The Nymph King Read Online Free Page B

a life of satisfaction, if not contentment.
    â€œAll of them, damn it.” Tamara didn’t face her, but continued to stare out at the pristine water. Another splash sounded, this one closer. “You’re jealous of me, and because of that you’ve never wanted me to be happy. Every time I’m close, you do something to hurt me.”
    Of all the things her mother had said, that cut the most. After all, Shaye was here because she wanted her mom to be happy. She’d never shoved the woman from her life, because, despite everything, she did care. It was something she’d fought against and hated, but there it was. The girl who wouldn’t let herself care for anything or anyone else still wanted her mommy’s approval. Ugh. “Don’t blame me for your misery. You alone are responsible.”
    â€œConner and I wanted this day to be perf—”Tamara’s eyes widened, glazing with lust as her words jammed to an abrupt halt. “Perfect.” She sighed dreamily. “Hmm. So perfect.”
    The way her voice dropped to a husky purr, as if she wanted to peel off her dress and dance naked in the moonlight, had Shaye blinking in confusion. “Um, hello. Arguing here.”
    â€œMan.” There was a hypnotized quality to the word, an entrancement that spoke of passion and secret fantasies. “My man.”
    â€œWhat are you talking about?” Shaye dragged her gaze to the ocean. Her mouth fell open in shock.
    There, rising from the water like primitive sea gods, were six gloriously tall and muscled barbarians. The moon settled reverently behind them, enveloping them in a golden halo. Each of them carried a sword, an honest to God, I’ll-slice-you-into-a-million-pieces sword, but she couldn’t seem to make herself care. They also carried unconscious scuba-clad men, some anchored under their arms, others draped over their backs. Again, she couldn’t make herself care.
    The warriors were shirtless, and all of them possessed sinewy washboard abs, skin so tanned it resembled liquid gold poured over steel, and faces any male supermodel would have envied. Only better. So much better.
    Unbelievable…surreal…magnificent.
    Shaye gulped, and her heart skipped a beat. Heated air snagged in her lungs, burning and licking her with white-hot flames. All six of the warriors were suddenly looking at her as if she’d make a tasty meal, no silverware required. Strangely enough, she wanted to splayherself on a table, naked, offering her body as the dinner buffet. All you can eat. No charge.
    She moistened her lips, her mouth watering, her skin tingling, her stomach clenching. I’m turned on. Why the hell am I turned on? More important, why wasn’t she running?
    Closer and closer they came. So close now she could see the silvery water droplets sliding down their hairless chests and gathering in their sexy navels. The water slid lower, lower still….
    Snap out of this, dummy, she thought dazedly. Her gaze snagged on the man in the middle, and for a moment she forgot to move. Forgot to breathe. Dangerous, her mind supplied. Lethal. He was taller than the rest, his dark-blond hair hanging in a wet tangle around his wickedly mesmerizing features. His eyes… Oh, Lord. His eyes. They were blue-green, neither color blending with the other but standing alone, and so erotically seductive she felt the pull of his gaze all the way to her bones. Her nipples hardened, and an ache throbbed between her legs.
    There was something wild about him, something untamed and savage, a deceptively calm glint in his expression that said he did whatever the hell he pleased, whenever the hell he wanted. And as she stared at him, he stared at her. He studied her face, searing arousal flickering in those magnificent eyes of his, deepening and mixing the blue-green to a smoldering turquoise. But the arousal was quickly followed by a glint of anger.
    Anger? Was he mad? At