She reached for him but again he stopped her. “Not done yet,” he told her. Then he kissed a path down her torso, paying special attention to her wounds. Her body had already rejected some of the stitches, pushing out the foreign material. The remnants were somewhere in the bed. The skin was raw and red but had knit together nicely. Food, sleep, and her natural healing ability assured she was well on the way to being totally healed.
He paused briefly to trace the indent of her belly button. Hannah’s breath caught in her throat when he caught the band of her panties in his teeth and tugged. She had a glimpse of sharp fangs and then the fabric ripped. He did the same on the other side and then tugged away the remnants of her underwear.
Was it wrong to be so turned on by what he’d just done?
As if he knew what she was thinking, he glanced up and smiled. If her panties weren’t already gone, they probably would have melted off at that look. He shifted lower in the bed until he was sprawled between her thighs.
She should have been embarrassed or at least more tentative. Instead, she wanted to yell at him to get on with it.
He kept their gazes locked while he gripped her thighs and spread them wide. She knew he could smell her arousal. She could smell her own arousal. It mixed with the musky, masculine scent of Reece’s skin to create a unique perfume that was an aphrodisiac.
Then he lowered his head.
If this was a dream, Reece never wanted to wake. Hannah was naked in his bed and she wanted him. No, she didn’t just want him—she was demanding he take care of her needs. He liked that. A lot.
Her face was flushed, her lips parted and moist from his kisses. The slight redness on her jaw and chest from his morning beard was already fading. He was sorry to see the mark go. It brought home to him how badly he wanted to claim her.
Her nipples were taut buds just begging to be loved. She was so responsive to his every touch. It was enough to make him feel like the king of the world. He could smell her arousal, the sweet cream between her thighs, just waiting for him to taste.
His cock was throbbing and his balls were about ready to burst.
He wanted Hannah. Would have her. But she had to come first.
Her hair was a blaze of color against the stark whiteness of the pillowcase. Her blue eyes were darker than usual. There was a natural sensuality about her that made him want to fuck her again and again until she, and everyone around them, knew she belonged to him.
He’d almost stopped when he’d reached her stomach. The red slashes on her skin and the remaining stitches were a stark reminder of what had happened. But she was already healing. It would have taken a human several weeks to be at the stage Hannah was now. And she wanted him.
Having her offer herself so openly to him was making him crazy. He was under no illusions she’d settled herself to going home with him. No, there was almost an underlying desperation in her actions, as though this was goodbye.
No way that was happening. He wasn’t above using their physical attraction to try to bind her to him. That meant he needed to show her how it could be between them.
He lowered his head and took his first sample of her. Her taste was sweet, her skin slightly salty. The combination made him burn to have her. She made a small sound of pleasure and opened her legs wider.
A growl rolled up from deep inside him. Mine, his wolf insisted. Mine, the man echoed. He ran his tongue over her slick folds, paying attention to her every reaction. He wanted to know what she liked, what made her hotter.
He nuzzled his way to the apex of her thighs and ran his tongue over her clit. She stilled and then released a low moan of pleasure when he did it again. He caught the sensitive nub between his lips and sucked. At the same moment, he slid one thick finger into her channel.
He almost came when she tightened around him.
She closed her legs around him, trapping him between her thighs. Her fingernails dug into his shoulders and then his scalp as she pulled him closer. He used his tongue and fingers to push her even closer to the edge. Her breathing was ragged.
“Reece.” She was practically begging for release and he wanted to give it to her. He sucked hard on her clit and eased a second finger inside her. She came on a long wail, pumping her hips.
He thought the top of his head might explode. He couldn’t wait any longer. She was still coming when he rose up and over her. He shoved her legs apart, fitted the head of his cock against her, and pushed.
Her body resisted him at first, but he kept up a steady pressure, working the thick head of his erection inside her. She sucked in a breath and relaxed. His shaft slid the rest of the way until he was seated to the hilt.
Both of them froze. Reece was afraid if she so much as twitched, he’d come, and he wanted to prolong this first time between them.
Then her inner muscles flexed and tightened around him and he lost it.
Hannah felt Reece’s control snap. One second he was holding himself still. The next his hips were slamming into her. She’d just come but was on the verge of another orgasm.
It was wild and crazy and she loved it.
She wrapped her ankles around the backs of his thighs and arched up to meet every thrust. He filled her completely, his shaft a hot pulse of pleasure powering in and out. His biceps bulged and his head was tilted back to expose the long thick column of his neck. The urge to bite him was almost overwhelming.
He gave a long groan and his entire body tensed just before she felt the flood of his release. She’d never made love to a man without using a condom, in spite of the fact her father had assured her werewolves didn’t get sexually transmitted disease and it was virtually impossible for her to become pregnant. The idea of having sex without a condom had seemed too intimate. Plus, she hadn’t wanted to take any chances. Her mother had been full human and had gotten pregnant.
Everything was different with Reece. She wanted to be as close as they could be. She clung to his shoulders, as the base of his shaft seemed to swell. It sent her over the edge again. She cried out and clung to him as she shivered and came.
Reece groaned and collapsed on top of her. His weight pushed her deep into the mattress. She should have felt crushed and trapped, not protected and safe.
He gave another groan and then heaved himself to the side, taking her with him. She opened her eyes to find him staring at her. He didn’t speak, but the moment seemed beyond words.
They were both breathing hard and the heavy pulse of his shaft seemed to mimic their heartbeats. Reece kissed her softly on the lips before placing a dozen more on her face. “Are you okay?” he asked.
She wasn’t really. She was totally wrecked inside. Making love with Reece felt special. This was a once-in-a-lifetime moment. She knew she’d never find this kind of connection with another man.
Her entire being rebelled at even the thought of being with another man.
“Hey.” He cupped her chin and gently tilted it up. He frowned and his brows lowered. “Did I hurt you?” He sounded worried now.
She shook her head and licked her lips. “No. It was—” She broke off and tried again. “It was wonderful.”
The slow smile that slid across his face was filled with masculine satisfaction. He looked pleased with himself, but she couldn’t fault him. He’d more than delivered. Every muscle in her body was pleasantly relaxed. If she listened hard enough, she could probably hear her cells sighing.
This moment, this place, this man—it was totally perfect.
Too bad it couldn’t last.
As if to counter her last thought, Reece’s shaft flexed. She tried to swallow her moan but couldn’t quite manage. He was still hard inside her.
“Is this normal?” she finally asked.
“Is what normal?” He trailed his fingers through her hair.
“Us. You.” She made a fluttering motion with her hand and then dropped i
t. “You’re still hard.” Her cheeks heated but it couldn’t be helped. This was the one part of werewolf heritage she didn’t know much about. It wasn’t something she and her father had ever talked about. And her mother had abandoned her when she was only a few days old, giving full custody to her father. She had no memory of the woman whatsoever. All she had were a few faded pictures her father had given her.
“Yeah, I am.” He rubbed his thumb over her bottom lip. “And it is normal. A male werewolf is not like a human. We can have sex several times in a row without much recovery time. When I come, I swell at the base, and it locks me inside you. It usually takes a few minutes to go down.”
His matter-of-fact explanation eased her embarrassment somewhat. This was one area of her life where she was definitely undereducated. It hadn’t mattered with her human lovers, but Reece was more than human.
“Do you know about mating?” he asked.
She shrugged. “Just that the male bites the female.” Her father had warned her about that just in case.
Reece nodded. “Some packs still allow claiming, even if the female isn’t always willing.”
She gasped and pulled away as far as she could, which wasn’t exactly far since she and Reece were still intimately joined. “Really?”
“Yeah.” He shook his head. “Why anyone would want an unwilling mate is beyond me.” She knew Reece was not the sort of man to force a woman.
“There are true matings,” he continued. “The ones where both people know they’re meant to be. Some don’t wait for that or never find it and still mate. Some are never happy but others find contentment.”
“What about the mated couples in your pack?” She was more than a little curious about the people Reece was closest to.
His smile was so genuinely happy, she felt the glow of it in her heart. “They’re all true matings. Even the one with my Uncle Elias and Sue.”
“You said she’s fully human?” It was like her parents’ relationship, except theirs hadn’t been a true mating. It had been about sex. Her father had been quite honest with her about that. Her mother had been a rare human who had gotten pregnant. Her father had never told the woman who and what he really was. He’d simply taken custody of Hannah when she was still a squalling infant and raised her on his own.
“Yeah. And my uncle is nuts about her.”
That sounded so lovely and too perfect. Hannah pushed away and Reece reluctantly released her. It was appalling to her how much she wanted to just stay where she was.
“We should get going. We have plans to make and things to do.” She quickly corrected herself. “I mean, I have plans to make. I don’t know what you need to do.”
Reece sighed and rolled out of bed. He was totally unselfconscious and raised his arms over his head and stretched. Hannah almost swallowed her tongue.
What was wrong with her? Being around him turned her into a sexual creature, almost like a, like a… She frowned, not liking the turn of her thoughts but it was true. Almost like a bitch in heat.
At least it seemed to be mutual. Reece was still aroused. She knew that one word from her and he’d be back in bed. She tugged the sheet around her.
His lips flattened slightly and his jaw tightened at her obvious retreat. “I’m going to get a quick shower and shave. Then you can get cleaned up and we’ll figure out where we go from here.”
Hannah nodded. The second the bathroom door closed behind Reece, she flopped back down on the mattress and groaned. What was she going to do? Where was she going to go?
She forced herself to get out of bed. The sweater she’d worn the night before was on the floor so she grabbed it and pulled it on. Decently covered, she headed to the kitchen. She needed coffee before she could decide anything.
Chapter Eleven
Hours later, Hannah’s head was spinning.
By the time she’d had her shower, Reece had packed several suitcases and had them waiting by her duffle bag and knapsack. After they’d finished a quick breakfast, he’d cancelled his lease and had arranged with a moving company to pack and store his remaining belongings. Not only that, but he’d hired them to do the same for her apartment. All they’d had to do was drop off their keys to the movers on the way to the police station.
They’d taken care of that and now sat in a dismal room with peeling paint. There were several rows of desks, but only about half of them were occupied. Some of the other officers were on phones, while others typed reports. The space was permeated with the smell of sweat, bad coffee, and cheap pine cleaner.
Hannah didn’t know how Reece managed to work here in such a closed environment with such unappealing smells. She knew which desk was his. His scent was concentrated in the desk next to the one where she was currently seated. Sean O’Malley, Reece’s partner, sat across from her.
She had a brief thought that her life was a runaway train and all she could do was hang on and pray. And that just wouldn’t do. She didn’t mind Reece arranging for her things to be packed and stored. She’d pay him back for that and coordinate with the company to get her things delivered once she knew where she was settling.
As soon as she gave her statement, she was finished here in Chicago. She’d call David from the road and tell him she wasn’t coming back. She hated to leave him shorthanded at work, but knew he’d understand. He’d chalk up her leaving the city to the attack. Only she knew it was more than that.
She couldn’t stay here with a werewolf stalking her. Everyone she came in contact with would be in danger. Including Reece.
She also needed to dump her cheap phone and get another one. She had no idea how much her stalker knew about her and didn’t want to take the chance that he might somehow be able to use her phone to track her.
Detective Sean O’Malley’s dark hair looked like he’d dragged his fingers through it too many times and there was a dark shadow on his jaw. He didn’t look like he’d slept much, if at all, last night.
“So tell me everything you remember about your attack.”
As she went through the basic facts once again, she could feel everyone in the room watching her. She knew it was because Reece was such a solid presence by her side. When they’d first arrived, she’d heard the whispers. They were all curious as to who she was and why he was with her.
This was very out of the ordinary for Reece, who was seen as aloof and a loner by many of his coworkers. If she could hear their whispers, so could he. It had to bother him to have them all talking about him, but if it did, he gave no indication.
When she faltered in her statement, Reece reached out and took one of her hands in his, offering silent support.
His partner’s eyes narrowed but he said nothing until she was finished. “So you don’t remember anything else?”
She shook her head. “No. It happened so fast.” She took a deep breath to try to calm her nerves. “I was scared and fighting for my life.”
Detective O’Malley nodded. “I wrote up your statement based on what you’d already told us.” He glanced at Reece, but she couldn’t interpret what it meant. “You need to read it and sign it if everything is accurate. We can make any changes you think are necessary.” He reached inside a file folder on his desk, drew out a two-page document, and placed them in front of her.
Hannah scooted to the edge of the hardback chair she was seated in rather than pick up the statement. It was to the point and accurate. Every detail she remembered was in there, except for the fact the man who tried to kill her was a werewolf.
She reached out, flipped to the second page, and nodded when she finished. “That’s right.” She looked at the detective. “You did a good job.”
A ghost of a smile played at the corner of his lips. “Thanks. I try.” He held a pen out to her. “You need to sign it.”
She hated having to let go of Reece’s hand, but there was no other way she could sign with
out her right hand. The second she tugged, he released his grip and she reached for the pen.
She tightened her fingers around the barrel of the pen and scrawled her name. Her signature was shaky. The longer she was here, the less she liked it. She wanted out of this building and away from this city.
The detective’s phone rang and he reached for it. “Excuse me, I need to take this.”
She nodded and looked toward Reece for the first time since she’d sat across from his partner. She’d been afraid to look at him, afraid his partner would realize they’d slept together.
The last thing she wanted was for Reece to get into trouble.
Reece was frowning now and leaning forward. His actions made her turn her attention from him to the phone call.
But she was too late. The detective was just ending the call.
“Miss Burdette,” Detective O’Malley began.
“Hannah,” she automatically corrected.
Whatever the phone call had been about, it wasn’t good. He looked troubled and she could sense his unease. It wasn’t fear or nerves but something bad had happened. “There was a break-in at your apartment last night.”
“Oh, God.” If she’d been there alone… She didn’t want to finish the thought. “It was him, wasn’t it?”
Reece’s partner frowned. “We don’t know that for sure.”
Beside her, Reece finally stirred. “Too much of a coincidence for it to be anyone else.”
“There are investigators on the scene. When they ran the tenant’s name, they hit on our case.” He looked away from Reece. “You’ll need to check out your apartment when they’re done to see what, if anything, if missing.”
She was already shaking her head. “No.”
Reece seconded her. “She’s not going back there. That’s just what her stalker wants. It’s a way for him to find her.”
Wolf in her Soul: Salvation Pack, Book 8 Page 12