She moaned as his mouth found her nipples, as he gently nibbled and sucked, drawing them both up into tight peaks. Tingles went through her body, drawing a taut line of desire between her breasts and her crotch, which was tightening. Slippery heat was gathering there.
He pushed her onto her back and pressed the length of his body against hers.
She could feel the press of his erection burrowing into the softness of her flesh.
“So soft,” he rasped, running his hands over her waist and hips. “Get… lost in you.”
She yanked him down to kiss her again.
He did, gathering both her breasts into his hands and squeezing them gently. When he broke the kiss, he gazed down at her bare skin with adoration in his eyes. “You’re all curves.”
She shut her eyes.
His hands were on her panties then, pulling them aside, taking away her last barrier. Now she was completely nude.
He lowered his mouth to her breasts again, and then he used his hands to explore her between her legs, running his fingers against her swollen heat.
She felt lit up—a live wire. She groaned, writhing against him, straining as he teased and tickled and found her most sensitive places.
“So wet for me,” he murmured. “Ever since I saw you, I wanted you like this. Spread out in front of me, offering me everything.”
Her eyes snapped open. That was a lot of words. She hadn’t expected him to—
But he shook his head at her. “Don’t. Don’t stop this. I need to be with you. You need to give yourself to me. If you don’t, I’ll never make it back all the way.”
She didn’t understand what he meant, but she was aroused and ready for him. She seized the front of his pants and freed him. “Take me, then.”
He made a growling noise—so similar to the ones she’d heard him make before—and it was almost as if the animal within him floated to the surface. There was a savageness to the way he pressed himself against her.
She cringed, afraid that he would enter her and hurt her, but when his huge hardness found her, he slid inside easily, sheathed in her as if he was meant there.
He grunted, shutting his eyes, and he didn’t move for a second, as if he was savoring the fact that he was actually inside her.
And she found herself stretched and filled so sweetly. His shaft was snug in her, deep enough to be satisfying without any movement, and just the perfect girth.
They started to move together. He thrust, and she moved her hips to meet him.
He claimed her mouth again, sighing.
He was amazing. She couldn’t even remember the last time that sex had felt this good. Most of the past years of her life, any love-making had been rote for the sake of trying to get pregnant. This was passion—raw and real. She’d nearly forgotten what this was like.
She felt unleashed by it. Bold. She ran her hands over his back, all the way down to clutch his ass cheeks, urge him faster and deeper inside her, an invitation he took to immediately.
She moaned.
“You’re perfect,” he gasped.
“No,” she said. “You are.”
His thrusts filled her, pierced her, fulfilled her.
She lost track of how long it went on, but it seemed like it was ages of perfect bliss, each moment wonderful and immaculate, like tiny beads of water strung together on a line. She lost herself in every second of delight, and then she surrendered to the next.
With every thrust, he drove her closer to ecstasy.
Calla had only ever once managed an orgasm without any direct clitoral stimulation. It had been a long time ago, and she’d been drunk at the time. It wasn’t something she counted on. She was perfectly happy having sex without an orgasm. It still felt good… and if she was still worked up afterward, she usually just finished herself quietly.
But this man, this wild wolf man who could barely speak, this man with the golden skin and the perfect penis, he was going to make her come, and she could just tell.
She was riding the sensation, like she’d just boarded a carnival ride, like she was being dragged up the track higher and higher.
Each time his erection buried itself in her, it seemed to go deeper, to push her just a little further up the track. She lay beneath him, moaning like a woman gone mad, pumping her hips against his, concentrating…
Just a little further. She was almost there.
Maybe she was even saying that out loud. She must have been, because he was suddenly talking.
“You going to come for me?” His voice was grating, strained.
“Uh huh,” she gasped. “Soon. Just keep doing that.”
“God, you’re so sexy,” he groaned.
“Keep fucking me,” she said, not caring about anything but the pleasure, which was reaching a fever pitch. “Fuck me so hard.” She’d never use words like that in bed with Chad—never. And she didn’t care.
In response, Ryder grasped her hips, holding her in place, and he began to drive himself into her with abandon.
Almost instantaneously, it happened. She reached the top of the track, and she toppled down over the hill. The bottom dropped out of her stomach, like she was free-falling, and she was engulfed in rapturous loops and dips—racing around the track of her climax, screaming it out beneath her Beast Man, giving herself completely over to bliss.
She twitched and thrashed against him, and he kept at her, still driving himself into her.
Slowly, her moans stopped.
“Did you?” he breathed.
She laughed. “Couldn’t you tell?”
He stabbed her deeply one last time, and then he wasn’t moving, and she could feel him emptying himself in her.
She shut her eyes in fulfillment. Wow. That was all. Just… wow.
* * *
After it was over, they lay in each other’s arms, both struggling to catch their breath. They were sweaty, something Calla hadn’t quite notices in the throes of it, but she found herself liking the way their scents mingled together. It was feral and untamed, like their coupling had been. Like Ryder himself was.
She ran her hand through the hair on his head, gazing at him through half-lidded eyes.
He smiled at her, his expression languid and happy. “Finally,” he whispered.
She raised her eyebrows. What the hell was he talking about? “You know, whenever you talk, you almost never make sense.”
He chuckled, rolling off her, removing the crush of his body. But he stayed close, lying on his side and resting a hand casually on her belly. “I knew it would work. Every time I kissed you or touched you, I got a little closer to being human again. I knew that if we… went all the way, I’d come back completely.”
“Really?” she said, furrowing her brow. “You mean I fixed you with sex?”
He laughed again. He lay back and closed his eyes, but he was still touching her.
“So, you’re not going to turn into a wolf again and stop talking?”
“No, I don’t think so. I remember everything now.” He propped himself up on one elbow. “Except why my head hurts. Did something happen to me?”
“You still have amnesia, I guess.”
“Amnesia?”
“Leroy hit you over the head with a chair.” She bit her lip. Now that she thought about it, maybe having really wild and rough sex wasn’t a great idea when a person was concussed. “Sorry. I don’t think I should have let you get so, um, physical. I think you might have a concussion.”
He gingerly touched his head. “Well, it does hurt. And I don’t remember that bit with Leroy.” He looked her over. “Are you okay? Did he hurt you?”
“No, I’m fine. I had the gun.”
He ran a finger over her face, tracing the outline of her jaw. “You’re really fantastic.”
She blushed. She couldn’t believe she was just lying here next to him, her whole body exposed like this. Usually, she was a little shy about her body, especially with the extra weight she carried around.
“I�
��m sorry that we did that without protection,” he said in a low voice. “I wasn’t really human enough to remember anything about condoms.”
“It’s okay,” she said. “I can’t get pregnant, so the only thing to worry about would be STDs, I suppose.”
“Werewolves never get STDs,” said Ryder.
“Never?” she said.
He shrugged. “I never heard of it happening.”
She narrowed her eyes. “Well, that’s all the proof we need, then, isn’t it?”
He chuckled again. “Oh, I like you. I mean, I knew I liked you all along, but when I was all messed up in the head, I couldn’t understand what anyone was saying. I knew my name, but that was it. I didn’t have language anymore. It was…” He gazed at her. “I don’t even know your name.”
“Calla,” she said. She guessed he’d lost the whole period of time when they’d spoken before. If he didn’t remember Leroy hitting him over the head, she guessed he wouldn’t remember that either.
“Calla,” he repeated. “That’s a nice name.” His hand moved over her body. He slowly began to trace patterns on her skin with his fingers. “Does it bother you?”
“My name?”
“No, the fact that you can’t have children.”
She was stunned by the question. Honestly, she was stunned that she’d come out with the information so easily to him. It wasn’t something she spoke about a lot. “I…” She didn’t know how to respond. Finally, she settled on, “Sometimes.”
He kissed her forehead.
And suddenly words were pouring out of her. “I was married. It bothered him—my ex-husband. Well, he said it didn’t, but he had an affair, and he got her pregnant, and he was so happy. Of course he left me, and they’re off together, planning their family, and I…” Her breath caught in her throat.
“I’m sorry.” His voice was quiet, his expression concerned.
“I don’t even know why I’m telling you this.” She laughed a little.
“I don’t see why you shouldn’t,” he said. “Maybe it’s a backwards way of doing this, first having amazing sex and then getting to know each other, but things have been complicated between us.”
She started to laugh. He was right. This was the definition of complicated.
“I want to get to know you, though,” he said. “I mean, if you want to get to know me.”
“Of course I do,” she said. “You’re… refreshing.”
He raised his eyebrows. “I don’t even know what that means.”
There was the sound of a car pulling up.
Calla sat straight up. “Oh shit. That’s Jasper. We should get dressed.” She started to look around for her clothes. She found her bra, which had been ripped. “You have a thing about destroying my clothes, don’t you?”
Ryder grinned. “Sorry. I couldn’t help myself.”
She sighed, looking around for her top. If she could get that on, at least she’d be covered. She found it and was about to pull it over her head…
When the door to the tent was unzipped. “You in here?” Jasper asked, poking his face inside the tent.
Calla screamed, covering herself with the piece of fabric.
Jasper’s eyes got wide. “What the hell do you think you’re doing with my brother?”
“You want us to draw you a picture?” said Ryder.
If possible, Jasper’s eyes got even wider. “Fucking A. You’re talking.”
* * *
Calla emerged from the tent a few minutes later, wearing her shirt and the overalls that Jasper had given her. She felt a little weird without a bra, but there was nothing for it at this point. She had to do what she could with what she had.
Jasper and Ryder were talking in animated voices.
“I don’t believe it,” said Jasper. “All this time, all I had to do was get you laid, and you’d snap out of it?”
Calla cleared her throat.
They both turned to look at her. Jasper had the decency to look embarrassed.
Ryder smiled at her. “I’m not sure if it would have worked with just anyone. There had to be more to it than just sex, if you know what I mean.”
“I don’t, and I don’t want to,” said Jasper, making a face. “I have no desire to picture you getting it on, little brother.”
Ryder laughed.
Jasper looked at Calla. “Uh, I guess I should thank you. You really did save my brother.”
She twisted her hands together. “Are you going to make us stay here another night?”
“Oh, of course not,” said Jasper. “We should break down the tent and get ready to go. Once everything’s packed up, I’ll drive you back to the carnival.” He furrowed his brow. “Well, I guess your car is at the last site and the carnival’s moved on. But we’ll find a way to get you home, I swear.”
Calla nodded. Well, that would be it, then. She’d go home and all of this would be over.
Ryder jammed his hands into his pockets. “Where’s home?”
She told him.
“And what do you do there?”
“I’m a school teacher. I told you,” she said.
“I don’t remember that,” he said.
“Of course not.”
He shook his head. “Man, I wish I would have had teachers that looked like you.”
She blushed. He’d said it again, and it made her feel just as fluttery and unbalanced this time.
“Ryder?” said Jasper. “You want to help me with the tent?”
“Oh, sure,” said Ryder.
Calla watched them tear down the tent and put it back inside its case. She helped them fold up the chairs and load them into Jasper’s trunk. She felt…
Well, disappointed, if she was honest.
She and Ryder had been talking about getting to know each other, and she wanted to do that. But she didn’t see how that would work if she went home. Would Ryder stay with the carnival? She assumed he would, and that would mean she wouldn’t see him again.
For some reason, she really didn’t like that idea.
“Look,” said Jasper, “I know that I technically kind of kidnapped you. But if there’s any way that I could convince you not to… you know, go to the authorities?”
“What would you do if I said no?” she said. She half-hoped he’d keep her captive at the carnival, that she’d be forced to stay close to Ryder for longer.
But Jasper’s shoulders just slumped. “I don’t know. I guess if I have to go to jail, it’s worth it for the sake of saving my brother.”
She sighed. “I won’t get you in trouble,” she muttered.
It really was all over. So quickly. One second, she’d been in Ryder’s arms, feeling cherished and adored, and the next minute, they were contemplating how she’d get home, and it was… over.
Some part inside of her was screaming that she needed to do something about this, stop it, speak up. She couldn’t let Ryder go.
But another part of her wondered if she had lost her mind. Truthfully, she knew next to nothing about this man. She found him attractive, and they had good sex, but that wasn’t something she could base turning her whole life apart for.
Not that she was even considering turning her life inside out, because she wasn’t. Of course she wouldn’t do something like that. No, she’d go home, and she’d go back to watching Netflix and biding her time until the summer was over. And then she’d go back to work, every day teaching students about participles and poems and…
Augh. She was being set free, so why did she feel like she was going back to jail?
It didn’t take very long to pack up the entire campsite. Jasper’s car was full, and there were a few things in the back seat.
They all gathered around the car.
“You can sit up front,” said Ryder.
“Oh,” she said, “that’s okay. I mean, you have longer legs, so you should—”
“Nah,” said Ryder. “I’ll be fine.” He grinned at her.
She felt like she was melting i
nside. And an ache took root inside her soul, an ache at the loss of him, so quickly after finding him in the first place. She struggled to think of something to say, but couldn’t come up with anything that didn’t sound desperate.
If he wanted her, he’d pursue her, wouldn’t he?
He seemed fine with her going back to her life. If he wasn’t fine, he would have fought for her. She got into the front seat of the car.
Ryder got into the back seat.
She adjusted to make sure he had enough leg room.
“That’s okay. I’ve got space,” said Ryder.
Jasper got into the car, tugging closed the driver’s side door. “Is everyone settled? Got everything?”
Calla peered out the window. “Yeah,” she murmured, even though she was fairly sure she was leaving her heart behind.
“Get us out of here, bro,” said Ryder.
Jasper pulled the car away.
And no one spoke much after that. Jasper tried to engage Ryder in conversation a few times, asking him about what it had been like not to think he was human. Ryder responded, but only with the most basic of information. He didn’t seem to want to talk, and Jasper didn’t push it.
As they drove, the sun sank down in the horizon, bathing the world in darkness. They drove on a narrow road in the woods, and, on either side, the trunks of the trees rose ghost-like in the light from the headlights.
It was quiet inside the car and quiet outside.
Calla felt tired and sad. She stared out the windshield and hoped the ride wouldn’t last forever.
Abruptly, a man darted out in front of the car, illuminated in the headlights.
Jasper yelled, slamming on the brakes.
He barely got the car stopped in time.
But the man standing in front of them didn’t even flinch. He stared at them with a savage look on his face, his teeth bared.
“Enoch,” Ryder whispered.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Calla cowered in the front seat, but Ryder threw open the door behind her.
“Wait, what are you doing?” said Jasper.
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