Page 117 of Abandoned By My Alpha Husband

The kiss was light, gentle. My hands cupped her face, thumbs stroking her cheeks. Her lips were soft, tasting faintly of champagne. Sweet.

Her hands climbed to my shoulders, slowly returning the kiss.

I deepened it, tongue coaxing her lips apart, slipping into her mouth. She trembled slightly but didn't pull away. Instead, she held me tighter.

My hand slid down her back, finding the zipper of her gown. I pulled it down smoothly. The gown loosened, hanging off her. I pushed it down. It pooled at my feet in a heap of white.

She lay beneath me in white lace lingerie. In the candlelight, her skin glowed soft and warm.

"You're beautiful," I said, voice rough.

Her face turned crimson. "Don't look..." She tried to cover herself.

I caught her wrists and gently pulled them aside.

"Why not?" I said. "You're my mate, Elena. I want to look at you. I want to remember every inch."

She bit her lip, eyes misty, chest rising and falling with her breath. The lace trembled with it. I could see the curve of her breasts straining against the edges. I swallowed and shrugged off my jacket and shirt, exposing the defined lines of my torso. Her gaze landed on my chest, then darted away.

"Still shy?" I chuckled. "Elena, we have two kids."

"That's different..." she said quietly.

"How?" I pressed her down onto the bed, arms braced on either side of her.

She didn't answer. Just looked at me, eyes full of haze.

I leaned down and kissed her lips, one hand reaching behind her to unclasp her bra.

She trembled, fingers gripping the sheets.

"Relax," I murmured against her lips. "Elena, it's me."

She slowly loosened, arms wrapping around my neck. I tossed the bra aside and trailed kisses from her lips to her jaw, then her neck. Her neck was sensitive. I bit lightly, and she let out a soft moan.

"Lucifer..." she breathed my name.

"Yeah?" I continued downward, kissing her collarbone.

"I..." Her voice shook. "Be gentle..."

I brushed her hair to my lips, finding her adorable. "That's not something I can control."

My wolf was howling inside me, clawing to get closer, to claim, to mark. Every instinct screamed at me to move faster, harder, to make her mine in every way. But I forced myself to slow down. My breath came heavy, arms trembling with the effort of restraint. I could feel the tension coiling in my muscles, the primal need thrumming through my veins.

But this was Elena. My mate. And I would not rush this.

I kissed down her collarbone, taking my time, letting my lips memorize the taste of her skin. She smelled like lilies and bay leaf and something uniquely hers, something that made my wolf go quiet and still, content just to be near her.

"Lucifer," she whispered, and I felt her fingers thread through my hair, tugging lightly. "Don't stop."

I groaned against her skin. "I'm trying to go slow."

"I know." Her voice was soft, breathless. "But I don't want you to."

I lifted my head to look at her. Her eyes were dark, pupils blown wide, lips parted and swollen from my kisses. The bond between us pulsed, carrying her emotions directly into me—nervousness, yes, but also trust. Desire. Need.

"Elena," I said, voice rough. "If I don't slow down, I'm going to lose control."