Page 93 of Scars of the Sun
“Bye, bye,” Ollie said around the fingers he had stuck in his mouth. I released my claws to wave at him like I had yesterday, and his lips spread into a joyful grin while he leaned into his mother’s chest.
Dahlia clung to the side of Orion’s leg and stared up at us with her bright green eyes. “Are you gonna take me to skate soon?”
Ramona chuckled and crouched to be at the pup’s level. “Sure thing. Do you want Río to come or for it to be a girls’ day?”
Dahlia leaned into Ramona’s ear and whispered loud enough for us all to hear. “Girls’ day this time. Boys can come after that.” I watched fondly as Ramona kissed her niece’s cheek and agreed to their girls’ day.
When she straightened, I took her hand in mine and nodded to Orion. “Thank you for dinner. Sometime soon, we can have you all for dinner, if you’d be willing.” Hastily, I added, “No pressure, though.”
Sylvie offered an encouraging grin and nod at her mate who sighed ruefully, just as I had when Ramona suggested I wear the pink apron. “All right.”
I fought the urge to reach out my hand to shake his, remembering his reaction to the last time I’d done it. As if realizing we were having a peaceful moment, Meredith walked up the hall, and every person, even Ollie, stiffened slightly in anticipation. “Ramona. We’ll talk more about this later.” She looked between the two of us and waved a flippant hand. “What am I supposed to tell your father?”
“Tell him the truth,” I supplied. My mate’s mother looked at me as if I’d lost my mind. “Who knows, maybe he’d want to takeyou as a mate, too. I couldn’t imagine keeping Ramona without fulfilling that part of both of us.” I nodded at Sylvie and Orion and paused to see if Ramona wanted to say anything else. She didn’t pipe up with anything, but she did give Sylvie a quick hug and offered a fist to Orion. He softly bumped it with his knuckles, and she gave a final wave to her mother.
We walked out of the cabin, the purpling sunlight speaking promises of more peaceful days ahead. Really, I was ready to take on anything with Ramona with me. After putting on our helmets, she took her spot as my backpack and locked her arms around my waist. The deep rumble of my bike was as comforting and familiar as my mate’s presence, and I couldn’t wait to be home and further wrap us both in the serenity of each other.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
RÍO
It wasn’t like we’d done anything but eat and socialize, but as we made our way home, I felt bone-tired. How Ramona survived living in a home with that female, I had no idea. Her words were like blows, and the constant battle left a headache starting behind my eyes.
Luckily, though, with the space filled with the aroma of us, the pain was already lifting. I knew Ramona didn’t need the lights, but they let my eyes feel a little less strained. The lamp in the living area was sufficient and cast a yellow-tinted glow. Ramona took meticulous care of the roses I’d bought her, but I was gonna have to get her a new bouquet sometime soon. I swiveled a look around—actually, I’d have to encourage her to put her stamp on this place. Now that I was helping Orion take on my family, I’d see it through. To ensure the safety of my mate’s family.
Maybe we could keep this placeandtravel. This could be our home base while I showed my princess the world. Would she enjoy that?
Ramona wound her body around mine and braced her hands on my chest, breaking me out of my wandering thoughts. Her hair had a sweet indent from the motorcycle helmet, but herhoney eyes looked darker, and I didn’t think it was because of the low lighting.
“You were so great, Río.”
My chest swelled. “Yeah?”
“Yeah, you did so good with my mom and family. The kids love you, and. Yeah. Just perfect. Good.”
Well, if that didn’t clear my headache and let loose a delighted purr from my depths. My cock took notice and hardened in my jeans.
“I’m so glad I met you, Río. You’re the best mate. Te amo.” My lids lowered as her words swirled around in my head and trailed down my spine like the light caress of her delicate fingers. Ramona was sweet in her own sour way, but she fucking did things to me when she said stuff like this.
Ramona worried her bottom lip with her teeth as I pressed our bodies together, fitting like two puzzle pieces. She caressed the corner of my jaw, and I felt her heartbeats pick up faster. The little smirk that ticked up the corner of her lips had me pausing in anticipation, now suddenly horny as fuck. “You’re such a good boy.”
I had to flex my fingers to keep my claws from ripping into her dress. I searched her face with wide eyes, the reality of her words and scent about to send me into fucking orbit. Or into a puddle, seeping through the floorboards. Fuck.
“Do you like it when I say that, Río? Tell you how everything you did tonight was right?”
Dios mío, she was going to fucking kill me. When had I gotten so hard? If she kept on, I was going to come in my jeans. But if she kept saying shit like that, I might not be too mad about it.
Ramona trailed her finger down the side of my neck, sweeping around the tattoo there before continuing down my chest where my heart was threatening to fly right out. “So, yousaid on our first date, that you’d maybe let me tie you up.” Her brown skin had a bright red flush, but she pressed forth, “Was that a joke?”
Oh, god, I was rolling my hips against hers, trying to get more friction to find some relief. No, it hadn’t really been a fucking joke when I said it to her, though I’d intended for her to take it as one.
“Because. You’re so good to me. I want to take care of you, too.” She snaked her hand between our lower halves, pressing against my hard dick that was screaming to be in our mate already. Or spreading open her pretty, full lips. Painting her face with cum.
I groaned at the mental image and more mumbled praises from my mate. When I was able to focus on her again, she was a mixture of shy and smug and excited. I was never gonna live this down. “Congratulations, Princess. You’ve discovered I have a praise kink. Don’t start acting up about it.” But, who was I kidding? She’d already won.
She led me by the fucking belt buckle up to bed, but I was more than eager to follow. She could’ve led us both over a cliff, and I would’ve gone happily.
We didn’t turn on the lamp up here, so there was only a faint trace of light from downstairs. I was already shedding my jacket and t-shirt while she got to work on my belt and pants. None of it was fast enough, if you asked me.