No wonder Hayden had bought this house.
It was perfect.
He fluffed out the blanket on the sand, and then met her at the edge of the water. She dipped her feet in, and lost her balance when the water sucked back to sea.
After tonight, would this feel different? Would she be different?
“Everything will be exactly the same as it is now,” he said, as if reading her mind. “The water will feel the same lapping against your feet. Your heart will pump the same blood, and beat for me as it does now.”
She leaned back against him as he wrapped his arms around her.
“Okay,” she said. “What now?”
He spun her in his arms. “Can you feel the moon tugging on something inside you?”
She shrugged. “I’m not sure.”
“Close your eyes. Concentrate.”
As she did, the sound of the waves hummed through her ears and slowed her heart rate. Her skin chilled. And then, right there, a low hum fluttered in her belly.
“That’s it,” he murmured beside her. “Now focus on that. Feel it gather into a ball in your gut. Clench your abs, and wait for the hum to wave through your arms and legs.”
She did as she was told, focusing, clenching, willing that hum to spread through her. To her surprise, it did. She smiled as her entire body tingled, head to toe.
“Now,” he said, as his hand found her back, “push outward as if you were trying to communicate with me through your thoughts. But instead of your thoughts, project the transition.”
Clenching her back teeth together, she fixated all her energy on that humming feeling, hunched over, hardened her abs, and then let the sensations rip through her.
Pinching her eyes tight, Melina dropped to her knees, dizzy and tired. When she opened her eyes again, Hayden stood in front of her in wolf form.
God, he was magnificent.
He stood tall, the ridge on his back arched high. His coat was fluffy, his fur dark brown with traces of black. And his eyes—they gripped her with their tenderness.
Wait, was he…
Yes, I’m the wolf from the painting in my office. He spoke through her thoughts. My father painted it of me before he died.
You are cute and cuddly!
He stiffened, raising his chin in defiance. I am not.
Okay, you’re menacing and scary, she lied. Definitely the most lethal wolf I’ve ever seen.
He probably would be all of those things if he were facing an enemy, she realized. But now, in front of her this way, he was…safe.
His eyes softened. I don’t mind being cute and cuddly…for you. But that’s where it ends.
How can you hear what I’m thinking?
It’s called mind-speak, he said. As long as I’m your Alpha, you’ll be able to hear me, and anyone else in our pack. While you were going through transition, you gained the ability to communicate this way in both of your forms. It should be clearer now that you’ve shifted into a wolf, but—
What do you mean, now that I’ve shifted into a wolf?
The lips on his muzzle curled back into a funny looking smile. Look at your hands, Melina.
She glanced down at her hands. Only she didn’t have hands. Dark, furry paws had replaced them. She jumped, as electric currents of surprise zipped through her.
Holy shit, I’m a wolf!
A striking one, if I say so myself. He nuzzled his face against hers. But I may be biased.
That didn’t hurt at all. Sweet relief washed over her as she stared at the shreds of the 49er jersey at her feet. That was fast. And I still feel like myself.
Didn’t I tell you?
Yeah, but contrary to what you think, you don’t know everything.
She nipped at him, and then took off down the beach. She ran in the surf, relishing the power and strength surging through her. It felt oddly natural, her paws hitting the sand and kicking it up behind her. The wind soaring over her body and ruffling her fur.
She was in tune with everything: the salt on the breeze, the crisp feel of the water, and the sound of every rustling branch in the trees behind them.
Whimpering in delight, she glanced behind her and watched as Hayden chased her down. She took off, propelling her legs to churn over faster. He caught her not far down the beach, and bumped into her side.
You’re glorious, he said, his voice echoing through her head. The most beautiful wolf I’ve ever seen.
Her heart melted, right then and there. It was beyond strange, but being with Hayden this way felt right. The attack by the rogue had been horrible and the whole process frightening, but look what’d come out of it.
She’d be with Hayden for hundreds of years.
Just like this, he said.
Are you going to be able to hear everything I think? she asked, slowing in the surf. Because that could be bad. It might surprise you how much I think about fashion.
I won’t hear everything, but it’ll take a while for you to learn which thoughts to project and which to keep to yourself. It’s a learning process, like everything else.
Something told her that Hayden would be there always, showing her the ropes. As much as she enjoyed being in this form, she wanted to talk to him, rub her hands over his glorious body, and explain to him how she was feeling in this moment…with him.
So how do I shift back?
He kept pace with her as they strolled back toward the blanket he’d laid in the sand. You do the same thing you did to shift into a wolf. You focus on the tugging in your stomach, harden it into a ball, and let it explode through you. It should feel close to the same.
As they reached the blanket, Melina did as he explained, channeling the energy into her shift. She closed her eyes, imagined how she looked before, and had the sudden urge to shake. As she trembled, head to tail, her fur flattened to smooth skin, and her legs were beneath her once more. Beside her, Hayden sat back on his haunches and howled to the moon. And then, with a solid shake, he was sitting beside her, golden tan skin, bulging muscles and hard lines.
“Do you do this all the time?” she asked, excitement roaring through her. “Like, all night, every full moon?”
“I don’t, but we could.” He laid flat on his back, and then pointed to the trees surrounding them. “I own the beach, so we’d have all the privacy we could ask for.”
She nestled herself beside him, her head in the crook of his arm. “There’s one more thing I want to ask for.”
“Anything.” He kissed the top of her head.
“Will you make me your Luminary?”
He turned on his side, facing her. “Are you sure you’re ready for that?”
“For forever? With you?”
He nodded, his eyes lighting fire in the dark.
“Absolutely.”
He kissed her, gently, with achingly soft lips, and then slipped his tongue into her mouth. She whimpered into him as he caught her, wrapping her in his arms. His tongue searched her mouth with languid strokes, sparking both love and lust in her veins.
She was on fire. Burning for him.
Rubbing her hands up and down his back, she pulled him on top of her. He settled between her legs, his thick length positioned at her center. He braced himself on his elbows, and then ghosted his hands over her hair.
“I love you, Melina,” he whispered.
It wasn’t only the words that had her heart pinching. It was the look of love in his eyes, the adoration in his touch as he ran his fingers through her hair, the promise in his kiss.
He kissed her forehead, her nose, her lips, untying her. And then, when she was quivering with need, he eased himself inside her. She gasped, stretching to the fullest as he worked his way deeper. He caught her mouth, ripping the air from her lungs as she whimpered and cried out for him to plunge deeper.
As their hips met and the rhythm sped, he rose up to look into her eyes.
“You’re so hot.” He thrust harder, his heavy-lidded eyes glazed with lust. “You’re going to burn me.�
�
She stilled beneath him. “That doesn’t sound pleasant. Want me to stop?”
“Never.”
Hayden thrust his tongue past her lips and worked her mouth as his cock worked inside her. She was consumed by him to the point of delirium. Mind, body, and soul. He thrust harder, slanting his mouth over hers as their bodies moved over the blanket as one. And then, when every sensation in her body was heightened, on edge and begging for release, he braced himself on one arm and slid the other one between their bodies. He teased her clit, nipped at her bottom lip, and with one final, feather-soft touch, she broke apart beneath him. As the orgasm rocked her hips against his, her most sensitive flesh milked his shaft relentlessly.
He reared up, every muscle in his body flexed with tension.
“The…vows.” The words were staccato and raspy, as if he couldn’t spare one extra ounce of energy to say them properly. “Take…my hands.”
She put her hands over her head, palms up. He filled them with his own and then groaned as he lowered his head to her mouth to claim her again.
“Palm to palm,” he mumbled against her lips. “Heart to heart, from this moment on…” He trailed off as she coiled her thighs around his hips and tugged against him, driving him deeper into her heat. “…we never shall part.”
She tingled with awareness, beneath her skin and bone. It was unexplainable, magical, but for reasons she couldn’t explain, Melina knew he’d touched her soul.
“You have to…” He groaned, plunging into her. “…say them back.”
As she rolled her hips against him, the familiar sensations pulsed in her core. “Palm to palm, heart to heart, from this moment on…” She paused, unable to catch her breath. And then, when he tightened, gasping for release, his eyes hazy with desire, she pitched into a second, stronger, orgasm. “…we never shall part.”
He cried out her name, his hips flush against hers as he erupted into her still-clenching depths. Fireworks of ecstasy ripped through her, exploding into brilliant starbursts of passion that left her weak and powerless.
They were one.
She’d thought they were close before, but nothing could compare to this. There was nothing on earth that could separate them now.
“You’re mine.” He collapsed on top of her, his face buried in her hair. “And I’m yours.”
Relishing the pressure of his body over hers, Melina brushed her hands up and down the muscles on his back. “For all eternity.”
He rose up on shaky hands and kissed her, setting fire to the love in her heart. “I can’t wait to get started.”
With the sound of the waves crashing in the distance, Hayden laid back and tugged Melina against him. And then, staring at the stars, they made plans for the future. There would be adorable children and homes filled with light and laughter: one in the city and one near the ocean. And there would always be Prada, glorious and perfect, just like their love.
Did you love this Covet? Check out more of our paranormal romance titles here!
And for exclusive sneak peeks at our upcoming books, excerpts, contests, chats with our authors and editors, and more…
Be sure to like us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter
Sign up for our newsletter
Acknowledgments
Firstly, I have to thank my agent, Nalini Akolekar, and my editor, Candace Havens, for their confidence in my writing ability, their devotion to the craft, and patience. Above all, patience—especially after two-hundred-sixty pages of this manuscript went kaput. Thanks to Katie Clapsadl and Curtis Svehlak for working so hard behind the scenes so that I can focus on writing the book.
Love and hugs to my support group of family and friends. Thanks to Elisa Dane, Virna DePaul, Susan Hatler, Vanessa Kier, Laurie Shaw, Aggie Smith, Lora Walker, and Monica Wunderlich, for unwavering faith and friendship.
To Justin, Kelli, and Gavin…my heart.
About the Author
New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author Kristin Miller writes sweet and sassy contemporary romance and paranormal romance of all varieties. Kristin has degrees in psychology, English, and education, and taught high school and middle school English before crossing over to a career in writing. She lives in Northern California with her alpha male husband and their two children. She loves chocolate way more than she should and the gym less. You can usually find her in the corner of a coffee shop, laptop in front of her and mocha in hand, using the guests around her as fuel for her next book.
Facebook
Twitter
Web
Sign up for our Steals & Deals newsletter and be the first to hear about new releases from Kristin Miller and other fantastic Entangled authors!
Reviews help other readers find books. We appreciate all reviews, whether positive or negative. Thank you for reading!
Also by Kristin Miller…
Gone with the Wolf
Four Weddings and a Werewolf
So I Married a Werewolf
Discover more paranormal romance titles from Entangled…
Lone Wolfe Protector
a Wolfe Creek novel by Kaylie Newell
When Maggie Sullivan comes to Wolfe Creek, determined to find out why her best friend vanished one fog-shrouded night a year ago, seasoned sheriff’s deputy Koda Wolfe reluctantly agrees to help. Soon he’s compelled to protect Maggie from herself, his family’s ancient curse, and a killer who could strike again. The nights heat up in more ways than one as Maggie and Koda begin a fiery relationship. But as they delve deeper into the disappearance, the eerie woods come alive with secrets bound to tear them apart. And someone is watching their every move.
Sex and the Single Vamp
a novel by Robin Covington
Deacon is a patient vampire. He’s only loved one woman in over five hundred years— CiCi— and she chose another. So when she shows up in his office asking for help, he finally has the chance to lay that demon to rest. He’ll help her, but for a price—a night in his bed. But Deacon has a secret and when Cici is suddenly mortal again, his deception might be the only way restore her immortality. Can love bridge the gap between a heartbeat and forever?
The Awakening: Britton
a novel by Abby Niles
When the shifter community is threatened, half-shifter and lead SPAC agent Val Calhoun is assigned to the case along with the precinct’s Don Juan, Detective Britton Townsend. The two arch-enemies are sent deep into the North Carolina Mountains-—together, and alone. Val doesn’t want the hot Detective Townsend’s mouth anywhere near hers. All Britton wants to do is solve this case pronto, and go back to his footloose Casanova ways. Hopefully they don’t kill each other first. Or worse…fall in love.
Operation Saving Daniel
a novel by Nina Croft
Daniel has never stopped loving his sister’s best friend, Lissa. Ten years ago when he gave her a little freedom, he always intended that one day they would be together. Right up until the moment he was bitten by a werewolf. Now Daniel has to hide what he is. He won’t risk anyone else, especially the woman he loves. But Lissa is back. Daniel’s about to marry his long term girlfriend—AKA The Evil One. And someone needs to save him. Lissa never believed in happy ever after, but Daniel is her fairytale prince and she’ll do whatever it takes to help him.
Lions, Tigers, and Sexy Bears, Oh My!
a novel by Candace Havens
Everything about runaway heiress Ainsley McLeon screamed trouble. Yet sexy, stoic bar owner Luc couldn’t deny the instant connection he felt to the tempting stranger. Ainsley traveled with her own emotional baggage and there was no way she’d fall for the bear-tempered Luc…no matter how many passionate nights she spent in his bed or how safe she felt in his muscular arms. Can these two opposites find love in the middle of a blizzard, or will Luc’s darker side and Ainsley’s past catch up with them?
Wolf Pack)
The Werewolf Wears Prada (Entangled Covet) (San Francisco Wolf Pack) Page 22