Loving Ean (The Fae Guard Book 2) (2 page)

“You’re right; she will.” I flinch at the sharpness in her tone and ignore the dull ache in my chest at her words. She leans forward and I am once again struck by the intensity on her face. Fate is usually full of flare, filling the atmosphere around her with fun and off the wall humor. I’ve never seen her this grave and it’s disconcerting to have this side of her focused on me.

“If you continue to push her away, your connection will break and I will make it my first priority to find her another fate, so she doesn’t end up like you.” A flame burns in the depths of those purple orbs and I just stop myself from backing away. I won’t let her change my mind, I’m going to stand my ground.

“I’m glad she won’t—”

“—Oh save it!” she snaps. “I know you believe it, but really, how can you be so dense?! You’re walking a fine line here, Ean Drake.” She stands up slowly and leans forward, bracing her hands on the desk. Her narrowed eyes shooting daggers at me. “I’m going to give you some time, Ean. Time to get your head out of your ass and see that the future you are creating isn’t as noble as you think it is. I’m not buying the altruistic bullshit. I see what you could be together. And, since it’s my fucking
job
to see your fate, I’m going to give you some time to come to your senses and trust me to know what your
true
destiny is. Not this asinine one you’ve concocted in that twisted brain of yours.”

She stops for a moment and watches me, as if contemplating her next words. I keep my mouth shut, unwilling to engage in further dispute about my future. She’ll see it my way eventually. I don’t deserve the one I’m fated with and I know she’ll be better off without me.

“You’re wrong,” she states. I raise an eyebrow at her in question, knowing that she doesn’t possess the power to read minds. She waves her hand flippantly, “It’s written all over your face.”
Fuck.
I hastily school my features into a deadpan expression (the one I’ve perfected around other people), and cringe inside that I let my guard down in front of Fate.

“As I said,” she starts again. “I’m going to give you some time before I cut your connection and search for another match to fate her with.”

I give her a jerky nod of acceptance and once again turn to leave.

“Oh, and, Ean?” I halt in the doorway, but don’t turn around. “You have no idea what she is capable of, and frankly, the fact that you think she is so soft and vulnerable is insulting. She’ll find out eventually and, when that day comes, I’ll be there to watch her kick your ass.”

I ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT
when I found the one I was fated with, the pieces of my life would just fall into place. I never entertained another outcome. I knew that the man I was connected to could choose another path, but I steadfastly refused to believe that would ever happen to me. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that my soul mate was a man I’d known my whole life, my brother’s best friend, and until that day, one of mine as well.

Perfect.

“
Laaaaaila.” Ean drags my name out on a sigh. “I’m bored, let’s watch a movie.” I can’t help but laugh at the silly pout on his face. Ean is a couple of years older than me, but sometimes, he acts like such a teenager. He’s always been the quieter and more reserved one out of the boys, but there are moments when he lets out his funny, flirty side that gives him a boyish personality, making him seem so youthful and carefree. Even when he’s serious, he has a sarcastic wit, and I can always find something to smile about in his company. He’d come in about ten minutes ago, flopped down on my bright, yellow couch and watched me as I poured over files for new trainees coming in.

I’m sitting on the floor in front of him, so I lift my head from the sheet I’ve been reading, lay it back, and look up at him. “Aden and Brannon are out on assignment, right?” Ean gives me a sweet smile and bats his mile long, thick lashes at me. I laugh at his antics, but raise an eyebrow waiting for his answer. Although, I’m pretty sure the effect is ruined when someone is looking at your face upside down.

“Yes,” he sighs.

“And, Kendrix is with his latest booty call, right?” It’s Ean’s turn to raise a brow. “What would you rather I said? Flavor of the month? The woman of his one night dreams?”

Ean’s expression twists in disapproval, but somehow it doesn’t mar his perfect face. He should have been a model with his deep blue eyes, straight nose, sparkling white teeth, and chiseled jaw. He wears his hair a little long on the top, and it naturally falls into that artfully messy style. He’s lean and tall, but it’s deceptive because he is absolutely ripped and incredibly strong. Girls go pretty wild over him, but he’s a relationship kind of guy, looking for his fate.

“I really don’t want to hear those phrases leave your mouth, like ever again. But, yeah, he is.”

I glare at him through narrowed eyes, “So, I’m your fall back. Fourth in line for you to bestow your magnanimous attention on?”

He grins widely at me. “You’re my first female choice.” His charm is not lost on me, but it’s so over the top, I can’t manage to smother my laughter.

“You really know how to sweep a girl off her feet. What movie, Don Juan?” I grab the remote from the low, glass table in front of me and toss it back to him. I have a thing for movies, so I’ve got a wide assortment from the human realm that I pick up on my sporadic visits there. To my surprise, Ean picks a movie I would qualify as a chick flick, despite the action and suspense elements.

“Not a word, Ebert.” He’s staring at the screen, studiously ignoring my mischievous look. He’s smart enough to know that all of our friends will know about this soon. “Don’t you dare tell anybody, or I’ll take the steamy scenes from your smutty romance novels and hang them all over the training room.” He’s still not looking at me, but when I gasp in outrage, his smile is one of triumph. He’s got me and he knows it. Damn.

“That’s one for you, seventy-eight for me, but yeah, one for you.”

“Babe, your knowledge of obscure movie quotes, while cute, makes you a complete nerd.”

A grin splits my face and I try to keep studying my files, but the movie pulls my attention completely away after a while. Once I set the files aside, Ean reaches down, wrapping an arm around my waist and pulls me up onto the couch next to him. I snuggle down in front of him as he spoons me, sighing softly when he begins to lightly play with my hair. “Can I ask you something?”

I twist my head back to look at him, his face is thoughtful as he stares at the strands of hair he’s twisting around a finger. “Sure.”

“Why aren’t you attracted to me?” His question catches me off guard and I can’t imagine where it’s coming from. Is he asking because he wants me? I’m really not sure how to answer, I’ve always felt connected to Ean. Not just emotionally either, I mean—for fuck’s sake—the guy is a walking orgasm, waiting to happen. To top it off, I’m incredibly close with my brother, Aden, and I could see the situation becoming awkward really fast, putting tension between us. Not that it would stop me, but I could admit that perhaps it had been one of the contributing factors to why I’d always pushed my desire for Ean out of my thoughts.

“Ean, it’s not that I’ve never felt attraction to you, it’s just that I didn’t see the point in acting on it if we aren’t fated.”

Ean nods, his face still pensive, then a slight smile sneaks across his lips. “So, you’ve been attracted to me?”

I roll my eyes at him and start to turn back to the movie. But, before I can move more than an inch, he tugs lightly on my hair, bringing my face back to his, and then covers my mouth with his. I’m too stunned to respond at first, but within seconds, I feel a shot of heat spiral through me, spreading to every nerve ending, then dissolving into a warmth that glows from my soul. My lips tingle at the touch of his and it sparks a burn between my legs, causing wetness to gather there.

Without thought, I lick his lower lip. He lets out a growl, opens his mouth, and moves over me, pressing me into the couch, holding his weight up on his elbows. Our tongues meet, testing, tasting, and learning the textures of each other’s mouths. A sigh escapes me, but the sound is caught in between our lips. His answering groan is more audible when we part just the tiniest bit as he sits up and brings my body with him, my legs straddling his. He wastes no time fusing our mouths back together, his arms encircle me and his hands tunnel under my t-shirt. I need to be closer to him, so I wiggle forward but pause when the warmth between my legs meet the hot, hard bulge in his jeans. The sensations in my sex burst into flames and I rock involuntarily against him.

My movement draws another growl from him and he leans back just enough to whip his shirt, and mine, over our heads, tossing them on the floor. He tangles a hand in my hair, using it to open my neck up for him to bury his face in. He trails scorching, wet kisses along the underside of my jaw before running his tongue along the shell of my ear and places a soft kiss in the sensitive spot just below. “I had a feeling that if I kissed you, we would burn. Seems I was right,” he whispers without any smugness, but rather his voice has a hint of wonderment. The best I can manage is a little mewl of agreement.

His lips work their way down to my chest, his fingers deftly pop the clasp of my bra and before it even falls all the way to my lap, his mouth is latched to one of my nipples. The tingles shoot straight to my pussy and I lower my legs all the way, so I’m pressing tight against his swollen erection. We both moan together, meeting in the middle, searching for relief from the growing need. He’s switched to my other nipple but now he lifts his head to take in the sight of my chest, lifting with every panting breath.

“You’re so damn beautiful.” My cheeks heat, but with my torso bared for him, the blush spreads down to color more of my skin. He grins lasciviously, “And your tits, damn, Laila. They are fucking spectacular.” The blush has now grown into a full-fledged fire, only partly from embarrassment, the rest is from the desire consuming me.

“I don’t know how I didn’t feel this, Ean,” I breathe. “You’re sexy as hell, but I just didn’t recognize the sparks. I want you more than I’ve ever wanted anyone.”

“I’ve always wanted you, Laila, I just wasn’t sure what to do about it. But, I needed to know, so I decided to kiss you and see what happens.” Ean takes my mouth in another rough kiss, his hands exploring my body, kneading my breasts, pinching the nipples and causing me to cry out. They finally work their way back to my ass where he grips tight and pulls me roughly forward, his cock rubbing against my pussy, the friction flooding me with arousal. After a few more minutes, hours—whatever—he pulls away and flops back against the couch, his eyes squeezed shut, panting like he’s just finished a marathon.

My erratic breathing has my breasts bouncing and when he opens his eyes, they are immediately drawn to them. I’m so wound up, I can’t stop squirming and he grabs my hips tightly to still me. “Ean, what’s going on? Why did you stop?” I coax.

“You feel it right? The rush of warmth and power? The connection?” His eyes break away from my chest and rise to meet mine, earnestness and a tinge of worry in their blue depths. I know what he’s asking and I’m overwhelmed with relief that he feels it too, but mostly by the fact that I’ve finally found the other half of my soul.

“Yes,” I whisper, then place a soft kiss on his lips. “We’re meant for each other. We’re fated.” His smile transforms his face, lighting him up from the inside out. He kisses my nose sweetly, then lifts me off his lap dumping me onto the couch beside him. “Ean! What the hell?”

He reaches down to grab our shirts and tosses mine to me. I’m flabbergasted and I just sit there, holding my shirt in confusion. He sighs and starts to put it on me, but I regain my faculties and snatch the shirt from his hands. I try to keep the hurt out of my voice when I ask again, “What’s going on?”
Epic fail.

“Laila, I can’t think with your gorgeous body on display and we need to talk.” His comment about my body chases away some of the hurt, but I’m still confused. I decide to relent and slip my t-shirt back on. I’m still tense with the need for release and the shirt abrading my nipples makes me shiver. Ean’s eyes darken when he notices my reaction. “I’m sorry, baby, I didn’t think.” He holds a hand out to me. “Come here.” I automatically take it and let him pull me back onto his lap, just out of reach of his still rock-hard cock.