“…And how do you suppose we do that, Blackwood?”
He sighed and began stroking himself through his pants. With each of his grunts, the floodgates reopened.
“Tell me, Marcus,” I whispered.
He dropped his head until his lips were on my neck. “I love you more than I’ve loved anything in my entire life,” he moaned. “But if you’re not sure—”
“Shut the fuck up.” I rubbed the aching bud between my legs. “And do it.”
His forehead was hot, like an active volcano on the verge of erupting. “I, Marcus Blackwood, Alpha of the Blackwood Pack,”—he kissed my neck—“accept you, Joanna Sullivan,”—he swallowed hard—“as my mate.”
His words hit my heart like a shockwave, shaking my soul.
I released my bottom lip from where I had trapped it between my teeth. “And I, Joanna Sullivan, rescind my rejection…”
Marcus quickened the pace of his hand against his erection.
“And take you, Marcus Blackwood as…”
“Fuck.” Marcus dashed from my side, dropping between my legs and throwing them over his shoulder.
“Marcus—”
“Finish it,” he demanded, replacing my finger with his tongue. It swirled around, fast and rough and warm and wet and—fuck, he was eating me out like I was the sustenance he needed to survive.
So, as I grabbed his hair, and reveled in the succulence of his lips, with his fingers deep between my thighs, I rewarded him with the words he wanted to hear—the wordsIwanted to say. “My mate.”
My magic danced underneath my skin, alive and unapologetic. Our auras swelled until they filled the room. The scent of lavender and pine filled my lungs. The dull ache that had been lingering in my chest vanished. And the orgasm I had was unlike anything I’d ever felt before.
I tilted my head into the mattress and cried out, pushing at Marcus’s head, not knowing if I could last through the sensation without it destroying me.
His tongue stopped moving. He was shaking and groaning and panting like he had come alongside me. He kissed the tattoo on my groin, and traced the ink with his tongue before lifting his head.
Those eyes…
Fuck. They could burn me alive… and I’d enjoy it.
He wiped his mouth with his hand before crawling back onto the bed. He dropped beside me, trying to catch his breath, hand on his chest and a sated grin on his face.
We had accepted the mating bond.
He was mine.
Nothing could’ve made the moment any better except …
“I love you.” I held a hand over my mouth to hide my childish smile.
His head whipped toward me, his eyes studying my face. “What did you say?” His voice was almost a whisper, as if he feared his question would frighten me into silence.
But I reached over and caressed his cheek.I am in charge of how I feel, and I choose to be happy.No more running. “I love you, Marcus Blackwood.”
He drew in a deep breath, his hand flying to his face so his thumb and index finger could rub his eyes. He dropped his hand and kissed the inside of my palm, staring at me like I was a gift from the Goddess. “I love you, Joanna Sullivan.”
I couldn’t deny myself the urge to touch him all over any longer.
I rolled on top of him and felt the wet spot on his pants. My eyes widened. “Did you—”
“Fuck,” he exclaimed, lifting his head. “I’m sorry, I thought you realized.”
