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“For sure.”
I pulled Felix through the restaurant and out the front door, taking a sharp left into the ornate garden. When we’d pulled up, Felix had been in awe of the garden, but he hadn’t seen even the tip of the iceberg. We crossed the little footbridge that was visible from the parking lot and were immediately swallowed up by the rest of the garden. I brushed the low-hanging branches of a weeping willow aside, and Felix stepped into the space under the tree. The willows ringed the center of the garden andprovided an extra level of privacy when there were leaves on the trees.
“This way.” I led Felix out the other side.
“Oh my God. This is gorgeous.” My mate spun in a slow circle, taking in the large pond in the center, the ocean inlet behind the garden, and the three covered bridges that crisscrossed over the water. Flowers in various shades of pink, purple, and red were dotted along ornate shrubs and smaller trees of multiple varieties. The half-moon overhead bathed the entire scene in silver light, reflecting off the surface of the water and making it glitter.
Felix dropped my hand and stepped in front of me, winding his arms around my neck. My hands immediately found their place on his hips, and his lips brushed against mine in the most painfully gentle kiss I’d ever received. It felt like the perfect kiss for where we were, and I loved it almost as much as I loved having Felix in my arms.
He brushed his lips against mine again, a little firmer this time, before whispering in my ear, “I think this is the most romantic date I’ve ever been on.”
My fingers tightened on his hips. “Me too.” I found his hand again and turned him around. “Come on. There’s more to see.”
We wandered through the garden, taking the path I knew led out to the Jade Crane’s private beach. Felix sighed when we stepped off the last bridge and onto rocky shore. The Olympic Mountains were dark giants visible in the distance, but otherwise, we were completely alone on the small beach. Mei knew I’d want to come out here, and she’d keep anyone else who knew about the beach away.
I reached for the hem of my T-shirt, and Felix gasped.
“What are you doing?”
“I hate ripping my clothes when I shift, so I’m taking them off.”
He glanced around nervously. “Here?”
“Yes. The beach is private, the garden prevents anyone from the road seeing back here, and this is one of my favorite places to swim.” I could feel Felix’s anxiety through our bond, and I tried to send him a wave of reassurance that matched my words. “I promise it’s fine.”
He nodded. “Okay.” Then he pulled his own shirt off over his head.
A few minutes later, we were naked on the beach, the moonlight making Felix’s dark skin glow.
“There is something I’ve been meaning to ask you.”
I turned to face him, trying my hardest to keep my gaze above his waist. “Ask me anything.”
“What did you show your brother that made him realize I was really your fated mate?”
Pointing to the edge of the saddle patch on my neck, I stepped closer. “Until we meet our mates, the edges of our saddle patches are smooth. Now you can see this little swirl.” I leaned in closer, letting him run his finger over the area that curled in on itself. “It’s like a fingerprint. If you were an orca, your fate mark would match mine. The pattern is unique for each fated pair.”
“It’s beautiful.” His fingers slid along the sensitive skin of my neck, turning me on with the simplest touch. “Wait. Is it possible for an orca shifter to meet their mate and not realize it until they see their saddle patch change like this?”
I shrugged. “I guess so. I’ve never met anyone that’s happened to, but I think it’s possible.”
Felix’s expression turned thoughtful. “That would be hard, I think. To see the evidence on your body that you’ve met your mate but not to know who they are.”
I tried to put myself in that position, and I didn’t like thinking about it. “I think you’re right. If that had happened tome, I would have probably spent the rest of my life looking for whoever had the matching mark.”
He looked out over the water. “Does it bother you that I won’t have a mark that matches since I’m not an orca shifter?”
I didn’t even have to think about my answer. “No.”
“Really?”
“It doesn’t bother me at all because you may not have this mark, but you’ll still have my claiming mark.”
Felix’s fingers were still on my skin, and I felt more than saw the shudder that rolled through him.
“You like that idea, don’t you? Wearing my mark. Letting the world know you’re mine.”
“Yes,” he whispered. “I really do.”
