by M. L. Briers
“I’m good. Go to sleep,” Jack replied.
“I feel bad,” Lorelai admitted and he pushed up; his head and broad, muscled shoulders appeared at the end of the bed.
“Why?” He looked confused.
“Because this is your bed,” she reasoned.
“And this is my floor,” he tossed back.
“Yeah, but you shouldn’t be sleeping on the floor, you should be sleeping in the bed.”
“Ok,” he was up on his feet and pacing towards the bed before she knew what to say.
“Umm,” she bit out as he tossed back the covers beside her and climbed in. She chuckled with embarrassment.
“Feel better?” Jack asked, the light of amusement dancing in his eyes.
Lorelai weighed her options. She could get out of bed and make him feel bad. She could order him out of bed and feel guilty, or …
“You stay on your side, right?” She asked, frowning.
“I’ll try, but I’m used to having all the bed.” Jack said as he yanked the covers over his hips and closed his eyes to the world.
Lorelai watched him for a long moment. Her eyes travelled from his face and down his chest … so many muscles … she sighed inside. Then she laid back against the pillows on a small frown, and forced herself to close her eyes.
Because this isn’t awkward…!
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Lorelai was warm, warm and cosy, warm, cosy, and safe as she slowly let sleep drift away and the reality of another day slide into place. The pillow felt like a cloud beneath her head and she was snuggled under the weight of the covers that were wrapped around her.
Slowly at first, she realised that there was more to that weight than just the covers… Her back was pressed up against the heat source. A heavy arm was draped across her ribs with a hand tucked beneath her, and a leg was holding hers down…
The hot breath against her neck didn’t so much register in her mind – it set off alarm bells, and they rang loudly… and then her mind centred on the hard press of his morning glory against her backside, and her eyes snapped open to the sight of the unfamiliar room and the realisation that he hadn’t stayed on his own side of the damn bed…
Okay, now this … this really is damn awkward!
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
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“Oh, hell, no – you didn’t!” Lorelai groaned out, dragging Jack out of the last of his sleep and bringing him into the real world. Her world. Their world.
He liked that world.
“Good morning,” his deep, gravelly tone practically rattled against her brain and sent another wave of something good through her body.
It wasn’t enough that the sheer fact of waking up in his arms hadn’t caused enough of a ping to her excitement levels, lust drive, and hard boiled curiosity of what came next … now he had to do that gravelly, sexy voice right next to her damn ear.
“Good for who?” She tried not to sound breathless and needy, and she couldn’t swear an oath that she’d managed to pull it off.
Like it or not, and she seemed to be leaning towards the side of liking it, the man was sexier than sin. There was nothing that she could do about that save walking around with her eyes closed and her ears turned off…
“Are you not a morning person?” There was a heady dose of amusement within his voice and she felt that ping a nerve or two.
“I’m not a – wake up to someone draped all over you – kind of a person…” she lied. He felt good. “Can you … undrape?”
“I could …” he offered lightly and she frowned.
“Could you do it in female time rather than man time?” She shot back and heard his deep chuckle at the same time as his hot breath was teasing tendrils of her hair against her neck when he laughed.
She had tingles. Not pins and needles from the weight of his body, but tingles that were running over her skin from where his bare flesh touched hers. That felt good too – too damn good for her liking.
There was an urge to scratch the itch within her that came about from waking up in bed with a half naked, sexier than hell guy with a morning glory – if she knew the guy then she just might have let nature take its course. But this naked guy was a shifter, claimed to be her mate, and she didn’t really know a damned thing about him other than where he lived…
Not that she’d ever be able to find the cabin again if her life depended on it, given the fact that she’d been asleep when he’d driven her to the cabin … and it was night … and blowing snow like they were in the arctic…
If she left and had to give a statement to the police – it would have sounded really bad on her end.
“I’m a man – I have to live up to expectations.” He teased and she rolled her eyes back in her head.
Triple damn awkward with relish!
“You said you’d stay on your own side of the bed,” she offered back, fighting the urge to jab backwards with her elbow and see how much he liked waking up to that…
“I said I couldn’t promise anything. I’m not in control of my body when I’m asleep,” his voice was still teasing. It appeared that he was getting a real kick out events.
“Now you’re awake, so back off…”
“Can’t,” he chuckled.
“Why?” She bit out.
“Because, sweetheart, my backside is practically falling off the mattress on this side – you backed up into me!” He sounded really gleeful at that and with the heat in her cheeks turned up to furnace, she had the need to bury her face in a snow pile.
That’s just way beyond awkward and hurtling towards the planet – please kill me – at an alarming rate!
“I … umm … can’t move with your arm and leg on me,” she whispered, as if even her normal voice was mortified by the outcome.
“That’s kind of what’s keeping my backside on the bed – self-preservation kind of a thing – you understand?” he lied, but boy did it feel good to get those few extra moments with her body inside his arms.
He was going to wake up with her like this every morning from then on. There wasn’t much of a doubt within his mind about that. He just needed to persuade her of the fact.
“And when they discovered the bodies…” she groaned inwardly as he chuckled some more. “Look, it’s kind of like the chicken and the egg.”
“And nobody seems to agree how to handle that one either,” he teased back, not letting her off the hook.
“Can’t you take one for the team?” she grumbled.
“What do I get out of a knock to my … pride?”
“My undying gratitude,” she tossed back over her shoulder.
“I’m sensing a little tension that wasn’t there when you first woke up,” he was enjoying this.
She might have tensed a little within his arms, but on the whole she was a lot softer and melted against him than he might have expected. He liked the way that they fitted together – liked it a lot.
“Ya think?” The level of sarcasm in her tone warned him that she was starting to lose her patience.
“Ok, hold on…” he said against her ear.
The next moment she found herself on her back with him above her … and that’s when her heart tried to make a break for freedom and that pure lust level shot through the roof…
His hard body was caging her in. It was a good look for him, all muscles, all around her, sexier than hell, and that was where she feared she might be going – straight to hell at an alarming speed.
The press of his hard length against her stomach was like a red rag to the bull of desire within her, and her womb did a happy dance.
“Better?” he was grinning – grinning like the bear that got the honey pot, and she couldn’t help but feel the rush of amusement within her at the same time as she wanted to run screaming for the nearest rock and crawl on under it for a spell…
“There are no words,” she bit out, trying not to sound breathless again, and yet, that time she knew that it didn’t come off, not
one little bit.
Her palms had somehow found his chest and her hands tingled from the contact with his bare skin. But it was those hard muscles that drew the attention of her brain, of her curiosity, and her fingers couldn’t help but move…
“I like it when you let your fingers do the talking,” he growled.
It was such a gentle rumbled that went through his chest and vibrated against her fingers that it almost made her want to touch more to get him to do it again…
“I like it when …” she frowned a little and he waited.
She tried to chase down that thought but it was so elusive to her then that she didn’t know if she’d ever catch up to it.
Mine… His bear growled within him, stalking its claim on her, and urging him on.
Jack’s lips came down on hers, gently at first, so damn gently because he wanted her to know that this wasn’t a demand, wasn’t expected of her, and that she had choices … and yet, the moment that her lips softened and her fingers ran down his chest … he deepened that kiss.
Her scent had been all around him all night and he wanted her, so badly that his cock felt like lead. It ached for her, for the warmth, the wet sheath of her body as he thrust inside her.
Her fingers teased at first. Light strokes that made his muscles contract beneath her touch, but as his kisses intensified, as she melted more and more against him, those fingertips became brazen…
I shouldn’t … she berated herself for just how far she’d gone already.
It had been curiosity. She’d wanted to touch, to feel his body, and she’d let the kiss get out of hand.
It didn’t feel like her fault… it felt so good … so right from the moment that his lips had touched hers. Now she wanted more…
It’s just kissing … making out … a little sinful pleasure in the morning …
Liar!
It feels like more … so – so much more.
I want more.
How much more?
How much is too much?
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
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Jack’s hand found its way under the tee that she was wearing and his fingertips brushed over her ribs…
Way more … up … up and find my breast …
Like a mind reader he obliged. His large hand cupped her breast and he stroked the pad of his thumb over her achingly taut nipple… she couldn’t help it when her back arched and she offered him her breast on a platter…
Squeeze, just a little, just a … damn, yes!
He rolled the nipple between his thumb and forefinger and jolts of electric goodness shot through her clit.
He growled gently and it sounded so damn good … maybe too good … she was losing rational thought…
Lack of oxygen … need to breathe … breathing is good, breathing leads to thinking…
He broke from her lips and trailed kisses down her neck … then he dipped his head and brushed his cheek against hers as he nuzzled between her shoulder and her neck and took her scent – running his tongue up over the skin towards her ear…
Damn that feels … nipping!
Who knew nipping was good?
I just wanna get a feel of his …
Lorelai run her hands down his back, under the waistband of her joggers, and there was his backside – hard and taut, and the growl that rumbled through him when she squeezed those buns…
God that’s … He moved his hips and opened her inner thighs wider so that he could press the hard length of his cock against her sex …
O! … Ooooo…
Just a little … just a little more … a little more …
His hips were rocking and her body was more than responding to him. She felt the jolts of electric pleasure go through her clit and straight to her womb … and she hadn’t even noticed that he’d worked her tee up until his mouth latched on around one nipple and he sucked hard…
That’s not … that’s so … yeah … I want more…
I want it all…
I want everything…
She pushed the fabric down his hips and he growled longer, harder as he lifted his hips just long enough to set his cock free…
Jack could feel the wet warmth of her sex even through the thin fabric of her panties as his cock rubbed against her … He growled with desire … he panted with need, and suckled her nipple harder, and the sound that caught in the back of her throat was worth every torturous moment that he wasn’t buried inside of her…
He liked that sound. Liked it a lot.
Instinct told him that he’d hear it again, that and more, if he worked his way down her body … he did just that, and better yet, she let him…
Jack was taking the scenic route. Everywhere that he could lick, nip, and suck, he did, as he backed off down her body.
His fingers caught in the band of her panties and he ripped … he had no patience to slide them down over her thighs … he wanted to taste her on his tongue and he wanted that right then…
He opened her sex with his thumbs and that first swipe of his tongue tasted like heaven. The sound that caught in her throat was so different, and so much better…
He couldn’t hold back a moment longer. He buried his face against her in a frenzy of need, lust, and desire, and did what came naturally – licking, sucking, and nipping until her body was locked up tight and standing on the edge of madness…
Mine…
A part of Jack’s mind warned him off, and yet he’d gone too far. He took her over the edge and kept the orgasm rolling through her body as he took his fill.
Mine…
He needed more.
He needed everything that she offered to him…
A future. A family. Forever…
Something hammered inside of his mind as he climbed back up over her body…
She never said yes…
She never said she’d be yours…
You can’t claim her…
Don’t claim her…
He held above her, looking down at her flushed face … and then her eyes opened and she gazed right back up at him.
He felt her legs wrap around the backs of his thighs, felt her feet climbing upwards, urging him on …
He needed her now.
He needed to be balls deep inside of her…
You want this more than life…
Don’t claim her…
Don’t let her show you her back…
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
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Jack rested his weight down onto his elbows and sunk his cock into her wet and willing channel. Her lips parted and that sound, so much throatier now, so damn erotically dirty, urged him on.
He cursed at the feel of her body sheathing his. He could still feel the fluttering of the aftermath of her orgasm around his cock and it made him almost insane with wanting to feel the whole damn thing sucking at him… demanding his seed…
He pushed deeper, taking her to the hilt and feeling her inner muscles tighten around him…
Damn, I’m going to lose my mind…
Don’t lose my mind … don’t claim her…
He felt her fingernails dig into his back as his hips moved faster and he growled hard … reaching around, he snagged her wrists, put her hands up on the mattress beside her head, where those nails couldn’t do any damage, and saw her eyes flare…
She liked that. She liked being caged in…
He liked it too.
Don’t claim her…
His name was on her lips and he dipped his head and claimed it. Kissing her hard, demanding her body respond to his as his hips moved faster and he took her back and forth on his cock creating that delicious friction between them…
She was tightening again … those inner walls were closing around his cock like she was claiming it, claiming him…
Don’t do it…
He couldn’t help himself. He pulled out of her and turned her over, put her up on her knees and wrapped one strong arm around her waist as he thrust deep inside of her again.
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Over and over, his hips slapped against her backside, faster and faster until he thought he would lose his mind…
One hand fisted her hair and he dragged her head to the side, opening her neck and shoulder to his gaze.
He felt his beast rise up. Felt his gums ache where his fangs started to push forwards…
His eyes locked onto her shoulder. The place where he would mark her as his, claim her forever…
No … fight … take control …
She’s your mate!
Don’t do this …
Jack bit down on a curse as he slowly lowered her upper body to the bed. He slapped his hands against her hips and worked his cock inside of her – deeper, faster – hungrier than hell as he took her towards her release…
Lorelai’s whole body locked up tight – for what felt to be the longest moment of her life to date, she waited for the explosion within her … even her toes were curled with anticipation … and then she cried with the pleasure so intense that every inch of her body throbbed hard on wave after wave of pure frenzied ecstasy…
Jack felt that hard clench and release of her inner muscles that sucked the seed right from his balls. He slammed his hips against her backside and every muscle in his body burned, strained with that release – over and over; he pumped into her … delivering his seed against her womb and grunting hard at the intensity of each fresh wave of pleasure…
Mine…
His beast growled and grunted inside of him. Clawed for more, but Jack kept him caged.
She’s our mate… He growled back at the bear and the beast silenced its complaining.
Jack reached for her, bringing her upper body back against his chest as he turned them on the bed and took them down to the mattress, side by side, protectively curling his body around hers.
Mine… Jack assured his bear.
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The only thing that would have made Jack happier with his life would have been if he’d bonded with Lorelai.
Mating was great, amazing, everything and more, and yet … he’d not told her about bonding, about forever … not enough, not nearly enough to get her to agree to it – definitely not enough to do it.