Page 20 of Echo and the Homicidal Sea Panda

“Who’s joking?” Mael lowered his head and pressed his lips to Echo’s. When he rose, all traces of humor were gone. He released Echo’s wrists, but didn’t get up. “If you can honestly say you want me to leave, I’ll go right now.”

He searched Echo’s face, waiting for an answer.

Echo opened his mouth but couldn’t force the lie past his lips. Stupidly, he felt safe in Mael’s arms. Akiller’sarms. He was nowhere near safe.

Yet that’s how he felt, stupid or not. Maelstrom was big, bold, and badassed. And that big, bold, badassed bad boy wanted him. For what reason, he didn’t know, but Maelstrom wantedhim.

The geeky little guy who most other dolphins barely noticed.

For the first time in his life, Echo felt alluring.

Mael made him feel coveted.

And that sensation could prove addictive in the worst possible way—especially when it could all be a game. Was Mael there for him or for whatever treasure might be out in the ocean?

“I could end up exiled for this.”

“I don’t plan to narc on you about crossing into our territory. You’re safe.”

That did help calm some of Echo’s nerves—a little. “I didn’t mean that. I mean this. You and me. What we did tonight.”

Mael frowned. “We’re two consenting adults. And as I said, it’s not against our laws. I checked.”

“No written ones,” Echo argued. He scoffed. “Your pod would have no problems with you being in my bed tonight?”

Mael hesitated long enough that Echo got his answer.

“Just as I expected,” Echo murmured. “They won’t like this any more than my pod will, will they?”

“They’ll get over it,” Mael replied. “They can’t fight fate. No more than we can.”

Echo’s eyes widened, but he was too shocked to speak. The tether he’d felt and denied… had it not been a figment of his imagination?

“I know you feel it. There’s no way you don’t,” Mael whispered. “You belong to me. I belong to you.”

Echo shook his head, even as he sensed the truth. “We both know that’s impossible.”

“Do we?” Mael asked.

Why would fate be so cruel? “Our pods would never allow it!”

“I don’t hear a denial of what we are in that statement,” Mael said.“Doyou feel it?”

“It doesn’t matter what I feel.”

“I think it does,” Mael snapped.

“It could never happen,” Echo said. “So why torture ourselves?”

“We don’t know that unless we try,” Mael murmured.

“And what if one or the both of us ends up exiled?”

“Then we leave and start our own pod,” Mael said.

Leave his home? Echo barely knew Mael… and he was supposed to consider giving up everything and running off into the sunset with a virtual stranger?

Yes, because he’s my mate.

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