She let her fingertips graze his nipple, feeling it harden beneath her touch. Matt sucked in a breath, his body tensing.
“Honestly, I don’t remember all of it,” Tessa teased. As if she could forget a moment of what happened last night. It would be etched in her mind forever. “My head was so filled with the whole ‘I’m a bear, and you are my mate’ thing that the rest is a little fuzzy this morning.”
He nipped at her earlobe, his breath hot against her skin. “I can give you a refresher.”
She pulled back, meeting his gaze with exaggerated solemnity. “Please do.”
“It would be my pleasure.” Matt’s eyes darkened as he captured her lips with his. His fingers found her nipple, tweaking it between thumb and forefinger. The jolt of pleasure shot straight to her core, igniting a fire that spread through her limbs.
Tessa opened to him, sucking on his tongue as he deepened the kiss. His hand cupped her breast, thumb circling the taut bud with maddening precision. Her body remembered him now—remembered exactly how he had touched her last night, how he had made her feel.
Without warning, Matt slid under the sheets. His mouth found her nipple, hot and wet as he drew it between his lips. Tessa arched into him, a soft moan escaping her throat. How did he know exactly what turned her on? It was as if he could read her body’s responses, anticipating her needs before she even recognized them herself.
His free hand moved lower, rubbing her mound while his mouth continued its exquisite torture on her breasts. The dual sensation made her gasp, her hips rising to meet his touch.
Then he was moving lower still, turning her onto her back as he nestled between her thighs. The weight of him there felt perfect, like he belonged exactly where he was. He slid two fingers inside her with delicious slowness, stroking her inner walls.
His breath was hot against her sensitized skin as he lowered his head. When his tongue found her center, Tessa’s entire body shuddered with pleasure. He licked and sucked at her mound while his fingers thrust in and out, hooking forward to graze that perfect spot inside her.
Tessa closed her eyes, her back arching as tension built within her. Her inner walls pulsed around his fingers; her breath came in short, sharp gasps. She could definitely get used to waking up like this every morning.
Matt was relentless as her climax washed over her, her body trembling with wave after wave of pleasure. Even as she came down from the peak, he didn’t stop, easing her through the aftershocks.
“Remember now?” he asked as he emerged from beneath the sheets, his voice a low rumble that she felt in her bones.
“Getting clearer,” she said, her voice a teasing challenge. “But I might need more reminding.”
His answering smile was slow and wicked as he moved up her body. “I’ve got all day.”
Tessa wrapped her legs around his waist, feeling the hard length of him pressing against her. “What about the restaurant?”
“Day off,” he told her, dropping kisses along her collarbone.
Her hands found his shoulders, fingers digging into the muscle there. “Lucky me.”
Matt’s eyes met hers, suddenly serious despite their intimate position. “Lucky us,” he corrected. “I’ve waited my whole life for you, Tessa. I’m not letting you go.”
The intensity of his gaze should have frightened her. Instead, it anchored her, making her feel secure in a way she’d never experienced before.
“I’m not going anywhere,” she promised, pulling him down for another kiss.
His body covered hers completely, strong and protective as he settled between her thighs. As he pushed inside her with exquisite slowness, Tessa felt something deeper than physical pleasure—a connection that transcended the ordinary, a belonging that felt both new and ancient.
Matt began to move, setting a rhythm that had her gasping his name. His hands seemed to be everywhere at once, touching her in ways that made her nerve endings sing with delight. Each thrust brought them closer, binding them tighter.
Outside the window, the morning sun climbed higher, bathing the room in golden light. But Tessa barely noticed. Herworld had narrowed to this man, this moment, this miracle of connection that defied explanation.
Just like the bear that shared his soul.
Matt’s rhythm intensified, each thrust deeper than the last. His hands shifted to her shoulders, then her waist, as if memorizing every curve of her body. Tessa’s breath caught when she felt his grip tighten, his movements becoming more deliberate.
With surprising gentleness despite his obvious urgency, Matt withdrew and rolled her onto her stomach. His large hands guided her hips upward until she was on her knees before him. The position made her feel exposed yet exhilarated—there was something primal about it that sent a new flood of heat through her core.
“Is this okay?” he murmured, his voice rough with desire.
Tessa nodded, unable to form words as anticipation tightened her throat. She felt him position himself behind her, one hand steadying her hip while the other traced the curve of her spine. The touch was reverent, almost worshipful.
When he entered her again, the angle drove him impossibly deeper. Tessa gasped, fingers clutching at the sheets as pleasure shot through her like lightning.
