Morgan’s hands wrapped around his head in that moment, her fingers clutching his hair tightly, and he knew she got the idea.

  Time for some fun.

  As a basilisk, he could hold his breath for a really long time, so air wasn’t a problem.

  Slowly at first, he licked across Morgan’s sex, the delicious taste of his mate muffled by the water but the contact of his tongue on her body even more intense.

  And as he started to go into a slow rhythm, flicking and laving and sucking on her clit, he could hear Morgan’s moans and gasps from above the surface of the water as clear as if the sounds were right at his ears.

  For several minutes, he took his time, eating her out and building her next orgasm, as the temperature in the water seemed to reach nearly boiling. They bobbed and weaved in the water, but Diesel kept her steady the whole while, allowing her to just freely feel his mouth on her sex.

  And when she came, he made sure he held her close while her entire body released the pent-up pleasure.

  It wasn’t until she’d had two more orgasms in this fashion that he felt a gentle tap on his shoulder, and he set Morgan off his shoulders and came back up to the surface.

  “I think we should go inside,” she exclaimed, looking up at Diesel like he was her whole world.

  He didn’t feel like he even deserved to be looked at like that.

  But he would treasure it nonetheless.

  “That sounds like a perfect idea.”

  He guided her to the edge of the pool, then cradled her in his arms and stepped out easily as both of their bodies dripped with water.

  As he went into the small, single-room cabin, he grabbed a towel and dried Morgan off haphazardly so she wouldn’t catch a chill. Thankfully, it was warm inside the quaint but sparsely decorated room, and as he set Morgan down on the bed, she let out a sigh of happiness, though her fiery gaze spoke volumes.

  He stripped off her bikini and set it aside, leaving her completely bare to him. She was so sexy there weren’t enough curses in any language to accurately describe how intensely he felt for her.

  “Your clothes too, big guy,” she said, glancing down to the huge bulge that threatened to tear out of his swimsuit at any second.

  He did his cock a favor and tore them off with his hand instead. And when he did, Morgan’s eyes went wide with surprise and arousal.

  “Holy crap.”

  “Did you expect something else?” he said with a smirk as he came over the bed, watching attentively as Morgan’s whole body shivered as he got closer.

  She seemed torn between looking up at him and down at his hardness, and Diesel suppressed a laugh at how sexy and cute she was at the same time.

  “Can I…?” She reached a hand toward his hips, and he nodded.

  “You can do whatever you want, babe. So long as it’s me.”

  His skin almost jumped at the light, almost-timid contact of her hand on his shaft, stroking and touching him. And though his basilisk surged, roaring to claim its mate, he held back, wanting Morgan to feel comfortable and safe with him.

  “So hard. And so soft at the same time.” She brought up her other hand and squeezed lightly, clearly enjoying holding him in her hands.

  Fuck, she was making him lose control.

  And when she grinned mischievously up at him, clearly not unaware of her effect on him as her thumb stroked over his tip, he growled.

  “You really aren’t afraid, are you?” he said darkly, coming close to her face. He felt something unfamiliar rising within, as though his skin were getting hot enough to burn. “You make it impossible to hold back.”

  With a motion so swift Morgan didn’t have time to react, he gathered her hands in one of his and pinned them above her on the bed. She quivered with excitement as he did, but he just kept her there, not sure how far he should go.

  She was tempting the beast in him too much.

  And when he pushed his cock over her slick folds, across her clit, Morgan screamed in sudden arousal, not holding back her sounds of pleasure now that they were inside.

  “Good, let it all out,” he said. “Let me know how bad you want it. Show me everything.”

  He ground himself against her again, and her head whipped side to side, her words a string of pleasurable obscenities and begging for more. “Yes, yes, yes,” she cried.

  He kept her pinned, and with his other hand, he played with her breasts while he continued to use the entirety of his length over her clit. And the longer he went, the wetter she got and the slicker their motions became.

  At some point, she wrapped her legs around the small of his back, driving him even closer and faster, until Morgan was panting with exertion.

  But before she finished, he withdrew slightly and brought his hand to her center. She nodded instantly in approval, and in moments, he had one finger, two fingers, then three pumping into her as he hooked his fingers up toward the front of her hips into her G-spot.

  When he was a little more satisfied she would be able to accommodate him, he started to go faster and faster, pushing Morgan toward her next release.

  “Imagine it’s me inside you. All the things you haven’t let yourself have up until this moment,” Diesel said, keeping her grounded in the moment.

  Whether it was his voice or the words he said or his fingers, the result was the same. A second later, Morgan’s eyes rolled back as her back arched off the bed completely.

  And with it, a powerful orgasm tore through his mate, and he could feel her wet sheath clench around his fingers as she screamed his name for the first time tonight.

  Damn, he wanted to hear her say his name like that every night.

  Lost in pleasure and all just for him.

  She relaxed once more and then gave him a “you know what I want” look.

  He just chuckled to himself as he released her arms, got off the bed to fetch a condom from his jeans, and put it on before he could lose even another second by her side.

  He positioned himself between her legs, then slowly thrust inside, pushing forward as Morgan clenched lightly. And with one smooth motion, so slick and wet Diesel could almost have come right there, he buried himself inside Morgan until they were hip to hip.

  They hadn’t even started moving, and Morgan sounded breathless already.

  “So tight. So much. Exactly how huge are you?”

  “Huge in every way.”

  “The right ways,” she said, and when Diesel just slid out a bit and thrust back in, the sound of her moan filled the entire room.

  Neither of them would last long; that was for sure.

  All the more reason to make it a big one, then.

  He put his forearms on the bed at Morgan’s sides, bringing them close enough that her breasts could brush against his chest. And when Morgan wrapped her arms around him once more, he felt so connected to her he could feel her heart beating, rapid and excited and holding out for the finale.

  Her heart would always be safe with him.

  Then he slid out almost all the way and thrust in to meet her completely.

  The world seemed to spin around Diesel with arousal and lust. And the scent of Morgan, and their warm, sticky bodies as he started to go into a heated rhythm, was so scintillating he didn’t know how he’d ever let go of her when they were finished.

  That was how life worked, though. Cherish the good moments, hold them tight, and do your best to make them count.

  The next minutes were filled with the sound of Morgan’s pleasure and the slick clashing of their bodies. The rest of the world seemed to stop as all he could focus on was exactly how fast, or how slow, he could go to maximize her pleasure.

  And when Morgan opened her mouth to say she was close, he just nodded at her, and she knew he knew.

  He was close, too. Though, who wouldn’t be after seeing the most beautiful woman in the world come so many times just for him?

  Her red hair had escaped her bun and spilled over the pillow and bed like a halo of flame. And her eyes, which seemed to warm to the color of heated honey as she got closer, flicked between his and down to the place where their two bodies met.

  Diesel leaned down and brushed a stray lock off her damp cheek, and he kissed her skin there, continuing to move for both of them.

  And when he leaned down to take her lips with his, she craned her neck slightly to meet him part of the way as though they were drawn to each other by some unseeable force.

  Their lips met just as his cock pumped into her one more time, and he felt Morgan’s body shift from tension to release in that second.

  And with it, drawing out his own release at the same time.

  Morgan fell back against the bed as she screamed, and Diesel wrapped a protective arm around her, clutching her to him even as bright, hot heat slammed his insides like a sledgehammer in the same moment.

  He grated out a curse and felt his cock jerk inside Morgan while she came. That only seemed to make her come harder, and her fingers dug into his back and shoulders as all the pent-up arousal of the entire night seemed to cascade through them and into each other.

  So wonderful. So connected.

  Mate, his basilisk growled.

  But Diesel ignored it as, slowly, the spasms of his release ebbed in time with Morgan’s. And when she’d finally relaxed in his arms, she didn’t look up at him for a moment, looking lost in thought or perhaps just the haze of post-release.

  After all, there were still a lot of things on Morgan’s mind.

  And even if he knew he wanted to make a family with her—to make her family his family—Diesel also knew every person had to move on their own time.

  For Gunnar, that had been a week. For his friend, Reno, it had taken ten years.

  Diesel leaned down and kissed Morgan again, then slowly withdrew and went to the bathroom to clean up so he could snuggle his mate.

  And when he came back out, she was still naked and beautiful, propped up on her arms as she looked over at him.

  “That was amazing.”

  “Yes, it was,” he said, sitting on the bed beside her, curious to know what was on her mind.

  He wanted to hear it all.

  “Don’t take this wrong, but I’m curious to know something…” She paused, and he waited for her. “But exactly how many women have you done this with to be so darn good at it?”

  “You’re the first,” he replied instantly, seeing nothing wrong with the idea.

  “What? But how?” She sat up higher on the bed, shocked and perhaps even a little relieved at his answer.

  He paused, collecting his thoughts.

  “Some things are just… primal,” he said seriously. “A deer doesn’t need to be taught how to walk. A shark doesn’t need to learn how to swim. And when it comes to pleasuring my woman senseless… it’s as natural as breathing.”

  As he said it, Morgan’s eyes went wide with acknowledgment. And when he got onto the bed beside her and pulled her against him, she nestled against him instantly, sighing in contentment.

  “Like I told you, the only person I’ve ever wanted is you. And that hasn’t changed. And it won’t change either,” he added

  “That… that’s a lot to take in. But I believe you, even though it’s scary sometimes.”

  “I’ll be right here to scare those things away, then,” he growled into her ear, and she relaxed even more against him.

  He couldn’t keep from stroking her hair off her shoulder, and in no time at all, Morgan was asleep in his arms.

  But as much as he wanted to claim her, to make her his mate, Diesel knew there was more going on than just the sizzling chemistry they shared and the unstoppable possessiveness he felt toward her.

  Each person went at their own pace.

  He just hoped this next step for them was one step closer to being together forever.

  If not, his basilisk, and his heart, would never be at peace.

  13

  When Morgan awoke the next morning in bed next to Diesel, she sighed and wished for a second that they could spend all week up here, tucked away in their passionate little paradise.

  But sadly, that was not to be.

  Once they were both up, they shared a quick shower, and then he carried her down the mountain, back to real life, or so it felt.

  As they were riding back home in his truck, Morgan snuck a few glances at his handsome profile. She couldn’t help but feel like she was bringing the best part back with her.

  Diesel.

  She still couldn’t believe how close she felt to him, how well they connected, both emotionally and physically, in such a short time. It was comforting, as though now that her heart had found him, it was making up for lost time by opening right up.

  The thought was exciting but also slightly terrifying.

  She also couldn’t help but wonder what it meant for the future. Sharing a steamy night at a mountain spring was one thing, but having to navigate a relationship, one that involved not only them but Grace too, was another.

  As they stepped into the store, Diesel seemed to notice her expression, and he leaned down to kiss her on the temple.

  “Everything okay?” he asked.

  She smiled and nodded quickly. “Fine, just wish we could still be up at the spring, sipping champagne and…”

  Diesel cocked an eyebrow. “And…?”

  She blushed and looked away. “And doing… other things.”

  “We don’t need a hot spring for that,” he said, his lips turning up in a wicked smirk. “Rest assured, there will be plenty of time later.”

  Morgan nodded, feeling calmer now, and she stepped over to the counter to get everything ready for the day.

  When it was time for school for Grace, Morgan instinctively went to call up the stairs before realizing that the family she was staying with was giving her a ride.

  Hopefully, everything had gone well at her sleepover. Morgan hadn’t heard anything from the family, and she trusted them, as they were longtime family friends.

  Thankfully, any worries were allayed when she drove to pick up Grace from her after-school programs and found her safe and sound.

  She knelt down and pulled her daughter into a hug. “Oh, I missed you, sweetheart. How was the sleepover?”

  “Fun. We made popcorn and stayed up watching scary movies.”

  On the way home, as she listened to Grace talk about her sleepover, Morgan wondered if her daughter had an inkling of what was going on between her and Diesel. Probably not.

  The concept of dating had never really come up before, after all.

  Should Morgan tell her? She wasn’t completely sure. It was still a little early for that, wasn’t it?

  She decided not to say anything until she could be more certain of what would happen in the future.

  When they got back to the store, Grace ran inside and waved to Diesel before heading upstairs to do her homework or read, presumably.

  “Looks like she had fun at the sleepover,” Diesel said, cocking an eyebrow and watching fondly as Grace hopped up the stairs.

  “I’m sure she did. She got to stay up past her normal bedtime.”

  He chuckled. “Smart girl. Pretty obvious where she gets it from.”

  “Oh yeah? Where?” Morgan asked, amused.

  “All those books, of course,” was his teasing reply.

  She rolled her eyes, smiling and fighting back the urge to throw something at him.

  “Jerk,” she muttered playfully, going back to her work.

  It was a pristine fall day, perfect for Halloween. At some point, Morgan looked up to see a man enter the store.

  The first thing she noticed about him was that he was huge, and his arms were covered in tattoos, kind of like Diesel. But this guy was different, as he wore all black and had a more classically handsome face, though his expression was so severe Morgan wondered if he ever smiled.

  And that wasn’t even the most intimidating part of his appearance. By far, the most shocking thing was his eyes. They were a deep shade of crimson, and she felt a shiver go through her as they fixed on her in an appraising glance.

  Then his gaze grew bored, and he looked away. “Nope,” he muttered.

  Morgan frowned. No… what? What the heck was this man talking about?

  “Um, can I help—”

  But she was interrupted as Diesel walked back into the room, looking perplexed at the sight of the visitor.

  “Ajax? What’re you doing here?” he said, setting down the boxes and folding his arms.

  Ajax looked around. “Got bored of the house. Wanted to see how you were… doing.” His voice was deep and scratchy, almost as if he didn’t use it often.

  “You know him?” Morgan asked.

  Diesel nodded, clapping Ajax on the shoulder. “Yes. He’s a basilisk just like me.”

  That made more sense. She almost could have guessed it, looking at his gargantuan size and tons of tattoos.

  “Well, a friend of Diesel’s is a friend of ours. I’m Morgan,” she said, coming around the counter and holding out a hand for him to shake.

  Ajax’s eyes narrowed, and he stared down at her hand for a second before taking it gently, almost as if he were picking up something as delicate as glass and shaking it slowly.

  He eyed her again for a second, then looked at Diesel and pursed his lips and nodded. At that moment, Morgan could have sworn that the ground rumbled slightly, but that couldn’t be. They didn’t get earthquakes out here.

  Maybe she was just going crazy. Then she heard a pair of footsteps coming down the stairs.

  “Diesel, I had a question,” Grace was saying, holding a large compendium in her arms. But she didn’t finish the sentence, her eyes going wide as she caught sight of Ajax, and she dropped the book with a thud and ran over.

  “Whoa, you have red eyes. Are you a vampire?” she asked, staring up at him with wonder.

  Ajax frowned, and Morgan wondered if she would need to apologize for her daughter, but then the side of his mouth quirked up in a small smile.

  “No, not a vampire. A basilisk,” he said.

  “Like Diesel?”

  Ajax nodded.

  Grace readjusted her glasses. “What kind of basilisk powers do you have?”