by M. L. Briers
“And you didn’t answer one of them.” He shot back.
“What if I said yes?” Elizabeth asked, mischief shining in her eyes.
“Then I guess I can relax-”
“You, relax?” She snorted a chuckle.
“If the old alpha’s right – if there’s gold in those tunnels then the weight is off my shoulders…” He eyed her and she watched and waited. “That just leaves you-”
“I’m… flattered that you’d think of me… last.” Her eyes sparkled with amusement.
“Still not answering those questions.” Jake leaned in closer, so close that she was sure she could feel the very tip of his nose against hers.
Her heart was beating a strange dance inside of her, but it matched her womb, and she guessed that was all that mattered.
“Perhaps I just need a little time…” She gave a half shrug and watched his eyebrows pitch towards each other…
His eyes narrowed a little – then he pushed off with his hands back away from her, towering over her once again.
“Take all the time you need.” He said, but his beast didn’t like his answer, growling within him, eager to mate, to claim her.
Mine…
“Or maybe I just need a little persuading…” She caught her breath and got no further as he swept in fast and snatched her right up within his arms from the cushions below.
“Now that sounds like a damn good idea to me.” Jake growled as he headed towards the door with his mate in his arms and not hanging down his back this time.
“And where are we going?” She asked, but knew full well exactly where he was headed.
“I think actions speak louder than words, don’t you?” Jake grinned at her.
His eyes spoke volumes without the need for words. There was a low, deep, hungry growl that rumbled through him, and heaven help her, but she liked the sound of it – it made every inch of her skin tingle – made her stomach flip-flop – made her womb dance…
“Oh, I’ll remember to remind you of that the next time that I zap you.” She chuckled, wrapping an arm around his shoulders when he started to take the stairs three at a time.
When he reached the bedroom; he back heeled the door closed. The thud of wood against wood made her heart thump her ribs and excitement flood through every inch of her.
She knew that the mating pull was doing its very best within her.
She knew that the sound of that door slamming signalled the start of the next chapter in her life…
One door was closing as another one was opening – and she knew that right then and there she was teetering on the very threshold of her future. A future with Jake.
The dark magic that had blighted her life was gone. She was finally free to be herself again, and yet she couldn’t remember who that was.
Fate had given her a fresh start. Jake was offering her a future…
Who in their right mind would turn that down?
The man was sex on a stick. He had a body that was built for sin and she had the need building within her to be a very bad girl.
“Now let’s see what I can do to you that can persuade you to be mine.” Jake’s beast rallied at that one word…
Mine… His beast didn’t want to take no for an answer this time, and the look in her eyes, the flush of her cheeks, even the way that she was catching her breath; all told him that he wasn’t going to need to.
“To me?” The corners of her mouth turned upwards and her eyes were full of mischief.
“W-i-t-h?” He frowned. “You did say I needed to persuade you.”
“Word to the wise – you’re not doing very well so far.”
Jake opened his mouth to say something, but thought better of it. He’d held right at the edge of the bed, waiting for her to object – now he had it in his mind that wasn’t going to happen; he placed his knee in the mattress and took her down with him to the mattress, turning her, and coming down over her body…
“Do I get to give you marks out of ten for effort?” Her eyes were smiling just as much as her lips… “Because-”
Jake’s lips came down on hers to silence her. Soft, warm, and very persuasive to her already excited womb – she didn’t wait to be tempted a moment longer; she opened to let him in…
There was a deep hungry growl that rolled through him – rolled through her body down to her very bones, and when he deepened the kiss; she was all in.
Elizabeth could feel the hard press of his length against her sex and the double barriers of their clothes did little to shield the impact of the jolt that went through her.
Sometimes sex was sex – a release valve between two people – but this was more. The connection had been building between them and she felt it blossoming into a flower of desire, of need – like its petals were finally opening to the summer sunshine.
Her hands sought his body without a conscious thought. She wanted to touch, to feel, to run her fingertips over his smooth skin and those hard muscles beneath, and his clothes were in the way, but not for long as she gathered a handful of material and pushed it up his chest, getting him to break the kiss only long enough to yank his shirt over his head…
Her eyes devoured him and she had to wonder if she was drooling at the sight of his chest. She’d seen him naked, but not up close and personal, and he was a gladiator…
“See something you like?” His deep tone made her snap her eyes up to his face. Even his damn eyes were grinning back at her – playfully teasing her about her reaction to the sight of him.
“Definitely…” She couldn’t help the wicked smile that took her lips. “I’d love to see more.”
Jake didn’t have to be asked twice. He pushed up away from her and she felt the disappointment, the loss of not having him there, but when his hands reached for the zipper of his jeans – there was a deep seated need to see the rest of him clawing inside of her like a crazed rogue…
Jake wasn’t teasing now. He wasn’t one of those male strippers that women paid to ogle their goodies – he was a man on a mission to woo – a man with needs of his own, and his need was more than evident when he forced the material down his thick thighs to gather at his knees, and his hard length sprung free…
“Now that gets my vote!” Elizabeth grinned like all of her Christmases had come at once.
Jake’s deep chuckle rolled out of him. He wasn’t a porn star with an abnormal sized manhood, but it was long and thick, and he knew that he could certainly pleasure her with every inch.
“Have I persuaded you yet?” He chuckled, and when she managed to drag her eyes back up to his face, he wiggled his eyebrows at her suggestively and made her chuckle too.
“Let’s just say that I’m warming to the idea.” She had a wicked gleam in her eye and his mind relaxed as his body tensed.
She was his. All in.
He didn’t have a doubt within his mind that by morning he was going to have loved her long, hard, and damn good. Just like a mate should.
Mine… His beast was fond of stating the obvious. She sure is. He felt his beast settle a little more at that knowledge – that understanding.
“I don’t want you warm baby – I want you on fire…” he growled out, taking a moment to kick off his jeans before he reached for her – his hands working over the barrier of her clothes so that they could both be as nature intended – naked and free to enjoy the feel of each other.
“I have to admit that it’s getting hot in here.” Elizabeth giggled like a school girl when he practically tore the shirt clean off of her body. A show of manly strength had never really been her thing, but on him, it suited the moment.
“It’s getting hot or I’m getting hotter in comparison to where you want me to be?” His hands were still working as he talked, multitasking, as he stripped her jeans down her legs and made her whole body shiver from the feel of his fingers against her flesh.
“Oh – you’re so getting hotter.” She gave him another one of those wicked smiles and his length twitched i
n appreciation.
“You know, and I know…” He leant forwards, resting his knuckles on the bed on either side of her body as he slowly started to climb upwards. “That you’re mine…” His beast roared within him, more than appreciating that statement. “But baby, I just want to hear you say it.”
“Say that you’ve wooed me?” She teased, but the last laugh was on him when he dipped his head and ran his tongue up and over her stomach, making her muscles convulse and quiver, and bringing a gasp of air to her lips…
“Say you’re mine.” His eyes locked onto hers and she didn’t dare to look away – he was mesmerising.
His hard body was slowly caging her in as he moved closer and closer – the predator within him on show with every inch that he moved, gained on her… Muscles moving beneath his skin…
“Not – just – yet.” She smiled, a little nervous quiver to her top lip, but her eyes were still wickedly playful, and he liked it…
CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN
~
A low, deep, hungry growl rumbled through Jake’s chest and lodged within his throat the moment that she licked her lips – it was the biggest damn turn on that he’d ever seen in his life, and he couldn’t stop himself from pushing forward on his knees and capturing her lips once more…
She’d say the words soon enough, but right then he wanted nothing more than to taste her, maybe every single inch of her, and then he wanted to push deep inside of her. That feeling, that desire, that need clawed within him, and it had nothing to do with his damn beast.
Elizabeth gave herself over to his hungry kisses as he devoured her, body, mind and soul; he swept her up and tied her with the ribbon of need. She needed him now – she wanted to feel him pushing inside of her, filling her up, taking her down his length, and silencing that screaming desire within her.
The palms of her hands found the hard muscles of his chest and she ran her fingertips down over those hard ridges. His muscles contracted and released under her touch, and he growled in earnest the moment that she found his cock and wrapped her fingers around that hot silken shaft…
“Damn no, woman, don’t do that or I’m gonna lose control and just take you right now…” He pulled back, caught her wrist in one large hand and pulled it away…
“Where’s the downside to that?” She asked breathlessly. And this time when he growled, she felt it vibrate through the bed…
“Don’t tempt me like that…” He dipped his head and ran his tongue against her neck, nipping the skin at the point where her heart was hammering hard.
“I’m yours, Jake. You wooed me. So mate, bite… taste my blood on your tongue and bond with me…”
His lips came back down on hers in a low roar of desperate need…
His beast tried its damnedest to push forward, and Jake slammed it right back within the cage… He wouldn’t claim her like that. She was his mate and he was going to do this properly, or die trying.
“Don’t say another damned word…” He growled against her lips. “I swear, Lizzy – I won’t be able to control myself.” He warned and she grinned hard.
“Bite…” she rushed out and his lips came down on hers again – his fingers ran down between her inner thighs and he found the wet, hot heat of her sex, felt her try to gasp against his tongue as he devoured her lips…
With two fingers; he pushed up inside of her as the pad of his thumb showed her clit no mercy. Her hips tried to push up but he had her held down good with his weight, and he wasn’t taking any prisoners as he worked her hard and fast towards her first release…
Her hands were on his shoulders and her fingers were curling against the muscles. Her legs drew up against his, and she tried to squeeze hard, press her inner thighs together and stop that first rush of an orgasm, but he wasn’t about to allow that to happen… He had her legs wedged open and he was going to have his way.
The moment that the orgasm hit her; he released her lips and moved down her body. She was definitely silenced now as he settled in between her thighs, and without waiting for her to regain the ability to tease him again; he buried his face between her legs and devoured her with a need that made her head spin and her body slam back into gear…
“Wait…” She caught a breath, “give me a minute to…”
It wasn’t happening – with a hearty growl against her sex; he took her right back up to the top of the mountain, held her hostage there for what felt like an eternity as she prayed for release, and then he threw her off into the abyss…
The sound of curses filled the air as he kept that orgasm rolling through her body to the point where she considered clawing his eyes out to get him to release her…
“Jake…!” She was pulling and tugging on his hair, and the sound of deep, teasing laughter filled her ears and hammered at her brain as he finally released her and crawled back up to where she wanted him…
“Hot?” He asked, and when she managed to peel her eyelids back and was able to focus on his face – she saw the damn smirk of amusement…
“There’s a thing called karma and it’s gonna bite you right on the ass.” She promised to the sound of another chuckle…
“Baby, you can bite me on the ass anytime you like… except for right now…”
He moved his hips and she felt that hard press of his length against her channel… She caught her breath in expectation… and then the pressure of his thick length pushing into her, his girth stretching the silken walls around him made her mouth stay open and the sweetest sound that he’d ever heard rumbled in the back of her throat…
His back arched and then his hips thrust forwards, taking her to the hilt at the feel of her fingernails clawing down his back, leaving trails of red welts in their path. There was a deep, low warning growl that filled the air around them as he reached for her wrists, capturing them inside of his large hands, and he trapped her hands down against the mattress on either side of her head…
“Oh, you can give it but you can’t take it.” She teased on a small chuckle that sounded decidedly dirty to his ears.
“Oh, I can take it, but I don’t think you want me that out of control just yet, sweetheart.” He grinned back, and that smile was all wolfish – there was even a little of his fangs showing.
“You sure about that?” She challenged him.
“You’re female, I’m male. How can I ever be sure of anything?” He grinned as he pulled his hips back so far that he was in danger of his length slipping out of her. He felt her inner muscles tighten around his length, trying to hold him in, and he groaned…
“I like how you think.” She gave a small chuckle that turned into a gasp when he buried his length back where it belonged, deep within those tight silken walls.
“Tell me you like how I feel.” He growled against her lips.
“I love how you feel.”
“Tell me your mine.” His hips were moving now, slowly taking her back and forth down his length…
“Ego boost chaser…” her words ended on another gasp. Her eyes were locked onto his and she could see the beast within him clawing to get out…
“You don’t know how much I want to bite right now… make you mine… claim you…” he let his words die on a deep growl.
“You don’t know how much I want that too.”
Jake’s beast roared. The damn wolf wouldn’t be denied a moment longer.
Jake had wooed her into his arms, into his bed, now he felt that insatiable need to taste her blood upon his tongue, to place his mark in her flesh… She was his – his to love – his to have – his to protect from that moment until they died wrapped in each others arms, old, and still very much in love.
“There’s no going back, Lizzy-”
“You’re right, there is no going back – you’re mine now.” She tried out her growl on that one word, and she must have hit the nail right on the head because he reared up on a growl of his own.
“Hold on for the time of your life sweetheart, because I’m about to ma
ke you Mine.”
CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT
~
Just the sight of Jake’s hard body was enough to send a hearty jolt of pure pleasure to her womb, without the way that he was moving inside of her. He released her wrists and those big hands locked around her thighs, pulling her closer and bringing her backside up onto his knees – he took her deeper, opening her wider, filing her, stretching the silken inner walls around the thick girth of his length until all she could do was gasp and moan, and not always in that order.
His hands found the curves of her hips and he lifted her slightly to where he needed her – to where he could devour her with his length in easy strokes, getting faster each time, growling harder, longer as her inner walls closed in tightly around him, sheathing him in satin and building the kind of friction that was making him loose his mind.
Jake’s eyes took her in. The bounce of her more than ample breasts held him mesmerised like a doe in the headlights, but the sound that was rumbling in the back of her throat snapped him out of it… she was almost there…
He reached down and scooped her up. Kissed her long and hard as one hand that was cupping her backside bounced her up and down his length, while his other hand fisted in her hair.
His beast was shimmering just under the surface, demanding that he claim her… and Jake had to admit that temptation was getting harder and harder to resist.
He broke the kiss and worked his way down to nuzzled between her neck and her shoulder – taking her scent and allowing it to mix with the thick scent of their sex in the air. His growl was hungry – needy – and filled with desire for her.
Elizabeth was clinging onto him like he was a lifeline. Her mind was lost to the pleasure that he was causing within her. She knew the kind of storm that was brewing inside of her and she welcomed it with open arms.
Even with every other sensation that was bombarding her body; she could still feel his tongue running down to the place where he would place his mark, bite, seal their fate forever. In some strange way that feeling, that knowledge was even more potent than the way his cock was devouring her.