Dark & Stormy Alpha Nights
Page 12
It made his heart sing to know she wasn’t afraid of him.
When her fingers brushed against his side, he grimaced. The other wolves had gotten in one or two good swipes before he’d taken them down. He hadn’t killed all of them, but he’d come pretty damn close. He’d cared more about getting Lily away from the threat. His security team would dispatch those unfortunate enough to have lived. No threat to his mate would be allowed to remain.
“You’re hurt,” she said.
“It’s nothing.” He kept his voice low, barely speaking above a strained whisper. Her touch was more painful than the injury because he wanted it elsewhere on his body.
She let her hand drop to her side. “Were they–”
“Yeah, baby. They were shifters.” He waited to see how she would respond.
“Like you?”
“No, baby. Nothing like me. I don’t attack women. There is good and bad in the shifter community, the same as with humans.”
“I guess I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time, uh?”
“It should never have happened.” He still cursed himself for not putting a protection detail on her as soon as he’d known she was his. Arrogant bastard that he was, he’d never given thought that some other male would try to claim what was his. “The only place you’re going to be from now on is by my side or in my arms. Forever.”
When she looked away as if doubting his words, he leaned closer until they were face to face. He wanted no doubts between them as they took their first steps toward a new life together. “I’ve wanted you since the first time I saw you.”
Lily shook her head. “No, you haven’t.”
The laugh he gave was harsh. “Sometimes I have to jerk off in the middle of the day because I want you so much. Do you know how difficult it is to conduct business with a hard-on?”
“Umm, no.” Her mouth curled, a smile lighting up her beautiful face.
“Well, it’s damn difficult, let me tell you that.”
Lily giggled even though her last sane brain cell was jumping up and down and waving its hands to get her attention. She fought the urge to run and went with the stronger urge to stay.
He took her hands in his, stroking the backs with his thumbs. “You are my mate, Lily. I want you with every fiber of my being. My wolf wants you so much he’s ready to break through my control and take you. But you can change your mind. If you want to take it slower, we can.”
“But I can’t tell you no? I can’t say yes to now and no to forever?” She hoped she understood all that was happening and thought she already knew what his answer would be, but she needed to hear him say the words. Words were important to a woman and she was no exception.
“This is forever.” He pulled her to him, taking her mouth with his. The mouth she wanted on her, doing crazy, erotic things. The mouth spreading wildfire through her veins even now.
“Then I take forever,” she whispered against his lips. “Forever with you, Ethan.”
The sound of his name on her lips, whisper soft, and so close after the attack, brought Ethan’s wolf to the forefront. His vision changed, his body grew. The animal side of him wanted to force her to her hands and knee and sink his teeth into the delectable flesh of her neck as he drove his cock inside her. Hard. Deep. And fast. The animal was panting with the need to come. Ethan knew he should have marked her the day he found her. His wolf growled at him, angry with the man for waiting then and waiting now.
“Come, you need to take a shower.”
Lily protested as he led her from his office into his private bath. It wasn’t nearly as large as the one on his estate. There he had a built-in sauna, hot tub, and one or two surprises in his shower stall. All the decadent pleasure a man, or wolf, could ask for. He couldn’t wait to share each and every one with Lily.
He quickly turned on the shower, waiting until he was satisfied with the temperature before turning back to her. “Strip.”
“I don’t need a shower, Ethan.”
He growled and took her face in his hands. He knew his expression was fierce, but tried to keep his touch light. “I need to wash the freaking stench off, baby.”
“Oh,” she said, understanding dawning in her eyes. “I’ll take a shower.”
“You have ten minutes.”
As Lily washed away the scent of her attackers, he called the restaurant down the street. It was closer than the one he’d planned on taking her to after work. He ordered all her favorites–Caesar salad, sirloin steak tips, and banana cream pie. Then he ordered his favorites–a medium rare New York strip, steak fries, and coconut cream pie. They’d argued the merits of each dessert on several occasions. He personally thought either flavor would taste delicious spread across Lily’s mound as he licked her to satisfaction.
When he heard the shower turn off, he hurried to the bathroom. Grabbing a large towel, he opened the glass door.
“Out.” He noticed he was still talking in almost one-word sentences, but he couldn’t help himself. He and his animal were wound so tightly one false move would have them crushing Lily to the floor and mounting her round ass.
Above her protests, he dried her quickly and stuffed her inside a large terry cloth robe. He swung her up in his arms, taking her back to the soft leather couch in his office. This was not how he’d planned the claiming of his mate. Champagne and roses had already been delivered to his penthouse suite. The large solitaire diamond was in the suit jacket he’d left in the boardroom. The events of the night had forced his hand. Forced his wolf to demand the claiming, the mating. If anything had happened to her… both man and animal shuddered at the thought.
He was always saddened at the loss of any shifter, but those that had dared to touch his mate had signed their own death warrants.
“Stay here, Lily. I’ll be right back.” He gave her another hard kiss before striding back into the bathroom.
Lily heard the water running in the shower and knew he was washing away the blood and smell of the wolves that had attacked her. She tugged the lapels of the robe up to her nose, breathing in his deep, rich scent. She was trembling inside and it wasn’t from her near attack but the step she was about to take. A step that would change her life forever.
Her breath caught in the back of her throat as she watched Ethan walk across the office floor. He’d wrapped a large, white towel around his waist. He stopped, towering over her. His eyes were a swirl of colors–blue, gold, black. The colors seemed to change in reaction to the emotions racing across his face. His chest was bare, a bronzed work of art thick with black, curling hair. He brought her hands to his towel.
“Take it off,” he ordered.
Her hands trembled as she worked the knot free but she managed to fumble it open and let it drop to the floor. When she discovered his size, her wide eyes sought his for reassurance.
He folded himself over her, pushing her into the soft leather of the couch. “I’ll take care of you. I’ll take a long time,” he whispered by her ear, nipping the sweet upper curve. “Do you trust me not to hurt you?”
She moved closer, drawn like a magnet to the hair-roughed chest, her nipples throbbing when she pushed into him. “I trust you.”
Ethan let out a savage breath. Years of waiting to find her, months of wanting to fuck her… and now, he held his mate in his arms.
He quickly stripped her of the robe. Closer, he could hear her tortured breathing. Her nipples were diamond hard points digging into his warm chest. She clung, trembling. His big hands tunneled through the damp curls of her hair, savoring its silkiness. Somehow, she’d bundled it on top of her head so the shower’s spray had only dampened it. “I need to mark you,” he said through a tight throat.
“Mark me?”
His hand brushed her hair away from her neck and he licked the side of her neck, tasting the honeyed sweetness of her skin. “Here. I need to place my mark here so no one, no one will ever hurt you again.”
His mouth brushed hungrily against hers and he felt it open
, felt her body quicken in response even as he heard her helpless groan of pleasure.
He interpreted her response as agreement, a scared oath. “I’m sorry, baby. I can’t wait. I need you too damn much.”
Lily smiled knowing he was apologizing for the fact he was about to take her on a leather couch in his office. No doubt, it offended his sensibilities. Ethan was a sophisticated man, seduction his game. Instead of upsetting Lily that there’d be no fancy dinner, romantic carriage ride or a ten-star hotel to mark their mating, it gave her a rush of feminine power to know his desire for her had knocked away his veneer of civilization and control.
The man wanted her.
His wolf craved her.
The coolness of the air rolled over her as he moved. Before she knew it, he was crouched between her legs.
“I need to taste you,” he growled, grasping her calves and bending her legs forward. She moved, trying to get away. “Ssh, baby. You’ll like it, trust me.”
He smiled at her and Lily couldn’t help but compare his grin to that of his animal counterpart. Both so charming and so lethal.
He put pressure on her bended knees, spreading her to his view. She shivered, her mind racing with thoughts of what he was about to do. She’d read. She’d read lots and lots. Romances, erotica–manuals–she’d satisfied her curiosity on how things were done, but nothing had prepared her for this. Flesh against flesh. Tongue against…
He knelt between her splayed legs, his gaze locked on the pinkness of her slit. He bent forward, his shoulders taking the place of his hands to hold her in place. His thumb touched the outside of her swollen lips and she jumped.
“So wet. Is that for me, baby?” He grinned again and Lily was lost. Completely lost. She wanted this man. She’d been on the verge of falling completely, helplessly in love with him for months. Now, she fell over the edge. He said she was his mate. A person made especially for him, even if she wasn’t a wolf. Or thin. Or as beautiful as the other women in his life had been. It had to work both ways, didn’t it? He was made especially for her? Exactly what she needed. A man, and wolf, who loved her unconditionally.
Note from the Author
Enjoy the rest of Ethan and Lily’s story in Mate of the Alpha, a happily-ever-after, standalone novella.
Read as the big, bad wolf slowly succumbs to the charms of his curvy mate.
Discover Mate of the Alpha.
Learn more about Marie Mason at:
mariemasonwrites.com
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The Cajun's Captive
by Selena Blake
Part of the Stormy Weather series
He'll do anything to keep her, even tie her to his bed.
Sebastian Deveraux is the Alpha of his pack and like all the Deveraux men, he’s sexy as pure sin. He’s waited for decades for just the right woman. For his mate. And ten years ago he’d been sure he’d found her in Amanda St. James. But she’d run from him.
Now she’s back. He’ll do anything to keep her. Even if it means tying her to his bed.
They'd barely made it back to the bedroom before Sebastian had slipped the delicate pink wrap-dress from her shoulders. She’d insisted that she couldn’t get married in his bathrobe.
The soft material pooled around her waist, giving him easy access to her full breasts. He trailed his hands over her collarbone before cupping the sweet flesh in his hands. As he caressed each curve, he memorized every delicious detail. Every catch of her breath. Every skip of her pulse beneath his fingertips.
Her hands tugged at his shirt. He barely noticed. He knew nothing but the hard little peaks between his fingers. He squeezed gently and Manda moaned into the darkness.
“Like that, do you, cher?”
“Mmm hmm.”
He dipped his head and laved one of the dusky pink nipples with his tongue. God, she smelled heavenly. Aroused...warm...feminine. His cock twitched behind the seam of his jeans.
“I want to touch you,” she whispered into the darkness.
Quickly, he tugged his shirt over his head and went back to loving her breasts. She shimmied and squirmed as he rolled the sensitive nubs between his thumb and finger. When he tugged, she actually screamed. The sound echoed off the walls only to be drowned out by the intense rain outside.
Her nails raked over his back and she tried to rub against him. He held her at bay. If she touched him much more, he'd come in his pants.
“Hurry,” she pleaded.
“Hurry, petite? Why should I hurry?”
“I want to touch you. I've dreamed—”
He leaned forward and traced her earlobe with his tongue. A shiver racked her body and her skin tightened beneath his hands.
“What have you dreamed?” he whispered.
She hid her face against his neck, her arms wrapped tightly around him.
She felt so good in his arms. So right. Just the right size. With a flick of his wrist, the dress fell away and she was completely naked. Gloriously, beautifully naked. And wet. He could smell her desire.
“Tell me,” he said softly and slid a hand between her legs. Her hair was short there, soft. He couldn't wait to see her in the daylight when he could drink in every detail.
“I've dreamed of you. That's all.”
“What did we do in these dreams?”
Instead of answering, she ran her hands over the hard muscles of his chest. He let his head fall back as he relished her touch. Her small slender hands were cool and soft. He wanted to suck on every finger…see exactly what turned her on. What made her fall apart?
Her hands slid lower, down his abs and straight to the ridge in his jeans. She cupped his cock as if testing the size. He could hear her breath coming in shallow pants now. Cupping her cheeks, he dove into her mouth, his tongue dancing between her lips.
She gasped at the invasion. Slowly her hand squeezed his cock, bringing him closer to the edge.
“Amanda,” he rumbled. She didn’t heed his warning; instead, continued to tempt and test him.
“What?” she asked innocently, even as she pressed herself against him. Damn she felt good. Soft, sexy… perfect. Her nipples rubbed against his skin and his cock leapt against her hand.
“You need to keep your hands to yourself.” He didn't know how much longer he could last. He liked to pride himself on his endurance but Manda was special. He'd been waiting for her for a very long time.
He’d dreamed of how their first time would be off and on for years. Even before it had been decent to do so. But this is not how he’d imagined it. He’d had more control. It wouldn’t do to come in his pants like a horny teenager.
“That’s not fair. I’ve wanted to touch you since the first time I saw you without your shirt on years ago.” Her admission was quiet, husky, but it had an effect on him nevertheless.
“You still haven't told me what I want to know.” He scooped her up and deposited her on the bed. “Don't move,” he said.
He practically ran down to the living room to get the ropes he'd tied her with earlier. There was no way he was going to give in and fuck her fast and hard. He wanted things nice and slow. But that would never happen if she kept touching him.
He wanted to devour every inch of her.
Kiss the undersides of her breasts.
Lick her pussy dry.
Nibble his way down her thighs all the way to her toes.
“What are you doing?” she called.
“Tie'in ya up, chérie.”
“Why?” She sounded slightly panicked.
He returned and leaned down to kiss her on the cheek. When she saw the rope in his hands, her eyes squinted and he could tell she was more angry than panicked.
“You are not tying me up again Sebastian.”
“You can't touch me, not yet. I'm too on edge—”
“I want you on edge,” she said, her voice almost a purr.
“Dammit, Amanda. You make me crazy. I’ve never been this hard before, and I don’t want to hurt
you. You’re small and sweet and delicate and I’m tough and—”
“But I want you all hard and tough.” She teased his nipples with her fingertips and he stifled a groan. She didn’t understand what she was messing with. His baser instincts were barely in check.
“You say that but—” he trailed off, half afraid of something he couldn’t even put a name to.
“What?”
“I don’t want to scare you.”
As quickly as he blinked, she hurled herself at him. They fell back against the bed and she stared down at him, an odd look of pleasure and irritation on her face.
“Trust me, you’re not going to scare me.”
He cupped her cheeks, unable to help himself. He kissed her hard, telling her everything that words couldn’t say. She was right there with him, touching and tasting.
“You have no idea just how badly I want you. All the things I want to do with you. To you,” he said against her throat. “But I’m barely in control and there’s an animal inside me who won’t be gentle with you, cherié.”
His words halted her and after a moment, she rolled away.
“Do I get to tie you up later?” she asked, her humor shining through.
“I’ll think about it,” he said and reached for the rope. She didn’t protest as tied her wrists above her head. Somehow, he managed to ignore the lithe body, ripe with desire that beckoned to him. “Now, tell me about these dreams of yours. I want to hear every detail.” He moved down the bed trailing his fingers over her leg, loving the way chill bumps broke out in his wake.
“Sebastian!”
“I told you, cher, no touching.”
“I can't touch you with my legs.”
He was sure that if there'd been more light, the look he gave her would have made her blush. He wrapped a piece of the rope around one ankle and then cinched it to the post on the footboard.
“Don't be shy, chérie. I've had dreams about you as well. Dreams where you ride my cock for hours.”