by Anthology
She met his gaze—his brown eyes rich and darkened. While he hadn’t moved any closer, it felt like he was a cosmic force ready to collide with her, whether she was prepared for it or not.
And she wasn’t ready—not in the slightest—for the cravings she felt when he looked at her with such longing.
“Yes, Lee?” she whispered.
He scooted his chair closer, and under the table, his legs tangled even more with hers. “I don’t want you to go.”
“I don’t want to go either.”
He practically yanked her onto his lap as his lips crushed hers. This was not soft, like a gentleman’s kiss—the kind of kissing Ruthie had experienced before. No, this was something far different.
Powerful.
Sexy.
Intense.
She felt it all the way to her toes. And she liked it.
A lot.
It was hot. It was steamy, and it was—
Over.
Lee pulled away.
Ruthie put her hand over her mouth. “Um, did I—” Her first thought being that she had done something wrong to upset Lee.
He gestured to the doorway, and in came Kevin. His brother had been in and out, their digs at each other almost comical over the course of the day. But if Kevin saw Lee trying to kiss her, well, who knew what it would look like, since Kevin couldn’t see her.
“You off to bed?” Lee asked Kevin.
Kevin pulled the milk out of the fridge. “Yep. You?”
Lee nodded. “Just gotta do a couple things in here, then I’m going myself.”
Kevin took a swig straight out of the carton. “Good night.” His gaze darted around the room, like he was tracking a fly for a second. “Good night Ruthie,” he yelled.
Ruthie gave a small smile. Kevin had been doing that all day—randomly talking to the ceiling like she was stuck to the crown molding.
“She’s not deaf,” Lee muttered. “Though I may be now. Dude, I have to cook with that milk.”
“Shut up,” Kevin said as he walked out of the kitchen.
Lee shook his head.
“Do you two always fight?” Ruthie asked.
“We have never gotten along. My sister thinks we’re too much alike.” His gaze followed Kevin’s exit.
“What do you think?”
“That my brother’s an asshole.” He turned back to her. “Come with me.” He stood and held out his hand.
“Where?” Ruthie asked as she rose, with his assistance. Standing toe to toe with Lee, they were as close as possible without actually touching.
More little zings began to fly through her, as she found herself staring at his very sexy, and very kissable lips.
“Spend the night with me.”
She blinked. “Um. Do you, uh…” She tipped her head back to look in his eyes.
“Yes.” His gorgeous gaze begged for her to say yes. She could feel the desire burning through him. Or maybe it was her own.
It was one and the same.
They both burned with it. It remained only a game to see who would move first.
“Please,” he whispered.
And now the move was hers. No matter how she teased him about not being a gentleman, he was enough of one he would never force her to do anything she didn’t want to.
But oh, how she wanted to.
Flashes of him naked before her ran through her mind. And she knew if they could not free her from the box, she would never get to be corporeal again—never get to feel another human touch her again.
This was it.
She should take whatever chance she had, and if it meant spending the night with Lee, then she should do it.
If they failed, then she would at least have this night as a memory to keep her warm for the rest of eternity.
“Yes Lee, I will.”
He kissed her again, and the raw connection felt like it seared her soul.
When he finally broke away and their eyes met, she stroked his cheek. She could feel his facial stubble, the rough sensation making her wonder what it would feel like on other parts of her body.
As her thumb gently traced his lip, he sucked the tip into his mouth, caressing it with his tongue, and she moaned.
“You like that?” he whispered.
She nodded.
“It’s nothing compared to what I have in store for you.”
Her insides tingled at the prospect as he led her down the hall.
13
Lee couldn’t believe he was taking Ruthie to his bedroom.
Yet he couldn’t stop himself, either.
One taste of Ruthie, and he was toast. The longings he’d been trying to ignore all day could not be held back anymore.
Looking into her bright blue eyes sent his hormones into overdrive. It was like he was fifteen or something.
He needed her.
God, he needed her. And he didn’t know why.
Desire sparked between them as he led her through the doorway. He noticed his unmade bed and clothes thrown about. He wanted to clean up, to make it presentable for Ruthie, because she deserved to be treated to a nice room—a new bed, even. He opened his mouth to apologize for the mess and squeezed her hand.
That’s when he felt her trembling.
“Ruthie,” he whispered.
She couldn’t quite look at him. “I’m scared.”
Lee’s mind bounced to a singular thought. One which had popped in his mind a couple times over the day—one of those questions a gentleman wouldn’t ask.
Ruthie’s generation had different rules. Women didn’t go to bed with men they just met. It was likely she hadn’t ever been with anyone before. “Ruthie, I don’t want you scared. I won’t hurt you. We won’t do anything you don’t want.”
“I know,” she said. “It’s just—”
He pulled her into an embrace. While he wanted to throw her on the bed and have his way with her, he wasn’t about to push her further than she was ready to go.
If it meant snuggling and blue balls, then so be it.
He kissed her brow. “No worries.” He smiled at her. “If you don’t want—”
“But I do.” She said, interrupting him. “That’s why I’m so scared. I do want, more than anything. But Lee, I’ve never felt this way about anyone before. It’s so much more, and it scares me.”
“It scares me too.” And it did, but for much bigger reasons than being intimate with her. Because he didn’t remember ever feeling this way.
Not about anyone.
Even his mate. And that frightened the hell out of him.
“Should we worry?”
He shook his head. “I think it means we’re right, not wrong.” Saying the words, he believed them. Not because he felt any particular epiphany, but it seemed the right thing to say.
To do.
To believe.
He kissed her, slower this time, taking a bit longer to savor her. She wrapped her arms around his neck, sighing. Her tongue darted out, barely touching his lip, which only invited him to reciprocate.
Lips still touching, he led her toward the bed. She followed his steps, and as their kiss got stronger, so did his confidence. His hands were all over her, feeling the lines of her lingerie under the dress.
The dress.
Gah, his beast wanted to rip the thing off, along with all its layers.
Stop…
He couldn’t do that to her.
He’d terrify her.
She stopped when she reached the edge of the bed, breaking the kiss. “I seem to have gone as far as I can.”
“Not nearly far enough.” He nudged her backwards. She landed with a fluff of fabric, bouncing on the mattress, her skirt and all its fullness pooling around her.
Lee groaned as he went to the floor and wedged himself between her legs. She leaned back on her elbows, moaning as he caressed her shins and the back of her knees through the delicate stockings she wore.
He slid his hand along her thigh, and felt the clasp of the
garter.
Damn. It made him hard thinking about all the layers he’d have to peel back to get to her, underneath the ruffled skirt.
Talk about a turn-on. No quick fuck for Ruthie—he had to take her slow, and while the beast was desperate for release, he sort of liked it.
Like simmering a sauce until it was just right…
He moved his hand back down and smiled. Ruthie seemed to be enjoying herself, considering all the little mews and moans she made as he stroked her.
“I never thought a knee could feel so sensual.”
He grinned. “Among other things.” He leaned down and licked the bend.
She sighed. He continued working his way up her legs, back to the garter clasp, pushing the skirt up her body. She quivered as he placed little kisses along her legs and thighs. Every touch made him want her more, and he could smell her need building with every stroke.
Oh, he wanted her.
In all the ways.
But for starters, his tongue would work.
As he pressed kisses along her thigh toward her center, her legs tensed.
“Lee,” she whispered.
He paused.
“I don’t know what you’re doing, but it doesn’t seem exactly gentlemanly.” She had raised a little more on her arms, almost sitting up.
He met her gaze. He worried for a second she might want him to stop, but there was something in her eyes—a playful dare.
One that couldn’t go unanswered. “Never said I was a gentleman.” He took his kisses back to her thighs, and started pulling at the layers of undergarments that separated them—garters, nylons, panties. All were sexy, but they also blocked him from his prize.
He groaned, and began trying to unhook things. She assisted him, unsnapping the garter belt, and after a momentary struggle, her panties were also gone. He slid his hands down each leg, removing the nylons that covered her, placing kisses along the way.
Her skin felt like satin—smooth and creamy—and he ran his tongue up and down her thighs. From her moans, he was pretty sure she liked what he could do with his tongue.
When he dipped between her legs and tasted her, she cried out and tried to pull away from him again.
This time though, he held her steady, and any tension she had, faded away with each lick. As she started to quake, he added his finger into the mix, pumping in and out of her while his tongue tantalized her.
Next he shifted to taste her folds while his finger rubbed her clit. She came hard, bucking under his ministrations.
By the time she’d calmed down, he was so fired up, he wasn’t sure he’d be able to restrain himself anymore.
He wanted her.
Staring at her, in her layered skirt, ruffles and polka dots, nylons scattered and garter belt hanging around her waist…
She was a wet dream pinup girl.
He needed her.
Now.
“I don’t think you’re a gentleman, Lee Reynolds.”
He raised his eyebrow. “Do you really want a gentleman, Ruthie?”
She smiled. “I was always told I should want a gentleman.”
“Do you?”
She sat up and started unbuttoning the front of her dress. “I don’t think so.”
“Good.” Lee pulled off his T-shirt and shucked his jeans.
Ruthie rose from the bed and dropped the layers of her dress, leaving her in just her bra. Lee pulled her against him and kissed her. She rocked her hips into his as he fiddled with her bra clasp, and released it. He broke their kiss and started sliding the straps off her shoulders. Ruthie sort of giggled at him, and bit her lip as she pulled the bra off and dropped it with the rest of her clothing.
At once she was gloriously naked before him.
He thought he might explode.
Especially when she looked him up and down like that. She started exploring him, and Lee forced himself to stand still as she caressed his chest and arms.
“Are all werewolves built like you?” she asked.
“No. Can be thin, fat, whatever.”
She grabbed his cock. “I meant here.”
He groaned, and met her gaze. Ruthie grinned at him, and then she went to her knees. When she licked his cock, he jerked, attempting to hold back so he didn’t explode. Because damn, he wanted to.
He wanted to come a lot. Inside her.
But not in her mouth.
Not today.
He pulled away.
“I wasn’t finished.”
“Yeah, you were.” He tossed her on the bed and followed, lying on top of her. She wrapped her arms around him and they started kissing again, and he slid his kisses down to her breasts, tasting each one as he reached toward the nightstand.
“What are you doing?” Ruthie whispered.
He blinked, and pulled out the package from his nightstand. “Condom.”
She stared at him for a few seconds. Blinked. Then she understood. “Oh!”
He pulled it out of the package and rolled it into place.
Before he could slide into her though, she had to investigate, stroking the material. “So slick, what’s on it?”
“Lubricant. To make it slide easier.”
“Oh!” She laid back on the bed and smiled. “That’s a nice feature.”
“Used a lot of condoms, have you?” he asked, though he wasn’t sure he wanted to know the answer.
“Only once.” She waved her hand. “But let’s not talk about that. You are miles away from that experience.”
“In a good way?”
She grinned. “In a very good way.”
He knelt between her legs, stroking her as he let himself gaze at this beautiful vision laying on his bed.
“Ruthie,” he moaned.
She smiled.
“I need you.” He leaned over and kissed her stomach, then met her gaze. “And I don’t need anyone.”
“Take me,” she whispered.
He didn’t need more of an invitation. He spread her legs wide, pulled her hips toward him, and entered.
Nirvana.
He had found nirvana. With each stroke, he felt a connection to her that he’d never experienced in his life. A need, a love, that no matter what, she was going to be with him. He would never leave her, he’d never let her go.
Ruthie became his everything.
He pounded hard and she held on, one hand tangled in his headboard, the other on his arm, her nails digging into him.
The wolf howled under his skin, the animalistic need finding a release he’d never experienced before.
It was the balance which had evaded him all his life.
Ruthie cried out as another orgasm took her over, and in turn, hers encouraged his, and he was spent in a few moments as well. He collapsed on her, their bodies slightly damp from sweat.
She stroked his head, her fingers sliding down over his shoulder as she placed delicate little kisses on his neck.
He sighed, then climbed off the bed to dispose of the condom, but was back in her arms in a moment. He held her close, both overjoyed he’d found her—that he’d found this connection, but at the same time, knowing this could be the only time they would be together.
And he’d never see her again. The beast hated that.
“Is it always like this?” Ruthie whispered.
“No.” And Lee couldn’t remember such desperate—and such fulfilling—sex with anyone. He’d had his fair share, if only to try and quiet the beast. But it never worked.
Nothing seemed to soothe him.
At least, not before now.
“Not even with your mate?” Ruthie asked.
He shook his head. “She was sick. We were uh, delicate, the one time.”
She caressed his face. “Of course you would be. I didn’t think of that.” She sighed. “How did you two meet?”
He held up his stubby finger. “At the hospital, believe it or not. We were both in the ER that night.”
“Why was she there?”
“Sh
e’d been cut pretty badly on a window, and had a big gash in her arm. We shared an exam room, comparing our injuries.”
Ruthie smirked.
“That night, I started dreaming about my mate.” He saw confusion in her eyes and elaborated. “All werewolves dream about their mates, and usually they’re nightmares. Horrible, tainted dreams until the relationship is solidified.”
“So that’s how you know,” Ruthie said. “I always wondered.”
“Most wolves are that way. Except me.”
“Why?”
“I still have the nightmares.”
“I’m sorry,” Ruthie whispered.
“Why? Not your fault. My wiring is fucked up.” He ran a hand over his face.
She pulled away from him. “It is partially my fault.”
“How do you figure?” he asked.
She took his hand, and stroked the stubby middle finger. “Don’t you remember?”
“What?”
“I’m why you cut your finger. You saw me. In Evelyn’s kitchen.”
“No I—” He quieted for a second, and the memory of that day came back. Not being in the ER like he usually recalled, because that’s when he’d met Jennifer. This was different. He were in the kitchen, making uh, something.
He was chopping vegetables for Grandma…
And there was Ruthie. Her polka dot dress, red lips, and a smile.
“You waved at me,” Lee whispered.
She nodded. “I would wave at you kids all the time, but none of you ever saw me. Evelyn thought it was so funny. At least until that day.”
Lee shook his head.
He should have been disgusted. Upset, something. Instead, he burst out laughing, and rolled over wrapping his arms around Ruthie.
“I guess you’ve been influencing me my whole life.”
She smiled lovingly. “I guess so.”
14
Christmas Eve
“So how will we know?” Lee whispered to Ruthie as he sliced the turkey.
“I have no idea,” Ruthie replied.
The kitchen bustled with people coming and going all day long. Unfortunately, Ruthie had to keep herself wedged in a corner most of the day, trying to stay out of contact while still managing to help with the food preparation. Which was more of a challenge than she thought.