CEO's Runaway Mate and Her Cubs

They decided to leave late in the afternoon, but the pups fell asleep, and neither of their parents had the heart to wake them up.

«We can go back after dinner, Lara. It's not a big difference,» Nate said, carrying them back from the beach. «Let's make them sleep a couple of hours.»

«Sure,» she sighed, walking in front of him to open doors and move the obstacles away from his path.

«Should we take a walk on the beach... alone?» he tried.

Lara curled her lips, conflicted.

«We can swim,» he added. «Far from here, in the open sea... Or we can just look at the waves and relax.»

«But the kids...»

«Someone will look after them. It will be a couple of hours only: we'll be back before they get up.»

«Okay,» she sighed. It was too much of a temptation, and her cubs would be safe and sound. «Let's do it.»

Her shy smirk made Nate's heart skip a couple of beats. It wasn't even painful anymore: he was getting used to react like that.

They placed the kids on their bed, and they walked out after calling for someone to keep watch over them. A woman from the hotel's staff arrived in a couple of minutes, and they were free to go.

«Walk or swim?» Nate inquired when they were back on the beach.

«Swim,» Lara sighed. «I wanted to do it from the start.»

She got out of the light gown and threw it on their deckchairs. She ran to the sea and walked in the water.

When Nate reached her, her waist was covered by the sea.

He offered his hand, and she held it while walking forward. When they both could swim, they went towards the breakwater barriers and crossed them. In the open sea, the waves were higher. They couldn't touch the seabed with their feet, and the wind made it even harder to swim.

«The sea is awesome,» Lara commented while a wave sent her higher than Nate. She could see him from above, for once.

«It is,» he confirmed. He agreed, but even if he didn't think like Lara, he would have nodded. To him, she was always right. And seeing her happy made him happy.

«I love swimming, but I haven't done it in so long...» she continued, coming closer to him. She was a little clumsy in the waves, but she could keep her head out of the water.

She moved her hands in circles, contrarily to Scarlet, who would swim like a puppy, or Jaden, who would move every limb in a different direction without any aim.

Nate reached closer to her, and their legs brushed against each other. Instead of stepping back and leaving her space, he insisted on staying close. His eyes were fixed on her face, and his body reacted to her proximity as any wolf would.

He could feel her, physically: every cell of her body. And he wanted to touch her; or he felt like he'd die.

«Do you want to swim some more?» he asked, his fingers burning in the cold water. He really, really, really wanted to touch her. Even just a caress, with a single fingertip...

«I'm tired,» she sighed. «I don't have as much energy as when I was young anymore.»

«You're still young, Lara.»

«Oh, but I am out of shape. Let's go back... Or I can go if you want to swim more. In the end, you should take the chance with such nice weather and all. Who knows when will be the next time, right?»

«I'm good,» he replied. «I am also tired. I couldn't imagine parenting would be such a challenge. You're my hero, Lara. Literally.»

They sat on the beach to rest, and Nate pretended to be actually tired from swimming. More to have an excuse to sit close to Lara and look at her.

The sun was setting behind their backs while they looked at the sea. The waves at the horizon were turning black as the evening was a few minutes away. The beach was calm, and they were the only two on the private part reserved to the hotel.

With a now-or-never thought, Nate decided he had to make his move. He had been close to his mate for two days in a row; they slept under the same roof - even if in different rooms. It was time to get even closer.

«I'd like to hug you, now,» he said. His eyes were still on the sea, but his ears were following Lara's suddenly racing heart. «But you don't have to agree.»

«I do agree,» she chuckled. «The wind is getting chilly, isn't it?»

Happy like a dog, he leaned an arm on her shoulders. He kept her warm against that chilly breeze, but he could also look at her from so close. His throat ran dry as he bent down, intending to peck her cheek in a clumsy, shy attempt to win a kiss.

Just while he was on his way, the woman turned her face and looked at him.

It was a split second. He stopped, looked at her with a guilty expression.

He was trying to kiss her when she wasn't looking. It was a surprise attack. Which excuse could he find for that? None!

But then, Lara tilted her head and pressed her lips on his.

She didn't ask for explanations, nor did she give any. She just closed her eyes and felt his lips, soft and sweet like the spring.

Then, she split and returned to look at the sea, comfortable in his arms but not brave enough to look him in the eye.

«The sea is beautiful,» she repeated, her brain still lost somewhere in the universe.

She wasn't able to direct her body when Nate was that close. It had happened the first time they had met. And it would happen in the future as well.

At least, she realised, she would remember that moment in the future. How could she ever forget him? His lips were all she needed to feel cosy and safe.. Not the wind nor the water grazing her ankles could distract her from Nate's presence next to her.