“A little,” I admitted. I took a step away from the bed and pulled my loose-fitting shirt over my head, stifling a smile when Roger’s eyes devoured the bare skin he could see. When he reached the bandage, he swallowed hard.
Pulling the gauze free, I let the bandage flutter to the floor. At the sight of the healing wound on my skin, heat flared in Roger’s eyes and the sheet over his lap shifted, rising as his member filled. The presence inside me responded in kind, urging me closer. Climbing onto the bed, I straddled Roger’s lap. Pressing our chests as close together as I could with my belly between us, I slid my fingers through his soft hair, gripping it to pull his mouth down to my shoulder.
“We shouldn’t.” Roger’s hands settled on my hips even as he forced the words out through gritted teeth, his breath tickling my healing skin. “It’ll make it harder to fix later.”
“Do you want it fixed?” I had to make myself ask, forcing myself to give him the choice when all I wanted was for him to claim me again and again as he had the night he changed me.
“I..it can’t all be fixed.” Roger sounded gutted, his hands tightening on me. He leaned ever so slightly down, barely rubbing his lips over my fresh scar. “I..Ari, I’m so sorry.”
I pulled back enough that when he raised his head our eyes met. “You didn’t answer my question. Jeremy told me that it can be undone.” I shook my head, not believing any of what I was about to say. If ever anyone had told me I’d believe in magic spells and so on, I would have thought they were crazy. “He explained about the bond, told me that there is a way to break it if we don’t want to be together. Do youwantit fixed, for a mystic to come and break the bond?” It was taking every ounce of my self-control to remain calm, to stop myself from begging him not to leave me.
Roger was staring into my eyes, his hand had drifted up to stroke the pad of his index finger over the bite. I knew the answer already, but he had to be the one to give it if I was ever going to trust the future, our future.
He finally shook his head, leaning forward to rest his forehead against mine. “No,” Roger admitted hoarsely, releasing a long, slow breath. “I’ve wanted this, wanted you since the first night but I would have never done this to you, not even with your consent if I’d been in my right mind. I am so, so sorry, baby.”
In my chest, the new presence seemed to huff in combined amusement and annoyance and I gave a small laugh before pressing a light kiss to Roger’s lips. “That’s too bad, Alpha,” I murmured against his lips, “because I’m not sorry at all.”
“You’re not?” Roger’s disbelieving words made my heart twinge. “You know what happened, what I made you, and you’re not angry?”
The next laugh was deep and full and vibrated against his lips. “No, Alpha, I’m not angry,” I assured him, sighing when he bent his head to lick the healing bite wound. “I do know how I’ve changed and we have a lot to talk about, but if you want this, want us, I’m in one hundred and ten percent.”
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Roger
Another two days passed before Ari and I had enough privacy for the conversation he’d brought up after I came around. Days which, to the utter frustration of myself and the beast, we weren’t allowed any more intimate contact with our mate than kissing and holding him while we slept. I probably should have been grateful that once he arrived, no one even suggested he leave – instead adding a small table and a few chairs to the room and bringing his meals in as well while the medical team continued to monitor my recovery.
“You’re sure about this?” I checked for the fourth time as I pulled the truck into my reserved parking spot. As far as I knew Ari hadn’t been back to my townhouse since the night I’d left. “We can go back to your cabin, instead.”
“I’m sure.” Ari’s voice was calm but there was a strange underlying current in his tone. “I, um, threw a bag of my stuff in the back earlier.”
There was no stopping the wolfish grin that spread over my lips as he met my eyes. “You did, huh? Does that mean I might be able to convince you to stay?”
Ari’s lips stretched into an answering smile even as he bit his bottom lip, that little bit of shyness still coloring his response. “I was hoping to convince you to let me stay,” he admitted with a tiny laugh.
“Consider me convinced,” I teased, pulling him in for a quick kiss before climbing down from the cab. Ari waited for me to open his door, so after I helped him down, I pulled him close before leaning back to leer at him. “Unless youwantto have to convince me?”
“You have a dirty mind!” Ari shoved at my chest playfully, his cheeks pinking when he continued, “You already bred me, what more do you need to be convinced?”
And just like that, the temperature soared to an unbearable level and I wrapped an arm around his waist, dragging him inside in my quest to get him naked.
“I thought we were going to talk?” Ari protested, laughing.
“We are,” I growled, pinning him against the closed door and tearing his shirt over his head, then stopping with my hands on the elastic waist of his pants to claim his lips in a deep kiss. “You start.”
“I..” Ari’s words trailed into a moan as I sank to my knees, dragging his pants with me and began pressing kisses on his rounded belly. “What?”
“You talk,” I reminded him mischievously, nudging his legs apart and sliding exploratory fingers between them. “I’m listening.”
Ari’s hands fisted in my hair as I stroked my fingertip over the velvety skin behind his balls, probing a little further each time. “Roger..”
“Hmm?” I lowered my lips to press against the head of his straining cock, letting the sound vibrate over the skin. “What, baby?”
“You said we have to talk first,” his words were accusatory as he tugged on my hair, pressing my face to his erection. “This isn’t fair!”
I held in a sigh, suckling the tip lightly to remove the droplets of precum already building there, and then stood up to kiss him.
“You’re right, baby,” I agreed, gathering him close and holding him while I fought for control over my baser needs. Releasing him, I took a step back and waited until his black eyes cleared and sharpened to offer Ari the shirt I still gripped in my fist.
