Savor (21 page)

I elbowed him. Where was this coming from?

He laughed under his breath. “Sorry to cut this short, but Vera and I have some things to attend to.”

The howls and whistles that came from the crowd said it all. I turned my back and looked at Gareth. “Can we go?”

He nodded, “We can leave.”

“We?” So much for getting off the hook.

“The public ceremony is over, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t other rituals. We will escort you.”

I sighed. “Fine.”

Jared caught my eye and smiled. “Terrific.”

I still couldn’t believe he’d gone to such lengths to help me. I’d have expected him to find my predicament entertaining. Maybe he had, but he’d thrown me a life line, and it wasn’t one I’d have thrown him so freely. Then reality hit me. I wasn’t as good of a person as he was, and considering Jared’s reputation that wasn’t something to be proud of.

Mom linked arms with both of us and started back toward the house. I assumed Gareth was going to follow.

I’
d like to blame the situation on alcohol or some supernatural interference, but there was no one and nothing to blame. I’d walked into the whole Petere Ceremony willingly, and now I had to find a way to keep everyone happy while not actually mating with Vera. Suddenly my job at The Society sounded easy.

Taliana led us past the stairs of the main house.

“Where are we going?” I hadn’t anticipated going anywhere but Gareth’s house.

“To your mating house.” Gareth smiled.

“Mating house?” Vera stopped short. “What are you talking about?”

“Don’t worry. We’ve already had your stuff brought over.”

“How? How did you know we’d need it brought over?” She asked skeptically.

“We had it done while you were dancing, and it’s yours for as long as you want it. Most couples keep their mating house afterward. Of course you’ll be taking over my house eventually.”

“Yeah… not going to talk about that, but we don’t need a mating house.”

“It is tradition. You must take the ritual bath.” Gareth looked anywhere but at us.

“Ritual bath?” Vera’s mouth fell open. “No way.”

I said nothing. Anything I could say would only make things more awkward. Instead I took Vera’s hand in mine. It seemed to relax her, and I was getting used to the action. I was supposed to be so in love with her I wanted to spend my life with her. Holding her hand seemed like the normal thing to do.

“It’s not as strange as your father is making it sound. It’s about washing away the past and moving into the future together.” Taliana beamed, and I assumed she was thinking back on her own mating experience.

“We don’t need to do that.” Vera’s body went rigid. “None of that is necessary.”

Gareth looked us both in the eye. “No one is going to watch to make sure you follow tradition, but you will be asked to swear to it later. Failure to do so will null the mating.”

“You people are weird.” She rolled her eyes.

“You are one of us, Vera. If you’d open yourself up to it none of this would feel strange.” Taliana spoke softly.

“And what about Jared?” She held up our entwined hands. “He’s not from here.”

“No, but he’s going to be mating with you. That means he’s part of us now.”

“This is insane.” She sighed.

We walked through the woods until another stone house came into view.

“Here we are.” Taliana radiated excitement. “I’m sure you two will be very comfortable here.”

“I’m sure.” I needed to get Taliana and Gareth away before Vera flipped out. We didn’t have to do anything, but throwing a fit wasn’t going to help our cause. “Is there a key?”

“Here you go.” Gareth handed me a heavy iron key. “You have two choices. You can take the ritual bath and mate tonight.”

“And the other choice?” Vera interrupted.

“The other choice is to take the ritual bath tonight and take your time on the rest. The bath is the only part that is required on the evening of the Petere Ceremony.”

“We’ll do that.” Vera pulled the key from my hand and inserted it into the lock.

Gareth laughed. “Have an enjoyable evening.” He took Taliana’s hand and led her back up the path we’d just come down.

“They weren’t kidding.” Vera groaned from inside.

“A nice bat—” I stopped mid-sentence when I noticed the giant pool in the middle of the room—or sort of room. The ceiling over the pool was open to the sky.

“Not very subtle.”

“Nope.” I pulled off my shirt.

“What are you doing?” She put a hand on her hip.

“Going swimming.”

“Uh, no you’re not. We’re not doing this.”

“Haven’t you gone skinny dipping before?”

“Yes… but this is different. This is ritual.”

“It’s only ritual if you want it to be. Otherwise it can just be a casual swim between friends.” I grinned. She needed to relax. We could make the situation fun if we wanted.

“Between friends?” She arched an eyebrow.

“Yes.” I slipped off my pants and boxers. “Friends.”

Her eyes ran up and down my body. I didn’t mind one bit. “I don’t generally want to have sex with my friends.”

“No?” I feigned surprise. “That’s too bad.”

“But you’re more than my friend.” She reached around her dress. “Darn it.”

“Need help?” I walked around behind her and unzipped her dress. I knew that dropping the dress would expose her body to me, so I hesitated long enough to enjoy the moment to the fullest.

When I knew she wouldn’t expect it I dropped the fabric and pulled her body back into mine. As usual she wasn’t wearing a bra, but she did have a pesky pair of panties on. I reached down with my free hand and started to slip them down.

“It’s not fair.”

“What isn’t?” I whispered in her ear.

“That you make me feel this way.”

“How do I make you feel?” I pressed her back harder into my body, making sure she knew exactly how she was making me feel. The night had been insane, and I knew there was only one thing that was going to make up for it. Having Vera again. I moved my hand in between her legs. “Come on, tell me. How do I make you feel?”

She moaned.

I moved my hand slightly down her leg. “You still haven’t told me.”

Without warning she spun around in my arms. “You make me feel good.”

Her lips pressed into mine, and I pulled her flush against me. Her hand slipped between us, and I groaned as she took me in her hand.

I moved my fingers, wanting to give her the pleasure she was giving me.

“Are you trying to distract me again?” She leaned her head back, and I took full advantage, running my lips up and down her sensitive skin.

“I’m distracting both of us.”

She got more aggressive with her hand. “I can help with that.”

“Oh, you’re more than helping.”

“Ready for that swim?”

She was driving me crazy, and I wasn’t going to be able to hold on much longer if she didn’t stop. “Completely.” I turned us around so my back was to the pool. I returned my lips to her neck and took a few steps backward.

“Jared!” She yelled as we splashed into the deep water of the pool.

I laughed. “You asked if I was ready.”

“You didn’t ask me.”

“I already knew the answer.” I brushed some of her wet hair away from her face. “You’re gorgeous.”

“That’s an abrupt subject change.”

“Couldn’t help it.” I swam over to the side of the pool, taking her with me. I wrapped my legs around her, keeping her tethered to me. I wasn’t letting her go anywhere.

“Are we sufficiently clean now?”

“No. But who cares?”

“I don’t.” She ran her hand down my chest.

“Good.” I leaned toward her.

She pulled her head back. “You usually don’t kiss girls.”

“No. My guess is you usually don’t kiss guys.”

“Something is wrong with us.”

“No… we view sex as what it is, sex. Kissing isn’t part of that.”

“But
we
kiss.”

“We do.” Now that I’d tasted her lips, I wanted them all the time.

“And you saved me today.”

“Is there a point to this?” I cupped her breast, reminding her that my thoughts were on her body and not on being thanked.

She closed her eyes. “I just want to understand.”

“And I just want you.” I lowered my mouth to her breast, keeping one hand anchored to the wall.

She moaned. “Stop distracting me.”

I ignored her, and instead let my tongue explore.

“Jared.”

I reluctantly lifted my head. “Yes?”

“Aren’t you at least slightly concerned that you agreed to mate with me, you’re in a ritual pool with me, and we might spend the rest of our lives tied together?”

“Didn’t you hear Gareth?” I cupped her chin with my hand. “We have all the time we need. The only thing we needed to do was this bath, and well babe, we’re doing it.”

“Somehow I don’t think this is what they meant.”

“I think it’s exactly what they meant.” I ran my lips down her neck again. I was still in the mood even if she wasn’t.

“Jared?” She fidgeted against me.

“Yes.”

“Do you have more condoms?”

“In my bag.” I’d brought them as a reflex, and I was now very glad I had.

“Then we should find your bag.”

I kissed her eyelid. “Yeah?”

“Yeah… as much as I’m enjoying the swim.”

“You’ll enjoy the bedroom just as much.” I pulled us both out of the water, not bothering to search for towels before hurrying down the hallway I assumed housed the bedroom.

I stepped through a doorway, zeroing in on the large bed that took up most of the room. I set Vera down, letting my eyes take in her gorgeous wet form.

“Will you quit staring and get over here?” she had her hands at her sides. She wasn’t embarrassed of being wet and naked in front of me, and I loved that confidence.

“You know for a minute there, I thought I’d lost you.”