonding, I promise I will staywith you, and we can do all those things mates do together.”
As much as Jabari wanted to argue, he had toaccept his mate’s terms.There was no way he was ready for Fosterto leave, so reluctantly he nodded, saying, “I promise.No bondingunless you ask.”
CHAPTER 5
“Ha!Ha!Ha!You have whipped cream on yournose.”Foster said as he wiped the white substance from Jabari’sface.
It had been a fantastic week with Jabari sofar.The first two days, the man had insisted Foster rest, but theyspent that time talking and getting to know each other better.Foster couldn’t remember laughing so hard in his life at some ofthe stories Jabari had told him.He still laughed when he thoughtof the time Jabari had first come into his magic and kept zappinghis father’s ass to the point he burned a hole in his pants, andhis father was talking to his men with his ass hanging out ofthem.
Jabari gently taking his hand and bringingthe white tip of Foster’s fingers to his lips had Foster coming outof his thoughts, and the laughter turning to something elseentirely.When Jabari wrapped those plump lips around his fingerand slowly suckled the cream from it, the sensation went straightto Foster’s cock.“Oh, fuck me.”
“Any time you wish.”Jabari rasped once helet go of Foster’s finger.
Foster sighed like a fanboy meeting hisidol, his voice going low and gravelly, “We’ll get there, but weboth agreed to get to know each other more before we take thatstep.”
Jabari took Foster’s hand and started walking downthe cobbled street once more.Atlantis truly was amazing.It was sobright, which really had surprised Foster when he first walkedoutside.It was like a city in coral reef with both shape andcolor.The way the colorful polyp style homes and businessesconnected and overlapped with each other, and the snakelike coralformations served as bridges connecting one side of Atlantis toanother.The reds, yellows, burnt oranges and greens made Atlantisso beautiful as well as enchanting.
The streets were like a cobblestone ofshells and other ocean floor pieces.Between the color, lighting,and natural creation of Atlantis, Foster was in awe.The only thingthat pissed him off was the way these people looked at Jabari.
The first time Foster had seen someonewalking along the road, he had called out a “hello.”The man hadturned to say something, seen Jabari and pursed his lips, thenturned away.Foster sneered muttering, “Bastard.”
Jabari squeezed Foster’s hand and just keptwalking.However, Foster continued to watch as mothers would taketheir children’s little hands and cross the street when they sawJabari, and some businesses actually turned their open signs toclosed.
When they walked past a small park and awoman hissed to another, “That vile creature is coming our way.Watch the children,” Foster had endured enough and started to saysomething.
Jabari shook Foster’s hand lightly, softly saying,“Ignore them, mate.It’s not worth ruining our day.”