She blew out a breath, the sound rife with frustration. “I’m not, but you are making assumptions about what this means. Marking you does not automatically mean that I have to give up my job, my house, my life. And don’t act like you aren’t thinking that, because I know you are.”
He was wise enough to keep his mouth shut.
Now it was her turn to stab a finger at him, also talon-tipped. “You may be all that and a bag of chips in the shifter world, but here in this room, we are equal. You’re not in charge of me and I don’t answer to you.” She waved that hand around. “My life is just as important to me as your life is to you.”
He sighed, knowing she had a point, but seeing no way around it. Unsolvable problems—the story of his life lately. “How do we make this work, then?”
Her head fell back against the file cabinet. “I don’t know.”
Stepping forward, he curved his hands around her shoulders, feeling the delicacy of her joints. Possessiveness and tenderness welled within him, emotions he didn’t usually associate with his lovers. But she wasn’t just his lover, was she? She was his mate. “I don’t want to give you up, and I don’t want to give up the life I lead.”
She met his gaze, her lips twisting. “Neither do I. On all counts. Though admitting it probably plays into that nefarious plot of yours.”
A chuckle rumbled in his chest and he shook his head. “Just…come for a visit. Because neither of us wants to be apart right now. If I could take this slow and easy, I would, but I can’t. I have to go back and deal with my father. I have to try and stop this information leak.” He stroked a lock of her silky hair back. “But I want you with me. I want you the way I have never wanted anyone or anything in my entire life. Say you’ll come, Tori.”
She closed her eyes, and he watched the struggle on her expression. He’d felt the same struggle himself, so he waited her out. If this mating thing was working on her the way it was working on him, there was no way she could resist. She groaned. “Let me talk to Adrian and Jason about taking time off.”
“Okay.”
She speared him with a glare. “This doesn’t mean—”
He cut her off with a swift kiss. “I know.”
He’d gotten what he wanted—there was no need to argue further. It wouldn’t help. The decision was made. The decision had been made the moment they’d marked each other. Maybe even the moment they’d met.
Thankfully, her bosses had given her the impromptu time off with no questions asked. Tori had a bad feeling that they’d already figured out why she was leaving…and that they didn’t expect her to come back. That last part annoyed the shit out of her, but since she didn’t really want to talk about it, she couldn’t very well argue against people’s assumptions. Frustrating.
That was a perfect description for the whole situation: damned frustrating.
She crashed out on the plane ride east. Not shocking considering she’d probably gotten all of forty-five minutes of sleep total the night before. The slumber also gave her the opportunity to escape what could only have been an awkward conversation between scary-as-hell Nico, her new mate, and her. No thanks. Sleep beckoned and Tori took the easy way out. Sue her.
When she woke, she found herself cradled in a set of familiar arms. “Bastian.”
“Shh.” He brushed his lips over her brow, and the scent of him was comforting. “Go back to sleep, sweetheart.”
She sighed and let herself drift back into dreamland.
A rough bump jolted her awake and she bolted upright. A moment of mind-bending confusion gripped her. She was in a car and it was nighttime. What the hell? “This isn’t the plane.”
Bastian’s deep voice filtered through the darkened vehicle. “No, this is the road to my house. We just turned off the highway.”
She blinked owlishly and licked her lips. “Oh.”
He chuckled. “Not a morning person, huh?”
“Not a wake-up-bouncy person, no matter what time of day I’m snoozing.” She rubbed the sleep from her eyes, but it didn’t clear the grogginess from her brain. “Give me caffeine and no one gets hurt.”
He made a little humming noise that was both sympathetic and amused. “I have beans I can grind and a coffee maker at the house. In the pantry there might even be a French press my mom bought me.”
Caffeine, yay. She glanced at his shadowy outline and smiled. “That sounds promising.”
“I’m glad. We’ll be there in a few minutes.”
Trees surrounded them, towering above the SUV. It reminded her a little of where she grew up in the Rocky Mountains, though the trees were different. Nothing like the desert she’d been living in for the last few years. A break in the forest brought them to a clearing, and she could make out the darkened bulk of a house with a few outbuildings in the distance. One looked like some kind of barn or maybe a massive garage. Something to explore later, since she’d be here for two weeks.
Bastian pulled up in front of the house. “Forgot to leave a porch light on.”
As he shut down the vehicle, she popped open the door and slid to the ground. She had pretty decent night vision as a bird-shifter, so she easily navigated the uneven gravel drive to the back of the SUV to get her bag. Slinging it over her shoulder, she followed Bastian up the porch steps.
He flipped on the lights as he stepped inside, then waved her in while he punched in a code on his security system. She blinked as her eyes adjusted to the glare and took in the living room. Big, cushy leather sofa and chairs, gleaming wood everywhere—floors, built-in cabinets, fireplace mantel, even the ceiling fan. She set her bag aside and wandered around, poking her head in doors as she went. An office lined with bookshelves, a dining room that appeared mostly unused and a guest bedroom that looked even less used. A flight of stairs went up to a second floor, and she slid her finger over the polished newel post as she walked by.
Bastian trailed after her, but said nothing. It wasn’t until she glanced back at him that she realized he was nervous. Bastian? Nervous? The man hadn’t flinched when he found out his one-night stand had turned into his mate, which had sent her straight into a tailspin. Now he was uncertain?
He straightened to soldierly attention as she turned to face him. Then it hit her. He was worried she wouldn’t like his house. The wolf Beta actually wanted her approval. Something painful and sweet squeezed inside her when that realization hit home.
Holding back the onslaught of tender emotion that threatened to swamp her, she offered up a grin. “Nice place you have here, Lykaios, but where’s the television? There’s a NASCAR race I was hoping to watch this week.”
“Inside the cabinet. I also have one in my bedroom.” He gave her a small grin in return, his stance easing a little. “If that interests you.”
She’d have to be half dead for that not to interest her. Bastian. Bed. Mmm-hmm. Yeah, she should probably hold out on him so he didn’t think he had this whole mating thing sewn up, but if she had the willpower to resist, she’d have stayed in Arizona.
Biting her lip, she gave him a flirtatious wink. Heat began smoldering in his gaze and it was all she could do not to jump him then and there. After spinning away, she scuttled down a short hall past the stairs. “Kitchen’s this way?”
“Yes. Bathroom’s on your left, if you need it.”
Now that he mentioned it… “I do, actually.”
“Me too. It was a long flight, and I’ve never quite been able to make myself turn my back on Nico.”
“Aw, he’s a cute cuddly kitten.”
One dark eyebrow rose. “Really?”
“No, he’s a terrifying motherfucker, but he’s perfect for our queen, so I like him for that alone. Plus, they have the cutest eaglets and it amuses the shit out of me that that leopard’s got a flock of birds to contend with.” She gave him her most guileless smile. “He deserves it, don’t you think?”
Bastian’s laughter rolled out, mellow and sexy. “Absolutely. I couldn’t agree more.”
The
y shared a conspiratorial grin.
He gestured toward the bathroom door. “Ladies first.”
“Don’t mind if I do.” Southern gentleman, how nice. Her mom would say they were overrated, but since Tori’s dad and brothers were big, burly, grumpy types, her mom’s opinion wasn’t shocking. Tori kind of liked it though. Not that she’d admit it aloud, but still. Nice.
A few minutes later, she found Bastian banging around in the kitchen. He had two plates and two bowls on the counter. Something sizzled on the stove and he stepped over to flip what looked like a couple of cheese sandwiches. The scent of food floated in the air, and her stomach gave a grinding gurgle to remind her that she’d slept through dinner.
“Come watch these and slide them onto the plates when they’re done, would you?” He handed over the spatula and scooted past her to make a run for the restroom.
“Mmm.” The tops of the sandwiches were a perfect golden brown and cheese oozed from the sides. They looked divine. Of course, leather boots might look tasty right about now, she was so hungry. After lifting one corner to take a peek at the bottom, she quickly transferred the grilled goodness to the waiting plates.
The microwave mounted over the oven beeped and she pushed the button to open the door, finding a plastic tub filled with chicken noodle soup. “Oh, awesome.”
Rifling around in drawers revealed a ladle for the soup and she divided it between the two bowls. The combined scents were making her stomach do backflips of anticipatory joy.
“I figured grilled cheese and chicken noodle were pretty universal in their appeal, so I doubted you’d object.” Bastian shot an amused glanced at her noisy midsection as he returned.
She patted her belly. “No objections, just mild starvation.”
“Also?” He reached out a long arm and snagged a full pot off the coffeemaker. “Liquid caffeine, as requested.”
“You’re a god among men, Lykaios,” she said, sotto voce.
He shook his head, his gray gaze gleaming with mirth. “I’ve always dreamed of a woman saying that to me. Of course, in my dreams, we were in bed together, but I’ll take what I can get.”
Tori laughed in his face, and he waggled his eyebrows before handing over a heavy ceramic mug filled with dark-roasted deliciousness.
They dove into the food without further comment, and Tori almost licked the bowl, the soup was so amazing. “This can’t have come from a store. It’s too good.”
“My great-aunt, Hattie Jane, has a secret recipe that she guards with her life. My aunt—Lyra’s mom—is terrified the old lady is gonna die before she hands it over.”
Tori widened her eyes theatrically. “A completely legitimate fear. This secret cannot die with her.”
“She gives me tubs of it every time I visit her, which I make a point to do on a regular basis. I freeze what she gives me for those days when I want something awesome, but don’t want to cook it myself.”
She cast him a dubious glance. “You cook?”
His expression turned mildly offended. “That sandwich didn’t make itself.”
Seriously? This was what he called cooking? She just took a bite of the grilled cheese and tried to keep the amusement off her face.
“Wow, you really bought that, huh?” He chortled.
“So, you can’t cook?”
“Yes, I can.” He paused while he polished off the last of his dinner. “My best work is done outside on the grill though. I make some killer barbeque sauce for my pulled pork, brisket, ribs. Real Southern style. None of that shit they just call Southern elsewhere. It’s not the same, trust me.”
Even after that fabulous meal, she had to admit her mouth watered a little. She loved good barbeque. “Well, you’ll just have to prove it to me.”
“I will.”
They looked at each other for a long moment, that tiny sizzle of attraction humming like a live wire between them. Warmth pulsed through her and she swallowed, trying to contain the feeling. With him, there didn’t seem to be any control, and that worried her. She grabbed her dishes and went to the sink to wash them.
Bastian came up behind her, wrapping his arms around her in order to deposit his dishes. “I could have done that, sweetheart. You’re a guest here.”
“It’s no problem.” Her voice came out low and breathy. The heat of him surrounding her made her brain turn to mush. He nuzzled the back of her neck, and desire bloomed deep in her belly. Wetness slicked her sex, a reaction that had never been so intense with any other man. A dangerous thought, but she couldn’t deny the truth of it.
When he rubbed his lips over her shirt, brushing across the mate mark on the back of her shoulder, an electric shock zapped through her. Her shifter nature meant it had already healed completely, but the mark was so sensitive it had become an excruciatingly erogenous zone. Utensils dropped from her nerveless fingers, and she bit her lip to hold in a moan.
“I can smell how wet you are for me, Tori.” He reached out and shut off the faucet, then turned her to face him. “God, I want you.”
She grabbed his ears and hauled him down to kiss him. There was nothing tentative or gentle about this—it was rough claiming that only made her burn hotter. They fought for control of the contact, nipping and sucking at each other’s mouths. She threaded her fingers in the satin of his hair, holding him close. He ran his palms over every inch of her he could reach, leaving fire licking over her flesh everywhere he touched. So good, so amazingly good. When he squeezed her breast and zeroed in on her nipple, she bucked against him. Her sex clenched on emptiness, and she wanted his hard cock thrusting inside her.
The ridge of his erection dug into her stomach and she couldn’t resist the temptation. She drifted her hands down his shoulders, his chest, his abs and then unfastened his zipper to dip her fingers inside. He was perfect, long and thick. Moisture beaded at the tip of his dick and she smeared it across the bulbous head. He jerked and shuddered, pressing into her touch.
She broke her mouth away from the kiss, letting her head fall back as she fondled him. He slid his tongue down her neck until he could bite the base of her throat. Lust fisted within her and she rolled her hips into his to communicate her need. “Bastian, I…”
“Yes?” His teeth scraped over the sensitive tendon that connected neck to shoulder.
“Um…I think I want to watch TV now.”
He paused for a moment, his ragged breath rushing over the damp skin he’d just kissed. “The one in my bedroom?”
Nodding, she ran her fingertip around the crown of his dick. “Right now.”
She felt his lips curve against her throat, and then he snapped his arms around her and she was airborne. A squeak escaped her as she landed ass-up over his broad shoulder. All the blood rushed to her head, and the world spun in a dizzying circle when he turned to head for the staircase.
Laughing, she swatted his firm backside. “Lykaios, put me down!”
“Nope.” He hurried up the stairs, holding her legs against his chest to secure her in place.
“You don’t listen very well.” She shoved her hand down the back of his open pants, slipping in to tease the cleft of his buttocks.
They reached the top of the stairs, and he moved down a hallway. He froze in a doorway when she pressed in to tease his anus. His legs were braced apart to hold her weight, which made it easier to push her fingertip into his ass.
He groaned and clutched at the doorjamb. “Wh-what are you doing?”
A stupid question she didn’t bother to answer. Instead, she added another finger, sliding deeper into him. He shuddered and she grinned.
“I like ass play,” she purred. “It looks like you do too. Isn’t that nice?”
“Jesus.”
She heard him swallow, and then he moved with that lightning speed of his. He strode forward and flipped her so she bounced against the bed. She saw a flash of straight white teeth before he turned away. “I’ll be right back.”
Propping herself on her elbows, she watched him
walk toward what she thought might be a bathroom or a closet. He stripped as he went, and she got a very nice view of the bunching muscles in his backside. Mmm-hmm. The man was built like a Greek god. A light flipped on and he disappeared through the door. Definitely a bathroom.
While he was gone, she sat up and slowly undressed while looking around at his room. Heavy oak headboard framed by simple rounded bedposts, matching nightstands and dresser. She tossed her clothes over the side of the mattress. The walls were painted a medium blue similar to her living room in Arizona, which was unsettling for reasons she couldn’t quite name, and the comforter on the bed was a deep navy blue with piping the same shade as the walls. The sheets and pillows also matched the blue paint.
“Your room is color-coordinated,” she called. “Are you sure you’re single?”
“My mom helped me pick everything out when I bought the place. She told me she was afraid it’d look like a frat house otherwise, but I think it just gave her an excuse to shop.” He stepped out of the bathroom carrying a small bottle. “And, no, I’m not single. I’m recently mated.”
The shock of that statement made the breath wheeze out of her lungs, and her heart tripped against her ribs. But she didn’t have time to freak out because he held the bottle up for her to see. Lube. Oh God. She could guess what he wanted to use that for. A spear of need went straight to her core. He twisted the top off the bottle and pulled away a protective seal.
“Roll over.” He squirted some of the clear liquid onto his finger. “And we’ll see exactly how much you like ass play.”
A lot. She liked it a whole lot. Heat flooded her, and air rasped into her lungs. She got on her hands and knees, and the mattress dipped as he crawled onto the bed behind her. His palm stroked up her thigh and his fingers slipped inward to toy with her pussy. He traced her slick lips, teasing more moisture from her core. She arched her back, pushing into his touch. More. She wanted more of this, more of him.
His other hand moved so that his lubed fingers pressed to her anus. He circled the tight bud, working one thick digit and then another into her rear passage. She forced herself to relax while he stretched her, though excitement whipped through her with every passing moment. His hands were driving her to sweet madness, so when he pulled away the one teasing her pussy, she cried out a protest.
Illicit Passions Page 6