Samson had just enough control to open the tailgate and spread his jacket down over the cold metal before the need to take Cassidy out in the open air became too strong.
Wrenching her lips away from his neck, he captured her mouth with his own. She tasted like heaven and desire…and just a touch of bourbon.
So that was Gail's secret ingredient.
He should have known.
"I want to touch you," she purred against his ear.
She wanted to do a hell of a lot more than that. He could feel the passion in the warm breath spreading over his skin.
She tried again to claw at his shirt, but Samson didn't have the patience for her fumbling. So instead, he ripped the opening free, sending buttons pinging off the side of his truck.
Cassidy bit into her lower lip as she spread her fingers over his chest. Her hands felt so small. So soft. So fucking perfect. They traced over every swell and groove of his muscles.
But, just like he'd thought, she wasn't content to simply caress him for long.
Her hands dipped down to the top of his jeans, and she pulled at the zipper. As much as he would have like to have buried himself in her right there and then, Samson shook his head.
"You're not ready yet," he said through gritted teeth.
Cassidy looked up at him, her eyes filled with a wicked look he'd never seen before. One that made his heart pound and his cock ache.
"My mouth is," she said.
That was all Samson needed to hear. With a roar, he rolled over. He pressed his back flat against the bed of the truck and freed his cock.
Cassidy pulled herself up on all fours and licked her lips. "I've wanted to do this since the moment I met you," she said.
Cupping his shaft, she guided the tip of his throbbing cock to her lips. Samson growled at the glorious feel of her wet tongue flicking at the head. Of her lips straining to circle the width.
When she couldn't pull enough of him inside to satisfy her, she resorted to licking and stroking his shaft. The wet heat of her mouth drove him wild. So did the scent of her desire pooling around him.
He needed to taste her. Fill his senses with her slick and the proof of her need for him.
Grabbing on to her ankles, he whipped her legs toward his head and pulled her panties down from beneath the dress she'd made from one of his shirts. Just like he thought, they were dripping wet.
Her body was always so primed for him. So ready to go off with the barest touch. It was like she was made for him and him alone.
Samson gripped her thighs as he plunged his tongue deep inside her. Instantly, he felt Cassidy begin to shake. Slick flowed down his cheeks and chin, pooling in the hollow of his neck.
Fuck, yes. This was what he wanted. What he'd always wanted. To be with someone who needed him this much. Who wanted him. Not just his cock or his power, but him.
Cassidy cried out as the first orgasm shook through her body. When they made it home, he would spend the rest of the day just like this—his head between her thighs, using his tongue to prove just how much he cherished her.
But right now, the feel of her greedy little mouth was too much. Samson had to have her now, or he feared he would lose control and shoot his load into the air.
Cassidy gave a little cry of surprise as Samson wrapped his hands around her waist and turned her around so she faced him while straddling his hips. She didn't need any guidance on what to do next.
Palming his shaft, she guided the head of his cock to her opening, desperate to take him inside her.
Samson tensed as the heat of her tight pussy slid over him. He gritted his teeth, balled his hands into fists, all in an attempt not to lose control and plunge into her too hard.
It didn't take long for her body to adapt to his invasion, though. With each passing second, her body opened to him—stretching, softening, yielding to him.
Once she was all the way down his shaft, Cassidy started to move her hips. Slowly at first. Then faster and hungrier. Her body responded to the friction by sending another wave of slick that cascaded down her spread legs.
Cassidy panted. She cried. She threw back her head, wild with pleasure, coming again and again until Samson could feel that she was nearing the point of exhaustion.
And that's when he gave in to the pressure building inside him. He grabbed on to Cassidy's hips, steadying her, as he took over the pace. Thrusting with savage intensity until he roared, lost in the ecstasy of his swelling knot.
Cassidy was caught up in the sensation too. She fell forward, collapsing on his chest.
And that's when he felt it—the feel of her teeth grazing against the skin of his shoulder.
She was claiming him, he realized. At least she was trying to.
But it wasn't enough to nibble at him. She couldn't simply break the skin. She needed to give herself over to the moment for the bond between them to be sealed.
"Do it," he growled, pushing her head down against the hard muscle of his shoulder.
And she did. As the next wave came, she bit down hard. Ferociously. Ravenously. As though he was the only sustenance that could satisfy her.
Samson bucked his hips as he emptied himself inside her.
Then he held on tight, said a silent prayer for forgiveness, and claimed her back.
Chapter Fourteen
Cassidy had no idea how the omegas did it.
It had been four days since she and Samson had claimed each other, and the bite mark on her shoulder was still red, sore, and making her flinch with every swing of her arm. The wound was clean and healing, just a hell of a lot slower than she wanted it to.
A hell of a lot slower than the omegas had assured her it would take. Theirs had scarred over in hours. So had Samson's. Hers was taking its sweet time.
Apparently, omegas shared their alphas’ enhanced recovery abilities. Lucky them.
They probably didn't have to worry about being extra careful not to reopen the wound doing everyday tasks, like bathing or cooking or having mind-blowing sex on every surface in the house.
But that wasn't the worst part.
The worst part was how guilty Samson felt for hurting her in the first place. No matter how much she tried to assure him that it was okay, that she'd heal, that she wanted this, his dark expression made it clear he was still beating himself up over the pain he'd caused her.
After lunch, Cassidy couldn't take the clouds of self-condemnation hanging over his head any longer. She had to do something to try and clear them.
"Do you think it would be safe for us to go to Evander's for a couple hours today?" she asked while drying off the dishes and stacking them back in the cupboard. She hoped that spending some time around other alphas would do Samson some good. He could play darts or pool, knock back a couple of beers, and forget about her bite for a while.
Of course, Cassidy wasn't being totally selfless. She was dying to see Mia and spend some time among friends herself.
Samson looked confused. "Why wouldn't it be?"
Maybe because the last time they'd gone to the bar, he'd had to knock someone unconscious moments after they'd walked through the door.
"I just don't want to cause any trouble," Cassidy said.
"Too late for that, sweetheart." Samson laughed. "Besides, you know you don't have to worry. I can handle anything that comes up."
Cassidy didn't doubt that for a second.
After she was finished cleaning up, she went into the bedroom to change. She picked out a dress that Mia had loaned her while Cassidy's old clothes were being shipped up to the Boundarylands. The dress no longer fit Mia now that she was pregnant and she’d told Cassidy to keep it as long as she liked.
The dress was beautiful—a deep scarlet color that Cassidy would never have picked out for herself. Well, not during her old life anyway.
But now she liked the way the silky fabric clung to her body and swirled around her hips. The cut and flow made her feel as pretty as Samson insisted she was.
Once t
hey were in his truck, Cassidy snuggled up close to his side, wrapping her arm around his and letting the warmth and comfort of his body wash over her.
Damn, she was happy.
She knew there was going to be trouble in their lives. There was trouble in everyone’s.
There would be people—alpha, beta, and maybe even omega—who wouldn't understand their relationship. Who would jeer and condemn and make things difficult, but together they would make it through.
They would have each other…and that would be enough.
Cassidy kept her hold on Samson’s arm as they entered the bar. This time the conversation didn't stop when they stepped through the door.
It wasn't perfect, of course. The tension in the place did kick up a notch. A couple of alphas glanced at them through narrowed eyes from the far side of the room, but at least this time, no one said a word. At least not to Samson's face.
Samson guided Cassidy to a stool at the bar, and Ty came over right away. He gave them both a friendly nod before automatically starting to pour Samson a beer.
"And what are you drinking, Cassidy" Ty asked with a grin. "Beer or some of that special whiskey you like?"
Was Ty…teasing her?
Well, if that wasn't progress, Cassidy didn't know what was.
"I heard she likes bourbon," a feminine voice said from the hallway that stretched past the back of the bar. A second later, Mia poked her head out. "I was wondering when you'd make your way back here."
"Sorry," Cassidy said, getting up to hug her friend. "I've been busy."
"I bet you have," Mia said, winking suggestively. Cassidy winced as the omega wrapped her arms around her shoulder.
Mia sucked in an excited breath. "Oh, my God. You did it, didn't you?"
Cassidy didn't have to ask what she meant. No one in the place did. Looking around, she could tell that all the alphas already knew. They had probably sensed it long before she'd even stepped foot inside Evander's, picking up more than just the scent of her healing flesh, but the signs of Samson's deepening devotion.
"That's wonderful," Mia exclaimed, not caring who heard her or what they might think about Cassidy and Samson's new situation. "Are you happy?"
"Absolutely," Cassidy assured her, blushing. "Except for the fact that I still have bite marks. It's taking forever to heal. Meanwhile, you can barely see Samson’s anymore."
"Ouch," Mia said. "Do you want Gail to take a look at it? She was training to be a nurse when she came here, you know."
"No need. It's fine." Cassidy shook her head. "Just sore."
"Well, if it takes much longer to heal, promise me you'll go see her," Mia insisted. "I'm so excited to have you here in the Boundarylands with us for good. I'd be upset to lose you even for even a couple days to a beta doctor."
"You’re not the only one," Samson grumbled.
"Guys," Cassidy laughed. "It's a couple of scratches, not a gunshot wound. I'll be fine. I might not be as robust as you, but I'm no delicate flower either."
Mia laughed. "You're right. How quickly I’ve forgotten what it's like to be a beta."
After that, the bar went back to its normal hum of daily alpha life. Samson drank his beer, Ty served the rest of the alphas, and Mia and Cassidy chatted. It was almost like the old days.
The old days. Ha!
The ‘old days’ were only a week ago, when Cassidy had still been a graduate student making research trips, concentrating on keeping her head down and her eyes on the floor. Now when she asked questions, they were of Mia. And her friend answered them without reservation, spilling the intimate details of her life like they were the most mundane things in the world.
And to her, they probably were. But not to Cassidy. And definitely not to the rest of the beta world once she was done with her paper.
The minutes ticked by quickly until Cassidy slowly noticed the mood in the room starting to change. She looked around to see every alpha shifting slightly on the floor. Their muscles tensed. Their eyes were glued to the door.
Cassidy slid over toward Samson.
"What's going on?" she asked.
"Betas." Samson frowned. "About a dozen of them. All nearing the parking lot." He threw his head back and tested the air. "Ian is with them."
Ian?
There was a name she hadn't thought about for almost a week. Why the hell was he coming back here? And why had he brought so many others with him?
Fear and anger swirled inside her. What was that idiot thinking? He was going to get himself killed coming in here. More than that, he was going to get everybody else with him killed too.
Even now, murderous thoughts were burning bright in Samson's eyes. He'd seen Ian as a threat to Cassidy’s safety a week ago. Back then, she'd been practically nothing to him. But now that they were claimed and bonded, she had no idea what Samson might do.
The only thing she knew was that it was going to be a goddamned bloodbath if she didn't do something to stop it.
Sampson cupped his hand over Cassidy's shoulder as he rose from his barstool and faced the door. "Stay here," he said.
Shit.
Cassidy ignored his warning and pushed herself up. He shot her a look of disapproval as she moved to his side, but she'd deal with that later. Right not, she had an asshole to save.
Probably a whole bunch of assholes.
Moments later, there was proof that she had been right to be worried.
Even she could hear the dozens of feet climbing the wooden porch stairs outside, and the creak as the door was slowly opened. Ian was the first one through. Behind him followed a line of betas—a few students she recognized from Dr. Cheung's class, a couple administrators from the university, and a handful of professors.
Cassidy propped her hands on her hips as she glanced over the grim and sorry-looking party. She was acquainted with every single one of these faces. At one time or another, they'd all taken the time to tell her just how much they disapproved of her presence in the program.
"Oh my God, Ian," Cassidy said, letting her gaze settle squarely on him. "What the hell are you doing here? You have to know it was a terrible idea for you to come here."
"It's nice to see you too, Cassidy," he shot back mockingly.
One of the administrators, a thin man with the gray beard and a wool vest, stepped out from the others. Cassidy recognized him as Paul Jensen, the dean of science.
"Hello, Dr. Jensen," she said.
"Miss Carr," he replied uncomfortably.
"She's no Miss," Samson growled. "She's mated now. To me."
Dr. Jensen blinked in shock, right along with the rest of the group. This obviously wasn't the news they were expecting to hear. How could it be? No one had ever heard of an alpha/beta mating before. Especially not these closed-minded fools.
"We--We came here because we are very concerned with your welfare," Dr. Jensen pressed on. "We've come to see if you need any…assistance."
"Assistance?" Cassidy laughed. "You waited an entire week after this shithead abandoned me to come see if I needed help?"
Dr. Jensen shifted nervously in his loafers. "It took some time for the proper administrative authorization for this venture to be approved."
"And just out of curiosity," Cassidy said, cocking her head. "What were you planning to do if I did need your assistance?"
The line of beta men blanched as they took in the towering bodies of the alphas in front of them. The color draining from their faces made it clear that the part of the venture Dr. Jensen had referenced had never made it past committee.
"That's what I thought," she said, shaking her head. "But fortunately for you, as you can see, I am fine. Unharmed, healthy, and thriving."
Ian, standing safely in the middle of the group, snorted.
"And dressed like a whore," he muttered.
Samson took a step forward with a rumble of warning, his jaw tensed with fury. Cassidy threw her arm across his chest, praying it was enough to keep him from ripping the little prick apart.
"Oh, you mean like the one you ran off with that Friday night?" Cassidy said. "Yeah, her name is Ramona, and she's really nice. And you're right, she has great taste in clothes."
"She's lying!" Ian cried, anger burning in his eyes. "She's the one that couldn't keep her hands off that alpha subject, Dr. Jensen. She's still whoring herself out to him. According to university regulations—"
"No one talks about my friends that way." Ty had come around from behind the bar and planted himself a few paces from Ian with his hands folded across his chest. "So, unless you all want to wake up in the hospital, you better get the fuck out of my bar now."
"Our only concern is for her safety," a stocky professor with round glasses said hastily.
Cassidy wondered what lies Ian had told to get them all to come here. Had Ian actually thought that bringing a bunch of beta pencil pushers to an alpha bar would scare anyone? If so, he was even more of an idiot than she thought.
"It seems to me that Miss Carr is in no danger," Dr. Jensen said, already backing away. "Any further discussion can wait for the ethics committee’s final decision."
"That's right," Ian said, unable to hold the vicious glee from his voice. "You're getting kicked out of the program on moral grounds. Your academic career is over."
Cassidy let out a breath. It wasn't a surprise. She knew this was coming. With men like these on the ethics committee—ones who had been against her from the start—how could the result be anything else?
They didn't care about the amazing discoveries she was making in the Boundarylands. They didn't care about the alphas or the omegas here. They didn't care about anything other than their own reputations.
And Cassidy didn't care about them.
Which meant she was free to get something off her chest, something she'd been dreaming about for a long time.
"Ian, I'm sorry things ended this way," Cassidy said, looking at her one-time research partner. "But there's something I've always wanted to tell you."
Samson (The Boundarylands Omegaverse Book 3) Page 10