-Lara-
The warm water helped me relax, but it was James’s arms around me and his strong body behind me that truly made me feel better—stronger even. I didn’t understand why, but the sensation of his lips so close to my ear sent delightful shivers through me, making me hum with pleasure.
He made me feel so safe, as if I could truly rest in his arms. I didn’t have to be on alert. I didn’t always have to be ready for whatever might jump out of the shadows. I could simply relax. Just exist… Was this normal? Was this what it meant to have a mate? The thought scared me, and I felt myself tense.
“Relax,” he breathed into my ear.
His words brought immediate comfort, but I tensed again as I realized why they affected me so deeply. We shouldn’t be doing this, I thought. I tried to move from his
