by Multiple
She opened her eyes as he broke the kiss and he smiled.
“You taste good.” His voice was low and husky.
“So do you.” The kiss left her core heated and aching. Ivy noticed his nostrils flare slightly as he went back to get a bite of cake. She was aroused, and her musky scent was swirling around them both.
With Edge feeding her, they finished off the chocolate cake.
“Walk me out?” Ivy wiped her mouth with her paper napkin.
He nodded in response.
Edge grabbed a key card from the front desk and walked outside with her. The sky was dark now, and he visually scanned the area. Once they reached her car, Ivy opened her door and turned to stare up at him. He was really tall.
“Thanks.” She wiped her damp hand on her borrowed sweats. Ivy was nervous around Edge because she wanted this to be a beginning for them. She didn’t want to mess this up.
“No problem. Will I see you tomorrow?” His hands came up and gently caressed up and down her arms. Edge shifted his stance so his body was much closer to hers almost pinning her against the car.
“Yeah, Ian’s picking me up at eight.” Her gaze roamed his face. His eyes nearly glowed in the low light of the parking lot. Ivy’s body temperature was still running hot under her skin from his nearness.
“Maybe I could pick you up, instead?”
“Really?”
The corners of his mouth lifted in a small smile, and his spicy musky scent came off him in a wave that struck her between her legs.
“That would be great.” Ivy’s arms slowly crept around his narrow waist.
He stiffened and Ivy backed off pulling her arms from around him. Because of the kiss they’d shared in the cafeteria, Ivy assumed she could touch him freely.
“Oh, sorry.” Her cheeks flared hot with embarrassment.
“You just surprised me. Come here.” His big arms engulfed her small frame as he wrapped them around her and nearly crushed her body against his. Ivy’s arms slipped back around his waist. She liked how standing against him made her feel as if she was made to be there.
Ivy wanted to be skin to skin with him, to feel his masculine weight pinning her body down. He smell was layered with the slight hint of Obsession? Whatever it was she breathed in his scent, and her cat roared in approval. His aroma made her body stretch against him as she nuzzled his chest.
Ivy stopped herself, but as she did, he nestled his nose into her hair. His whiskers caught and tugged at the strands of her hair. Giddiness radiated through her, making her smile against his chest. She just wanted to stay there in his arms, his presence made her world seem so right. Finally, she slipped her arms from around his waist and backed away. If she didn’t move away from him, she’d stay in his arms forever.
He grabbed her hand and kissed her palm. The heat of his lips scorched through her body straight to her belly causing a searing wave to rise inside her. “See you at eight.” She slowly slid into her car, forcing herself to turn the key in the ignition and shift the car into drive.
Ivy drove home in a daze. Her insides were still boiling with heated desire as she rounded the corner to her house. How was she going to deal with this deep craving she had for Edge?
Chapter Four
Ivy’s mind tumbled over everything that had happened with Edge as she drove.
The rules of mating had been ingrained in the young in her pack hen they were cubs, and she had to wonder if they cycled through Edge’s mind as well.
The females in their culture were supposed to be treasured.
No man Ivy had ever dated had used the rules the way he should have. Those bad dates made her contemplate the worthiness of every one of the past males she’d dated.
By the time she pulled into her parking lot, she sang loudly with the radio. Ivy’s heart was like a soaring bird as she bopped in a silly dance up and down while she exited the car and pushed her key chain to set the alarm.
The shuffle of steps behind her made her freeze. Her heart jumped into her throat and cold fear crept like icy fingers up her spine, ripping her light-hearted mood from her body. She turned slowly, but saw no one. Ivy quickly walked to her door as a renewed panic surged inside her making her sick to her stomach.
There was a note pinned to her door. Her heart sank into her gut. She didn’t even need to read the note to know it was from Mark. Ivy snatched the paper off the door and fumbled with the lock.
When she finally opened the door, Ivy darted inside and slammed it shut. Her heart raced in her chest, a cool trickle of sweat raced down the small of her back. She turned off the alarm and reset it. Ivy raced up the stairs to her bedroom window even as panic gripped her chest and tightened to the point that she panted to get a breath in. As she peeked out through the dark wood slats that obscured the view from below, her breath caught and suddenly the view titled slightly.
Mark stood next to her car running his hand over the lime paint job. Ivy recognized him from his crew cut. She backed frantically away from the window and stumbled against the edge of the bed.
Shit!
What was she going to do?
Ivy paced for a few minutes inside her bedroom. She needed to call Ian and ask him to come over. Mark knew Ian from high school, too. Ian had beaten Mark badly back then when he had first started harassing her about Chad’s death.
Ivy glanced at the note still clutched into a ball in her hand. Fear sank into her turning her stomach over. She pulled open the small sheet of paper.
I know where you live now. There is no more running.
Ivy crushed the note even as her heart beat against her rib cage. She picked up the house phone, but there was no dial tone. Instead, she heard someone breathing. Her heart seized in a sharp pain that ripped through her body causing her knees to shake and her chest to cinch down cutting off her air completely.
She slammed the phone back into the cradle. Her hand shook as she picked it back upbut this time, the dial tone was steady. Her fingers flew through Ian’s phone number as tears pooled in her eyes blurring the numbers on the phone.
The phone rang. And rang. And rang. A sob tore from her throat as hot tears flooded her cheeks. Anger rose under the fear even as she jabbed the numbers again.
“Damn. Where is he?”
Still nothing. Ivy had Edge’s number, she’d call him. The soft paper tore as Ivy ripped the napkin that Edge had given her. Half of the number fluttered to the ground. Ivy scrambled onto her hands and knees to retrieve it from under the bed. With fingers that fumbled, she smoothed the two halves out together on the carpet.
The front door rattled and Ivy’s stomach clenched. She curled her fingers into the carpet as her skin itched and her muscles ached as they began to stretch. Somewhere inside her body a bone popped and pain speared up her arms. Ivy strained her ears as she listened for sounds from below over her racing heartbeat that throbbed in her temples making her dizzy.
Ivy scrambled to her feet and picked up the phone again. She dialed Edge’s number. Ivy wished she still had her cell phone, but she had lost it the night of the attack. Replacing the phone hadn’t even occurred to her until this moment. Ivy listened for Edge’s voice, her breath a mere whisper as she waited with nerves that were strung as tight as piano wire.
“Hello?” Edge’s deep voice ran over her change-sensitized skin and calmed her. She was not alone. Ivy instantly relaxed and sank to the floor next to her bed, the phone gripped hard and pushed to her ear as if she could just crawl inside and snuggle close to him.
“It’s Ivy.” Her voice shook so badly, she hoped he could make out her words.
“What’s wrong?” His husky voice was protective and alert, which calmed the roiling fear inside her stomach.
“I tried to call Ian, but he’s not answering, and that guy’s outside my place. I…I don’t want to be alone right now.”
“Give me your address.”
She told him her address, and he read the d
irections back to her.
“I’ll be right there. Stay inside. Do you have an alarm?”
“Yes, it’s set.” Ivy twisted the hem of her shirt in her fingers.
“Good keep the alarm on until I get there.”
“I will.” She hung up.
Ivy silently maneuvered down the stairs and stole a quick glance out the peephole. She couldn’t see Mark, but she knew in her gut, as it still churned with fear, that he was out there. Ivy paced in front of the door for what seemed like forever.
A sudden knock against the front door startled her, and she jumped. Ivy hesitated, biting her bottom lip as she considered whether on not to peer out the peephole. She pushed away her fear and ventured a quick peek.
She squinted through the peephole and a brief cry burst past her lips as relief rushed though her at the sight of Edge.
Ivy turned off the alarm and let him in. Her hands trembled so badly it was hard to turn the locks on the door. When the door was secured, Edge gently caught her by the arms and pulled her close.
He tucked Ivy against him and lightly rested his chin on top of her head. “You okay?”
She curled her fingers into his shirt. “No.” The sobs she held back suddenly broke free and she buried her face against his chest allowing the tears flow.
He stroked her hair as the endless stream of tears soaked into his shirt.
This was never going to end. Mark would never stop, and now, she’d cried on Edge before they’d even had a first date.
She pushed back and dashed the tears away with her fingertips. “I’m sorry, it’s just been a really bad twenty four hours for me.”
“Stay here a minute.”
Edge turned the locks and stepped back outside. On the porch, his chest expanded and he turned his head sharply to the left. Ivy trembled as she stood just inside the doorway clinging to the door frame. Edge disappeared around the corner and was gone for a long minute.
She jumped when he came back, her heart bouncing in her chest.
“Just wanted to check and see if I could find him.”
Ivy stepped back inside, and Edge shut and locked the door. “He’s gone, looks like he took off in a car.” Edge rubbed Ivy’s arms. His touch sent heat into her bloodstream and the chill of fear began to ebb.
“You want to talk about it?”
“Yes. No. I mean I do want to talk about it, but I don’t even know where to begin.” She shook her head and strode toward her couch.
Edge followed close behind and sat down only after she did.
“I don’t want to dump my problems on you.” Ivy ran a hand over her pulled-tight hair. She breathed deep, allowing the breath to calm her shaky nerves. “I just didn’t want to be alone. I know he’s out there and he’s not going to go away.”
This was pack business…but her problems weren’t the pack’s business anymore. She was alone in this. Ivy’s stomach ached at the idea of being all alone again without the pack. She glanced up at Edge.
“He’s stalking you. If you don’t think he’s going to stop, then you need to do something to stop him.” Edge reached out and took her hand between his.
“You don’t understand.” She stood and paced away from him to stare out at her backyard window.
“Then tell me.”
“I’m sorry, Edge, I can’t.” Ivy’s heart shriveled inside just knowing she couldn’t confide in him. This was why she couldn’t get close to anyone. She had to keep the secret of Chad’s death because she didn’t want anyone to know that she finally remembered changing into a tiger that night and mauling him to death. That secret would always put a distance between her and someone else.
“You don’t have to tell me, but I’m not leaving you alone tonight.”
Edge stood behind her, and his hands landed on her shoulders. She slumped against him and sighed. He seemed to care about this whole mess. Edge turned Ivy and held her close. She stayed like that for a few minutes, just soaking up his comfort, letting it seep into her soul as she relaxed in his warmth. Edge’s touch was so gentle and soft as he rubbed her back, she almost forgot about Mark.
He tucked a strand of hair that had fallen out of her ponytail behind her ear. Ivy contemplated her reasons for not telling Edge about Mark. Telling him a little about him wouldn’t out her secret, and she wanted to be closer to Edge. He had come all the way over to her house to protect her, surely she owed him something of the truth, even if it was just a little piece.
“That guy, the stalker? His name’s Mark. I know him from high school.” Ivy walked back over to the couch and sat down, crossing her legs under her. “Last night he grabbed me outside a concert and dragged me into an alley.”
“He attacked you?” Edge bit back a curse as he crossed his arms over his chest and stared at her from his place in front of the window.
Ivy recounted the events in the alley, laying bare everything that happened. She laid open her box of problems to him, and once she allowed it out, her heart lightened a little.
“That’s terrible, Ivy.” His face was flushed with anger, and his voice had a low rumbling quality to it.
Heat infused her face as he sat down in front of her. The shame of her past still made her feel as if she had no control over her life.
“Why are you embarrassed? You didn’t do anything wrong.” He reached over to touch her hand.
“I just feel like the attack was my fault.” Which, in reality, the attack was her fault. Mark only came after her because of Chad, but she couldn’t tell Edge.
“It’s not your fault. Nothing you could have done would make it okay for someone to attack you.” He rubbed his thumb over the back of her hand as he spoke to her. Ivy’s tension eased a little with every stroke of his finger, but her heart contracted at the confidence she heard in his voice.
“Why is talking to you so easy?” She gazed into his blue eyes and found the sincerity in what he said. Relief flooded Ivy as she realized he really did care.
“Mark’s gone for now. We’ll worry if he comes back.” Edge rubbed Ivy’s arms and up over her shoulders. Ivy realized with Edge touching her how tense her muscles were. The stress in her shoulders was giving her a headache.
“Turn around.”
Ivy turned around, her back to Edge.
The strength of his hands sent fingers of warmth down her spine. He moved closer to her, and his leg brushed hers. Ivy dropped her chin and relaxed as he eased the tension from her body. Her heart thudded in her chest as his lips touched the bare skin of her neck. Ivy had forgotten how fast a male moved in on a female. She was nervous, but excited at the same time.
Edge kissed a path up her throat to her ear. He gently tugged at her earlobe and a moan escaped her lips.
Ivy’s body awakened under his touch, and she ached at the prospect of having sex with him. Her brain raced with erotic images of the two of them twined together on her bed. She had been alone too long. Ivy arched her back and brushed against his chest.
Edge caught her chin and turned her face toward him. His lips touched hers in a soft brush. Then his tongue stroked across the seam of her lips.
Ivy twisted toward him and parted her lips in invitation.
His tongue brushed the inside her mouth, and her breath escaped on a sigh.
Edge’s mouth was hot and spicy like he’d been eating cinnamon candies. Their tongues worked against each other gently caressing back and forth. He pulled her around to him. Their lips never broke contact as he drew her closer until she moved onto his lap. Her body heated slowly as he deepened the kiss, her excitement barely contained inside her. Ivy straddled his hips, her hot center pressed tightly against his straining zipper. Her desire ramped up making her breasts ache with need as her hands moved up his chest.
His chest was firm under her fingertips and she squeezed.
Edge’s hand trailed over her back as he titled his head to the side.
Ivy reached up and stroked through the
soft strands of his hair. She paused and pulled at the tie that held his hair in a ponytail.
His raven hair fell around his shoulders, and she was suddenly compelled to nuzzle into his hair, to take his scent deep into her lungs and make it a part of her.
Ivy leaned in close until her breasts were crushed against his chest, and she buried her face and hands in his hair. She inhaled his musky scent, and her head spun. Edge smelled so good. Ivy pushed her lips against his and kissed him this time. She plundered his mouth as he reached under her shirt and stroked her back. Her excitement made her heartbeat speed up as his hands caressed her bare flesh.
Edge pulled at the hem of her shirt until she lifted her arms.
Her bare breasts grazed against the cotton of his shirt, and her nipples hardened. She lost herself in the actions of the moment. Ivy tugged at his shirt desperate to experience her naked breasts against his bare skin. As she raised his shirt, her breasts rubbed against his taut chest, making her go damp between her legs.
He moved his hands to cover her taut peaks.
Edge’s callused hands rubbed her nipples as she moaned into his mouth. His rough hands were so gentle as they caressed her, she was as close to heaven as she’d been in a long time. Pure heaven would be his cock buried deep inside her hot body. The rough denim of his jeans strained against her thighs, but the sensation only made the need to touch him more imperative.
Edge smelled so spicy and warm that his musk stimulated her through her nostrils. She exhilarated in the smell that sent more blood to her sensitive breasts and made her head dizzy. She arched against his hand and her mouth gaped open in a silent moan.
Edge dipped his head and caught her nipple between his lips. His tongue was soft and silky as it rubbed over her nipple. Ivy had been without a male for a long time. Edge made her heart beat faster just at the sight of him, and her pussy grew even wetter. He swirled his tongue around her rosy nipple, she groaned and clutched his head closer to her breast.
Her hands rubbed his scalp, and the gentle encouragement as she pushed him closer, made his cock jerk against her core.