Rhythm’s eyes widened. “Really? You’re kidding! I’ve felt that toward you. Like a strange pull that I can’t seem to escape. I can’t stop thinking about you, or wishing you were near me when we aren’t together.”
Ben closed his eyes briefly, overcome by the thrill of excitement that passed through him at Rhythm’s words. She felt it, too. They were destined for each other. But then he opened his eyes again, and his voice grew serious. “Rhythm, when lifemates sleep together, it forms a bond. An unbreakable bond. If we sleep together, we’ll form that bond. It doesn’t matter if you decide you hate bear shifters and never want to see me again. It doesn’t matter if you decide that you’re not attracted to me after all, and I’m the ugliest guy alive. You’ll be bonded to me. No matter how far you run, you’ll never be able to truly escape that pull toward me. It will be with you until the day you die.”
Rhythm giggled. “I can’t imagine ever thinking you’re the ugliest guy alive. You’re pretty much the opposite of that.”
Ben’s face remained serious. “Well, imagine it, Rhythm. Because if we go down this road, you’re going to truly be stuck with me. For better or for worse. Are you sure you want that? If not, now is the time to say so. You can walk away with no hard feelings. You can stay with one of the other crew members if you’re uncomfortable being at my house. But now is the time to decide. Because once we bond, it will be too late to go back.”
Rhythm stopped laughing, and her face grew serious as well. “Ben, I’ve already decided. I know not everything in our life will be perfect. Hell, our relationship so far has included my nearly dying in freezing Alaskan water and your needing help to stop a group of evil men from murdering you. But it doesn’t matter what we face. If we do it together, we’ll overcome it. I’m not afraid to be bonded to you. The only thing I’m afraid of is losing you, because I’m pretty sure I would never be able to find anyone else as strong, handsome, and caring as you. I don’t want to do life without you. I want you by my side for all of the adventures ahead of us. I’m sure a lot of people would tell me that I’m just high on the fumes of early love. But I’ve been through lots of little crushes on my life. I’ve experienced new love before. This is different. Deeper. I can tell. And I want more of it. I want more of you.”
Ben reached out and brushed a strand of Rhythm’s dark hair away from the perfect skin of her face. God, she was beautiful. And she was standing here telling him that she wanted to be his, all his for all time. Was he dreaming, or was this really happening? He felt a stirring in his cock, and he worked to steady his breathing. He was falling quickly over the edge, and he had to keep his wits about him long enough to be sure, really sure, that Rhythm was making the decision she wanted to make. He looked deep into her eyes, searching for understanding and sincerity in her gaze. And he found it. She knew. She appreciated the significance of the decision she was making, and she wanted to take this crazy leap with him.
“Don’t worry, Ben,” Rhythm said, seeing his questioning expression. “I’m a big girl. I know what I’m doing, and I know what I want. And what I want is you.”
Ben saw the earnestness in her eyes, and that was all the assurance he needed. His bear roared within him, and he couldn’t hold back any longer. With one swift movement, he grabbed Rhythm’s face with both of his palms, and covered her mouth with his. The heat that had been building in his body intensified, sending electric shock waves through every extremity. Rhythm met his passion with her own, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him deeply into her.
Their tongues danced, sliding back and forth across each other in what felt like a carefully choreographed show. Rhythm slid her hands down his back, reaching for his ass and grabbing a cheek in each hand, forcefully pushing his groin into hers. His cock responded, stiffening and pointing toward her, growing desperate for the release that she could bring it. He moved his hands to the back of her head, running his fingers through that silky hair that he couldn’t get enough of. Every part of her was soft and smooth.
He heard her moan gently, and he grew harder with excitement at the realization that he was the one making her moan. This was the last thing he had expected to happen when he closed the door behind them a few minutes ago, but he wasn’t going to complain. His whole body was burning up, filling with a fire that he knew only she would be able to quench. He ran his tongue across the smooth surface of her teeth, and then slid it deep into her mouth again, letting it graze across her tongue and the soft, warm roof of her mouth.
She pulled his groin in toward her again, and the shock wave that it sent through him was too much to take. He could feel his inner beast beginning to take over, as the primal need for his woman began to overshadow anything else he was feeling. His woman. He could hardly believe that she had so confidently told him that she wanted to be his, but he was taking what destiny had offered him with open arms. He pushed his erection against her, and closed his eyes with pleasure at the gasping sound she made.
She could feel him, and she liked what she felt. Her moaning and gasping told him so. And he was about to give her so much more than just a hint through his clothes of how he felt. It was time for her to feel his skin against her skin. Ben broke their kiss to reach for the zipper on Rhythm’s fleece-lined hoodie, which he quickly pulled down. Then he pushed the sleeves backward and off, letting the jacket fall to the floor as he moved on to her fitted, long-sleeved t-shirt. He pulled the garment up and over her head, tugging the sleeves off her arms and letting the shirt fall onto the discarded jacket. Rhythm’s full breasts were covered by a simple, beige bra—one of her purchases from their mall trip earlier. It was boring and bland, but it didn’t matter. He wasn’t interested in the bra. Only in what was underneath it.
And he had to see what was underneath it right away. He couldn’t even be bothered to take the time to unclasp and properly remove her bra. Instead, he pushed the fabric of the cups down, exposing her stiff, alert nipples. He took the deep pink orbs in his mouth, moaning with delight at the taste of her. He heard her responding with moans of her own. Her hands were now centered on his back, where her fingers were digging into his shirt with excitement. Ben took his time, chewing on each nipple gently at first, and then with more force. He stopped just short of where he would have caused her true pain, and then sucked each hard nub with great energy, as though he wanted to suck it right off her body. She responded to him, arching her back and letting out a series of sounds that made it clear she was in a place of absolute ecstasy.
The pressure in Ben’s dick was growing to an unbearable level. He could feel himself, stiff and throbbing, begging for a chance to slip into her. But, still, he forced himself to take his time. He wanted to stretch out this delicious sensation of burning up from within as long as possible. He reached behind Rhythm, finally unclasping her bra and then sliding the straps off her shoulder so that she was truly naked from the waist up. He stepped back for a moment to admire her. She looked magnificent. Her skin was the softest, smoothest thing he had ever felt, and her breasts heaved up and down with each full, ragged breath that she took. She looked up at him through her thick eyelashes, her very gaze itself fanning the fire that was consuming him. She let him look a moment more, and then stepped toward him, reaching to unzip and discard his jacket in the same way he had done to hers. Then she pulled his sweater off, leaving him bare-chested with his own breathing becoming rapid and ragged. Every touch of her fingers against his skin filled him with an exquisite burning sensation. He couldn’t take the pressure, and, at the same time, he wanted it to last forever. She reached for his belt buckle, deftly unbuckling it and unbuttoning his jeans. As she reached for the zipper, though, he let out a growl and pushed her backward against the wall. He knew she wanted to see his dick, but he couldn’t wait another minute to see her naked. He unbuttoned and unzipped her jeans, pushing them down around her ankles where they were stopped by her shoes.
“Kick off your shoes, Rhythm,” Ben demanded. “I want these jeans off of you,
now.”
Rhythm did as he instructed, but then quickly reached for the zipper on his jeans, smirking as she unzipped the pants and pushed them down.
“Take off your shoes, too, buddy,” she said, wagging a finger in his face. “Fair’s fair.”
Ben threw back his head and laughed. She was a spunky one, and he liked that. He kicked off his shoes and stepped out of his pants. Both of them were down to just underwear, but, still, it wasn’t naked enough. Ben needed more. He grabbed Rhythm’s panties and tore at them with an urgency, nearly shredding them in his attempt to pull them down and off her body. He pushed her back up against the wall, putting one hand above her head on the wall behind her while the other hand slid down to the dripping wet spot between her legs. He leaned his chest against her breasts as he slipped two of his fingers into her, letting the moist heat of her channel envelop his hand.
She gasped again, arching her back against his touch and tilting her head up toward his face. Her eyes were wide and burning, filled with the same desperate hunger that was consuming him at this very moment. He let his fingers move in a circular motion inside of her, pressing firmly against every part of her inner walls. She continued to writhe and pant under the pressure of his touch, and he relished the responses he was drawing out of her. He craved more of this. He savored every moan, and every delighted flutter of her eyelids. He loved knowing that he was doing this to her. The space between her legs was drenched with her juices, the juices he was drawing out of her.
He slid his index finger out and forward, finding her clit, and gently stroking back and forth across that sensitive bundle of nerves. He felt her trembling, shuddering as she leaned against his body and enjoyed the sensations he was sending radiating through her body. Her gasping and moaning increased, until it morphed into her calling out his name at full volume. He increased the speed of his finger, and felt her frenzied shuddering increasing, until she let out one long, loud scream and came. She reached out and held him tightly as the waves of pleasure he had given her rocked her body, leaving her breathless and limp. She held him for several moments, slowly catching her breath before looking up at him with a satisfied smile on her face.
She took his breath away. Her hair was mussed up in a glorious mess of silky tangles that he had caused. Her skin was glistening with the perspiration caused by the exertion of the moment, and the effect made her look like she was glowing. Her eyes were wide and bright, sparkling with happiness as she gazed adoringly up at him. She truly was perfection in human form. His dick throbbed mercilessly as he looked at her, and he let out a long, primal growl.
She knew what he wanted, and she wasn’t going to keep him waiting any longer. She put her hands on his chest and gave him a little push, shoving him away from the wall and then following him. She ran a finger down his chest, starting at his collarbone and tracing a long line down to his bellybutton, which she drew a teasing circle around before continuing on to the hem of his underwear. She hooked her finger underneath the hem and then used her other hand as well, tugging off the tight, white briefs in one smooth movement.
Ben closed his eyes at the momentary relief that filled him as his erection sprung free from the confines of his briefs. But the relief was short-lived, because within moments Rhythm’s hands were on his hips, pushing him backward. He had no idea where she was taking him. All he knew was that her touch was fire, and it sent fire shooting throughout his entire body. The flames centered between his groin, causing his rock hard dick to feel like it was going to explode.
Rhythm pushed him into the living room area of the small cabin, where she gave him a forceful push down onto the couch. He landed on his back, staring up at the beautiful vixen who had so quickly taken him under her spell. Her hair framed her face and shoulders, and drew his eyes down to her perfect breasts, which bounced gently with every step she took. The sight of her curves sent a fresh wave of heat surging through him, and he let out another growl as she started climbing onto the couch, straddling him and hovering just over his pulsing dick. She smiled down at him, the perfect smile of a goddess. And she was a goddess. His goddess. He could feel her moisture dripping onto him, and he moaned with impatience.
“Come on, woman, stop teasing. My dick feels like it’s going to explode.”
Rhythm grinned, and then let herself slide down onto him. If Ben thought his dick had been on fire before then, he had been totally unaware of just how white hot the inside of Rhythm would be against the most sensitive skin on his body. She enveloped him, like a blazing fist, her inner walls clinging tightly to him as she completely covered him with herself.
Ben closed his eyes for a moment, gasping for breath against the intensity of the pressure filling him. But he opened his eyes again, watching the show as Rhythm started sliding back and forth against him, her hips gyrating in a perfect motion, faster and faster. Ben watched her full breasts bouncing with every thrust of her body, and he reached his hands up to hold her by the soft skin of her waist. She closed her eyes and let a soft groan escape her lips. Ben could tell that she was close to losing control again, and he did his best to hold back himself until she found her release again. It didn’t take long. Moments later, she cried out again, and when that white hot channel started clenching around him over and over, Ben couldn’t hold back anymore, either. He let himself go, and felt sweet, ecstatic relief as flaming heat shot from his body into hers in a stream of himself. His dick pulsed over and over, bringing overwhelming pleasure and release to his body. Rhythm was completely spent, now, and collapsed onto his chest. Her soft skin sent shivers of delight all through him, and her hair tickled the skin of his shoulders as it fell around him.
His heart felt so full that he feared it might burst. He knew in that moment that he had been right. He was bonded to Rhythm, and she to him. After years of trying to run away from love, love had gotten in his face. He hadn’t had much of a choice about whether or not to fall for the beautiful woman who now lay on his chest. One look at her, and he had known he was falling hopelessly.
He kissed the top of her head, and let out a happy sigh. Now that he understood what he’d been missing by not having his lifemate in his life, he wouldn’t want things any other way.
For the first time in what felt like forever, Ben felt complete and at peace.
Chapter Nine
Rhythm awoke to a bright stream of sunlight in her face, and the enticing smell of coffee. She blinked a few times, staring at the log cabin wall and trying to remember where she was. As she sat up slowly, the events of the last few days came flooding back to her. She was in Frost Peak for Evan’s funeral.
And she was here with Ben. Her cheeks heated up as she recalled the events of the night before, and realized where the slight soreness between her legs was coming from. After they’d given in to their attraction for each other, one round of pleasure hadn’t been nearly enough. They’d kept going for hours. Each time one of them started drifting off to sleep, the other would innocently brush a finger against naked skin, and they would be off again. It’s as though they were both trying to make up for a lifetime of not being with each other.
Rhythm looked over at the empty side of the bed next to her. The sheets were wrinkled and mussed up, and she could still see the vague imprint of where Ben had been lying. She grinned. So much for needing separate bedrooms. Sawyer’s concern for their comfort had been sweet, but ultimately unnecessary. Rhythm heard a sizzling sound in the kitchen, followed a few moments later by the aroma of bacon. The bed was so warm and comfortable, but she needed to get up. She had to make time to eat before the day got started. The last thing she wanted to do was pass out from low blood sugar in the middle of Evan’s funeral.
She felt a somberness settle over her as she climbed out of bed and headed for the bathroom to get in a quick shower. Despite the happiness she felt about the latest developments with Ben, the harsh morning light brought back into focus the mountain of problems facing Ben and the bear shifters. And now, more than ever, t
hose problems were hers, too. She had committed herself to a lifetime with Ben, which would probably make her look insane to anyone on the outside. But, even though she had known him for such a short time, she knew deep within her that they were meant for each other. Before they could truly enjoy happily ever after, however, they would have to figure out a way to destroy the scientists.
Rhythm frowned as she stepped into the shower and the warm water began running over her skin. She was an optimist by nature, so she wanted to believe that it would only be a short while before the pesky nuisance of the scientists would be eliminated. But deep down inside of her, she knew this problem was bigger than anything she had ever faced before. She hoped she would be able to provide meaningful information to the shifters, so that she didn’t end up attending any more funerals because of those awful, evil men.
Rhythm quickly soaped up and rinsed off, then stepped out of the shower and vigorously towel-dried her hair. She would let it air dry fully before pulling it up into a bun after breakfast. Then she would put on some makeup and her new dress. She didn’t know why, but she was nervous about meeting Evan’s family. Even though Sawyer had said that they were honored to have her here, and that they were grateful for what she had done for Evan, Rhythm worried that they somehow blamed her for not acting quickly enough to save him. Rhythm sighed, and went to put on some sweatpants and a t-shirt for breakfast. She knew her worrying was getting a little out of control, but she had never faced a situation quite this intense. Hundreds, if not thousands of lives were at stake. She didn’t want to mess anything up.
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