Page 81 of The Mating Quest

The finfolk looked down at her as she peeked between splayed fingers. “I’ve shown you mine. Want to show meyours?”

Ethan ran up to the finfolk, growled. “I’ll show youmine.”

Ethan shifted into a wolf, his teeth level with Zach’s dangly bits. His jaws snappedtogether.

Ilana laughed as the merman made a choking sound and dashed back into the water. Ethan trotted over to the surf, sniffed and started to lift hisleg.

“Don’t you dare, wolf! I want to swim in that water!” She yelled athim.

The wolf turned, grinned, showing sharp white teeth. Loping over to her, he wagged his tail. Then he buried his muzzle into hercrotch.

Ilana gasped and tried to pull away. “Do youmind?”

The wolf shifted back to Ethan, his merry blue gaze filled with heat and mischief. “Not at all. Feels kindanice.”

He sat back on his haunches. Ilana picked up the extra towel. “You’renaked!”

Looking down he nodded. “Yeah.”

“Cover yourself! What the hell is it with this beach that men think they can walk around without clothing? This is not acompetition.”

A serious look came over him as he pushed back a hank of light brown hair hanging over his brow. “With males, everything is competition,Ilana.”

He waved a hand and blue swim trunks appeared on his body. Too bad. Ethan did have a hot body… all lean muscle and sinew. Then he hugged his knees, his blue gaze searching. “You okay? If that guy bothers youagain…”

“Him? I can handle him.” She sighed. “At least on dryland.”

“If he triesanything…”

This protective side of him was different from how he usually treated her. Ilana wasn’t used to men wanting to defend her. It was a novel sensation and she liked it. It did get tiresome always fighting forherself.

But not a good idea, because someone always took advantage of her vulnerability. Her smile dropped. This was a brief respite from a grueling quest. Nothingmore.

“I can handle myself, wolf. Enjoy thebeach.”

She trudged off, mad at herself for liking him more and more. Because that could lead to disaster, perhaps for both ofthem.

Ethan didn’t knowhow to get through to Ilana. He had plenty of experience dealing with women, but not a woman likethis.

She vexed and intrigued him and aroused him like no other female had. At heart, he was a Changeling, yet more wolf. Alpha wolf, and when he saw something he wanted, he went after it. But Ilana wasn’t a mere seduction. Complex, yes. With a lot ofbaggage.

How well he understood baggage, having carried plenty of hisown.

Ethan headed for the office and began sorting through the collection of books. Books on Others, books on magick. He selected three thick volumes and set them aside. The air in the paneled room was cool and a cushioned chair by the window looked perfect for quietreading.

He opened the first volume on the Winter Kingdom and began to read, but his mind wandered after a few pages. How long had it been since he’d had alone time? Couldn’tremember.

After a couple of hours, he shut the book, deeply troubled. How were they going to get Gideon’s talisman? The Fae Winter Kingdom was filled with hidden dangers, yet it had been the Crimson Wizard’s home. The talisman surely was there. His stomach grumbled, reminding him it was lunchtime so he went into the kitchen. No sign of Ilana, but she’d left a note in her cramped handwriting. “Made sandwiches. They’re in the fridge. Lots of meat. Wolf them down.Ha.”

He investigated and was delighted to find thick, rare roast beef piled on his favorite whole wheat bread. He ate two sandwiches, drank two bottles of water and then glanced outside at the pool. To his surprise, Ilana floated in the water on an enormous flamingo raft, a smile on her face, her eyes closed in purecontentment.

Time to wake herup.

After changing into swim trunks and grabbing a towel, he came outside, dove into the pool. When he emerged, flinging his hair back, she sputtered. “Hey, you got mewet!”

He grinned, treading water. “Honey, you’re in water. Of course you’rewet.”

The turquoise pool was surrounded by coconut palms and offered a splendid view of the white beach and the serene waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Ethan swam a few laps and then climbed out, sat on the pool’sedge.