Luke wraps his arms around my waist and nuzzles his face against my neck. I lean into his touch, letting it pull me out of my head and ground me in the present.
“Why don’t we go to bed,” he says, his breath brushing against my skin, sending a shiver down my back. “It’s been a long day and tomorrow might be even longer.”
So much for putting it out of my mind…
“Because of the drive or because Rockcastle might refuse to let me leave once we get there?” I sigh, angling my head up to see his face.
“The drive isn’t any longer than the one we took up here.” Luke gives me a soft smile and kisses the tip of my nose. “And you know I’m not going to let them keep you. I don’t care what they say. You’re mine now.”
It isn’t the first time he’s said those words to me, but it’s the first time they don’t feel entirely true.
And I desperately want them to be.
“But I’m not,” I say, turning in his arms and running my nose up his neck. “Not fully. Not yet.” I press a kiss to his collarbone. “Keir said I shouldn’t wait if I know what I want.” My gaze meets his. “Well, I wantyou.”
He leans back, eyes widening in surprise. “Are you saying…?”
“That I want you to claim me?” I lick my lips and give him a sly smile. “Yes. I want that. Tonight. Now.”
Luke doesn’t seem convinced. He cups my face with one hand, rubbing his thumb over my cheek. “Are you sure?”
“It’s one way to make it less likely Rockcastle can take me away, right?”
He frowns. “Maybe, but I don’t want that to be the only reason you’re doing this.”
“It’s not,” I say, grabbing his hand and placing it over my heart. “Fate brought us together and this connection between us is everything to me. I don’t even care that I have no past, because I know you’re my future. Yes, some of that feeling is partially just biology at work, but that isn’t the only thing going on here.”
He glances away. “I don’t want to take advantage of you.”
I raise my brows. “Take advantage? I get that as far as I can remember, I’m a virgin, but I’m not a blushing one. Being with you feels right.”
“But—”
“Luke, make me yours forever,” I whisper, leaning forward and pressing my lips against his.
The change in him is almost immediate, any doubt gone as he pushes his tongue against my lips and devours my mouth. A low growl rumbles in his chest, the vibration sending a shiver of desire down my spine.
I cup his face, one hand on either cheek, and deepen the kiss as his hands tighten on my hips. He lets out a low groan against my lips, pulling me flush against his body until I can feel his erection through the fabric of his pants. His hands delve into the back of my pants, cupping my ass, squeezing and kneading the flesh as the desire ramps up between us.
“Don’t mind me,” says Keir in an amused voice. “I just live here.”
Oops.
Cheeks burning with embarrassment, I hide my face in Luke’s chest. “Sorry.”
“We’ll take it upstairs,” mumbles Luke, his hands moving to somewhere more appropriate now that we’re not alone.
“No worries,” says Keir, laughing. “I’ve been there. That new mating bond feel is pretty heady.” Luke grabs my hand and pullsme toward the door as Keir laughs again and calls out after us, “Don’t forget a condom!”
Luke practically runs up the stairs, tugging me along behind him. After a quick detour into the bathroom so I can grab one of the condoms Keir left, Luke pulls me into the bedroom. He wastes no time once the door is closed behind us, picking me up by the waist and tossing me onto the bed with a growl. I giggle, bouncing a little on the mattress.
Luke crawls onto the bed and hovers above me, his mouth finding mine as he presses his tongue past my lips, settling into a deep, languid kiss. Pins prick at the back of my neck, and Luke releases my mouth to slowly kiss his way down the side of my jaw, pausing to bite gently at my collarbone. The feeling of his teeth against my skin pulls an almost desperate whine from my throat as I rock up against his erection.
He moves away from my neck and I whimper at the loss, but before I have time to complain, he yanks my shirt over my head and his teeth return to nipping at my skin as he runs his thumbs over my nipples, a low growl vibrating in his throat.
I thrust my hips upward again, my movements jerky and near frantic as I search for the friction I need so much. I’m not able to do anything but whine and whimper, unable to put into words my desperation.
I need his hands.
