“And you want to mate me.”
Heat flared in Cade’s eyes as she slid her hands down his biceps.
“Yes.”
She knew a statement like that should make her want to run for the hills, but after everything they’d shared, Lucy didn’t want to go anywhere, especially not with Cade looking at her like that. She’d known from the moment they’d met that she wanted to be with him, and he’d made his intentions abundantly clear with every interaction since. So, somehow, what he was saying made sense, even when it didn’t.
“Is it weird that I want to hear more?”
“It’s not weird at all.” Cade leaned in for a kiss.
As Lucy tilted to meet him, Cade brushed his lips along hers, sending a frisson of awareness through her body, desire uncoiling in her belly at his touch.
“I know this is a bit much, and I appreciate you hearing me out.” He smiled. “You’re so fucking perfect, Lucy, you don’t even know.”
She grinned at his praise, feeling herself melt as he leaned in, giving her another kiss. When Cade pulled back, he gazed at her tenderly.
“Among my people, when we find our mates, we claim them.” He trailed his fingers down her throat, drawing a light circle with his fingertip at the base of her neck. “It’s for life, Lucy.”
“Mmm.” She liked the way he felt, those fingers ghosting along her clavicle and up her shoulder, following the line of her camisole’s spaghetti strap. “Strangely, that idea isn’t terrifying.”
It should be, though, right?
She should be freaking out that some guy she’d just met was telling her she’d be with him forever. Should be freaked out that a relative stranger was touching her like that, running his fingers along every exposed bit of skin as though he was reading braille.
But it wasn’t terrifying, it was electrifying.
And he wasn’t a stranger, was he? Not anymore. They’d learned every inch of each other’s bodies last night and this morning, and she’d happily do it again.
“I never want you to be terrified, Lucy,” Cade murmured, kissing the base of her neck where it met her shoulder. “God, I want you so much. Want to taste you, be in you.”
“Yes, please.” She shifted her hips, wanting to feel him everywhere again. He’d been incredible last night.
But instead of pressing closer, Cade pulled back, gazing at her with awe.
“Lucy,” He cupped her face in his hands. “Sex with me is different. We’ve already begun a bonding and if I take you now, it will seal that. I want you to be my mate. I want to claim you as mine, but I won’t do it without your full consent.”
“Wait,” Lucy shook her head, trying to comprehend that last, “You ‘bond’ with people when you have sex with them? So, how many ‘mates’ do you have?”
She’d thought he wanted only her.
“I don’t have any other mates, Lucy.” He scrubbed a hand down his face. “You’re my mate. The only one for me. I’m already bonding with you. Can’t you feel it? That pull, that incendiary something, the drive and desire for connection, for more… I want to deepen that, to solidify it, to make it real by claiming you.” He shook his head. “But I can’t take it back once it’s done. Once I claim you, you’re mine. I don’t want you to commit to anything you don’t want to do, Lucy. You need to know for sure you want to be mine, and that you’ll have me.”
Lucy pretended to think, cocking her head to the side as she fought back a grin. In reality, this was a no-brainer. She knew that pull he spoke of. She’d felt it since she’d laid eyes on him at the clinic. And yes, it was absolutely weird that Cade could turn into a wolf, but somehow, it was also pretty cool. In truth, she liked both the man and the beast, had felt safe with them, loved.
“Yes.” She smiled. “I will absolutely have you, Cade. But you’ll have to explain all this stuff to me better as we go, because I have to admit, it’s still pretty strange.”
“Done.” He nodded. “We’ll sort whatever we need to. I know this all happened so fast…” he shook his head with a chuckle, “Fate’s funny like that.”“We’ll figure it out together.” Lucy smiled, loving the idea of together with Cade.
“I like the way you think.” He grinned, sliding his hands back to her waist.
They fell into one of those comfortable silences again, staring into each other’s eyes as heat built between them. Lucy marveled at how incredible this day had turned out to be.
How beautiful.
“So, about this mating thing,” Lucy smiled, loving the feel of Cade’s growing arousal beneath her. “Can you tell me how it works? I think you said it involves sex?”
Cade made that purring sound he did sometimes and Lucy ground against him, knowing he liked it by the gleam in his eyes and his body’s response.
