“Why?” I giggled at Lachlan’s annoyed expression.
“He says it’s almost dinner time and you can’t miss a meal. I would usually agree with him, but I’m enjoying our time alone together right now. I’m not ready to share you with others yet.”
“Then he can wait,” I told him, “Let him find us.”
Lachlan chuckles deep in his chest, making my heart beat wildly. Even his voice is attractive. “Want to make a wager on how long it will take him?”
My brows pull together questioningly. “A wager?”
“A bet. Like, I bet it takes him 30 minutes to make his way here.”
“Oh,” I grinned, “I don’t think it will take him that long. He seems to always know where I am.”
“So how long are you thinking?”
“Hmm,” I think deeply. “10 minutes? Maybe not even that long.”
“You’re on,” he smiles crookedly. “So, what’s my prize when I win?”
“You won’t win,” I muttered. Cherum will be here before we know it. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him pop out from behind a hedge any second.
“I might,” he insists.
I shook my head with a grin. “You won’t. But on the one in a million chance you do, what do you want?”
“Hmm,” he tilts his head to the side, looking up at the sky as he acts as if he is deep in thought. “How about another kiss?”
“A kiss?” I giggled. “Was one not enough?”
“One will never be enough,” he smiles sweetly, making me flush.
“Okay,” I murmured quietly. “What do I get if I win?”
“What do you want?” he asks, running his thumb on the back of my hand, making sparks dance on my skin. It’s very distracting.
I try to think of something, looking around us for inspiration. My eyes land on the mermaid, and an idea comes to me.
“I want you to go swimming with me,” I told him.
“Swimming?” He looked surprised. “I would do that with you anyway if you asked.”
My blush returns as I look down at our hands. “I would kiss you again too if you asked.”
Lachlan goes still for a minute, then his hand releases mine, reaching up to cup the side of my face, turning my head to look up at him. “Can I kiss you right now?”
I get lost in the tenderness and longing in his adoring eyes, staring down at me with so much sincerity it makes my heart race. Slowly, I nodded, wanting nothing more than to feel his lips against mine again and the relief it brought me.
His breath catches in his throat, his eyebrows pulling together and lifting with alleviation. Slowly, he lowers his face to mine, and just before our lips touch, as my eyes begin to flutter close, Cherum’s voice echoes in the space around us.
“Damn it, Alpha! I told you the lass needs to eat. She’s finally getting meat on her bones and I’m not going to let your obsession with keeping her to yourself keep her from-”
His voice cuts off, as he rounds the last turn into the center of the garden, a surprise fluster replacing the exasperated look on his face.
~
“Oh,” Cherum mutters. “Um, found you.” Cherum is shifting awkwardly on his feet, knowing ghee interrupted a moment between his Alpha and Luna. He doesn't leave, though. He is probably putting my well-being and the need to eat dinner above making his Alpha happy.
Lachlan growls, resting his forehead on mine. “I’m going to kill him,” he huffs angrily.