“You should have let me fall,” I mutter, not breaking eye contact. “You’ve saved me too many times already.”
“No, Faye.” He doesn’t let me go. “I think you’re the one who will save me.”
Before I can formulate a response, his lips meet mine with a ferocity that steals my breath. There’s promise, desperation, sadness, and lust all wrapped up in one searing kiss, and it’s everything I’ve been waiting for. Lost in the feel of his lips, the taste on his tongue, the way he smells … the world fades to nothingness.
I hear the distant cat calls and snickers to, “Get a room,” but none of that matters.
A switch has flipped in Damon, and kissing him feels so right, like everything has finally fallen into place.
Eventually, he pulls back, leaving me dazed and my lips tingling.
“I’m not saying I’ll be a perfect alpha. I won’t get it right every time,” he says gruffly. “But I’m done fighting it, okay? You make me weak.”
“Weak?” I smile. “That’s the bravest thing you’ve ever done.”
“If you don’t feel like going home yet, maybe I can take you somewhere to finish the night?” He cradles my cheek with his palm, warmth radiating through me from his surprising tenderness. “Somewhere I like to go to think and be alone.”
Gazing up at his handsome face, the stars provide a perfect backdrop for him. “I’d like that.”
As we ride off campus and into the mountains, I mentally pinch myself. It’s so beautiful it almost feels like a dream.
The thick smell of pine surrounds us as we snake up quiet roads. We speed along a hidden dirt track nestled between trees,which is lit only by the stars and Damon’s headlight. When it opens up into a clearing, Damon comes to a stop. A sparkling lake stretches in front of us with its own mini beach, a small waterfall trickling down the mountainside into it.
“Few people know about this place,” he says as he helps me off the bike. “I like to come here to get away from campus.”
“It’s gorgeous.”
Damon seems to be more relaxed here. He takes my hand and leads me down to the beach. I pause to slip off my shoes, desperate to feel the earth beneath my feet. In Clover Hollow, walking barefoot is something I did daily.
“I’ve missed this.” I sigh, wiggling my toes. “Back home, I used to walk barefoot through the meadows and woods while gathering flowers and herbs. It sounds stupid, but it almost made me feel in tune with the earth, you know?”
I feel like a child as I climb over some rocks before hitting the soft sand. Damon watches my every stop cautiously, poised to jump if I take another tumble.
“Did you grow up around nature?” I ask as we sit down on a fallen tree.
“No.” He laughs drily. “I lived in a tiny apartment above a busy street in the city, about as far away from nature as you can get. But I prefer the quiet and stillness.”
We sit without speaking for a bit, embracing the peace. Unprompted, he takes off his jacket and wraps it around my shoulders. It’s a pleasant night so I’m not cold, but I won’t say no to being shrouded in his scent.
“Thank you,” I say breathily.
“It’s only a jacket.”
“Not just for the jacket,” I correct him. “For letting me in.”
A sizzle of electricity surges between us. My scent blockers are wearing off, so it’s very obvious the moment I perfume. One look from him is enough to soak my panties entirely.
“Faye.” His voice is a low grumble. “I know I said we’d try, but there are limits to what I can do.” His hands tremble slightly. “I can’t lose control with you.”
“You won’t.” I grab a fistful of his shirt and pull him close. I don’t know what comes over me, but every fiber of my being wants to climb him like a freaking tree.
He hesitates as our heads move closer together. I whine as our lips brush, slow and tentative, craving more of him. When he groans in response, I climb onto his lap, wrapping my legs around him before he can change his mind.
Our kiss turns into a yearning battle. I rake my hands through his hair while he makes circles with the tips of his fingers on my lower back.
Suddenly, he pulls back. “I don’t want to hurt you.”
I put a hand on his cheek, stroking his sharp cheekbone. “I know you won’t.”
