I grabbed Emma by the arm and hauled her down the hall to a nearby locker room. She didn’t complain— just sent me a nasty look.
As the door shut behind us, I whirled on her. Both of our bags fell to the floor. “Let me make one thing clear,” I said. “I took my vow seriously. I am bound to you now in every way, shape and form. It doesn’t forgive me for ignoring you, but I’m not walking out on us!”
“That’s news to me!” she hissed. “If I had a... aboyfriend... or... or a fiancé or whatever, it sure as hell didn’t feel like it when I was on vacation. I barely know what the hell we are!”
“You didn’t reach out to me, either,” I spat bitterly.
“That doesn’t mean I didn’t want to! I was just trying to give you time.” She fisted a hand in her fiery locks. “Gods, Ethan, you’re so fucking stubborn.”
“I’mstubborn!”
“Yes! You’re a pig-headed brute!” She shoved me backward, or tried to— her hands hit my broad chest, but stopped there. Moving me was like pushing over a boulder. All her touch did was make my skin grow hotter. I desired to rip all her clothes off right here, right now.
I snagged her arms and held them tight. “You need to settle down.”
“Fuck you, Ethan Nowak,” she spat.
I did the only thing that could quiet the rage pulsing through my blood and kissed her. Emma made an angry sound of protest, but it melted away when I forced my tongue inside her mouth. Her body softened immediately, and my hands roamed over her back. The wolf in me whimpered when I was able to touch her again. It was like drinking the nectar of the gods themselves. Emma’s fever on my lips increased, and her honey-soft lips danced against mine like this was all she’d wanted from me for days on end.
The kiss wasn’t enough. Both of us wanted— needed— more. I hastened the tempo of my tongue against hers, and we kissed until both of us were dizzy and couldn’t breathe.
Emma slipped off her jacket. Before I knew what the hell was happening, she’d pulled her shirt off and tossed it to the floor, exposing her navy-colored bra. I automatically reached out and felt her breasts through it, and she gave a slight moan of satisfaction. Without a word, Emma jumped on me, and I hitched her thighs around my hips. Her legs wrapped around my middle as I supported her, pushing her body against my abs. My hands kneaded her backside as we hit the wall.
She shoved her hand downward, refusing to remove her mouth from mine. I gasped when her fingers clenched the outside of my pants— pleasure flooded and welled straight at the core of my manhood, and it was the most gratifying thing I’d ever experienced. I couldn’t think. I could hardly move, except to continue to assault her lips over and over.
Gods, we had no fucking reserve. It was like we were crazed.
Just when Emma gave another squeeze to my cock, and I was certain it was going to rip through my pants, there was a loudbangin the hallway. Both of us jumped. I suddenly realized we were in a very public place, where anyone could walk in at any moment. Emma shimmied down my body, and I sprang to the other side of the room.
As we were still breathing hard, I picked up Emma’s shirt and threw it to her. “Put your clothes back on.”
“Don’t tell me what to do,” she snapped back, but she slipped it on. Her hair was messy, and there was a pink tinge to her cheeks that hadn’t been there before.
As she zipped up her jacket, I said, “We need to go. I have class.”
“So do I.” Both of us grabbed our bags and hurried out the door. We left the ice rink as soon as possible and started down the path to school.
“What the hell was that?” Emma bit. She shivered at the snowfall that was beginning to increase.
“Don’t ask me.” I had no idea what came over us. One minute she was going to make me lose my mind. The next, she made me want to lose my self-control. I was no longer all that angry with her. Emma was a complex being.
Emma shivered. She wrapped her arms around herself as we walked against the wind. Our bags banged together as she drew closer.
“You cold?” I asked, looking down.
“Emma’s teeth were chattering. “The chill doesn’t bother me.”
She was a liar. I draped an arm around her and pulled her close, into my shifter warmth. “There. Better?”
“She took a deep sigh and nestled her head into my jersey. “A bit.”
“Hm.” My tone implied I didn’t believe her. She was no longer shivering.
“I guess I’m not telling you the truth. People with primary immune conditions can be hypersensitive to extreme temperatures.”
“Don’t worry. You’ll have me to keep you warm.” I rubbed her arm, and she relaxed against my torso.
Emma said nothing more, just stared out into the white void ahead. I frowned. She was being distant again. I didn’t know why.
