“Come here.” The rasp in his voice had my core clenching tight.
“No. No touching me. I want to explore you.” Then I smiled and took a few steps back. I ran my hand down my left breast and beckoned him forth. “If you’re okay with that, then you come here.”
Only Luke froze, eyes swallowing me whole as his arms fell to his sides. Even his tail went limp.
Chapter Forty-Two
Kara
Luke simply stared at me intently, with a gaze so soft I felt like I might melt from it. There was something vulnerable in his stance, something rare. I might’ve feared I’d done something wrong, if not for the reverence etched so clearly on his face—turning all his hard edges into something I never wanted anyone else to see.
His voice was low, reverent. “I’ve been plagued by this very moment for so long…”
I frowned. “What do you mean?”
He chuckled softly—and the sound was lovely, warm in a way that felt borrowed from another life. “I spent years trying to decipher the look you wore in the vision. Out of the thousands of possibilities I imagined for this moment, never once did I think it would be as simple asthis. You…wanting to touch me. A literal monster.”
“I don’t know what you mean about a vision,” I said. “And I don’t see you that way.” At least…not anymore. “But if you insist on calling yourself that—then fine. You’remymonster.”
I stepped closer. “Yes, Luke. You are my mate. And you’ll be mine, no matter what choice you make.”
He said nothing, but his gaze—gods,his gaze—wrapped around me like gravity. If a look could devour a person, I would have already been gone.
My heart fluttered nervously, but I said it anyway: “If I’m gone, you’ll be plagued with thoughts of me forever. And always.”
The trees rustled around us, and a gentle breeze kicked up more red leaves, swirling through the air like a dance. They brushed across my bare skin, feather-light and cool.
Luke froze. His eyes went wide as he stared at his arm. Slowly, almost cautiously, he lifted his hand into the air.
I didn’t know if I should be annoyed or concerned that he was ignoring what I’d said.
Curiosity won.
“What is it?”
He whispered, “I felt the breeze.”
Four simple words. But they hit like thunder.
Fireworks exploded inside my chest. Before I could move, he was already striding toward me, and I rushed to meet him. I brought my hands to his face and gently cupped his cheeks.
He closed his eyes and leaned into the touch like he’d been starved for it.
“Do you feel me?” I whispered.
“Faintly. Like… like my body’s been asleep. And it’s waking up.” His voice was raw, thick with awe. He gasped softly, eyes still shut, rotating his face against my palms like he couldn’t get enough.
“It’s coming back,” he whispered. Then again, louder. “It’s coming back.”
His eyes flew open. In the next breath, he was gripping the back of my head and kissing the hell out of me, or maybe into me was the better term for my mate. He groaned long and loudly as if he meant to pour his entire soul into it. Or maybe he was pulling mine out and taking it with him.
His tongue flicked into my mouth. I met him with my own, and he shuddered so hard I felt it in my spine.
His hands roamed down to my waist, gripping tightly, then slid higher. He cupped my breasts, and broke the kiss, sagging forward into me with a long, guttural groan.
“Fuck. You’re so soft.”
He was shaking much worse. Knowing he was feeling me for the first time only turned me on more. With his head against my shoulder, he slid his fingers over my clit and growled.
