Page 72 of Unveil

They?

On cue, another smaller swan drifts out from the shadowed trees hanging over the water. Excitement has me clutching Orion’s forearm, my nails pricking his tattooed skin. I glance up to make sure he’s watching, and his eyes crinkle at me as he nods in answer, mouthing,his mate.

I do a little happy shimmy in his arms. His chest rumbles with laughter against my back and he tightens his grip as he sits me on his bent knee. Entranced with the scene, I settle against him like he’s a chair. His arm rests in my lap, thumb stroking circles on my hip, while his other hand still covers my mouth, like he knows I’m still on the verge of squealing.

The swans float farther away, rippling the surface back and forth like a silent conversation. One dips its neck, preening the other’s feathers. I don’t know why, but for some reason, my chest tightens.

“They mate for life.” His words take root in my chest. “Once they’re paired, they fiercely raise their young together. And when the time comes, they’ll go back home. Together.”

We stay like that, watching the pair meander through the mist like something out of a dream. Then the male flaps hiswings, and his mate answers in kind before they vanish between mossy rocks.

Long after they’re gone, we sit in the quiet. The rush of the waterfall, the buzz of cicadas, and the rustle of leaves filter back in before Orion murmurs.

“You okay?”

His hand drops from my mouth to rest at my collarbone, while his other arm tightens around me, like he’s afraid I’ll run.

I should run. My confusion over how I reacted last night combined with the charge of the moment we just shared is too much to handle. My mind races to find its footing but dusts up a jumble of random memories instead.

His mother’s gentleness toward his father years ago. Orion’s nightmare from last night. The reverence in his voice when he talks about his family. It feels wrong to ask about any of it, too personal for how I’ve insisted on pushing him away. So I stick to what’s in front of us.

“What happens if a swan’s mate dies?”

I’m unsure how it relates, but deep in my chest, I’m desperate to know. When he stiffens behind me, I wonder if he understands why I’m asking better than I do.

His voice catches before he clears his throat and speaks more firmly. “For many, that’s it for them.”

My sternum cracks under the weight of his answer. He swallows thickly before continuing.

“He waited for his soulmate. Without her, there’s no one else.”

His fingers squeeze my neck while his other hand slides lower, hesitant, like he’s waiting for me to stop him. I’m achingly aware of the glossy ridges of his scars curving softly over my skin. The cool water flows around us, but his body flush against mine keeps me warm.Insideand out.

Earlier, I stripped down to tease and annoy him, to prove he didn’t scare me and that big bad Orion was all talk. But I’d also wanted to lighten the mood after dealing with all the emotions brought on by soothing my stalker into a restful sleep I couldn’t find for myself.

That lack of sleep isnotgood, and I could tell I was in trouble as soon as I woke up. I’m a live wire, energy vibrating under my skin, and I’ve had a hard time trying not to talk nonstop. He doesn’t seem to mind, at least. I think he might even like it.

But he doesn’t know the telltale signs. He doesn’t know that when the high feels too good, I have a bad habit of chasing it until I’m reined in, either by myself or by someone who loves me. Like now, I’m in control, and as long as we either get home soon or I get good sleep, I’ll stay that way.

Even if I do slip, though, I’ll still beLuna, just razor-sharp, braver, and quicker to act on impulses I normally wouldn’t. The easiest way to explain it is that I know what I want, and I want itright now.

Up until this point—thanks to him, apparently—I’ve never acted on my urges outside my bedroom, and even then, only with my battery-operated boyfriend. But Orion is here. Ready, willing, and just as needy as I am.

With this buzz humming through me, encouraging me to move, I can’t stop the inevitable even if I wanted to. And I donotwant to stop.

Orion’s hand ghosts down my torso while his other stays firm around my throat. My breaths grow heavy, and his heart races against my back, just as fast as mine. Instead of flying away like I should, I sink further onto him, feeling his cock hardening beneath me. Desire pools in my core, a want that’s gone unsated for too long.

God, it feels good to finally do something about it.

He applies more pressure on my throat, making it hard for my nervous swallow to travel down my neck.

“Do you like me holding you like this?” His voice is hushed, despite the trees being our only audience. “My hand around your neck?”

His thick cock pushes against my ass, his boxer briefs creating friction between us. A whimper slips out of me. He curses into my nape, and my whole body trembles.

“Yeah, you love it.” His words come out harsher through gritted teeth as he grips my hip and tugs down as he thrusts up, grinding against me. “You love knowing your life’s in my hands. It turns you on, doesn’t it, little bird?”

In answer, my hand boldly wraps around his on my neck, urging him to squeeze harder, restricting my breath.