“More than I've wanted anything in fifteen years.”
“Then stop running.” His voice was barely a whisper now. “Stop protecting me from yourself. Stop talking about all the reasons this is a bad idea and just?—”
I kissed him.
Closed the distance and kissed him like I'd been holding my breath for months, like drowning and coming up for air at the same time. Not gentle, not even close. My hands cradled his face, stubble scraping my palms, and the kiss was hot and greedy and a little wild around the edges.
He made a sound against my mouth. Not quite a moan, not quite a gasp. Something in between that shot straight to my spine and made every nerve ending light up at once.
I lost myself in the taste of him. Coffee, rain, something sharp and grounding that made my wolf want to howl. His hands fisted in my shirt, pulling me closer, and I went willingly. Pressed him against the wall and kissed him until neither of us could breathe.
When we finally broke apart, gasping, his eyes were dark and his lips were swollen and he looked at me like I was everything he'd ever wanted.
“More of that.” he said roughly.
“I don't want to rush you?—”
“Daniel.” His voice was patient in a way that said his patience was wearing thin. “I am a grown man who has been fantasizing about you. The only thing you're rushing is my ability to think straight.”
Something in my chest cracked open. Heat and want and something that felt terrifyingly like hope spilling through the cracks.
“Okay,” I said. “Okay.”
“Okay?” He raised an eyebrow. “That's what you've got? Months of buildup and you give me okay?”
“I'm processing.”
“Process faster.” He pulled me back down, kissed me with intent that made my knees weak. “Because I've been waiting long enough, and I'm done being patient.”
I laughed against his mouth, surprised and delighted and so full of want I could barely stand it. “You're bossy.”
“You like it.”
“I really do.”
The storm raged outside, rain hammering windows and thunder rolling through the mountains. But inside, wrapped around Michael with his hands in my hair and his body pressed against mine, I felt something I hadn't felt in years.
Peace.
And underneath that, building like a wave, was the absolute certainty that this was right. That he was right. That whatever came next, we'd face it together.
“Bedroom,” I said against his mouth. “Now.”
“Finally.” He grinned, and it was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen. “Lead the way, Alpha.”
I took his hand and led him upstairs, and the storm outside felt less like violence and more like celebration.
We barely made it to my room before I lost all sense of patience.
The second the door closed, I shoved Michael up against it, my mouth crashing into his with all the hunger I’d held back for months. Our teeth clacked, noses bumped, but I didn’t care—Iwanted the taste of him, needed him to know exactly how much I’d been starving for this.
He gasped, but there was no hesitation—he grabbed my hips, yanked me in close, and kissed back just as rough, biting my lip and dragging his teeth along my jaw. I groaned, pinning his wrists above his head with one hand, using my body to cage him in, hips grinding hard against his.
I could feel him, thick and hot through his jeans, already hard for me, pressed tight against my own aching length. The friction sent sparks up my spine. I rolled my hips, letting our cocks rub together, groaning when he bucked up to meet me, desperate and needy.
“Been thinking about this for months,” he panted into my mouth, voice ragged, eyes wild. “How you’d feel, how you’d taste. Wanted to tear these clothes off you since the first time you shifted in front of me.”
“You like seeing me lose control, huh?” I growled, voice rough as my hand trailed down from his wrists, fingers digging into his jaw, holding him still so I could kiss him again—deeper, wetter, until spit ran down both our chins.
