"But you—" I could feel him still hard against my thigh, could see the need written across his face, the strain in every line of his body, the way his jaw clenched with the effort of holding back.
"I'm fine." He released my wrists and gathered me into his arms, pulling me against his chest, his hand stroking down my spine in long, soothing motions, his skin damp with sweat and hot against mine. "More than fine. Getting to touch you, taste you, watch you fall apart—that was everything." His voice dropped, rough with emotion, cracking slightly. "That was the best thing I've ever experienced. You have no idea. Could die happy after that."
I tucked my face against his neck, breathing in his scent—whiskey and woodsmoke, now mixed with something sweeter. With me. With us. The smell of what we'd done together.
"Thank you." My voice was thick, cracked with tears I didn't bother to hide, my body still trembling with aftershocks. "For making me feel safe. For making me feel good. For chasing away the nightmare."
"Always." His arms tightened around me, his lips pressing against my hair, his heart pounding steady beneath my ear. "I'll always chase away the nightmares. Always make you feel safe. That's my job now. That's what I'm here for. That's all I want."
He shifted us onto our sides, keeping me wrapped in his arms, our legs tangling together, our bodies pressed close from chest to toe, skin against skin. That purr started in his chest again—low and rumbling and soothing, vibrating through me everywhere we touched, settling into my bones like a lullaby.
His face found the curve of my neck, his lips pressing against the sensitive skin where my scent gland sat, swollen and aching from arousal. He didn't bite—just breathed deep, his tongue tracing the spot with reverent attention, making me shiver and gasp.
"Can I scent you?" His voice was rough, almost pleading, his breath hot against my throat, his body trembling with the effort of asking instead of just taking. "Need you to smell like me. Need everyone to know you're mine. Need to smell you on my skin for days."
"Yes." The word came out breathless, eager, my body arching into his touch. "Please."
He groaned softly and rubbed his cheek against my neck, his stubble rough against my sensitive skin, his scent glands leaving traces behind—marking me, claiming me. The scrape of his jaw sent shivers down my spine, pleasure and possession mingling into something heady and primal. Then he moved lower, nuzzling my collarbone, my chest, my stomach—covering me in his scent until I must have reeked of whiskey and woodsmoke, until anyone with a working nose would know exactly who I belonged to.
When he finally pulled back, he gathered me against his chest again and held me there, his arms wrapped tight around me, his heartbeat steady under my ear, his purring continuous and soothing, rumbling through both of our bodies.
"Stay." The word was rough, a plea, his arms tightening like he was afraid I might disappear if he loosened his grip even slightly. "Stay with me tonight. Please."
"I'm not going anywhere." I pressed a kiss to his chest, right over his heart, tasting salt on his skin, feeling the strong beat beneath my lips. "I'm right where I want to be." His arms tightened, the purring intensifying until I could feel it in my teeth, and I felt his lips curve into a smile against my hair.
"My Omega." He breathed the words like a prayer, soft and reverent, barely audible, cracked with emotion. "My Aster."
I fell asleep wrapped in his arms, surrounded by his scent, his heart beating steady beneath my ear, his purr rumbling through my bones. The nightmare was gone, chased away by his touch, his taste, his warmth.
I slept without dreaming at all.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
REID
I woke before she did.
That wasn't unusual — I'd been waking before dawn since I was sixteen years old, since before the ranch became my responsibility and sleep became a luxury I couldn't afford. What was unusual was the warm weight pressed against my chest, the soft breath tickling my collarbone, the scent of lilac and honey mixed so thoroughly with my own that I couldn't tell where she ended and I began.
Aster.
She was curled into me like she'd been made to fit there, her face tucked against my neck, one hand splayed across my chest over my heart. In sleep, all the wariness had melted away. The tension that lived in her shoulders, the guardedness in her eyes, the way she always seemed ready to run — all of it gone. She looked peaceful. Safe.
My Alpha rumbled with satisfaction, a low purr building in my chest before I could stop it. Mine. The word echoed through me, primal and possessive. She was mine. She'd chosen me,come to me, let me touch her and taste her and hold her through the night.
I'd wanted her from the moment Nolan had told me about the feral Omega in our stable. Wanted her more with every day that passed, every glimpse of the woman beneath the walls, every small moment where she let us in. But I'd held back. Waited. Let her set the pace, because that's what she needed, and what she needed mattered more than what I wanted.
Last night, she'd come to me.
The memory of it hit me like a fist to the chest — her tears, her trust, the way she'd looked at me and asked me to make her feel good. The sounds she'd made when I touched her. The taste of her on my tongue, sweet and perfect, the slick evidence of her desire coating my lips and chin. The way she'd shattered in my arms, crying out my name, her body clenching around my fingers.
I hadn't let her reciprocate. She'd tried, her hands fumbling at my waistband, but I'd stopped her. Last night wasn't about me. It was about replacing her nightmares with something good, about showing her what it could be like when someone put her first.
I was still hard. Had been half-hard all night, my body aching for release, but I didn't care. Having her in my arms, smelling my scent all over her skin, feeling her heart beat steady against my chest — that was worth more than any orgasm.
She stirred, making a small sound, and I held my breath. But she just nuzzled closer, her lips brushing my collarbone, and settled back into sleep. The trust in that simple gesture made something crack open in my chest.
I stayed there for another hour, watching the light change through the curtains, listening to her breathe, feeling her warmth seep into my bones. I could have stayed forever. Would have, if the ranch didn't need me.
