And shit, did I feel like a little mouse under the weight of his attention.
“And wewillbe working through them. We’ve been dancing around each other for too long. I meant it when I said you are mine, that you will not touch anyone but me, nor will anyone lay a finger on you. Ever again. But I understand you need time to accept that.”
He paused as if waiting for me to speak. I couldn’t. I’d always felt unworthy of Stone, and he’d made it crystal clear that he had never wanted to be more than frenemies. He’d been right when he said there was no term for what we were. Hope unfurled in my chest. A dangerous emotion that could create a whole new future for me or completely rip me apart. And that’s exactly what would happen if I let myself hope and believe I could be good enough for a male as powerful and beautiful as Stone and then have him change his mind and reject me.
His warm hand cupped my face, and, Mother Wolf, forgive my weakness, I leaned into that touch, taking it for what it was, support, and a promise of more.
“I will prove I am yours as much as you are mine. And you will soon believe that you are more than good enough for me.”
Tears blurred my vision. No one had ever said anything like that to me, that I was good enough or, more importantly, made me feel it.
“These are mine,” he whispered and leaned in, his lips brushing the corners of my eyes one at a time.
Well, shit. He was playing dirty. My fingers clutched the sheets as I tried not to grab him and haul him in so I could press my lips to his.
His gaze speared mine. “Whatever it takes, Shannon. I’ll prove it.”
There wasn’t any part of me that wanted to fight him on it. Not even my wolf, who went utterly compliant at his nearness. She’d always snapped and been defensive with other shifter spirits, including Stone’s. But it was as though, once he’d brought us here and unleashed his dominant Alpha nature, she’d started to trust him. The strange thing was, so did I. No matter that Connor had given him permission to hold me against my will, I had no desire to run from him. I caught my top lip between my teeth, my breath catching as another thought smacked me in the face. Had she felt his wolf? The kind of connection only soul mates felt? Was that why she had started to trust him? Either way, he was right; it was time to stop running, and if submitting to his commands meant getting my life back and having a chance to explore why we felt so drawn to each other, I was ready. I would do whatever it took. That didn’t mean I’d be compliant in everything. I smiled a little, a pulse of desire making me clench my internal muscles as dampness pooled between my thighs and fire lit my soul.
Stone inhaled deeply, and his eyes narrowed. Tension charged the air between us. His luscious mouth was only inches from mine, and I licked my bottom lip, wishing it was his. A low growl mixed with that tension, and purple stained his irises.Mother Wolf, he was stunning. I had no idea how I’d resisted him for so many years.
I leant forward, my need to kiss him stronger than my will to protect my heart. He caught my shoulders and, gently but firmly, eased me back against the pillows. Face flaming from that small rejection, I didn’t resist. It hurt, but the confusion was worse. Had I simply heard what I’d wanted to hear?
“Hey.” He tilted my chin up. “Look at me.” It was a gentle demand but not one I wanted to follow. If he saw how easily he could hurt me…. I hated that I was so vulnerable with him. He’d always had the power to destroy me, and now it was worse.
“Stop overthinking. You aren’t ready for us yet.”
I released a frustrated growl. “Mother Wolf, could you be any more confusing?”
“I’m not trying to confuse you.” He brushed my lips with the tip of his finger. “But once I kiss you, I won’t be able to stop. I’ll want to taste every inch of you.” Using his nail, he drew a path from my chin down my neck to the hollow between my breasts. My breathing kicked up as that touch scorched my skin. He trailed that wicked finger across to my right nipple that had hardened under my silk pyjama top, pushing against the fabric until it ached. He traced his fingernail around that puckered flesh, and I couldn’t suppress a groan.
“I’ll want these delectable tits in my mouth.”
A sharp, delicious prick of pain hit me as he pinched that bud firmly and then gave the same teasing attention to my other nipple. His gaze burned with purple fire, his voice deep and guttural. “Then I want this….” His finger traced down over my abdomen, and I whimpered as he dipped his fingers under the waistband of my silk bottoms, edging down. His fingers stroked over my mound, his middle finger sliding easily between my slick folds.
“Shit, you’re already so damn wet.”
“Tell me what else you want.” My demand was breathy, almost desperate. “What were you going to say?” Damn, he was good at dirty talk. He’d barely said anything, and I was already about to explode from his deep, rumbling voice alone.
He slipped his finger deeper. “I want to taste you, Shannon. Fuck, I want to drink every fucking drop of you down. I want to hear your moans.” He brought his finger back up to my aching clit, making circles with just enough pressure to make me groan.
“Stone, please.”
“That’s it, just like that. I want to bring you to the edge, again and again, until you’re begging me to come….” He moved his finger faster, his gaze bouncing between my face and his hand as it moved under my silky bottoms. I could hear the wet noises his movement made, the scent of my arousal filling the room along with that sharp winter breeze scent that was all Stone.
“Oh, gods.” My head fell back against the pillow, but I kept my eyes on his face as tension coiled in my lower abdomen.
“No, not the gods, or even the fucking devil himself. Me. And it had better be my fucking name that you scream when you come. But not yet.”
With a wicked grin, he pulled his hand away.
“You’ve got to be kidding me!”
“Oh, no, I’m not.” He yanked me lower and my bottoms were off before I could blink.
“What are you…?”
“I’m tasting you, just like I said. I wanted to be a gentleman and wait, but you’re just too fucking tempting. Now, lie back and enjoy.”
