Seth quickly stood and cupped her face. Her skin was so soft underneath his palm. Soft, pure, and his. “This isn’t your fault. We’re all out of our depths here, but no matter what happens, it is not your fault. Please say you understand that.”
She didn’t say anything, but a tear finally fell down her cheek. He brushed it away with his thumb. Amara should never cry. He’d tear apart anyone who dared to make her feel as though she should.
“At least try, sweetling. Please.” At her slight nod, he did what came natural and lowered his head. She gasped into his mouth, and he pressed his lips to hers. The electric shock between them only pushed him to kiss her deeper.
Her hands hesitantly went to his side, her fingers slowly trailing over the top of his shirt. He wanted to strip it off so she could touch skin, so he could feel her fingers along his sides, his stomach, his chest…but he knew that would be moving too fast.
When she slid her tongue along his, he let out a small growl and had to pull back, his chest working hard as he tried to take in breaths. Her eyes were wide, her pupils dilated, and her mouth parted, her lips swollen from his kisses.
“I think I can try if you’re going to keep kissing me like that,” she finally said, and he grinned.
“Damn,” Tristan said from the side.
Seth looked over at the man who would be his mate and had to suck in a breath. The man was stunning. He’d let his glamour fall, and his skin glowed ever so slightly while his ears became pointed. And from the look in his eyes, he wanted them both. Badly. Seth looked at Amara to make sure she was okay, and she merely smiled at Tristan, her eyes wide but not full of fear.
Tristan licked his lips. “That was…that was even better than I thought it would be.” He took a step closer. “Do you think I could have a taste?”
“From which one of us?” Amara asked as she lowered her eyelids.
“Both, darling,” Tristan said as he brought her into his arms. “Both.” He crushed his mouth to hers and Seth let out a moan of his own.
Holy. Hell. Seth wanted this to work. Needed this to work. Yes, he was worried that it might not happen, that the bond wouldn’t be there because of the way Amara had come into their lives, but he couldn’t think about that. She would be theirs, and they would find a way to make everything as fate intended. And because they weren’t in danger like the other lightning-struck had been when they’d followed their paths to mating, he, Tristan, and Amara could take it slow.
Only he didn’t want to take it slow.
He wanted to strip them both and make love to them until the bond snapped into place and he could have his fill.
He may be a virgin, but he hadn’t been completely chaste. He’d just spent his time working to protect his people, knowing there would be time eventually where he could focus on his body and needs. Only now, the only two people he ever wanted to share this experience with were in front of him, their lips on one another as Tristan took what was theirs.
Seth couldn’t wait to find out exactly what he’d been missing all of these years. Sure he was slightly nervous, but with Tristan and Amara, he knew there would be nothing wrong with what they did. He had to believe in fate, had to believe in a future that included them all. There wasn’t another option.
When Tristan pulled back, and Amara swayed on her feet, Seth moved to catch her. His arms wrapped around her waist and his fingers brushed along Tristan’s forearm. Seth sucked in a breath, need coursing through him.
“Now you two,” Amara whispered. “Show me. Show me what could be.”
“Well, we can’t deny the lady,” Tristan said with a grin then cupped the back of Seth’s head. Tristan pressed his lips to his and Seth moaned once more. He still had Amara in his arms, her taste on his tongue, but he had Tristan in front of him, setting the tone. Their tongues clashed together, their kiss far more violent with need than either of the two kisses before. Seth had been kissed by both men and women before, but nothing like this.
There was only one Tristan Archer, and from the way the fae kissed and nibbled, the man knew it.
When Tristan pulled back, Seth had to keep sucking in breaths to keep his head from going dizzy. Amara breathed at his side, and he knew that she was turned on by what she’d just seen.
Seth Oceanus was one lucky soul.
“You two need to do that again,” Amara said with a laugh. “Often. And as many ways as possible.” She fanned her face with her hand and winked. “I’d ask what’s next, but I’m a little worried we’ll all end up naked in a sweaty pile without talking first.”
Images of her pale white skin against the darker shade of Tristan’s and the tan of his own filled his mind. He wanted that. Desperately.
He must have made some sort of noise, because both Tristan and Amara stared at him, want and desire evident in their gazes.
Tristan was the first to speak after clearing his throat. “I agree…we should talk first. But what of? We need to get to know each other, need to find out exactly who we are, separately and together.”