“We need to bond, right?”
He grinned. “Right.”
“All right then,” Declan said and cleared his throat. “Braxen, you want to come with me?”
Braxen grunted.
“I'm going too,” Rune said.
They dropped off their bags and went with Declan, leaving me and Merrick alone.
Merrick took our bags to the closet and set them down. Then he turned to me and cleared his throat. “I, uh, do you want me to leave so you can freshen up?”
I adored his awkwardness and found myself sauntering over to him with a smile, stopping only to close and lock the door. “Or we could freshen up together,” I suggested as I kicked off my shoes.
Merrick blinked. “Are you sure?”
“Yes.” I undid the tie of my wrap dress and let the fabric slither to the floor. It pooled around my feet.
Merrick's breath caught, his lips parted, and his stare slid down from my face to take in my black lace bra and panty. “Fuck me,” he whispered.
“That's my intention.” I grinned and slid my hands over his hard chest, going inward to unbutton his shirt.
“We need the other two to complete the bond,” Merrick said.
“No. We need to bond first. Just you and I,” I said. “When I'm comfortable with all of you, then we can take it further.”
Merrick's throat worked roughly. “Okay.”
I pushed back his shirt and looked down as I reached for his fly. But I stopped halfway there. His cock was hard and so long that it was poking two inches above his waistband.
“Oh, my,” I whispered.
As if those were the magic words, Merrick growled and swept me up into his arms. I gave a soft yip, then grinned and started kissing his neck. He growled more, the sound vibrating against my lips. And then I was on the bed, stretching out while he kicked off his boots, then shoved down his pants and underwear. A few seconds to get his socks off too, and then he pounced.
I had enough time to remove my underwear, but I wanted Merrick to do it. And judging by the happy sounds he made as his hands swept over the lace, he wanted to as well. Luxuriatingin his long, slow touches and the way he stared adoringly at me, I took in his body. I thought he was thinner than Rune, but that had been a trick of his clothes. Merrick tended to wear looser button-down shirts and trousers, the fabric skimming his body. And they'd been hiding a lot.
Muscles, muscles everywhere, and all for me to touch. The butterflies had multiplied and suddenly they burst from my chest, spreading throughout my body. Several went to my core and turned liquid. Just looking at Merrick was a delight, his golden-brown skin was paler than the other two, but not unhealthy. His was a more pure, polished gold compared to the antique gold of his packmates, and his hair was made darker by proximity. He had a sprinkling of that dirty-blond hair around his deep-rose nipples and a trail of it on his belly, leading down to the nest around that oh-so-long cock.
“Keep looking at me like that, and I'll come before I get inside you,” Merrick said.
I looked away from his corded thighs and up to his face. “We can't have that.”
“No. But you can come.” He slid a hand beneath me and flicked my bra open. Then the same hand slid downward and back front to delve into my panties. His fingers parted me and he groaned. “Oh, fuck, you're already wet.”
I flung my bra away, then lifted my hips. “Take them off. I don't want anything between us.”
“Neither do I.” Merrick rolled to kneel between my legs, then, slowly, pulled my panties down.
I dropped my hips when they reached my knees, then pulled back my legs, bringing them together. He drew the fabricup, up, and up, coasting it over my calves, then my ankles, my feet. At last, he flung it away. As he did, I spread my legs.
“Great Gods,” Merrick whispered as he stared down at me. “Look at you. Glistening pink against those dark curls.” He ran his hand up from the base of my sex, fingers spreading through those curls. Then he brought them down, spreading me. Gathering moisture first, he rubbed and pressed inside.
I moaned and spread my legs wider, reaching past my thighs to stroke his thick arms. “Merrick.”
He glanced up and grinned. “I've waited so long for this.” Then he dove.
I yipped again when his lips made contact with mine, just not the ones on my face. Merrick pressed his mouth against my sex, kissing it as he would my upper lips, then moved against me, massaging me. I shrieked and grabbed his head. His hair was pulled back into a low ponytail. I tore the band out, freeing it so I could run my fingers through the silken strands. A few strands escaped my grasp and fell to border his face. That golden frame was perfect for the brilliant green stare that swung up to meet mine.
