by Karen Lynch
A werewolf needed to live near the woods so he could shift often. If he moved to town, he’d have to drive out here every time he needed to shift.
He gave me an incredulous look. “I’d go anywhere with you. Don’t you know that? I love you, Emma, and wherever you are is home to me.”
My heart swelled, and I pressed my lips together as the tears came. I’d been alone for so long, and it was difficult to conceive that someone could love me this much. Since Sara had healed me, I’d been tainted by what Eli had done to me and what he’d turned me into, and I’d felt unworthy of happiness. Roland’s love made me feel clean again.
“Don’t cry.” He brushed away the wetness on my cheeks. “We don’t have to rush into anything. I know you’ve been through a lot, and I’ll wait as long as you need me to. All I’m asking is for you to give us a chance.” His voice grew strained. “I don’t want to lose you.”
I reached up to pull his head down to mine. In the breath before our lips touched, I said, “You could never lose me.”
His mouth moved tenderly against mine as if he was afraid to push me for more. Impatiently, I swiped my tongue across the seam of his lips, and he opened to me with a small gasp of pleasure. I kissed him deeply, and he crushed me to him, his hunger matching mine and sending fire through my veins.
He was breathing heavier when my lips moved to the curve of his jaw, and I smiled to myself as I explored his throat with my mouth. I released his head to slip my hands beneath his shirt, and he made a small sound when I began running them over his back.
When my fingers traced the hard muscles of his abdomen, he sucked in a sharp breath and his hands tightened on my shoulders. I could feel him tremble as my hands roved over his body, but he didn’t move. He was letting me have full control, and it made me love him even more. That was when I knew exactly what I wanted to do.
Roland
I could barely breathe as Emma’s hands traveled over my stomach and chest, her soft touch setting my body on fire. I trembled from the strain of not moving, but I was afraid to do anything to startle her. I’d fantasized about her touching me like this, and I’d die if she stopped now.
Her hands slid down to my waist, her fingers snagging the bottom of my shirt to push it up my body. She wasn’t tall enough to finish the job, so I gladly did it for her. I tossed the shirt on the floor, savoring the cool air against my heated skin.
She trailed kisses across my chest while her hands continued their gentle exploration. When her fingers dipped inside the waist of my jeans, my body felt like it was going to combust. She ran her fingers along my stomach until she reached the button. My whole body tensed when she released the button and lowered my zipper with agonizing slowness.
“Emma,” I said roughly when she hooked her thumbs in the top of my jeans and began to slide them down my legs. No one had ever undressed me like this, and it was the most sensual experience I’d ever had.
My jeans pooled around my feet, and I kicked them off along with my Chucks, leaving me naked except for my underwear. She stood slowly, her hands skimming my legs and sending delicious shivers through me.
A groan slipped from me when her small hand cupped me, and I couldn’t keep my hands off her any longer. I lowered my head, and she rose up on her toes to meet me in a smoldering kiss that left me dazed. She clung to me as my lips grazed her throat, and my hands followed the contours of her back and firm bottom. I smiled in satisfaction when she let out a ragged breath and melted against me.
Lifting my head, I looked down into her lovely brown eyes as my hands went to the front of her shirt. She gave a small nod, and I unbuttoned the shirt and pushed it off her shoulders to land on the floor near my discarded clothes.
“So beautiful,” I murmured, kissing her shoulder.
She bared her throat to me, and I touched my lips to the spot beneath her ear where her pulse fluttered wildly. My own heart raced as my hands moved over her soft skin, spanning her waist. She was so small compared to me, and I was half afraid of being too rough in my need for her.
As if she heard my thoughts, she took my hands and moved them to the waist of her pants in silent invitation. I claimed her lips again as I unbuttoned her pants and pushed them down over her hips. She took over, shimmying out of them and kicking them aside without breaking the kiss.
The feel of her bare skin against mine drove my arousal to new heights, and I knew there’d be no stopping this time unless she asked me to. When I unclasped her bra and let it join the growing pile of clothes on the floor, she responded by relieving me of my underwear, her fingers stroking me with maddening slowness.
I shuddered and scooped her up in my arms, carrying her to the big bed. With one hand, I held her while my other one pulled down the covers. I set her down gently on the cool sheets and lay beside her. Her fingers tangled in my hair and pulled me to her, and I lost myself in the kiss.
My lips trailed down her throat to her soft breasts, and she arched against me. Her fingers dug into my scalp and pure pleasure rolled through me. No one had ever affected me this strongly, and my body was coiled tight, threatening to explode if I didn’t have her soon.
I lifted my head to meet her heavy-lidded eyes. “I want you so much it hurts. But if you’re not ready for this, tell me. I meant it when I said I’d wait as long as it takes.”
“Even months or years?”
I swallowed hard at the thought of waiting years to make her my mate, but the alternative – not having her at all – was unthinkable.
“Yes, as long as we can be together.”
She smiled and cradled my jaw in her hand. “You’re kind of amazing, you know that? Must be why I’m so crazy about you.” Her other hand went lower, eliciting a growl from me. “Make love to me, Roland.”
“Thank God,” I breathed, earning a sexy laugh from her.
I quickly divested her of her panties and tossed them over my shoulder, to her amusement. I gave her a wicked grin, determined to replace her mirth with a different kind of pleasure.
Rising over her, I proceeded to kiss my way from her lips to her toes and back again until she was clinging to me and moaning my name. When neither of us could last much longer, I settled between her legs and raised myself on trembling arms.
“Emma Chase, will you have me as your mate?”
Her eyes widened at the sound of her real name, and her smile stole my breath away. I’d never seen anything more beautiful than her, flushed from our lovemaking and her eyes brimming with love.
“Yes,” she whispered.
Our bodies fit together as if we’d been made for each other, and I moved slowly to draw out the experience of claiming my mate. Nothing else in my life would compare to this moment. My wolf howled impatiently, but I ignored him, wanting this to be perfect for Emma and me. When she cried out softly, I found my own release, joy filling me as the imprint formed a bond we’d share for the rest of our lives.
When I could move again, I fell on my back and pulled her on top of me. Our bodies were covered in a light sheen of sweat, and I could feel her heart racing as quickly as mine. My limbs were like wet noodles, and my chest was bursting with happiness. No one had told me how whole and utterly content I’d feel when I mated. No wonder Pete couldn’t stand to be away from Shannon. If I had my way, Emma and I wouldn’t leave this bed for days.
“Comfortable?” I asked her huskily.
She snuggled against me. “Mmmm.”
Chuckling, I lifted the hair away from her face. “Are you going to sleep on me?”
She arched an eyebrow. “I am on top of you, so that would be a yes.”
“Good thing I have a healthy ego.” I reached down and pulled the sheet over us then wrapped my arms around her.
“Am I too heavy?” she murmured.
I kissed the top of her head. “You’re perfect.”
“Are we mated now?”
“Yes.”
I had a moment of panic that she regretted what we’d done, especially sin
ce there was no undoing a mate bond. As a human, she could walk away, but my wolf and my heart would be hers forever.
“Good.” She pressed her lips to my chest. “I was going to say we should try again if it didn’t work the first time. I’m sick of female wolves trying to take my man.”
A laugh rumbled from my chest. “When I get my strength back, we’ll make sure we’re good and mated. Better safe than sorry, right?”
“Absolutely.”
Minutes passed and I figured she’d dozed off. I didn’t mind. I was holding my mate in our bed, and I was more than content to stay like this all night.
“Roland?”
I stroked her back. “I thought you were asleep.”
“Just resting my eyes. Although, you do make a nice bed.” She lifted her head and rested her chin on her arm so she could look at me. “I really do like this house.”
I brushed her hair from her face. “I hoped you would.”
She smiled. “I don’t have a lot of stuff, other than my art supplies and my espresso machine. You think that’ll fit in the Mustang?”
“Are you serious? You want to live here?”
“Yes.”
I put my hands under her arms and pulled her up until my mouth met hers in a long, slow kiss. When it finally ended, both of us were breathing faster and I was extremely aware of the soft naked body pressed against mine.
She pushed up to a sitting position, straddling me, and heat shot straight to the place where her body rubbed against mine. Seemingly unaware of what she was doing to me or how ravishing she was in all her naked glory, she rested her hands on my stomach and gave me a regretful look.
“I still need to go visit my sister next week. I want to spend some time with her, and she’ll be hurt if I don’t go.”
“How long?” I asked in a strained voice.
“Only a week.”
She wriggled her bottom, and I had to suppress a groan. Her lip twitched. The little minx was trying to kill me.
Before she could blink, I rolled us until she was on the bottom again and I was exactly where I wanted to be.
“Shouldn’t we be going to see your mother?” she asked breathlessly.
I pressed a light kiss to her mouth. “If you’re going out of town in a few days, we really should make sure the mating took first. You don’t want to leave me alone here, unmated, with all these females.”
She licked her bottom lip. “You’re right. I’m not feeling quite mated yet. We should definitely fix that.”
And we did.
~ The End ~
Author Note
If you enjoyed Haven, please consider leaving a review on Amazon. You can also drop me a line at my website or Facebook or Twitter. I’d love to hear from you.
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About the Author
When she is not writing, Karen Lynch can be found reading or baking. A native of Newfoundland, Canada, she currently lives in Charlotte, North Carolina with her cats and two crazy lovable German Shepherds: Rudy and Sophie.