Elsa shook her head with a chuckle. “I doubt that. You’d have to be pretty average-looking if that were the case, and you’re far from it. You’re too good-looking.”
Brand smiled, liking that his mate found him attractive. “Thanks for the compliment.”
“I bet you have women telling you that all the time.”
He reached across the table and captured Elsa’s hand. “If they do, I really don’t pay much attention to it. Right now all I care about is what you think of me. Your opinion is more important.” Brand watched Elsa’s cheeks darken to a pretty shade of pink.
She looked down and then back up at his face. “All I can say to that is, wow. You must hold me in high regard, even though we just met. You barely know me. What if I turn out to be a big bitch?”
He gave her a crooked smile. “Oh, I know you aren’t.”
The waitress returned and served them their drinks. Once she left them alone, Elsa said, “So you figure you already have me pegged, do you? Do you have some kind of psychic power that you haven’t told me about?”
Brand shook his head. “No, but I’ve been around enough women to know when one isn’t the type of woman I want to be with shortly after I meet her.”
Elsa took a sip of her wine. “Really? It’s too bad I don’t have that talent, or I might have saved myself a lot of trouble when it came to Teddy.”
“Were you two together long?” Brand already knew the answer, but he still needed to ask the right questions, or Elsa would wonder if he let something slip by accident. She was smart and would pick up on anything she considered out of the ordinary.
“Long enough. In total, it was just over a year.”
“Did you love him?” Brand held himself completely still as he waited for Elsa to answer.
She sighed. “Now that I reflect back on it, probably not. I think I was more in love with the idea of being in love, if you know what I mean. In some ways, Teddy breaking off the engagement was the best thing he could have done for me. At least he didn’t dump me and go back to his ex after we were married. That would have been worse.”
And Brand would have made sure Teddy paid for it, considering what Brand would have given up for the other male to marry the woman who was Brand’s.
“So you’re over Teddy then?” he asked.
She snorted. “I’m over the ‘love’ I had for him, but not over the anger quite yet. The man’s a rat. He could have ended things better than he did. Instead the idiot told me exactly why we were over. His ex-girlfriend had taken him back, and he’d already asked her to marry him. He’d said they couldn’t make it official until he ended things with me. He’d even had the audacity to ask for the ring back that he’d given me so he could give it to his new fiancée.”
Brand suddenly had second thoughts about letting Teddy walk away without facing some kind of consequences. Yes, the other man’s leaving left everything wide open for Brand to claim Elsa as his, but Teddy had insulted Elsa.
“I should pay Teddy a visit,” he said. “Make him squirm a bit.”
Elsa looked solemnly at Brand and then burst out laughing. Brand’s brows furrowed in confusion. She held up a hand, her laughter slowly fading. “I’m not laughing at you. I promise. I just had the mental picture of Teddy pissing himself and screaming like a little girl if you were to show up on his doorstep. The man’s a wimp. He’d probably faint at your feet if you so much as lifted a fist in his direction. You saw today how he couldn’t get away from you fast enough.”
“Well, if he bothers you again, I won’t let it go.”
“If he does, you have my blessing to scare the shit out of him. The fuckwad—as my sister calls Teddy—would deserve it.”
Brand barely managed to hide the smile that tugged at his lips. His mate had a bit of a potty mouth, and he liked it. That meant she wouldn’t hold back if they ever had an argument. She would give it to him with both barrels, which was a good thing. He was the first person to admit he tended to have a domineering personality. If Elsa were the type of woman to sit back and let him do or say anything he wanted, they’d never last. And if he had his way, they’d be together forever.
“Enough about Teddy,” Elsa said. “The more I talk about him the more pissed off I get. So what do you do for a living, Brand?”
“A little of this and that. Nothing you’d consider a real job, I’m sure.” Watching over Elsa had become his day job while hunting werewolves was his night job. He couldn’t tell her about either of those things though.
She took another sip of wine and twirled a lock of her hair between her fingers while she looked at him. Brand itched to reach out and touch the silky mass that fell over her shoulders. He wanted to bury his face in it and just breathe Elsa in.
“Judging by the car you drive,” she said, “I’d say money isn’t a problem for you.”
“No, not really.” Being immortal and having lived for over a thousand years, he’d had plenty of time to amass a fortune. “What do you do?” He’d followed her to work once, but he really didn’t know exactly what her job was.
“Nothing exciting. I’m a bookkeeper at a smallish roofing company. I went to the University of East Anglia for accounting and finance.” Elsa smiled. “Most people think my job is boring, pushing numbers around all day, but I like it. I could have taken my education further to certify myself for something higher. I didn’t. I prefer just being a bookkeeper. Not as much stress.”
Brand stroked his thumb across the back of her hand. He liked listening to Elsa talk, especially about herself. He wanted to learn everything there was about her. “Nothing wrong with liking what you do, no matter what type of job it is.”
Elsa shifted her hand under his and linked their fingers together. “I think we’ve talked enough about me. What about you? Have you always lived in Norwich?”
“Yes. I was born here and can’t see myself ever leaving.”
Back during the time of his birth, it hadn’t been a city, just a settlement called Northwic, which had eventually grown, merging with others until it became the largest walled town in all of medieval England.
“I feel the same way,” Elsa said. “I would never want to live in a city as big as London. Too many people for me.”
Their conversation turned to other subjects with Elsa doing most of the talking. Brand held her hand the entire time, but she didn’t seem to mind. Seven long years he’d waited for this. The last year had been agonizing. He’d waited for her to grow up only to lose her to another man. He’d kicked himself over the stupid mistake he’d made of waiting longer than he should have to approach Elsa. But now he had the opportunity to rectify it. After today, he wouldn’t let anyone, or anything, come between them.
Chapter Two
Elsa watched Brand drink the last of his ale. He was almost too good-looking for words. She’d never thought of herself as the type of woman who liked a man with long hair, but when it came to Brand, she would think it a travesty if he were to cut it short. The way it was suited him. She could almost picture him in armor, looking like a warrior of old with his hair and muscular frame. And for some silly reason, she thought Brand would fit into that time period no problem. He gave off a vibe that let everyone in the pub know he wasn’t to be messed with. His gaze scanned the room from time to time, as if looking for an enemy attack or something.
The way Brand was seemed to call out to a very feminine side of her, one that gloried in the idea that he was all male and would protect her from anything. She was quite capable of taking care of herself, but there were times when she wished she could have a big, strong man in her life to lean on when she wanted to. Teddy hadn’t fit that bill, but Brand sure as hell could.
Elsa emptied her glass of wine, her mind already made up on how she wanted the rest of their date to go. She placed the wineglass down on the table and squeezed Brand’s hand, which still held hers. “How about we have our next drink at my flat? I have some beer and wine there.”
The flare of heat she
saw in Brand’s eyes had her sucking in a deep breath. Then an ache built inside her pussy when he shifted his hand around hers and made small circles against the inside of her wrist while staring at her as if he wanted to eat her. Elsa knew exactly how she wanted him to do that. It involved both of them naked and his head between her legs.
Brand’s nostrils flared slightly when he drew in a breath. His gaze became even more heated. “Let’s go,” he said. He released her hand before he pulled enough money out of his pocket to cover their bill.
Elsa stood at the same time Brand did. He held out his hand, and she slipped hers into it, linking their fingers. Her heart beat faster in anticipation of what she hoped would come next after they arrived at her flat.
He walked her out of the pub and to the parking lot. Her gaze ran over his silver Lexus. He definitely had money. The car was one of those newer sports models that only the well-to-do could afford.
When they reached the Lexus, Brand unlocked it with a push of a button on the remote attached to his keychain. He then held open the passenger door for her to get inside. Once she was settled, he closed it before walking around the front of the car to the driver’s side. Elsa watched him as she put on her seatbelt. The way he moved even turned her on, all lethal grace with his heavy thigh muscles flexing with each step he took.
The short drive to her flat was over before Elsa knew it. She directed Brand to where he could park in the visitor parking at the back of the building. Once they were out of the car, she led him to the rear entrance and unlocked the secured door. They took the two flights of stairs up to reach her flat. She unlocked her door and pushed it wide open as she stepped through it. Brand followed behind her and shut it.
From force of habit, she stepped around him and engaged the lock before she turned to face him. “Would you like that beer now?”
He nodded. “Sure.”
“Go take a seat in the living room, and I’ll be right back with it.”
Elsa left Brand and headed for her small kitchen. She placed her purse on the table before she took a wineglass out of the cupboard for herself and put it on the counter. Next, she went to the fridge and took out a bottle of beer for Brand and the white wine she’d opened the night before. She poured herself a glass and then put it back in the fridge. After picking up both drinks, she headed for the living room where Brand sat on the couch. She handed him his beer before she took a seat next to him.
“Nice place,” he said.
“Thanks. It’s small, but I don’t mind. Means I have less to clean. Housework isn’t one of my favorite things to do.”
“You’d never be able to tell.”
“Thanks.”
She took a sip of wine. Now that she had Brand up in her flat, she hesitated on whether or not she should make the first move. Elsa was woefully out of practice. She inched closer so her thigh pressed against his. The heat from his body soaked into hers. The scent of the aftershave he used filled her nose. It smelled very masculine, matching the man who wore it.
Elsa lifted her head to say something, but he took her wineglass from her and put it, along with his untouched beer, on the coffee table in front of them. He then put his arms around her, turning to face her, and dragged her closer. His lips came down on hers in a gentle kiss. She wrapped her arms around his neck, returning it, her blood heating.
“I’ve waited so long to do this,” Brand said softly against her lips before he took her mouth in a more thorough kiss.
She opened her mouth as his tongue swept along her lips, seeking entrance. She shivered in delight when he tasted her. Wetness pooled deep inside her pussy, and her arousal increased. Elsa wanted to touch and explore every inch of Brand’s body, feel his hard muscles under his clothes.
Their kiss turned more carnal, and Elsa moaned into Brand’s mouth. Having never been much on the shy side, she dropped one hand and cupped his cock through his jeans. What sounded almost like a soft, animal-like growl pushed out of Brand when she stroked him. Her pussy clenched, aching to have him inside it. He was thick and long.
Brand pushed her back on the couch so she lay stretched out on it. He followed her down, never breaking contact with her lips. Her hand trapped between them, Elsa continued to stroke his cock. It jerked in her grasp, causing her to moan. Being in Brand’s arms, she realized how mediocre sex had become with her ex. Teddy had never caused her body to go up in flames, or made her want to tear his clothes off so she could do wanton things to him. Only Brand excited her that much.
A large hand came up and covered her breast. His thumb brushed back and forth along her taut nipple. Elsa gasped into Brand’s mouth when he plucked at it. She released his cock and skimmed her hand around his body until she reached his hard ass. She gripped it and urged him fully between her legs. His erection came in contact with her jean-clad pussy, and she ground against him.
Brand made that growling sound again before he pulled away from her lips and kissed his way along her jaw and down the side of her neck. He propped himself up on one bent elbow as he used his other hand to work on the buttons of her blouse and then pulled the bottom of it out of the waistband of her jeans. He pushed the material aside and yanked one of her bra cups aside. He shifted lower on her body until he drew even with her breast. Elsa sank her hands into his thick, black hair and held him to her chest as he circled her nipple with his tongue before he sucked it inside his mouth. Each pull on the taut peak caused her pussy to grow wetter, aching with need.
He released her nipple and pulled down the other bra cup before he sucked on the second. Elsa lifted her hips against Brand, her moans sounding breathy. God, she wanted him. And given how hard his cock was, he wanted her too.
Feeling bolder, her body on fire, Elsa pulled Brand’s head away from her chest and yanked him up to take his lips once more. She sucked his tongue into her mouth, loving the taste of him. Obviously taking him by surprise, she rolled them both so they fell off the couch and onto the floor with Brand on the bottom. He let out a grunt when he hit. Now on top, Elsa pulled away from his lips and went up on her knees, straddling his hips. She looked down at him and found he had his eyes closed, his wide chest rapidly rising and falling with each breath he took.
Elsa yanked up his T-shirt to his chin and then sucked in an appreciative breath at the work of art she’d just revealed. Brand’s chest and abs were well defined. She scooted lower on his thighs and used her tongue and lips to explore all those muscles, learning all the planes and angles.
She continued her downward travel until she reached the top of his jeans. Elsa licked the strip of skin just above it as she undid the button and zipper. She parted the material and pushed down the waistband until Brand’s cock sprang free. Since he wore no underwear, there wasn’t any other barrier between her and his erection. She looked at it and licked her lips. Brand was a big man in every sense of the word.
Elsa dragged a finger down the length of Brand’s cock. It jerked in response. He felt like velvet-wrapped steel. She imagined how good it would feel to have it moving in and out of her pussy. Before that happened, she wanted to taste him and thoroughly explore that part of him.
With her fingers wrapped around his thickness, Elsa pumped her hand up and down. Brand lifted his hips, pushing his cock into her grip as she stroked him. He grew even harder. Giving him one last pump, she fisted his shaft at the base. She bent her head and laved the very tip with the flat of her tongue, licking away the bead of precum that had leaked from it. Brand let out a deep moan.
She opened her mouth and took him inside, almost taking him to the back of her throat before she slid him almost out. Her head bobbed as she sucked him in and out. Brand buried his hands in her hair, and Elsa felt a slight prickling sensation along her scalp where he held her.
Brand let her pleasure him this way for only minute more before he pulled her up his body and rolled them so she ended up on the bottom. She then sucked in a sharp breath when he undid the front clasp of her bra and took a nipple into h
is mouth. He ran a hand down her side before he lifted himself slightly to undo her jeans. They were pushed down past her hips along with her panties, and Elsa helped him peel them off her. She thought for sure he’d settle between her legs and sink his cock into her pussy, but Brand released her nipple and shifted even farther down her body.
He wedged his wide shoulders between her thighs and dragged his tongue along her wet opening. “You taste as good as you smell,” he said, his voice husky.
“Yes,” she said, panting. He licked her again, circling her clit. “Don’t stop. More.”
Brand licked and sucked on the small bundle of nerves that was the center of her pleasure, alternating that with stiffening his tongue and pushing it inside her pussy. Elsa’s arousal continued to build. Her body coiled tighter, edging ever nearer to release. She ground herself against his mouth, unable to hold still any longer.
He pushed his tongue inside her pussy while a finger stimulated her clit. Elsa moaned as she came, her inner walls clutching, pleasure washing over her in waves. Brand continued to work her, making her climax go on and on. Once it was over, her body went limp, and she fought to catch her breath. She’d never come so hard just from oral sex. Brand was definitely a keeper.
He rose above her before he lowered himself on top of her to nuzzle the side of her neck. Elsa opened her legs wider, thinking this time he’d take her, but once again, he didn’t. Brand placed a hard thigh between hers, his still erect cock pressing against her hip. She dropped her hands to his ass to urge him in the position she wanted. He didn’t budge.
“Brand?” she asked, not understanding why he held back.
He nipped her neck before he licked it. “I’m not taking you on the floor,” he said.
She smiled. “In that case, my bed is just a short walk away. We can move this to my bedroom.”
“How about we finish our drinks first? Let things simmer a bit.”
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