Chapter 35
Harlow
My hands are flat on the rug, and my breasts are jerking hard.
My mouth is gaping. My eyes are wide. I think I might have burn marks on my knees after this.
I don’t care about any of that as I try to remember how to breathe.
Drake is on his knees behind me, still inside me, still thrusting, but his movements have slowed.
He grunts softly each time he pushes inside me. My channel is still spasming. My muscles will be sore in the morning. My arms are tired from bracing.
I feel fully stated.
My orgasm is just releasing its grip on my body, and this one was something else entirely. This time was more potent than the one against the wall. More consuming than any of the others. My arms are shaking, threatening to give out.
I’m shaking. Buzzing. Vibrating. My system flooded with endorphins.
Holy crap!
Drake finally pulls out, and I stay exactly where I am on my hands and knees, gasping for air. Four orgasms. I didn’t even know that was possible. I thought that was just something people wrote about in romance novels or exaggerated about in locker room talk.
My knees are definitely going to have marks after this. Some serious rug burn, but it will be worth the pain. And my hips will be bruised. My muscles will ache.
I might not end up falling in love with Drake, but I could definitely fall in love with this. With the sex. With the way he makes my entire body light up.
I sit back on the rug, feeling slightly detached from reality. My brain is fuzzy around the edges, my body humming with satisfaction. Drake stands, and my mouth falls open all over again just looking at him. At his muscles, his tattoos, his still-hard cock.
Really?
He offers me his hand, and there’s something almost gentlemanly about the gesture that makes my chest tighten.
I accept, and immediately, my legs threaten to give out. More so than usual, but at least I have a reason this time.
Drake catches me, holding me upright with his strong arms, smiling at me. Seeing his face all lit up does something weird to my insides, something fluttery and dangerous that I absolutely cannot afford to feel.
“Want me to wash your back in the shower?” he offers, and his voice has that low, satisfied rumble to it.
I laugh, the sound breathless. “Yeah, right. Wash my back.” I give him a look. “That’s all it would be?”
He shrugs, and there’s mischief dancing in his gorgeous blue eyes. “I might drop the soap and ask you to pick it up.”
That makes me laugh harder, and I have to press my hand against his chest to steady myself.
“That’s exactly what I thought. Nope. It’s time for me to go. We should get some sleep. Tomorrow is another big day of training.”
We look at each other, and the air shifts. The playfulness fades into something heavier.
“So, this is it,” Drake says, and I can’t quite read his expression.
“Yep.” I nod.
“Can I let you go now?” His smile returns, softer this time. “Or will you fall?”
“You can let me go. I’m fine.”
“You’re sure you don’t want to shower first?”
“Quite sure,” I say, before I can change my mind.
It really is time to go. It’s now or never. If I stay, I’ll shower with him. And then I’ll want to crawl into his bed. And that would be a complete and utter disaster.
He lets me go, and I’m pleased to discover that my legs have decided to function again.
“Good night, Drake.”
“Night, Harlow.” This time, he doesn’t just smile; he grins.
I laugh. “You need to stop with all the smiling,” I tell him, pointing an accusing finger in his direction.
“Why?” He laughs as well. “I just had great sex several times over. I can’t help but smile. I might end up smiling for the rest of the week.”
I gasp. “You can’t do that. Everyone will know if you do. You have to go back to being all brooding and rude.”
He chokes out a laugh. “I’m not that bad.” He looks affronted.
“You’re worse. No smiling. You can be cordial, but don’t be nice. Nice would be crossing the line.”
“Got it. No smiling. I can’t be nice…just barely cordial.”
“Perfect.”
I turn toward the door. I make it exactly three steps before he calls out.
“Oh, and Harlow…”
I turn back, and he’s watching me with an expression I can’t quite decipher.
“I know, I know,” I say, the words tumbling out. “I can’t tell anyone. Not even Jordyn. And I can’t be overly familiar with you because you’re a Council member and the Academy leader. I will shower and wear perfume. It’s all good. I know the drill. You can count on me.”
He blinks, looking slightly taken aback. “I wasn’t going to say that. I was going to say thank you, but now that I’m saying it, it sounds weird.” He scrunches up his face.
“That’s because you’re being too nice, which isn’t like you…remember? Stop it immediately.”
“You’re right. I’m stopping.” He clears his throat. “Do you want me to walk you back—?”
“No!” I practically yell, then wince at my own volume. “I’ll walk back myself. What if someone sees us?” I shake my head. “No way.”
“You’re right. But be careful out there. Don’t leave the built-up area.”
“I’ll be careful, and I won’t go near the jungle. Someone once told me that anything can kill me out there.”
He laughs at that. “They must have been very wise.”
I roll my eyes. “They wish.”
“The reason you need to stay out of the jungle is that there is a night patrol. You might want to avoid shifters right now.”
“Oh! I didn’t know that. Don’t you worry, I will stay well clear of the jungle.” I widen my eyes.
“Good night, Harlow.”
“Night, Drake.”
I leave, picking up a slow walk. I’m tired, but I’m also buzzing from my head to my toes, every nerve ending still singing. I have the biggest smile on my face, the kind that makes my cheeks hurt. I force myself to be cool, to wipe the dopey grin off my face.
That was incredible. We’re phenomenal in bed.
I’ve heard of people being sexually compatible before.
I’ve had a few partners in my life, but I’ve never experienced anything like this.
Not even close. We’re off the charts compatible, like our bodies were designed specifically to drive each other wild.
We probably never should have had sex.
I’m attracted to him, and now I know for a fact that he can give me mind-blowing orgasms. Lots of them. I’m worse off than I was before.
Crap.
That thought wipes away the smile faster than anything else could have. It makes me walk a little faster, too, even though there’s a distinct ache between my legs that makes each step a reminder of what we just did.
“Harlow.”
I whip around so fast I nearly trip over my own feet, clutching my chest as my heart tries to escape through my ribcage. Then I sigh with relief when I see the familiar blonde hair.
“Oh, my word! Jords, you scared me half to death.”
“It’s just me,” she whispers, stepping closer.
“What are you doing here?” I ask, trying to sound casual.
“I should be asking you the same thing.” She lifts her brows, her eyes sparkling. “Did you come from Drake’s bungalow? Did you finally take my advice and jump him?”
I laugh and flap my hand at her. “No. Of course not. I fell asleep really early, and now I’m wide awake.
I couldn’t sleep anymore, so I thought I would take a walk to help clear my mind.
” The lie flows smoothly off my tongue, and I’m not sure whether to be proud or concerned about what a great liar I am all of a sudden.
“What are you doing here?” I turn the question back on her.
“Unlike you, I did sneak out for sex.” Her grin is wicked. “Hot, sweaty, fabulous sex with Grim. That guy can hold me up with one hand and make me—”
“Spare me.” I laugh softly, holding up my hands. “Just say it was good and leave it at that.”
“Better than good,” she tells me, her expression dreamy. “You’re missing out. You should get in on the action.”
“Not happening,” I tell her firmly, ignoring the fact that I just had the best sex of my life not so long ago. “So, tomorrow you’ll find out if the bond has taken?” I change the subject.
Her face falls, all the joy draining from her features. “Yes. I will have to go home if it hasn’t improved.”
“I thought you said they would give you a few weeks.”
“The sex should have fast-tracked the bonding process. There needs to be significant improvement.” She wraps her arms around herself. “If it hasn’t worked, I have to go back to the Mainland.”
“It will work. You’ll see.”
“I hope you’re right.”
We arrive at her bungalow and say our goodnights.
Then I head back home alone, my gut churning with worry. I hope everything will work out. For Jordyn, for me, for all of us.
I hope I’m not falling for Drake.
I actually laugh out loud at myself as I fumble with the door to my bungalow. There’s no way I’m falling for him.
I’m sure if we keep our hands off each other going forward, all will be well.
We just need to stick to the new plan, that’s all.