Page 4 of The Naiad's Lover

“There is no one,” he said, wrapping long fingers around my ankle again. That was all; he held me, and he watched my face.

I hid my smile as I glanced up and down the shore. I hoped to at least see Henrick Berglund and his dog, Lilia, but there was no one in sight. Of course there wasn’t. When I’d moved to Laskeld, I’d chosen my cabin for its remoteness. Very rarely did I see anyone, unless I walked in the direction of the town.

It seemed that nothing would save me from Sayan’s enthusiasm today.

“Well?” He gave my ankle a demanding squeeze.

“You’re right. There is no one about to see.” I gasped and bent over, grabbing for his shoulders as he lifted my foot clear off the ground and yanked my boot off, tossing it carelessly to the pebbles. He had the other one off equally quickly. My breeches and drawers followed.

I should have been accustomed by now to how efficiently he could strip me down to my skin, considering that he never hesitated to take matters into his own hands if I was being too slow, but I wasn’t used to it at all.

I didn’t think that I’d ever grow used to his hunger for me, or to the way he looked at me as if he’d never seen anything so wondrous in all his many thousands of years of life.

I didn’t understand it. I supposed that I didn’t have to.

All I had to do was love him back, andthatwas the easiest thing in the world.

Threading my fingers into his long, wild hair, I gently drew his head back as I leaned down to kiss him.

He stretched up to meet me, eagerly pressing our mouths together.

His large hands coasted up the front of my thighs and around to hold my arse. He hummed into my mouth, then slowly stood without breaking the kiss until, instead of reaching up, he was the one leaning down. He pulled away, his lips damp and red. Tangling our fingers together, he drew me towards the edge of the water.

My capricious cock had been showing some interest in the proceedings but as soon as we approached the waterline, it withdrew with trepidation, along with everything else south of my waist.

Sayan continued walking until our arms were at full stretch. When he noticed that I’d stopped and was no longer following him, he glanced back with a raised brow and tugged gently.

He had been so very brave for me.

He’d come into my home even though many centuries ago, he’d been betrayed and enslaved by a lover, and had good reason to fear humans—to fear lovers—and their dwellings.

He’d stayed awake through the winter rather than hibernating, and had learned to love warm fires and candlelight, plush rugs and cushions, to sleep on a soft bed beneath silk coverlets, to lounge in a warm bath.

Day after day, he left his lake and came back to me, walking into my arms as if it was the only place he wanted to be. He’d claimed me and bound himself to me.

Given up his immortality for me.

So this, I told myself grimly as I waded into the glittering, sun-struck shallows and every inch of my skin flinched away from the knifing cold, was the very least I could do.

I had to try.

If I hated it, he would accept that.

But I had to try.

I pasted on a smile and waded deeper, until the frigid water was lapping at my knees and my breaths came short and tight. Sayan turned and picked up my other hand, walking backwards as he drew me in after him, his bright eyes on my face.

He stopped, and gazed at me expectantly.

“It is very pleasant,” I said.

He bit his lip and sent me a shy look from under his lashes. “Yes?”

Oh, my heart. “Yes,” I told him firmly. “I’m l-looking f-forward to s-swimming with you of-of-often. Holygodsit’s cold, though.”

“It is?” he said, surprised.

It was to me. Then again, I was a spoiled and pampered human who was used to luxuries like dry clothes and solid land.

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