He’d betrayed her. She had to remember. Then again, she’d been more than happy to oblige.
Her mother’s voice sounded in her head. “Proper witches don't date shifters.” She answered back the air, “Being proper didn’t help me keep a fiancée either.”
Absently, she kneaded more chocolate. After several beats of her heart, she turned away and finally saw what she’d made. A wolf. A small sugar wolf.
“What the heck am I supposed to do with that?” she muttered.
This was going to take her all night. Maybe a break.
Closing her eyes, she willed Ethan to come to her. Silly really. Peeking at the monitor, Olivia saw that Ethan had stopped.
Huh.
Olivia stood. What exactly should she do? Brushing away powdered sugar onto her apron she practically stomped to the back door.
Gripping the handle, she turned and pulled.
“Are you coming in or not?”
He gave a little nod and put his hands in his pockets. “I was waiting for a formal invitation. I didn’t know if you could hear me yet.”
Well if that wasn’t an odd comment.
“I have a security camera at the back door for deliveries, and the obvious safety thing.”
Ethan’s head tilted, his mouth pulled to the side.
She shrugged. “You’d think as a fireman you’d be happy about my safety measures.”
“That wasn’t what I meant. Or I mean. Wait. What?” Ethan said. Rolling her eyes as he seemed to dance from side to side. “Are you okay? You seem nervous. Shouldn’t you already know that I wouldn’t be able to turn you away?” Olivia asked. She crossed her arms over her chest, attempting to hide her body, hide her need, and hide her frustration. He’d been inside her. He’d made her body come alive, and yet saying all that had her wanting to crawl into a hole. What if he wasn’t here for her? What if she’d chased him off and this was goodbye? No, he’d said she was his only mate. Forever.
Which was ridiculous. She was a useless witch, and he was a shifter. It’s not like any of this would work.
“I think I’ll go now unless you plan to come in.” she paused. “I have a lot to do. Thanks for everything.”
Before she could let the steel door close, his massive hand palmed it.
“I need to talk to you. It can’t wait.”
Words formed on her lips, but there wasn’t one thing she could articulate. Calling him crazy didn’t seem to be an excellent way to start a conversation.
Backing into the kitchen, she let him in. Olivia stopped when she hit the counter. He advanced slowly. Oddly, right now her body tingled in a strange new way. Her heart vulnerable as she waited for him to come to her. Olivia’s brain wouldn’t let her make the first move. His tight blue cotton shirt with the firehouse emblem stretched over his muscles, barely concealing the way they flexed with each step. Olivia licked her lips.
“What did you need to talk to me about?” she whispered.
Her magic flared as he came closer. A tingle at first, building to an all-out static storm across her skin.
His stride faltered. His gaze intense. “I might have made a mistake.”
Her jaw dropped. This was him saying goodbye. She'd wanted that though. She'd said he screwed up. She couldn’t get a breath.
Trying again to drag in air, panic churned within her. Now she'd screwed up. What had she wanted? She'd said she was mad, and she was. Anger had done all the talking, but really, all she wanted to know was that she wasn't a fool.
Olivia fanned herself trying to suck in oxygen into her lungs. “Excuse me? I am not a mistake.” Each word sounded breathy, and heat spiraled up her neck. “I am the best damn thing to ever happen to you. You should be thanking me.”
All the anger about her ex, someone she didn’t even like, came out. How dare someone she didn’t want not want her. She was good enough. Despite her stupid mom and her stupid ex. She was amazing. Her hips and her boobs and her ass were terrific.
“You’re a huge asshole. That’s all I have to say. Mistake my ass. You can just walk your perfectly muscled torso out of my kitchen. I don’t care if you’re rock solid and have the penis of every woman’s fantasy. You can go. You don't come to my kitchen to tell me I'm a mistake.”
She was pointing wildly, her hand flying through the air, and yet he seemed to be walking towards her rather than away.
“What are you-”
He cut her off as his mouth stole away her anger.
The taste of mint and earth and Ethan flooded her taste buds. The soft touch of his mouth, the hunger growing with each second. He'd done everything she'd said except he'd done it all for the right reasons. In this moment, she knew he'd done everything wrong, but it was all so right.
Mine. The word floating through her mind.
There was that word again. She pulled away. “Did you hear that?” she asked.
“Hear what?” he asked.
Her words faltered. Something about him said he could see her, see more than she could find within herself. Her body tingled wherever he touched. Her lips were an icy fire of pleasure and pain. She needed him back. She needed him kissing her.
Resting her palm against the heat of his chest she bit her lower lip. The hardened muscles beneath the cotton shirt had the muscles of her core contracting. She shivered. The graze of his fingers leaving a trail of destruction on her nerves. She exhaled on a quiver. Biting back a moan as her body recalled the encounter that changed everything.
She couldn’t do this again. She wasn’t that kind of a woman. She couldn’t. Then again, she was married to this man now. Like it or not. Eyeing him, she could see that he didn't plan to desert her. And what she wouldn’t give to taste his lips again.
A tingle in the pit of her stomach had her leaning into him, his body a wall that didn’t move.
Just one touch, that’s all she wanted.
Mentally pushing aside the work to be done, her hand shook as she reached for him. One hand gently tracing his bicep, trying to pull him closer.
She wanted him. No, it was more. She wanted more than just him. She needed him. Belonged with him. His heart beat even and steady, a calm to the hummingbird beat of her own.
Olivia couldn’t turn away. With each electric tingle of his lips against her own, she fell further and further into the mess that was now her life.
Enclosed in his arms, her body melted into his grasp. Her body craved him. If he didn’t make a move soon, she would take charge and take what she wanted instead.
Pushing her pelvis into him. She gasped in excited surprise. He was hard and ready.
“Beautiful.”
The word came from nowhere, and although she didn’t think he’d said anything, there was little doubt the word had come from him.
Opening her eyes, she pulled away slightly and studied him. If fate knew something she didn’t, maybe she should just accept it.
“Fuck it,” was all she said, ignoring the crazy in her mind. She reached up and pressed her lips to his. No delay, no confusion. He knew what he wanted and the way his tongue curled and owned hers, she knew she was it.
A split second and his hands gripped her thighs and hoisted her onto the counter. A tray clattered behind her.
He broke the kiss, the soft warmth of his mouth trailing down her jaw line, down her neck where his tongue traced along the edge of her shirt. The pressure of his hand kneading her breast, stopping to pinch the sensitive peak.
The weight of his chest pushed her down, leading her to lay along the table. Her thoughts jumbled, and she couldn’t say no. She didn’t want to say no.
Ethan’s work hardened palms ran up her bare thighs, pushing up the skirt. He seemed more aware of her this time, less rushed as he played at the waist of her panties.
Olivia pushed her hips up, and his hands slid away. Her eyes flew wide. He looked down at her, and she couldn’t read him. God, what the hell was he stopping for? She couldn’t stop the beat of her heart and burn between her thighs
.
“You believe me? That I’m sorry?”
“What?” Her heart nearly shattered by the pain in his eyes. She’d wanted him the second she’d seen him, she’d already believed him even if she hadn’t wanted to. She’d wanted him before he’d marked her.
“Of course. Yes,” she said.
Ethan claimed her mouth before the last could be finished.
Her words were lost on the breath of surprise and desire as his touch trailed down the elastic of her underwear. He slipped a finger beneath the leg-band. Her muscles clenched as his fingers played at her slit, then parted her folds. He slowly ran his fingers from her slick heat to the sensitive nub. His finger gently massaged her, and she laid back again, the pressure building with each gentle flick.
Absently she twisted her hands into the fabric of his shirt as a second finger joined the first making her thrust against his hand.
“I’ll spend every day making it up to you,” he whispered as he pleasured her with his skilled hand.
Her body became a spring, being pushed and coiled up with every stroke. Pulling away just as her body hummed, his touch moved to her entrance again.
“Please, Ethan.” She squirmed under him.
His fingers just out of reach, the faint tease of him hovering. Her release so close and yet so far.
“Olivia, what do you want?”
Her eyes nearly rolling back into her head she said, “You. I want you.”
The word “mine” flashed through her mind again, and she purred in response, “Yes. Yours.”
A static filled her ears, filled her mind, and all she felt was him. A growl vibrated through his cheek as he leaned in to kiss her once again.
She wasn’t waiting any longer. He nibbled her lip, and his fingers circled her entrance. She was slick and wet. If he didn’t take her right now, she was going to die.
A fevered frenzy took over as she tugged at his pants, working the button faster than she could decorate a single cupcake.
She reached her hand down, the hair on his belly a trail to the only dessert she wanted. Pressing her palm against him and sliding down past the elastic of his boxers his dick twitched, hard, warm, and perfect. She circled the tip rubbing a small drip around the head. He broke the kiss on a gasp.
“Fuck woman. I need you. I need to be inside you.”
“Yes. God, yes. I can’t wait anymore.”
With a quick, smooth motion, he stood and pushed his pants down.
Her tongue ran across her teeth as he stood in all his glory. She’d felt him, felt the pleasure he gave her, felt the delicious ache of muscles well used, but hadn’t appreciated him until now.
Gripping her behind the knees, he pulled her to the edge. He pulled her panties, and the smooth cotton glided down her skin as she pulled one foot out then the other.
Their eyes locked for a brief second. The head of his dick tickling the swollen skin between her thighs. Slowly he pushed forward, his fingers spreading her, guiding him in one inch at a time.
The muscles of his neck cording at the restraint.
She nearly shook at the unreleased desire within her.
He started to pull out, her muscles clenched around him, and he thrust back in. Slowly, painfully slow.
He lifted her legs, one ankle on each of his shoulders as he thrust back into her, each time a little faster as he held her legs, held her to him.
Her hands feverishly looking for support and finding something, anything on the table.
He thrust in faster and faster and faster, her body humming, her back arching.
Without warning he pulled out, her heart thudding in her ears, her breathing ragged, there was no time to catch it.
He pulled her off the table and spun her around and pulled her ass into him.
His hand snaked around and began to work her clit, she pressed into him, against the near aching pain of needing to come needing to release.
The hot whisper of his words nearly undoing her, “I can’t wait much longer. You undo me. Are you ready?”
She nodded her head in a jerk, words impossible.
He pushed up her skirt that had fallen and lifted her leg, her torso against the steel of the counter. He positioned her just right as he entered her from behind, her muscles clenched as he drove into her.
His other hand twisted in her hair as he began to drive into her.
Each thrust more determined than the last. Pressure building within her, stronger, harder.
Oh, God. She needed to come.
As if he knew what she was thinking he thrust into her again, harder, driving as deep as he could. Stroking her. Once, twice, until her body shook. She gave the walls of her core pulsing, milking him.
He didn’t quit though. As if her scream of ecstasy filled him he drove in harder, quicker. Her need couldn’t register the pleasure, so much, almost too much until he finally gave a roaring growl, the word “mine” echoing in her mind.
For several moments the thick muscles of him pulsed within her as one heartbeat.
He let down her leg, but he didn’t pull out. His grip released from her hair, and she slowly pushed up on her own, her breathing still erratic.
“I never do that,” she said, breathless.
She rolled her neck back in pleasure as he pushed into her again, still hard.
“I hope you’re turning over a new leaf. As long as it’s with me and no one else.”
Chapter 10
The feel of her ass against his pelvis and the warmth of being in her had him growing hard all over again.
Fuck, this wasn’t going to plan at all. What had he come over to tell her again?
He’d wanted to apologize. He’d wanted to set things right. He wanted no more lies.
But damn him if her body didn’t distract him. He hadn’t expected this. He reached around her and grabbed her full breasts. She pushed against him, his hands worked to get underneath the fabric. He’d probably fantasize about her naked beneath an apron later, but right now she had way too many damn layers on.
Finally, he found skin and pinched her nipple. The walls of her core twitched around his dick. Oh, God. She would kill him. He rocked into her again. Her muscles pulled at him, contracting. He didn’t want to leave her. If he hadn’t fucked up, maybe he could have convinced her to come home with him. Perhaps he’d be happily fucking her again in a few hours. Instead, he’d return to his cold bed, regardless of what happened tonight. He knew he couldn’t push things too far.
He buried his nose into her hair trying to commit her scent to memory. His memory would have to do for now. Ethan’s wolf howled and clawed. Mentally, he swore at the damn beast. He’d gotten them into this mess.
Damn wolf didn’t understand women at all. Maybe this was a step in the right direction. She’d let him in, and she’d given herself to him, again.
What could he say? “Oh, by the way. On top of the whole, we’re married thing, I have a daughter.”
He had to tell her she was not only a beta to the pack, but a mom too.
He didn’t know how to broach the fact she was going to shift sooner rather than later either.
Yeah. No. That wasn’t going to work. He released her breasts, running his hand down her shirt over her ribcage to her hip. His nerves had done the dirty work - Ethan could feel his dick going limp. An emptiness he’d never felt filled him as he pulled out.
She turned around towards him.
Lips swollen, hair wild, cheeks flushed. That was his doing and he loved it. He really wanted to get a lick of those perfect breasts. He needed her in his damn bed. Shaking his head. No, another time.
“Maybe I can give you another shot. I had no idea someone so bad for me could be so good,” she said.
Ethan coked his head. “Bad for you? What does that mean?”
Olivia played at her skirt, trying to right it. God, he wished she wouldn’t.
A quick glance down and he figured he should fix his own pants and pulled them up, buttoning the wa
istband as he waited for her response.
An out of place scent hit him. He sniffed the air. The kitchen had the scent of a hot oven, warmed bread, sugary sweet, but now it had changed.
“Why does the kitchen smell like moss?”
Olivia wasn’t looking at him. He followed her focus and took a double take. Where her hands had rested on the metal counter were two patches of moss, completed with small yellow flowers.
“My magic is on the fritz.” Olivia wiped at the moss which easily disappeared. “It’s almost like...” her voice died off.
“Almost like what?” he asked.
“It’s almost like ever since I met you, my magic has been awakened or heightened or something. I was always good at making little flowers and a bird or two out of icing. It’s why I wanted to start a bakery with my ex. But now this.” She handed him the small wolf. The soft, salty scent of embarrassment wafted to him.
“Well, that’s pretty damn impressive. I would say that’s not just anything. I mean, it’s not going to win any fights in the wild, but still impressive for cakes.”
He noticed her wringing her hands. “Watch this.” She stroked the tiny creature’s neck, and it came alive. Not like a real wolf, but rather a bit of art like in Claymation.
The tiny creature howled and circled Ethan's hand before laying down. She snapped her fingers, and it turned back to a small sculpture.
“I never could do that before.”
“Before what?” he asked.
As he looked up from the sugary creature, his eyes locked with hers.
“Before you.”
A slow smile spread on his face. This was going in a good direction. How could he make this last? How could he keep her from running? How did he fix all this? He didn’t want her to leave.
His wolf knew everything that he hadn’t been able to see until now. Her heart was pure, and her mind was strong.
He swallowed back an acidic burn as he thought of his little girl and how if anyone ever did this to her he’d kill them. He’d kill a man that mated her without her permission. He’d throw himself in front of another male to protect that little girl and here, he’d just taken this woman’s choice. He was a class A asshole, and he didn’t know the first thing about fixing it.
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