A ragged breath filled my chest, and I realized that I was holding my breath with him so close. The crocked grin I knew as only his, returned, pulling only the right side of his full lips.
“You okay?” His voice made my attention leave his mouth and settle on his eyes, I nodded. “I don’t mind you being here,” D whispered like it was the most natural thing for me to watch him this way.
The statement set a part of me at ease. Not my wolf. She didn’t give a fuck whether he cared or not. She knew she belonged here, for some reason.
“Your wolf likes me, doesn’t she?” he asked softly, resting his hand on the frame behind me and leaning into me.
“Yes,” I breathed, watching the water from his hair drip onto his face.
He didn’t care one bit.
“But I don’t like you talking about me behind my back,” I whispered, trying to maintain some sanity.
Regret clouded his eyes, and he lifted his free hand to my cheek, stroking it soothingly. “I know. I’m sorry about that. We were just informing the Viscountess that you were safe after theShadow Bornfound you here.”
“Because Anastasia worries about me?”
He nodded, though he seemed uncomfortable when I called her by her real name. “Did Bjørn tell you that?”
“Yes. Why does she want you to take me to her?”
“Because she worries about you,” he repeated my words, making me narrow my eyes at him. The sensual crooked grin captured his mouth yet again. “Because she doesn’t believe it’s safe for you here anymore. Not only for you but for any of us, including Isis now that she’s back.”
His thumb lowered from my cheek to my jaw, stroking my bottom lip and sending my wolf into a frenzy.
I blinked, preventing my eyes from fluttering close with the feeling. “Thank you for refusing to leave without her,” I admitted, making his caress stop.
I almost cursed myself.
“Weneverleave anyone behind, and Isis is one of us,” he pledged, his gaze intensifying with the weight of truth. “The only reason why we felt comfortable leaving the mountain to bring you here was because?—”
“Bjørn would find her and bring her back in a second,” I finished for him, seeing him nod, relieved I understood.
“We would do anything for Isis.”
“I know…”
Pleased to see I was starting to trust them, he nodded and resumed his caress of my lower lip, his head tilting over me until his lips landed on my neck. D kissed the same spot Dante had claimed and my entire body reacted to it.
My wolf freaking moaned in his ear.
What the fuck?
A smile stretched his lips against my neck, and he kissed it again, and again, nibbling the tender spot and making my wolf’s heat awaken. My whole body trembled with need when his hand lowered from my jaw to my chest, nipples hardening as he briefly grazed my breasts on his way down. D gripped mywaist instead, almost feeling the fight inside—between my wolf’s desire and mine.
He didn’t try anything else. He didn’t kiss my mouth or massaged my breasts, he didn’t even try to squeeze my ass, and considering I was basically splattered between the door frame and him, he had every chance to do it. Still, he didn’t even try. Kissing my neck one last time, D lifted his face, holding my gaze.
“Don’t worry. I know there’s turmoil between your mind and your heart when it comes to me. I’m not going to make you mine until you absolutely, desperately, and with every inch of your body crave for me to do so,” he vowed, stroking my jaw again. “Until both youandyour wolf feel scorching desire engulf you with the need for me… Until you ask me to.”
I didn’t know about scorching flames, but wetness pooled between my legs, making my thighs press together tightly.
“I’m with Dante,” I weakly argued, breathless.
D’s mouth tilted with that enticing crooked grin of his, his dimple flaring to life on his chin with the gesture. “For now…”
Leaning in, he brushed his mouth against mine, before stealing a kiss, and I was hopeless but to let him. It was way too brief, and his lips seemed to tug on mine when he pulled away, almost wanting to take them with him.
“Just to help me hold on,” he whispered, reminding me of the soft, sweet, need-filled kiss we had shared at the mountain.
