It was a whisper in the back of my mind, getting louder and louder as Jake thrust against me, too-sharp teeth scraping over my collarbone.
“Gonna come,” he muttered, picking up his pace, and I clung to him as his whole body stilled, warmth spilling between us.
My jaw ached with the need to let my fangs drop, and as much as I wanted to give in to my wild side, to let my instincts take over, I was rational enough to know we weren’t there yet. But like I’d said, there was no rush. We had all the time in the world to explore this, and as I threw my head back, shuddering as my orgasm tore through me, I grinned because I couldn’t fucking wait.
“Shit.”I closed my eyes, revelling in the feel of six foot two inches of shifter pressing me against the door.
Jake laughed, the sound muffled where he had his nose buried in the crook of my neck. Warm breath tickled my skin, and not for the first time tonight I shivered under his touch. “Are you sure you don’t want to join me in my bed?” Sharp teeth nipped along the base of my throat, accompanied by more laughter when I groaned.
“I can’t.” I tipped my head to the side, giving him more room to explore. “Didn’t you get enough of this downstairs?”
“No.”
We’d already showered off the mess we’d made, but as Jake’s scent surrounded me, called to me on a level that now went beyondpack, I still detected traces of what we’d done. My wolf stirred, delighted at this new development and eager for a repeat. But I had work in a few hours.
With Vai Zh’alek still unaccounted for, I couldn’t afford to be late or so tired I couldn’t function. Neither could Jake. And that’s exactly what would happen if I didn’t put a little distance between us.
Just for tonight.
Picturing DCI Thornton’s pissed-off face in my head, I found enough resolve to grab Jake’s shoulders and gently ease him back enough to put some much-needed space between us. His scent lingered, desire heavy on the air, and I groaned again. “You need to help me out here.”
He chuckled. “I’m trying.”
My grip on his arms tightened before he could touch me again. It wouldn’t take much to give in. As shifters, we didn’t need as much sleep as humans, but if I took Jake up on his offer, I knew full well we wouldn’t get any sleep at all. “Imagine Thornton’s wrath if we both roll in late and knackered tomorrow.”
Jake winced. “Thanks for that.” He sighed but stepped back until he leant against the opposite wall.
I missed him already.
And then I remembered where he’d been earlier. “Do you need me to sleep in your bed?” I asked softly, all teasing forgotten.
It took a moment for Jake to realise why I was asking. He shook his head. “No, I’m good. And you’re right, we’d get no sleep if you stayed with me. And Axel deserves you at your best tomorrow.”
I wanted to hug him for that. But I settled for a quiet “Thank you.”
“Always.”
“Tomorrow night,” I promised. “We have the next day off, so…”
His gaze darkened. “So we won’t need to sleep.”
“No.”
“I can’t wait.” My gaze dropped to his mouth and I gripped the door handle to stop myself from reaching for him. “Night Jake.”
He grinned. “Night.”
We might tease each other,but once we’d set boundaries, we stuck to them. When Jake appeared in my room a few hours later, I knew it couldn’t mean anything good.
I sat up in bed, sleep fading fast as I took in his worried expression. “What’s wrong?”
“I’m not sure.” His bottom lip caught between his teeth as he fumbled with his phone, then thrust it towards me. “This is what he sent me earlier.”
I scanned the last few messages between him and his dad.
Jake: You okay?
Dad: Yeah. I miss her all the time, but today is always worse.
