Wings of the Walker - CoraLee June Page 0,185

keep moving to keep my muscles warm. Maverick said I'd experience stiffness, but I didn't expect it to be so debilitating.

Sometime during my nap, Kemper set out a long, tan dress in a light material on the edge of the bed. It exposed my shoulders and dipped low between my cleavage. The dress was gorgeous, but it was the lingerie that made me pause. Black lace that wrapped around my body delicately. It fit perfectly, curving around my breasts, lifting them up while fitting loosely around my back. Kemper obviously put some thought into selecting it, and I pictured him picking up the small material while imagining me in it.

I showered and spent thirty minutes working the tangles out of my hair before slipping the outfit on. The dress was surprisingly comfortable, but also sexy. I liked how Kemper found a way to meet my needs while adding his own spin on it. Kemper was rebellious in the best ways, and I couldn't wait to tease him in this dress.

Feeling refreshed and renewed by the beautiful dress and shower, I made my way downstairs. Jacob was sitting on the bottom step, hunched over and observing a groove in the tile by his feet. He seemed lost in his thoughts, oblivious to the world.

"Hey," I called out softly.

Jacob turned around and looked at me with a forced, but flirty, smile. It wasn't until he really took the moment to see me, that I noticed the heat in his gaze. When we first met, I thought Jacob was confident—in an endearing way. He knew that he commanded my attention—and the attention of every other female in Dormas. With his full lips and sexy smile, it was impossible not to be pulled towards him.

But this journey had taught me that Jacob was actually incredibly insecure. He secluded himself when he felt like his place in his family was threatened, and I didn't want to be another person he felt like he needed to hide from.

"Where have you been hiding?"

"If I'd known you were wearing that, I wouldn't have spent the day at the beach," he joked while standing and walking up two steps to be eye level with me. He grabbed my hand and kissed my lips. I frowned a bit. He was at the beach all day? Did he not want to be around me?

"Can we talk?" I asked as he kissed my neck. Slowly, he pulled away, and I tried not to feel doubt. This wouldn't work if I allowed insecurities to take over. I needed to borrow Jacob's confidence and own my power with them.

"Sure, but I want to show you something first." He entwined his fingers with mine and started walking downstairs, pulling me towards the door where Cyler was standing with his arms crossed. His dark eyes and hardened expression made me nervous.

"You sure about this?" Cyler asked. He was in fierce Dormas leader mode, and I wondered what was going on.

"Positive. Dominique ensured that it would be safe. Cavil put word out that no one is to bother us until he returns. I also made sure to find a secluded path. "

"Do you have a comm-watch?"

"Yes."

"Did you pack her food? She didn't eat earlier," Cyler said. It felt like an interrogation, and I was left to watch their words zoom back and forth between each other.

"Taken care of," Kemper interrupted. He waltzed over while biting his lip, and I took a brief moment to enjoy his reaction to me. Kemper might be sweet, but there was nothing shy about the way his eyes roamed my shoulders and hips. It was empowering to see his attraction to me slip through the cracks of his expression. I winked, and his eyebrows shot up in shock for a brief moment, which made me blush. I knew that he was picturing me in the lacy lingerie he picked out, and in that moment, I wanted to show him what it looked like live and in person.

Kemper handed a basket to Jacob but kept his eyes on me. He leaned forward. "God, you look delicious," he whispered in my ear before pulling something from his pocket and slipping his hands around my neck. "Hold her hair up, will you?" he asked Cyler who graciously lifted my thick curls from my neck while Kemper fastened a chain around me.

I looked down and saw an iridescent shell shimmering and dangling on a dainty silver chain.

"It’s an abalone shiva shell, they're common here," he explained