by KB Winters
The feeling of our bodies sliding and twirling together was like fire. My heartbeat sped up again, but for a different reason this time. Before, I was a little scared of what Nicholas was. Not now. Now, I felt nothing but the flames of passion and I gripped the back of his shirt with the need to ground myself. The chemistry between us was undeniable and I felt myself start to pant into his mouth as my body tightened uncontrollably. With a sharp gasp, I ripped my mouth away from his and took in large gulps of air as my muscles tightened. Incredibly, my cunt spasmed and I let out a soft cry when I came against the force of my feelings.
“Oh God.” My legs trembled before they collapsed beneath me. Never before had I ever climaxed from just a kiss and never as hard as I did just then. If not for Nicholas’ quick reflexes, I would have fell to the ground in a twitching heap. As it was, I gripped his back and buried my face in his chest in an attempt to catch my breath. The hands that were tangled up in my hair shifted until one rested gently on the back of my head and the other was pressed flat against my lower back. When I came back to myself, I could feel the quick rise and fall of Nicholas’ chest.
“You aren’t the only one who was affected by that,” he rumbled. My hands squeezed him quickly.
“Are you a mind reader now too?”
His chest vibrated slightly as he chuckled. His hands gently rubbed the back of my head and against my better judgment, I felt myself calm. “No, not a mind reader, but I do have an amazing sense of smell.”
I blinked once and then again as my brain parsed out his words. I pushed against his hands and leaned back until I could look up into his face. His eyes were still red and his skin was covered with a sheen of sweat. His expression though, was calm as he steadily gazed down at me.
“Are you telling me you can smell embarrassment?”
His lips quirked up slightly, and he raised his eyebrow. “I can smell a lot of things.”
I let his words wash over me. He can smell a lot of things? With a jerk, I realized something. “Can you smell attraction?”
“Of course.” He finished his words with a smirk, but I felt my body go cold.
“So you could smell that I—”
“Yep,” Nicholas interrupted. His smile slipped a little and he titled his head. “Growing up in a pack, you get used to the fact that your family and friends can smell what’s going on. There are very few secrets in the pack and most stop trying to keep them anyway. I wasn’t going to say anything about it.”
“You weren’t?” I let my hands fall from his shirt where they’d wrinkled it. His eyebrows bunched in confusion, but I forced myself to break his gaze as I tried to move from his arms. “Until I almost got killed by that other werewolf. You don’t have to do this out of some sense of obligation. I won’t tell anyone about werewolves.”
“Wha—no that’s not—”
“But don’t do this as some pity fuck. You don’t have to force yourself to be with me to keep me quiet.” I slid my arms from under his and reached up to put my hands flat on his chest. The small push I made got me nowhere and I looked up at him. “Can you let me go?”
“No, not until you just stop and listen to me.”
“Do I have to be so close to you to listen to you?”
“Yes, I mean, no.” His arms slid away and I shivered. Truthfully, I would have rather stayed in his arms. “I’m not going to kill you, and I’m not going to hold you against your will, River.”
His words made me breathe a little easier. “Okay.” I moved away from him slightly. “Okay—no killing. So what are you going to do with me?”
“Would you believe me if I said I wanted to get to know you better?” Nicholas asked.
“Um…yes?” I answered unsurely.
He smiled at my hesitation. “Was that a question or an answer?”
I smiled ruefully. “Both maybe. It’s been a long time since I’ve had someone want to get to know me better—especially someone that looks like you.”
Nicholas took a step back and looked down at himself. “Someone that looks like me?”
“Yes. You know what I mean.” I waved my hand at him. “Someone who has a body and face like that.”
He looked up at me with a smile. “I’m not sure I know exactly what you mean.”
I glared at him. “You know exactly what I mean. There are always attractive women staring at you at the gym, and from what you’ve told me, I know you’re perfectly aware of it.”
Nicholas laughed and my lips lifted into a small smile. “Okay, you’re right.”
“Of course I am.” My stomach grumbled. “Do you want something to eat? I sometimes forget to eat when I get in a writing groove.” His eyes slid over me for a moment and my body clenched at the heavy look in his gaze.
“Sure.”
I bit my lip, but nodded. I turned my back to him and walked back into my kitchen. “Why don’t you—” My voice cut off with a sharp shriek when hands gripped my shoulders and spun me back around.
“Didn’t anyone ever tell you not to turn your back to a predator?” Nicholas asked with a hiss. His expression was fierce and I shrank away from him. “Do you not have any sense of self-preservation?”
“I didn’t think I needed to preserve myself from you,” I shot back. I still felt fear—tons of it in fact. Even more though, I felt anger. I was angry that the calm life I thought I had was now shattered in pieces thanks to this new-found reality that I never asked for. I balled my fists and glared back at him. “I didn’t even think that werewolves or shifters, or whatever the fuck you are were real—and I sure as hell didn’t plan on being attacked by one.”
Nicholas’ eyes flashed at me and his lips curled with a subhuman growl. It was unexpected, but not as unexpected as the loud sound of a smack. I widened my eyes and looked down at my own hand. I could feel my palm tingling from where it had met his face and my breath caught. Despite occasionally feeling the desire to slap someone, I’d never actually done it. The silence that met my uncharacteristic action made me look up sharply.
The growl that had been building had ceased, and instead of the angry red gaze that I was expecting, I was met with surprise and what looked like admiration. I blinked quickly as I stared at Nicholas’ slack face. His grip on my shoulders hadn’t lessened, but they hadn’t moved at all in an attempt to shield himself from my blow, even though we both knew he could have dodged it easily. I swallowed, the sound of my throat clicking loud in our silence.
“Nicholas, I…” My voice trailed off and I licked my lips nervously. His eyes flicked down trained on my small motion. I sucked in a gasp and tried not to shiver. Maybe he was right and I really didn’t have a sense of self-preservation. I just slapped him. He could rip me apart in a split second, and yet I was hopelessly turned on. What in the hell was wrong with me?
“I want to kiss you.”
His voice was gravelly as if he’d been smoking and the sound of it skirted up my spine. Against my will, I found myself nodding. I closed my eyes tightly expecting to be kissed roughly. The soft brush of lips was not what I was expecting, and when I opened my eyes, I could tell he knew that. His expression was searching and intense as if he were looking for something in my gaze. I looked back steadily, hoping he found whatever he was looking for. When he leaned back in, I met him halfway. I unclenched my fists and gripped the front of his thin shirt instead.
The kiss was more than a simple brush of lips. I titled my head up to accommodate our difference in height and our lips slotted together even more perfectly than before. The heat between us was indescribable. Nicholas’ skin underneath his shirt was like a furnace, and I was left panting when our lips separated.
“Why are you so hot?” I asked, my voice soft as I tried to draw in more air.
Nicholas huffed out a laugh. “I don’t know how to answer that without sounding vain.”
“No,” I said shaking my head slightly. I let go of his shirt with one hand and brought it up to rest on his cheek. I suppressed my shiver when h
e leaned into the touch and rubbed his cheek against the palm of my hand. “I mean your body temperature is hot.”
“Oh,” his lips turned up slightly. “So you don’t think I’m good-looking?”
I rolled my eyes. “Please. You know you’re attractive so stop fishing for compliments. Besides, I thought you came here to answer my questions.”
“Bossy,” he replied leaning forward and resting his forehead against mine. “I like it. Wolf shifters tend to run much warmer than humans, though I don’t know why exactly. Some think it’s because of our fast metabolisms. Changing into our wolf counterparts takes a lot of energy and sometimes we can’t change at all if we’re too tired.”
“Oh.” I didn’t know what to say. “That’s really interesting. Does everyone shift into a white wolf?”
Nicholas chuckled. “Why don’t we sit back down, and then you can ask me all the questions you want?” His hands slid from my shoulders down to my waist, and before I could move, I found myself lifted into the air. With a yelp, I wrapped my arms around his shoulders and curled my thighs around his hips.
“Be careful!” I clung to him as he walked backwards until he sank back down onto the couch. “You’re going to hurt yourself carrying me around.”
“Please. I could run for miles with you on my back and still be fine. You aren’t as heavy as you think, River.” His hands slid down my back and around my sides. I let my legs fall open until I was perched on my knees above him. The position was undeniably sexual and I tried to ignore the hard thighs underneath me.
“So you have a lot of…stamina.”
His smile turned wicked. “Baby, you have no idea.”
“Don’t call me baby,” I said without thinking. “Baby is the name men use when they can’t remember your real one.”
Nicholas laughed again. “You sure have some funny ideas.”
“Baby, you have no idea,” I replied parroting his own words back to him. I shifted over his lap and tried not to lean so heavily on him. My hands were no longer around his neck, but now resting open-palmed against his chest. “So, what now?”
He titled his head. “What do you mean?”
“You know…you look like a puppy when you do that.” At my words, he tilted his head in the other direction and this time I let out a giggle of my own. “I mean, you’re an enforcer. What are you planning to enforce me to do?”
“I don’t think that’s how you use that word.”
“I’m serious,” I said. “Is…am I in trouble by your werewolf council or something?”
Nicholas cocked an eyebrow. “Werewolf council? Do you put ideas like that in your books?”
“Maybe?” I teased. When he smiled, I barreled on. “It’s not like I had any idea that werewolves were real. How am I supposed to know what kind of government you guys have?” I huffed out a breath and shifted again on his lap. His eyes flashed again and I blinked. “Why do your eyes keep doing that?”
He went still—as still as if I’d pressed pause on my television remote. Seeing him sitting like that was eerie. Most people were rarely ever that still, and I know I was usually in some kind of motion, even while sitting in front of the computer.
“Why do they keep doing what?” His voice was measured and his words were slow. I wondered if I had overstepped my bounds. Was it impolite to talk about a werewolf’s eyes? I looked more closely at him. He didn’t seem angry, only still. It was as if he were waiting for something.
“Your eyes,” I answered haltingly. “Every now and then they go red—crimson-y.” Without thinking, I brought a hand up and brushed my fingers across his thick brow. I was surprised by how soft his hair was. “They’re beautiful.” His eyes flashed again, but I wasn’t afraid. I looked down at him from where I was perched in his lap and for the first time I felt…powerful.
I moved slowly so he could stop me if he wanted. He didn’t move, but his eyes didn’t fade back to their normal color. His hands were loose on my thighs, and I took that as a sign of encouragement. I leaned forward ducking my head down until I brushed my lips against his. The slight parting of his lips was the only response, though his eyes stayed open and focused on mine. Chills ran up my spine and with a final sigh, I moved more fully into him joining our lips again. My eyes closed as my hands slid around his head and buried themselves in his soft hair. I moved my body in closer and delighted when I felt his hands move around me until his arms were wrapped tightly around my back.
I parted our lips in order to breathe. “Let’s not talk anymore, okay?” My own question surprised me, but I went with it. Despite the apprehension I still felt about shifters and Nicholas being one, I couldn’t deny that a part of me was excited—especially with the dreams I had over the past week.
“Impatient?” he asked with a toothy smile.
“Very,” I answered honestly. “I’ve dreamed of you, here with me. I’ve dreamed of us in my bed.” Once I started talking, it was as if the words refused to be stopped. I leaned forward until our lips brushed gently together with each word I spoke. “I dreamed of your hands, and your touch. They were so hot almost like a brand against my skin.”
Nicholas shivered and once again I felt powerful and in control. It was a heady feeling knowing that this man who wielded so much power could feel something for me. I shifted my lips until they rubbed against his lightly stubbled cheek. “I dreamed about you kissing me until it was like there was no breath left in my body. I dreamed of my lips on your skin and I could taste you.”
The soft groan that brushed against my ear made me shiver, and I continued my teasing path along Nicholas’ chiseled jawline until I reached his throat. I don’t know what came over me then. I’d never bothered to pay attention to my ex’s throat or neck area, but something about Nicholas’ called to me. Maybe it was the thick musky scent that drifted up from his pulse point. Without thinking, I parted my lips and let my teeth brush over where I could feel his blood rushing beneath his skin. The rumbling growl that came after should have scared me, but instead, it made me taste him harder.
“Fuck.” His bitten off curse was rough, and his voice guttural with how deep it was. Before I could react, two hands gripped my ass tightly and my back hit the couch. Nicholas was crouched over me, his eyes burning red enough I could physically feel them as they slid over my body. Normally, having someone that intent on devouring me would be enough to make me shrink away, but not this time. This time, I wanted everything he could dish out.
I held Nicholas’ gaze as I gripped the bottom of my sweatshirt. Before I could think too much about what I was doing, I swiftly pulled it up, losing his gaze momentarily before I could pull it completely over my head. I didn’t wear a bra under my t-shirt if I was at home, so that move revealed my naked body from the waist up. I could see his eyes shift from the left to the right as he took in my pale skin. My light pink nipples were already hard from our kisses and contact alone. I took in a deep breath before reaching my hands out beckoning him towards me.
“Not yet,” he said moving back slightly. He lifted his hands to grasp my own and my eyes were drawn to them. I gasped when I realized what I was seeing.
“Nicholas?”
“Don’t be afraid,” he said bringing my focus back to his face. “I won’t hurt you.”
I leaned forward and brushed my lips over his clawed hands. His nails had grown and curved into a sharp point. They were as dark in color as my hair, but the sight of them didn’t cause me to fear him at all. On the contrary, I wondered what they’d feel like if he brushed them across my skin.
“I’m not afraid.” I kissed each of his fingers noting the sound of his sharp intake of breath. I looked back up at him. His expression was ravenous as if my calm acceptance had unleashed something inside of him. His fingers slid from between mine, and I swallowed as they began to trail across my inner arm. The feeling of his claws—sharp and no doubt deadly—against me made me hitch in a breath. I leaned back against the back of the couch as his touch continued until his
fingers edged against my side.
I looked down the length of my body noting the rapid rise and fall of my chest. All of my attention was focused on his hands and what he’d do next. It was as if I were seeing him move through thick molasses. Slowly, his rough fingers drifted along my ribs, and I couldn’t stop my aroused gasp or shiver. Both of our breathing seemed to stop only to be let out explosively when one of his clawed fingers brushed gently against my left nipple. I had to close my eyes against the onslaught of thoughts and feelings. They were all over the place. I leaned my head back until it rested on the top of the couch. My hands were at my sides with my fingers digging into the fabric of the couch cushions. When another finger brushed against my right nipple this time, I bit my lip to keep in the whimper that tried to escape.
“Don’t.”
I opened my eyes and lifted my head to look at Nicholas. “Don’t what?” I panted out as the soft touches came again.
He looked up from where he was watching his fingers wreak havoc at my bosom. “Don’t hide from me.” He shifted until his face was parallel to mine. “I want to hear every sound you make.”
He kissed me chastely, but I didn’t push him for more. His lips travelled down a similar path of my own brushing over my smooth cheek until they rested at the pulse point of my neck. There, he rubbed his scratchy cheek against me, and I let my eyes fall closed again so I could enjoy every lightning bolt of pleasure.
“When you touched me here, I almost couldn’t stand it,” he whispered against my neck. His breath fanned out making my flesh ripple with want. “You’re not a wolf and yet the things you do make my wolf claw the walls to get out.”
“I don’t understand,” I said quietly. Truthfully, I didn’t care what he meant as long as he kept going. I unclenched my hands from the couch and lifted my arms until I could grip the back of his thin shirt. His back muscles were hard and I ran my fingers over what I could reach.