Jett helped me with his clothes, and didn’t struggle at all with my bra. Sure, he’d probably unclasped a hundred of them, but the past didn’t matter. We were the present, we were the future, and we were mates.
The cold air faded to the heat of his touch. He grazed his teeth across my jaw, down my neck, slow deliberate kisses with a tease of more. I wanted everything he would give me, wanted him to mark my flesh as his.
I grabbed hold of his shoulders as he sank to his knees, kissing down my chest. My breasts were heavy with need, my nipples tight buds begging to be taken by his warm mouth. He stilled my body with one hand on my hip, while he kneaded my breast with his other hand.
I closed my eyes and listened to the call of a bird in the distance, to the babbling flow of the stream beside us, and the world became distant as Jett flicked his tongue over my nipple. Heat pooled between my legs, zings of pleasure shooting from every touch, every lick.
“So fucking beautiful.” His voice was rich with desire, and with restraint.
How long had he wanted this? Since we met, just like I had? Was foreplay as an exquisite a torture for him as it was for me? He seemed to be savoring me, taking his time, but what I really wanted was fast, rough. I wanted him inside me. Now.
He kissed lower, trailing down my stomach.
“This is...amazing.” I gasped as he reached around and grabbed my ass.
He nipped just beside my bellybutton with his teeth, and I squealed in surprise.
“I love the little noises you make for me. I can’t wait to see what else I can make you do.”
Holy fuck. Yeah, at this rate I was going to explode from words and kisses alone.
“I want…”
He went lower, licking the inside of my thigh. I inhaled sharply as the cool air brushed against my wet skin. It wasn’t just his tongue that was leaving me wet.
“I want to feel you inside of me.” It wasn’t the kind of thing I was used to saying, but with the way he talked to me...well, what was the point of being shy now?
“Lie down on your back.”
I did as he said and looked up at him, expecting him to lie on top of me. He didn’t. Instead, he scraped his teeth across the inside of my thigh. I spread my legs, opening for him, and I didn’t hold back the needy sounds that came with every touch.
“Please, Jett.” I sounded as desperate as I felt, and I didn’t care.
He smiled at me, a wicked grin, and lowered his head between my legs. His tongue was wet and warm in my folds, and flicked up to my clit. A wave of heat rushed over me.
More. I needed more.
He touched my opening, and added pressure to my clit I didn’t know I needed. I squeezed the blanket in my fingers and tilted my head back. Sunlight poured down on me through the tops of the trees, and I tilted my hips into him, restless and close, so close.
He pressed in, and I let go, my tunnel pulsing around him. He sat up and licked his finger. Holy mother of fucking bananas, that was hot.
I sat up, my whole body both charged and satiated at the same time.
He smiled, a dark predatory look in his eyes. “That was only one. You weren’t planning on being done now, were you?”
“No.” Hell no. I dove at him in an attempt to tackle him to the ground. Yes, he’d made me come, but I wanted his cock.
He didn’t fall over, though. He caught me instead. My breasts heaved against his chest, and his cock stood up between us. I reached down and wrapped my fingers around him. A bolt of excitement shot straight to my pussy as I started moving my hand. My body ached to know his.
He held me, and kissed me hard. “Ready for more, are you?”
“Yes.”
He flipped me on my back, this time leaning over me, his cock poised at my entrance. He grabbed a condom from his pants and slipped it on. I wrapped my legs up over his hips and pulled his tip inside. He was big, and warm, and smooth. This was where he belonged, this was how we were meant to be.
He reached between us and cupped my breast, flicking the nipple as he gave me what I wanted, pushing inside with one hard stroke. His cock was huge, too big, too hard. He pulled back and gave it to me again, this time there was more, and I stretched for him.
“You okay?” He kissed my cheek, the perfect softness to complement the intensity.
“Yes.” My voice was a breathy whisper, the best that I could manage.
He set the pace with a hand on my hip, pulling me to take all of him. And I did. It was the best fucking thing I’d ever experienced, a lifetime leading to this moment, to him, to us. Friction built as he started moving faster, and as amazing as it felt, I didn’t want it to be over. Not yet, not ever.
I looked at his strong arms, at his hard chest, to the black ink that decorated his skin. I wanted to learn every line, every picture, every muscle. I took a mental picture, never wanting to forget this moment, the image of him here with me. His eyes were intense, his jaw hard, his hair wild. He was so fucking perfect. How was this man my mate? It didn’t matter, because he was. And he wanted me.
His arms and neck tensed. He was watching my face intently. “Come for me, Paige.”
And just like that, my body obeyed his words. Pleasure coursed through me, and I cried out. “Bite me, Jett.”
His teeth pierced the crook of my neck, a sharp sting that meant so much. I felt the heat of him let go with me, felt his body tense with mine, as one. As my body settled, realization flooded my brain. We were mates. We didn’t just both know, but he’d marked me. And I’d asked him to do it. I touched his mark, held it, as if it would disappear if I didn’t.
“You okay?” He looked at my hand.
“Yeah, I’m good.”
Jett slowly pulled out and rolled onto his side. He slipped the condom off and set it on the corner of the blanket.
I nodded toward the condom. “And now it’s a picnic.”
He laughed, a light and pleasant sound. Everything had changed, and I could tell he felt it, too.
“Speaking of,” Jett sat up and grabbed the basket. “I did pack us some food.”
I propped my head in my palm and openly admired the way his shoulders flexed when he moved his arms. The way his abs looked when he was sitting. I was pretty sure I could stare at those all day forever and never get my fill. That wasn’t just the abs though, it was all of him. “What do you have?”
He pulled out some french bread and some sliced tomato, pesto, and mozzarella.
“Wow,” I nodded and sat up beside him. “Just like everything about you, that is not what I expected.”
His eyes danced with amusement. “What exactly did you expect?”
“From Mr. Big and Burly Wolf? Meat.”
“You need some meat? I aim to please my mate.”
My body flushed at that word coming from his lips. Mate. Well, from the word, and from the sight of his still hard cock aimed at me. “I think I’ve had all the meat I can handle for now.”
He laughed. “We’ll see how you feel after you’ve eaten.”
“Seriously? You’re ready to go again?”
“Always.”
“No fucking way.”
He tilted his hips, showing me just how big and hard he was. Wow. Yep, maybe he was right. I didn’t sense a lie, either.
Best sex of my life—check! Insatiable mate whose libido left me slightly intimidated—check. Couldn’t stop smiling—check.
I popped a piece of cheese in my mouth and rose to my feet.
So he liked me naked, enough to promise me forever, but there was still a big first that needed to happen while we had some alone time left.
“Going somewhere?” Jett set down the food, his eyes never leaving me.
“Play with me.” I closed my eyes and called to my inner bear. Fur sprouted across my skin and my bones reshaped. The bear was as much a part of me as the curvy girl was, and before the day was over, I wanted him to see me as both. To accept me as both.
Without hesitation, Jett hopped up from the bla
nket and shifted along side of me. Just like his human form, his wolf was a creature of lithe perfection. His fur was glossy gray, his form larger than the wolves of nature. But me, I was a bear—twice his size.
The bear wasn’t the most feminine of animals, but it was who I was. I was big, I was strong, and maybe a little bit awkward, too. That had more to do with me than my bear, though. Every other bear shifter I’d met had seemed well suited to the form.
Jett circled around me, and I wished I could read his thoughts. When he reached my front once again, he flicked his tail across my nose and bounded into the stream. I ran after him, splashing into the icy water. It sprayed up onto my legs, soaking my fur. The mud beneath my paws was soft and pleasant.
I swiped a leg, spraying water all over Jett. He shook his fur, splashing me right back.
This was better than anything I’d ever imagined. Too good to be true. And if it was just a dream, I never wanted to wake up.
Chapter Sixteen
Jett
I hadn’t stopped thinking about my picnic with Paige since I’d dropped her off. Not during the night, and not this morning. I couldn’t get the image of her naked form out of my head. Hell, I didn’t want to. There was a primal need ruling my brain, one that had only grown stronger since I’d tasted her once. I wanted to be inside of her again and again, to feel her body pressed to mine and never let go.
Paige bent down to refill her paint roller with another layer of yellow, offering me the perfect view of her round ass. Her jean shorts lifted, revealing the curve at the top of her thighs. I wanted to grab hold of her hips and sink my cock into her, just like that, right here in my old bedroom. But now wasn’t the time. And this room was about to belong to my daughter.
Evelyn shook my arm. I looked down.
“Like this?” She turned the screwdriver awkwardly in her hands.
“Almost.” I adjusted her grip and put my hand over hers and twisted the screw, tightening the two boards together. “This way.”
We were getting our home ready, as a family. That was nice, too, and what I needed to focus on. Because I had a family.
“Can I do this one?” Evelyn picked up the last screw.
“Yeah, go ahead.”
She went down to the other end of the bed frame, and this time, started screwing it in the right way.
“How’s it going, Evie?” Paige stretched up on her toes and rolled a fresh coat of paint down the wall.
“Good.” Her voice strained as she put her full weight into twisting the handle. She flopped down on the floor. “I think I did it.”
“Let’s check that out and see.” I bent down beside her. “Screwdriver, please.”
She set it in my palm, and I tested the joint. It was loose, but at least she hadn’t stripped the screw.
“So, Dad, how’d I do?”
“You did great.” I patted her shoulder.
She beamed, a wide grin, and I noticed a gap where a tooth was missing. A pang of regret hit me. We could have shared these kinds of moments all along. She’d been mine since the day she was born, but I’d missed out on so many firsts—her first steps, her first words, her first lost tooth, and countless other milestones I didn’t know about because I wasn’t there. Did she believe in the Tooth Fairy? Santa? All the stories of magic that people usually told their children? We hadn’t celebrated those types of things growing up, but suddenly I wanted to. I wanted to see Evelyn experience the wonder that I hadn’t.
I looked at Paige, who was still busy painting. Did she know the answers to my questions? Did she have pictures from the milestones I’d missed? The birthday parties I’d never been to? The games I’d never seen my daughter play? My heart ached with a strange sense of loss, for all the time I hadn’t known my daughter.
“You used to live with your grandma, right?” I asked Evelyn.
Paige looked over.
“Yep,” Evelyn said. “But it’s more fun here.”
“I’m glad.” I tapped her knee. “Are there still things in your old room that you’d like to have here when it’s ready?”
“You mean I get to bring my favorite stuffed animals with me?” Evelyn’s eyes went wide with surprise.
I looked to Paige.
Paige said, “I bet we could arrange a time do a pick-up with Aunt Sylvia—”
“Yes!” Evelyn through her fists up in victory.
“After the kitchen and the bathroom are done.” Paige arched her brow and gave Evelyn a pointed look.
Evelyn’s shoulders dropped. “How long is that going to take?
Both of them turned to me. Oh, my turn to answer.
“A couple of weeks.”
“That’s forever.” Evelyn collapsed back down onto the carpet. “What if it’s time to go back to school before it’s done? Am I going back to the same school?”
Her wide eyes assessed first Paige, then me.
“When school starts up, you’ll go to Ashwood Elementary,” I said.
It was another change, one that might be harder to take than some of the others.
Even though I expected tears, when her eyes glassed over, it still felt like shit. Moving was one of the most stressful events in a person’s life, and she was only a child. A child who had been moving around a lot lately. I searched for the right words to make her feel better, but knowing what to say had never been my strong suit. When shit hit the fan, and Hawke was taking it badly, I’d punch him in the arm and tell him not to be a pussy. I was pretty sure that wasn’t going to work here, so I was lost.
“You’ll make new friends.” Paige set the roller down and sat down beside Evelyn. “And it’s going to be great, because here you’ll have a place to bring them back to hang out.”
“In the tree house?”
“If it’s safe,” Paige nodded.
“And in my new room?”
“I don’t see why not.”
Evelyn gave Paige a quick hug. “Do you think I could bring Lacey over? As soon as it’s ready?” She gasped. “Do you think she’ll go to my school?
Lacey was Shaundra’s daughter. I was really glad the girls were getting along so well.
“She will.” I nodded.
Evelyn squealed. “I hope we’re in the same class.”
“Even if you’re not, I’m sure you’ll see her on the playground and at the cafeteria,” Paige offered.
Evelyn nodded her head and narrowed her eyes. “Yeah, that would be good, too. But it’s better if we’re in the same class.”
“Of course.” Paige smiled.
I still needed to figure out what I had to do to get Evelyn enrolled. And into what grade.
The burner phone I was using until mine was recovered buzzed in my pocket. I reached down and checked the screen. Hawke.
H: We need to talk. In person.
Shit. There was still time to figure out school later, after the conflict with Greenville was settled. There’d be time for all of this. I didn’t want to go back and deal with whatever the newest problem was, but it was my duty.
As much as I hated to end my time with Paige and Evelyn, I couldn’t ignore Hawke.
J: Back soon.
I slipped my phone back in my pocket. “Okay, ladies, it’s time to wrap up and call it a day.”
“What?” Evelyn wrinkled her nose and shook her head. “It’s not even lunchtime yet. How are we supposed to get everything ready if we aren’t here?”
“The house’ll be ready soon, I promise.” I rose to my feet.
Paige was staring, unmoving, her eyes questioning.
“Can we come back tomorrow?” Evelyn asked. “First thing as soon as I wake up? I can wake up real early, before the sun. I don’t even have to sleep!”
“You should sleep,” I said. “You need rest to grow big and strong.”
“Oh, I’m already strong.”
“I know,” I said. “You did great work today. You couldn’t have done those screws if you weren’t strong.”
“How about after di
nner we come back? It’s close to morning. And if I don’t sleep, it’s the same.”
“Time to pack up, Evie.” Paige’s voice was kind but firm. She cleaned up the painting supplies without even looking at me.
I wanted to grab her, pull her against my chest, and tell her everything was fine. She and Evelyn were what mattered most in the world to me. I just had to check in on something. But I couldn’t promise everything was fine until I’d met with Hawke. And I wouldn’t lie to her.
Paige walked by me with the roller tray, giving a wide berth. She was pissed and I couldn’t blame her. She was staying in Ashwood for me, at my assurance that everything would be fine. And what if I couldn’t promise her that?
The three of us rode back to the bed and breakfast in relative silence. Silence save for Evelyn humming and making neighing sounds in the back seat as she made Mr. Stabbyface bounce around with her unicorn.
Paige’s shoulders were tense, and her jaw was tight. I needed to say something to make this right. She parked along the curb, turned off the car, and we all climbed out. Evie skipped her way up the stairs and opened the door before looking back for Paige.
“You go ahead in,” Paige said. “I’ll be there in a minute.”
“Okay. Bye, Dad.” Evelyn waved.
“See ya, squirt.”
The door clicked shut and Paige let out a sigh before puffing her chest up and meeting me at the front of the car. I could see that spark in her fierce walnut eyes that meant she was about to tell me what a piece of shit I was being. It was a look I knew well, one many women had given me before. But Paige wasn’t just any woman. She was my mate, so it meant more.
I pulled her in, and her breath caught as I parted her lips with mine.
She tasted sweet and salty. She tasted like she was mine. She opened for me, and she arched her back, melding her body against me. I wanted to take her there on the hood of her car, leave my mark on her all over again, relive the connection we’d shared the day before.
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