Chapter 240 - Love above all else

Arei leaned back against the window as he studied Jos's face. "Are you really tired or were you only saying it to avoid me?" He asked in a low calm whisper.

Jos frowned. "A bit of both. Today has been incredibly stressful, but I'm glad to finally have the worst of it behind us. I'm not necessarily sleepy even now, it's just... well it's quiet in here and the view is relaxing."

He nodded. "I understand, I felt the same growing up here." A smile curved his lips. "Would you like me to show you what I'd do some nights when I was too restless to sleep?"

She tilted her head in curiosity, a playful smile curving her lips. "I don't know, is it something I've seen you do before?" She asked with a teasing poke to his c.h.e.s.t.

He chuckled, "Well there is that... but I was thinking something more along the lines of..." He scooted forward with her still straddled across his l.a.p. He flipped the latch on the window and pushed open the heavy panel. Sending her a mischievous smile, he began unbuttoning his shirt then tossed it onto the wide seat beside them.

Jos's brows tented. "What are you-" Her words were cut off when a devilish grin spread widely across his lips as he wrapped her tightly in his arms and hurled them both out the window backward. Jos let out a shrill scream as she squeezed her eyes tightly closed and clasped her arms around his thick neck. When she heard the swoosh of air through feathers and their rapid descent leveled out, she forced her eyes open again. Arei's playful smile was the first thing to meet her eyes, but she forced her gaze away from his gleaming eyes. Beautiful black wings were outstretched just under each of his shoulders. He had her perfectly balanced across his reclined body. "So, you would jump out of windows with unsuspecting people for fun?" She teased, a bit of nervous energy still lingering in her shaky voice.

He let out a surprised laugh. "No, you're the first person I've ever flung out that window. I've only ever jumped out of it alone." His lips curved up playfully again. "But I have seen Peg and Andy do very similar things, and she seemed to enjoy it... so, I thought maybe you would too." He tightened his hold on her, wrapping one leg over both of hers keeping her whole body snuggly against his.

Jos watched in amazement as his wings narrowed into sharp, sleek folds on either side of them as they shot higher into the sky. The view was incredible until she happened to look down and see only a tiny speck that was the enormous palace. The watch around her wrist began beeping. She tightened her grip as fear and excitement fought for prevalence in her c.h.e.s.t. "OH GODS! LOWER!!! We need to be lower!" She struggled to pull her legs loose of his hold but couldn't manage.

Arei let out a hefty laugh as he sent her an amused smile. "Ah, but come on this form is the only one I can take up THIS high... but if you want down..." He winked at her as his arms tightened around her and his thick black wings cocooned around her. Locking eyes with her wild gaze, he allowed them to nose-dive back to earth.

Jos screamed in equal parts fear and excitement as the beeping of the watch increased. Before she'd even realized what had happened several tentacles had shot out and wrapped tightly around him drawing out a husky, amused laugh. As they neared the luminous waters below his wings unfolded from around her and spread widely out bringing them back to a steady glide. The beeping of the watch faded, and Jos forced the tentacles to retract as she turned slightly in his grip to see the creatures below. "Oh wow!"

Arei couldn't hide the p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e in his voice. "You know, if you use the tentacles to hold on, you could fully turn and enjoy the sights below... maybe even touch it..."

Jos sent him a curious look. "Are... are you sure?"

He nodded. "Yeah, go on, try it." He smiled warmly down at her as she nervously extended the tentacles around his waist once again. "You know it's only fair that you use a part of you that you dislike if I'm doing the same."

Jos sent him a shocked look. "I... almost forgot that you don't like your wings..." Her gaze moved to one of the outstretched wings. She began to reach for it with her hand but decided to see his words through. She extended an extra tentacle and let it run out along the soft velvet of the feathers. "They are beautiful."

Arei's smile widened as he straightened and brought their feet down on a soft mound of grass overlooking the widest part of the deep river running along the property. As her tentacles began to retract, he caught one gently. He ran his hand over the smooth, glistening skin. "So are these." He turned it from side to side letting the moonlight reflect off the bioluminous skin. "Not only are they beautiful in the day, but they are simply breathtaking at night. You should use them proudly." His eyes moved back to hers. "How about I make you a deal? I'll force past my own comfort zones as far as shifting goes if you'll do the same?"

Jos nodded, mesmerized by the way the luminescence from the tentacle he held caused his eyes to glisten. "That would be... nice..."

Arei gave her a warm smile as he bent to place a lingering kiss on her lips. "What do you say I show you one last thing before we go back to the bedroom?" He whispered with his head rested against hers. When she nodded, he took her hand and turned toward an old willow hanging over and hiding the other side of the stream. He sent her a reassuring smile as he pushed through the long willowy branches with his free hand. There were numerous splashes as they stepped out into the wide opening of the stream. Jos and Arei both caught glimpses of beautiful multicolored tail fins as the creatures dove below the water's surface. "This used to be my favorite spot as a kid. Your lagoon has always reminded me of it."

"It's beautiful." Jos said as her wide eyes scanned the glistening waters. "Can... could we get in?"

Arei chuckled. "Well, we could... but not in what we have on. Would you like to go back and change first?"

Jos's face fell in obvious disappointment. "I'd probably fall asleep before we could make it back out here."

He walked over and stroked his hand along the side of her face. "If you're that tired, kitten, then it may be best if we head back."

She frowned up at him. "You're probably right..." She let out a long, disappointed sigh as her gaze moved longingly back toward the water.

The corner of his lip turned up into a half-grin. He tugged her toward him and gently grabbed ahold of the hem of her shirt. "Do you have anything under this?"

Jos nodded. "I have the same lace u.n.d.e.r.w.e.a.r as earlier and a pair of stretchy shorts."

His smile widened. "Good." He tugged the shirt up over her head and tossed it to the side. He let his hands trail down her sides as he admired her pert b.r.e.a.s.ts pressed against the thin lace. Stopping his hands at the top of her shorts, he nudged them away from her h.i.p.s. "Remove these." He whispered holding her now heated gaze. "That way you'll have dry clothes to put on for the trip back." He added as he took a step back. He held her gaze as he unfastened the thick belt he wore and slowly pulled it out of the loops of his slacks. He tossed it to the ground beside her shirt before he began his slow workings of the button and zipper. He bit his full bottom lip as he pushed the pants past his h.i.p.s and let them pool around his feet.

Jos couldn't pull her gaze away from the tight spandex boxer b.r.i.e.f.s that squeezed every outline of his h.i.p.s, t.h.i.g.hs... and everything in between. She forced her gaze away as a deep blush spread across her cheeks. "If you're trying to take things slow... this is kinda a bad way of going about that." She peeked back over at him.

Arei laughed as he walked over to the water's edge and began walking into the cool waters. "We've swum together in similar things just a week ago, why should now be different?" He teased as he lowered himself down into the depths of the stream. "It definitely won't be the last time, especially if you're wanting to explore the submerged portions of the palace while we are here."

Jos could feel her cheeks heat more as she pushed her shorts down and tossed them toward the other clothes. "Well, I'd planned on wearing at least my bikini for that adventure..." She sent him a skeptical look. "I would have assumed you'd wear trunks..." She made her way to the water's edge but didn't step into it as she watched him carefully. The beautiful glow of the waters shimmered brighter with each slight movement of his body, casting a magical blue glow to his thick torso and arms visible from where she stood.

Arei sent her a wide smile. "I'm in shorts right now. They cover more than a speedo. Besides, your bikini covers way less than that u.n.d.e.r.w.e.a.r. I'm not even going to deny, the day at the springs it was everything in me not to pull those tiny strings and watch it fall."

She arched a brow as she began to step into the water. "And then what? Pull back? Run? Push me away? Run hot and cold just as you accuse me of doing?"

Arei frowned as his eyes trailed her movements. "You know I wouldn't, and I don't think you run 'hot and cold'. I understand your current withdraws just as I understand you're a very s.e.x.u.a.l person once that fire is lit." He looked away as thoughts of the torturous nights spent in Maine came rushing back. "I'm simply trying to meet you in the middle, give you... the both of us... what we want without taking it too far. I'm not doing these things to torment you, I just... I want you... that should be obvious enough..."

Jos glared at him. "So, how did meeting me in the middle work for you last time? All you're doing is repeating the same things as before. I wasn't as experienced or understanding of emotions and relationsh.i.p.s back then. Your constant edging of our relationship drove me insane! I never knew if it was something I'd done wrong or if you were simply unattracted and only giving in to a warm, willing body..." She shrugged as she came nearer. "I'll admit now that all my memories have returned, your words should have been enough to satisfy that self-doubting part of me, but it wasn't."

Arei nodded as he swam closer to her and took her hands pulling her closer to him. He cupped her face as he studied her expression and the many different emotions swirling around her beautiful eyes. He held her gaze as he lowered his lips to hers for a deep kiss. He intentionally slid his hand down over her backside and pressed her into him. When she gasped against his lips, he released her. "See, you're not ready. Let it happen organically. Until then let me show you who I really am... Let me win your full heart as the real me right here, right now." He stroked his hand over her cheek. "I want you to be the only person who knows the whole me... not just the ghost of a memory that you're constantly having to decern whether it was me or Ry... Not the me that has been with you since Florida." He placed another light lingering kiss to her lips as he held her close. Resting his forehead against hers, he whispered. "I've never wanted anyone to know the things I want you to know... to see about me. I want you to know and love the parts of myself that I've hidden away all this time... the parts that I despised at one point... just as I love the parts of you that you hide from the world."

Jos could feel a tugging in her heart. She wrapped her arms around his neck as she rested her head against his shoulder. "I would like that very much... though I can't understand why you've ever felt like hiding your other forms. They're all so beautiful." She let one hand slide free off his neck and began tracing the pattern tattooed across both collar bones.

He spun her around in a slow circle in the water causing the waters to glow around them as he moved. "Very much for the same reasons you can't see your own shifted forms as beautiful. Do you know that the first night I saw you shift, I thought you were the most beautiful creature I'd ever seen?"

She laughed doubtful of his words. "I doubt that with all the beautiful creatures here at this palace."

He stopped their slow spin. Cupping her face and gently turning her gaze up to meet his, he whispered. "I promise you; I'd never seen anything quite as captivating." He placed another kiss to her lips. "It may be selfish of me, but I hope that one day you can look back and appreciate this part of our time together."

Jos let out a heavy sigh. "I do appreciate it, and I understand where you're coming from. I realize I'm not one hundred percent ready for a giant leap forward. I just want your word that when I am ready... when we are ready, you'll not hold back like last time." She held his gaze as she waited for his answer.

Arei nodded. "I promise I'll not hold back. I only held back before because of the circ.u.mstances around our being together."

Jos frowned. "And what has changed with that? It seems that all and all, we are back in a very similar predicament."

Arei stroked her cheek. "The difference is, I don't have to worry about whether you're thinking of my brother while you're kissing me. I don't have to worry about the pain I'd cause taking your maidenhead in a night of uncontrollable passion..." He brushed a few stray strands of hair away from her face. "But I do still worry about messing up again and having to go through the pain of you running away from me again... or the pain that would come if you learned all there is to know about the darker aspects of my past and decide I'm not what you want... Or if for some reason you decide there's someone else you'd rather be with..."

Jos understood fully what he was trying to say. She nodded bringing her lips down to the top of his shoulder. It took a brave man to admit such things. "I understand what you're saying, but I promise as long as you continue to be honest with me and don't try to hide things or lie to me, I'll not run away from you again. And I know what you are thinking as far as someone else, but I assure you, I only want him to be happy. I want him to find someone he really loves that free to love him back in return and able to give him all the things in life he wants and needs." She let out a heavy sigh. "As I'd told him, only another wolf could give him those things."

Arei's shimmering eyes held hers. "I promise, no more lies or half-truths, and I believe you on everything else." He shifted her in his arms and began walking back toward the shore. He smiled when her eyes widened as he set her down on her feet beside their discarded clothes. "Though it's beautiful out here tonight, and this is one of my favorite spots, we should probably be getting back." He let his hand trail down over her h.i.p.s as he released her, "Besides if we don't head back now, I may try going against my own words."

Jos rolled her eyes as a smile covered her lips. "You're so full of it. I bet there's nothing I could do short of... last time... that would cause you to lose your, always present, perfect composure."