Prince of Fate (Lions of Pride Island Book 2) Read online

“Sure,” she said with a sigh.

  “No need to act like a martyr about it,” he said.

  “I’m sorry,” she said, repentant. “I’m still… getting used to this.”

  “Not a problem,” he said.

  He heard the sound of distant thunder overhead and looked over at her. He pointed at the part of the porch covered with an overhang. “You stay there where you can be dry.”

  She nodded.

  He walked over to a pile of cut logs stacked by the side of the house, covered by debris and dust, and hauled a few over to the chopping block.

  Then he grabbed the old ax and tested it on a log before taking a full swing. Still sharp enough. That was good.

  Thunder cracked again, and it soon started to rain.

  Cain got into the rhythm of cutting the wood.

  “You look like you’re enjoying that,” Brenna said from her place on the porch.

  He grinned and nodded. His wet hair was streaming down over his shoulders, and his shirt was slowly getting soaked, but he didn’t care. “It’s much more fun now that I get to cut the big logs. Always had to do basically sticks before.”

  “Ox was a little overprotective,” she said. “Something the two of you seem to have in common.”

  “I would agree there,” he said. “Though I’m honored to be anything like him. But overprotectiveness also runs in my family.”

  She nodded, and he went back to chopping.

  The rain falling all around him had almost a cleansing effect. Cool and fresh. Typically, he needed a new stunt to look forward to in order to keep his mind clear, but this worked as well, it seemed.

  He pulled up one of the final logs and realized Brenna was quietly staring at him.

  He looked up curiously and noticed her gaze was a little too intent. Her hands were clasped together, and… was that a blush? He cocked his head to the side and pushed his hair back with one hand so it dripped down his back.

  What was that look in his mate’s eyes?

  She pressed her legs together and squirmed slightly, and he knew.

  She was turned on by him. But why?

  He swung the ax to rest on his shoulder and looked over at her.

  “You okay over there?”

  She nodded tightly, still staring.

  He fought back a grin and slowly reached for the hem of his shirt. Then he pulled it over his head and was gratified by the little gasp she released.

  Rain ran down from his hair over his chest, tiny rivulets outlining each powerful muscle.

  They were the muscles he used to do his job and the muscles that were useful to help protect her.

  But if they made her look at him that way, all the better.

  She stared at him like a hungry animal waiting near a bonfire where tasty meat was roasting.

  He fought back a grin but turned back to the logs. He had to let her come over on her own.

  Four

  Brenna gritted her teeth together. He was doing this on purpose!

  He was hot enough, chopping wood in the rain, his muscles straining and bulging under his shirt as the wood gave way easily under his powerful strokes.

  His blond hair made him look like a pirate. His body was even more gorgeous than it had looked on television.

  Was this guy really possibly her fated mate?

  But what would a life with adult Cain even look like? Would he still insist on going off to do dangerous stunts? In some ways, he seemed very like the boy she’d known.

  In other ways, he was very different.

  But right now, he was making it impossible to think, chopping wood with his freaking shirt off just to torture her even more. The water running down his perfect tanned body, kissing each of his muscles, made her jealous of every raindrop.

  She’d never envied precipitation before.

  And despite the fact that he wasn’t looking at her and was still working as usual, she knew he’d seen her, the way she was sitting, the lust that was apparent like a cloud around her. She felt engulfed in it.

  What was a crush when she was little was now a full-on lady boner now that she was an adult.

  Cain was just gorgeous. The lion in her was waking as if from a long sleep, and she could feel herself almost purring as she watched him work with the wood.

  He can work his wood with us, she thought. Then she felt blood rush to her cheeks. Dammit.

  He looked up at her for a second, a slight twitch of a grin on his lips, and then went back to chopping. He took a long swing and then took his time pulling the ax out, working it back and forth. He looked over at her again, green eyes flashing, and then hauled the ax over his shoulder and split the log again.

  Dammit, he was flirting with her. Why couldn’t he just do something about it now that she actually wanted him to? She didn’t think she could wait any longer.

  But how stupid was it to get turned on by a guy cutting wood?

  No, it had to be more than that. It had to be because she was opening up to him again. Feeling out possibilities rather than just thinking about the past.

  His ax fell again, the muscles of his back rippling, and she felt the thunder overhead as if it were resounding inside her.

  She suddenly wanted to stand and go to him. It was quiet inside the house, which meant Bee was taking a nap.

  He was unsuspecting; it’d be the perfect moment. But her legs felt shaky, nervous. If she started letting him in that way, she couldn’t go back.

  Once she had a taste of him, all that anger and pent-up wanting would come raging out of her.

  All those times she’d watched him on TV, thinking how handsome he’d become, and how stupid he was, and how bad she felt that he didn’t care about her.

  It was clear now that he did care, but something had stopped him.

  It made everything complicated, yet it also refreshed the situation. Kind of like the rain.

  She stood and walked out from under the porch to meet him. She felt her own heartbeat pounding in her chest as she walked forward, feeling the rain drizzle over her, slowly wetting her shirt, her hair, which would rapidly curl.

  He looked up at her and then propped the ax on the ground, resting his palm on it. His eyes were cool and reserved. It was clear she’d have to make the first move.

  But if she were honest, she wanted him. Bad enough to make the first move and then see whatever else would happen.

  She walked shyly forward, looked around them to see no one was watching but the mountains, and put her arms around him. He was wet from the rain but warmed her as she came close. She could hear his heartbeat as she rested against his chest. He looked down at her, perplexed, and then a hand came up to brush her hair back.

  “We’re really a pair, aren’t we?” he asked.

  “What do you mean?” She gazed up at him as rain still fell all around her.

  “I mean I get turned on by you in your bunny pajamas, and you get turned on by me chopping wood.”

  She flushed. “Who wouldn’t? In the rain, with those muscles…”

  He tilted up her chin. “So you forgive me?”

  She nodded. “Let’s start again. For old times’ sake.”

  “All right,” he said, caressing the line of her jaw, moving down her neck with one smooth finger.

  “I… I don’t even know what I want,” she said. “I guess you’re probably more experienced.”

  “Not as much as you’d think.” He admitted. “I’ve been waiting for my mate. But I think even I know to start with a kiss.”

  She tilted up her face, ready for him. He came down and touched his lips to hers. At first, they were cold from the rain, but as they stayed together and then parted their lips slightly, allowing their breath to pass between them, it warmed.

  He snaked his arms around her waist, pulling her tight, and she hugged him as hard as she could, feeling his strong waist, his back muscles, digging her nails into his skin as he deepened the kiss, tilting her head back and opening her lips more so he could slip his t
ongue inside.

  And that’s when it really got hot. Her legs would have buckled if he hadn’t been holding her. His tongue entwined with hers, thrusting gently against her in a hot dance that made her want so much more. So much lower…

  She felt heat building between her legs, and thoughts of him doing naughty things flashed in her mind as she dug her nails in farther. Just the thought of him over her, with that long hair, those naughty green eyes, that body, had her panting.

  And then the kiss, which went on and on, turning her already melting insides into liquid, making it hard to even feel the rain anymore.

  When he finally pulled back, breathing hard, he looked down with desperate green eyes. Could this man really want her as much as she wanted him?

  The answer seemed to be yes, because unless she was mistaken, he was holding back with everything he had. His hands were in fists at her hips, his entire body tensed.

  “We’d better stop there,” he said. “Or I’m going to end up doing more than you want.”

  “What if there is no ‘more than I want?’” she asked, running her hands over his shoulders, making his powerful body give a small shudder.

  “Then you need to be sure,” he said, looking her over. “And I’m not sure you are.”

  “I know I want you,” she said, tracing a hand over his chest. What was she doing? Making out in the rain, with Cain? It was so unreal.

  He brushed her hair back again. “There’s no rush. I know you’re still getting to know me.”

  She nodded. “I know.” Her heartbeat was slowing, but the rush was still in her. The heat of kissing him. The pleasure of it. She’d never felt anything like it. “You’re a good kisser.”

  “Thanks,” he said, looking down at her with a small grin. But his eyes were hesitant.

  She took a step back. “Is something wrong?”

  “No,” he said. “It’s just… I don’t want to take advantage of you. When I first came back, you were so mad. I know you want me, but maybe it’s just your lioness. Maybe if something happens…”

  She threw her hands up in the air just as the sun came out for a moment, pouring warm light over the clearing, though a little bit of rain was still falling. “Stupid man. You act like you’re going to make me fall in love with you. Then you pull back right when—”

  She was cut off when he reached out and caught her by the hand, pulling her back in against him for a harsh kiss. He kissed her there, under the sunlight, raining falling around them, for a long, torturous moment.

  When he lifted his head, she was gasping. The connection between them was so strong. Much more than she’d ever imagined.

  She truly saw him for who he was now. A grown man, one that could please her. One that had his own issues and complications that she wanted to understand.

  One who could still break her heart.

  She stared at him for a long moment, rubbing her hands over her arms, and then embarrassment overwhelmed her as she realized what she’d said earlier about wanting him to do everything.

  Truthfully, she’d been overcome with lust. She wasn’t ready. She needed more time. And to decide it if it was even a good idea.

  But she had a feeling that now that they’d kissed, they’d crossed a line into territory from which there was no return. And she had a feeling her body wouldn’t soon forget how good he could make her feel with just a kiss.

  Her lioness probably wouldn’t stop begging until she had him completely.

  She let out a little growl as she strode back to the house, leaving him in the clearing, staring after her with a grin.

  Cain caught up to Brenna just as she was about to go inside. He touched her elbow, and she jumped as she turned to look at him.

  She looked beautiful, rain streaming over her skin and her hair forming damp curls. She’d been beautiful in his arms, twisting and moaning and giving as good as she got. So wrapped up in it he didn’t think she even realized how much of a show she was putting on.

  And he’d loved every second of it.

  Too much.

  He’d only just gotten her to give him a chance again. He didn’t want to ruin it by rushing into physicality. Lionesses had very real, strong physical needs. Needs he was happy to satisfy. But not if it meant his mate hated him when she came down from the high and truly thought about it.

  Maybe he was being too careful, but she meant everything to him, so he wasn’t going to screw it up.

  He hadn’t even realized how very much he’d wanted her until his lips closed over hers. He knew he was attracted to her, knew they were good friends, knew he’d never been able to stop thinking about her, even in a friend way.

  But he hadn’t known there was this strong, resonating wave between them that made him want to lock himself to her side.

  Was this what it meant to be a mate? Or was it just that he’d always been in love with Brenna and hadn’t known it? He’d loved her. But he hadn’t known he was in love with her.

  Not until her body had twisted against his and felt so right.

  “What do you want?” she asked, looking at him cautiously. Was her heart still pounding like his? He would guess so.

  “I know… That was a lot,” he said. “This is moving fast.”

  She nodded, but didn’t look regretful at all. Maybe a little embarrassed.

  “We can take it easy tonight, spend it with Bee. Or maybe just rest. But tomorrow, if it’s not raining, want to come on a picnic with me?”

  She nodded slowly, a grin spreading over her face. “I’d like that.”

  He sighed in relief. “Great. I’ll make sure it’s all planned.”

  She reached out to touch his hand, squeezed it, and then walked inside.

  He felt his heart jump inside him, harder than it ever had during any of his dangerous stunts.

  He didn’t know what to make of that, but he knew he wanted more of it.

  Five

  The next day, one of Bee’s neighbor friends came over to take her shopping in a neighboring town, so it worked out well for Brenna to go for an outing with Cain and not feel guilty about it.

  They took a long walk through the trees and then veered off in the opposite direction from the mountains and walked through the quiet, sparse forest of large trees with towering canopies. They came out the other side and looked out at a grassy knoll with a beautiful view of the ocean in the distance. They were above miles of rolling hills and valleys, and they could just make out the line of a sandy beach. They were pretty far inland, but due to their height, it felt like they could see the whole world in front of them.

  Cain leaned back on his arms as he surveyed the beautiful scenery. Then he looked over at his mate—even more beautiful scenery.

  Today, she was wearing a hot shirt. Well, it was actually fairly loose, tunic-length, with lace on the sleeves and hem, and jean capris below, with sandals on her feet. But his mate was hot in anything… so…

  “What do we have for lunch?” she asked, looking over at him. Her hair was pulled back into a feminine ponytail that leaned slightly to one side, and a few curls were pulled out to frame her face prettily. Her lips were glossed with a reddish tint, her eyes framed by simple mascara.

  She was breathtakingly beautiful, and he didn’t know how he’d gotten so lucky to be here with her.

  “Sandwiches,” he said, clearing his throat as he focused on the basket and began to unload it. He was supposed to be feeding his mate, not staring at her.

  Brenna was so much more than a pretty face to him. She was a person he’d cared for who was willing to give him a second chance, and that amazed him.

  He served her a plate, loading it with chips and fruit along with her sandwich, and handed it over with a glass of milk.

  She ate thoughtfully, staring out at the ocean, and he just watched her, having to remind himself to even eat when all he wanted to do was gaze at his mate.

  I’m becoming ridiculous, he thought, shaking his head.

  “So if we did mat
e, what would it look like?” she asked, looking at him as she set down the rest of her sandwich.

  “I haven’t really thought about it,” he said. “I mean, obviously, you and Bee could come live at the palace.”

  “And you?” she asked.

  “I have a job. You could travel with me, though.”

  She frowned. “You aren’t thinking you’ll still do that if we’re mated, right?”

  “I thought you weren’t even sure you wanted me to mate you.” At the thought of giving up his racing, his stunts, his escape, he was uncomfortably prickly for some reason.

  He took a deep breath and focused on the ocean, remembering this was a way of finding peace, too.

  “What was that?” she asked, scooting closer, suspicious.

  “What was what?”

  “That little freak-out.” She pursed her lips. “You aren’t fooling anyone, Cain.”

  He shrugged. “I guess I don’t see what I do as dangerous. It hadn’t occurred to me you’d want me to stop. Other guys like me have wives. They either stay home and see their husbands when they aren’t touring or come on tour if they want. It’s not a big deal.”

  She shook her head. “It is to me.”

  “Why?” he asked, feeling that uncomfortable nervousness again.

  “Because when I see you doing that, you don’t look like the other guys. You don’t look… in control.” When he frowned, she corrected herself. “What I mean is you look like you’re lost. Like you’re desperate to escape, to do bigger and better. I’m worried one day you’ll do something that could kill you, and you won’t even care. As a lion, you’re durable, not invincible.”

  “So what would you want me to do instead?” he asked bitterly. “Sit around and be a house cat?”

  “What about what you wanted to do before you went into all that?” she asked. “When you were younger.”

  “Be an astronaut?” he joked. “Isn’t that dangerous, too?”

  “No,” she said. “You used to say you wanted to do what your dad did. That Axel would be the kind of king who worked things mostly from the palace, but as his brother, you could travel and check in on towns and make sure people were doing okay. That they felt connected to your family.”