Page 60 of The Dragon's Gambit
He gazed at her and reached his hand out to gently touch her face. “Reiya, is everything okay? What happened?”
“Oh, Lee!” Reiya swatted at him and pouted. “Just when I forgot, you made it pop into my head again.”
“Forgot what?” He wasn’t sure what had happened. Her face was all red, and she looked so vulnerable all hunched up on the floor. If someone did something to her, he would kill them. He wanted to touch her. He wanted to hold her right then, but it couldn’t be risked, not with Clovis and his spies lingering around the castle.
Reiya held her hand up over her eyes and shook her head. “Ugh, Lee. Okay, but don’t you dare say anything. Promise?”
“If someone did something to you, then there is no promise. Otherwise, I won’t say a word.”
“No one did anything to me. Okay. Ready for this? I went in to get something to snack on from the kitchen and ...” Reiya leaned in closer to Lee and then whispered lowly. “I saw Brody and Chelsie in a hardcore make-out session. I can’t unsee it.” Reiya scrunched her nose up, looking at Lee.
Lee busted out laughing. Here he was, worried, and it was over nothing. Her reactions could be over the top, but she was adorable. He loved her, loved everything about her. “Is that a problem for you?” he asked with a grin.
Reiya smiled and shook her head. “Not at all. I’m happy for them. I just never wanted to see my brother getting all hot and sweaty. It’s a stomach turner for sure. Not to mention, it is sort of a bummer that my brother is getting farther right now than Ihave with my own mate.” Reiya trailed her finger up Lee’s chest and smiled seductively.
“Is it a competition now?” Lee chuckled at his little temptress.
“No, it isn’t. I’m happy just being with you, but pretending you’re not my mate is harder than I thought it was going to be. I know it’s necessary, and I’m sure it’s harder for you, but ... I feel so uncomfortable, and all I want is to be in your arms, and ... hey, what are you smiling at?”
Lee shook his head. “It’s nothing. It’s just that it’s nice to hear you say that. I’m glad it isn’t easy for you. Not that I want things to be hard on you, but I don’t want something like this to be easy for you.”
Reiya understood what he meant. She stepped closer to him and wrapped her fingers in his shirt. “I only want you, Lee. How can a few hours feel so long?” She pouted into his chest.
Lee chuckled and wrapped his arms around her. He had been struggling, seeing her in Xander's arms. He wanted to decapitate Weston when he heard he tried to kiss her. He knew Weston would be in an all-out panic when he found out who Reiya really belonged to. He couldn’t wait for that day, for everyone to know she was his. He rubbed his hands in swirling motions over her back. He couldn’t stand the other men looking at her, and he was doing everything he could do to hold in his possessive temper. She didn’t even realize how beautiful she was. She probably had no clue that the men back there were looking her up and down as if she was eye candy just for them. It had put him in a foul mood. He finally had to walk away so that he didn’t start killing everyone.
“Lee, if you go to the dinner thing, maybe you can sit by me.” Reiya’s voice was quiet. It would be nice to be near him, even if she couldn’t claim him as her own. “Maybe we can play footsie or hold hands under the table like children trying not to get caught,” she teased as she tilted her head up to look at him. Hehad a very sexy smile. She trailed her eyes over his gorgeous face, licking her lips when they settled on his lips. She was addicted to kissing him already. She could kiss him for eternity, and it still wouldn’t be enough. She wanted to constantly indulge herself in his hot, delicious lips.
“You seem to like what you see.” Lee chuckled, leaning down before she could reply to oblige her. He was on the same page. He wanted to refuel before having to pretend again. He gently nipped at her bottom lip and prodded her mouth open with his tongue. Her sweet kisses were a delicacy to him. He had craved them for years and was finally able to start satisfying his taste. So soft. So sweet. And the way she melted in his hands ... it drove his animal senses into a frenzy. The need to claim. The need to protect. The desire for more. His animal side wanted to ravish his mate. To satisfy them both and solidify their mating bond. A soft moan escaped her mouth, and he felt her body drape into him. These moments were starting to get more dangerous for him. He wanted more ... no ... he was demanding more. He could feel his animal pushing forward and forcing the intimacy level higher.
He pulled away from her mouth and began to trail his kisses down her neck. She arched her neck for him as he continued to nip and lick at her skin. “Mmm, Reiya,” his hoarse voice rasped out as he continued to taste her skin. When he neared her marking spot, his animal couldn’t hold back. He latched onto it, teasing the spot with his gentle sucking and flicking of his tongue.
“Lee ...” Her voice was but a breath as she enjoyed the tingling bolts of energy zapping through her body. There was no way anyone could ever make her feel like this. This had to be something special from Lee. Ever since he marked her, her body was responding to him more and more intensely. Maybe that was how the mark worked. It was as if it was a drug thatleaked into her body to make sure it only wanted him. The drug was not needed, so it only intensified the want. She dug her nails into his back, feeling the tension in his muscles as she continued arching her neck toward his fiery lips. She could feel every inch of him pressed against her, the heat radiating from his skin and igniting a fire within her own body. Each touch was like a burst of electricity, sending shivers down her spine and causing her to hold on tighter.
“We should probably stop.” His hot breath whispered into her neck as he straightened up. He pulled Reiya into his body so she could rest against him.
“I don’t want to stop, Lee ... I want to continue.”
Lee let out a quiet chuckle. “You are quite the temptress today. I should punish you for wearing something like this for all the men to gawk at.”
“I have a feeling I would enjoy your punishments,” Reiya said seductively, which made Lee growl lowly with want. She smiled to herself, enjoying his reactions that she could trigger. “But you’re wrong. No one was staring at me. Maybe Reese earlier, but that was it. There were too many beautiful women around for me to catch their attention.” Reiya thought back to the women who were looking longingly at Lee. HER Lee. They were beautiful.
“Men know quality when they see it. They know you’re quality, and they want it for themselves. Trust me, Reiya ... there were too many men looking at my mate. It’s hard for me to handle my temper. I don’t want anyone else looking at you.”
“If I caught anyone’s glance, it’s because of this horribly short skirt Chelsie has me in. I can change my clothes, and the attention will go away. Unlike you ... there’s nothing you could do to draw the attention away from yourself.” Reiya turned and walked over to the drawer in her old room. Her clothes hadn’tbeen moved yet, so she could change out of this ridiculous short skirt.
“Being a deity means I’m always in the spotlight. There will always be people looking at me for various reasons. It really doesn’t mean anything, though.” Lee brushed it off. People had always stared, and at this point, he was numb to it.
Reiya grabbed a pleated skirt out of her drawer that would complement her current outfit well. It wasn’t nearly as short as the one she was wearing. “Hmmm. I don’t know about that, Lee. I noticed some ladies having to wipe the drool off their chins while looking at you.” Reiya thought about going into the bathroom to change, but her evil temptress side got the better of her.
“Who was—” Lee stopped mid-sentence as Reiya slipped out of her skirt. He eyed her exposed bottom greedily. feeling the darkness inside of him growing. He watched her slowly slide into her new skirt and pull it up over her delicious thighs. He clenched his jaw and balled up his fists as he fought for restraint.
Reiya could feel his heated gaze on her. She zipped up her skirt and then turned to Lee, quite pleased with herself. She did a small twirl for him and held her hands out. “How about this?” She looked up at his dark eyes. The animalistic way he was staring at her made her breath hitch and she licked her bottom lip expectantly. It gave her confidence to see that she could make him react like that. She walked up to him and gently kissed his lips. “I love you, Lee,” she said to him in adoration. He was amazing. She loved him so much and still couldn’t believe that he was hers to touch, that he’d marked her as his own. Every time she thought about how he’d marked her, it made the butterflies launch in her stomach. He had chosen her. For whatever reason, he wanted her.
She wrapped her arms around him and hugged him close. Sometimes it all felt like a dream. She was still afraidthat tomorrow she would find out that it was, or that he would change his mind about wanting her. Deep down, she didn’t think she deserved to have him. Why should she get to have Leviathan? How could anyone deserve this powerful, mouthwatering god? And somehow, she was supposed to accept that he was hers, that it was okay for her to claim him. Okay, she could admit it. Seeing the number of women looking at Lee made her feel a bit unworthy of him. She didn’t know why. Love isn’t always rational. Her guess, though, was that she wanted him so badly that she was afraid something was going to go wrong. Wasn’t that everyone’s greatest fear, though? Maybe not the unworthy part, but to lose their special someone.
Lee managed to snap himself away from his lustful thoughts. She had almost a slight look of ... fear? Sadness? He couldn’t quite place it, but as she held onto him tightly, he could sense there was more to this hug, more meaning in her ‘I love you.’ He felt her face push into his chest. The way she was gripping him ... it was almost as if she was saying goodbye. This confused him. Wasn’t she just trying to seduce him? And now she was trying to tell him that she loved him, but she couldn’t be with him? Is that what she was doing here? He felt confused. Scared. Insecure. He couldn’t lose her. He looked down at the girl in his arms. It was hard to believe that someone so tiny could have such a huge impact on his emotions. He inhaled her scent deeply. He always said that if she didn’t want him, he would bow out. That if she found her mate, he would let her leave. Yeah. Forget that shit. It wasn’t happening. She had another thing coming if she thought she would be able to escape his clutches.
Chapter 42 Troubling the Lord
