Amaia turned her head, her violet eyes wide with shock. “Mine,” I growled before I sealed my lips over hers, groaning at the amazing flavor that burst on my tongue. She tasted like sugar and sunshine, and I vowed to figure out a way to bottle it into a whiskey someday.
But definitely not today.
Right now, I was going to bury myself in my enchanting consort and thank fate profusely for not only giving me a mate to spend my eternity with but also one so lovely and amazing as Amaia.
Without breaking our kiss, I rotated her body to face mine, then I swept her up into my arms, and we were gone in a heartbeat.
3
Amaia
Liam brought us to a luxurious bedroom, presumably in his home. I wasn’t sure if my dizziness was due to teleporting or being in his arms, but I wasn’t as bothered by it as I usually would be. A little lightheadedness was a small price to pay for finally finding the daywalker who was meant to be mine.
And what a man Liam was. I’d known he was a Bancroft before Marshall introduced us. The brown hair, bright blue eyes, and pale skin were a dead giveaway, although he was much more attractive than his cousins. While we’d been waiting for dinner to be served, his body language had made it painfully clear that he wasn’t interested in small talk with me. I tried to honor his wishes, but it had been difficult to keep my focus off him while speaking with Everleigh and Marshall. My gaze kept straying in his direction as I took in his strong jawline, masculine features, and broad shoulders.
I’d never felt desire for a man, but I had felt drawn to Liam from the moment I approached the table. The pull between destined consorts was stronger than I expected...and so was the passion.
Twining my arms around his neck, I felt my heart race in my chest as he strode toward the king-sized bed. I didn’t let go when he laid me on the navy-blue duvet, pulling him down with me. His body crashed on top of mine, and he stared down at me, his lips curving into a smug grin. “I take it that it’s safe to assume you’re feeling as impatient as I am?”
“Impatient doesn’t even begin to cover how I’m feeling.” I shifted my hands to cup his cheeks with my palms. “How is it possible that I’ve been going to events hosted by your cousins for three years, and tonight is the first time we met?”
A pained expression crossed his face but was quickly replaced by determination. “You have no idea how much I regret skipping parties where you were in attendance. I’m sorry I made you wait so long, my darling. I’ll spend every day for the rest of our very long lives making it up to you.”
“It isn’t your fault, silly.” I lifted up to brush my lips against his in a gesture of comfort. “Especially when you had to wait much longer than me. A few years is nothing compared to the decades or centuries you must have spent wondering if you’d ever find me.”
I could’ve sworn I saw a hint of guilt in his eyes before he squeezed them shut and dropped his forehead against mine. I assumed he still felt bad about the missed opportunities, but he captured my mouth in a deep kiss before I could convince him there was no reason to feel guilty. Instead, I lost myself to the feel of his lips moving over mine. When his tongue swept inside, I let out a little gasp and pressed my body closer to his. By the time he lifted his head, I was breathless and writhing in need.
“Wow,” I panted, pressing my thighs together to relieve the unfamiliar ache between my legs.
Liam’s blue eyes burned with desire as he murmured, “Incredible.”
I wiggled beneath him and whispered, “Just think, we’ve barely gotten started.”
“Thank fuck you wore this dress.” His hand drifted down my side to fist in the taffeta of my skirt. “If you hadn’t tripped over the material, I never would have gotten to experience this.”
“Impossible.” I shook my head and smiled up at him. “Fate would have found another way to bring us together. I have no doubt that we would’ve met at another party or maybe even at The Old Haunt’s whiskey event this year.”
My cheeks filled with heat as I remembered how I’d babbled about that bottle my boss had given away as the prize last year. Liam had made me so nervous, and I’d been embarrassed to discover the whiskey I’d been raving about was one he’d provided. But now I took comfort in the knowledge that our shared appreciation of whiskey might have been the thing to unite us if we hadn’t met tonight. I couldn’t help but think that my job at The Old Haunt was destiny giving us a nudge in the right direction.