Chapter 21 #2
I ran a hand through my hair. “I was just checking on her,” I whispered.
“When she told me you two were dating, I had my doubts. But seeing you look at her like that? Well, Ward, you’re growing on me. You just might be worthy of her.” She grabbed her purse and left.
I pulled out my phone. It was almost ten.
Shit. I never slept that late. I stood and stretched.
I could hear it raining outside. I didn’t want to let Laney out of my sight today.
Besides the basics, which included studying and eating, I’d have to come up with something for us to do inside. Maybe bowling.
I went over to her bed, sitting on the edge of it.
I watched her breathing and listened to the pitter-patter of her heart.
With my finger, I traced a line along her cheek.
Her skin was so smooth. She was beautiful.
I stayed there, just watching her sleep.
Something deep inside me slid into place. I was right where I needed to be.
The rain lasted all weekend and into Monday. Our training session had been moved to the stadium since it was turf. I would have preferred the practice field because it was grass and getting roughed up in the mud was always fun.
As soon as we finished, I showered and texted Laney.
Rowan
Are you still in the library studying?
Laney
I am. Shocking, I know.
Rowan
On my way.
Laney
So long as you plan to study.
Rowan
Oh I plan on studying.
Laney
What subject?
Rowan
You. I plan on sitting there studying the way your cheek curves down to your long neck.
Laney
I do have my hair up in a bun today. Neck on full display.
Wait, are you a vampire? Is that why you’re studying my neck? Do you plan on biting me?
Rowan
I plan on biting you. Especially if you’re offering. But a vampire? Gross. They’re creepy.
Laney
Then get your ass over to the library and commence studying my neck and biting me for pleasure.
I laughed and slid my phone into my pocket.
She cracked me up. The vampire comment was interesting.
She was on the right track but still had it wrong.
At least she was starting to think about what she could be.
It would make telling her the truth easier.
Whenever I decided to grow some balls and tell her.
I didn’t think I’d lose her over the truth, but it scared the hell out of me trying to tell her something like that.
Oh, by the way, I shift into a wolf. Surprise!
I’m a werewolf. And you are part wolf even if you can’t change into one.
I’d talked to my dad about Laney. He thought the only reason she was still alive was because she didn’t shift.
He believed they’d still end her so she didn’t procreate and produce offspring, which potentially could shift.
I didn’t know how that would be possible since her wolf blood was so weak.
The issue was if a half-breed met another half-breed, then potentially their offspring could shift.
The chances were so rare that I didn’t think it was worth killing a person over.
However, I had a solution for this. I intended on talking to my dad about it in person the next time I saw him.
Since the issue was with Laney breeding, I thought we could welcome her into our pack and oversee her.
I mean, I intended on being the one to marry her.
I’d no longer be alpha. I didn’t know how my pack would handle and survive that.
Guilt overwhelmed me. I needed to make sure my younger brothers and everyone in my pack were taken care of.
Being selfish and mating with Laney would ruin everything. But I wanted her.
I shook my head. I’d deal with it later. Now, I wanted to live in the present. I shoved open the library door and headed up to the third floor where Laney liked to study in the booth tucked into the corner.
When I stepped off the elevator, I saw her talking to fucking Clayton. That guy irritated me. I walked right up to her, leaned down, and kissed her cheek. “Hey, babe.”
“Hey.” She smiled, her eyes on me, ignoring Clayton. As she should be.
I slid into the booth. “Hey, Clayton,” I said, staring at him. He could go now.
“So…do you have the physics notes?” he asked Laney.
“I do but not with me. I’ll take pictures and text them to you later.”
Clayton glanced at me.
“See ya,” I said to him, wanting him to get the hell out of here.
“Later.” He left.
“Don’t say anything,” Laney said.
I nodded, not speaking.
She removed her scrunchy, and her hair cascaded down her back. She gathered it, wrapping it up and securing it with a scrunchy, her hair piled on her head, making her look adorable. “I don’t know why he keeps showing up. I told him I was dating you, but I don’t think he believed me.”
The fucker. I’d have to talk with him to make sure he understood my relationship with Laney was one hundred percent genuine.
“What are you going to work on?” she asked.
I pointed to my laptop as I opened it.
“What subject?”
I motioned with my hand that my lips were sealed.
Laney tossed her pen at me, hitting me in the head.
“Oh shit,” she said, laughing. “I didn’t think it would hit you.”
I blinked. Not sure what she thought the pen would do. Dodge me?
“You can talk,” she said. “I only meant I didn’t want to hear you be all caveman about Clayton.”
“Caveman?” I said, chuckling.
“Yes. You know, you’re my woman. No man can talk to you. Mine.” When she spoke, she drew her brows together and made a weird angry face.
While that very well might be how I felt, I wouldn’t act like that. At least, I would try really fucking hard not to act like that because I knew she wouldn’t like it. Opening my phone, I pulled up a song and hit play. I stood, holding out my hand for Laney.
She burst out laughing. “Is this ‘Calm Down’ by Rema and Selena Gomez?”
I grabbed her hand, pulling her up and into my arms. I started dancing with her.
“Are you trying to tell me something?” she asked, still laughing. I loved her laugh. It made me all warm inside just hearing it. Especially knowing I did that to her.
“You have nothing to worry about with me,” I whispered in her ear, making her shiver.
Damn, she could move. I went lower and she didn’t miss a beat, going right down with me, practically grinding on my thigh. Holy fuck. I wanted her. I kissed her neck.
She tapped my chest. “Okay, your turn to calm down. We are in a library.”
I released her and took my seat, stopping the music before we got kicked out.
Laney got back to work. She chewed on her highlighter as she read.
I opened my phone.
Rowan
Stop chewing on that highlighter. It’s distracting.
Laney
Stop watching me chew on my highlighter. Get to work.
Rowan
It’s hard when your mouth is doing things.
Laney
If you want my mouth to do things to you, all you have to do is ask.
I gulped. Was it hot in here? I pulled the collar of my shirt away from my neck. Laney chuckled.
Rowan
I’m asking.
Laney
What took you so long?
She removed the highlighter, setting it on the table and looking right into my eyes. She lifted her phone, typed something, then looked at me again.
Laney
1, 2, or 3? Pick a number. Any number.
Rowan
2
Laney
Excellent choice. Let’s go.
Rowan
What’s 2?
Laney
Second floor.
Rowan
What’s on the second floor?
Laney
The private study rooms. Let’s go find an empty one. My mouth has a date with you.
We packed our things and took off for the stairs, running down to the second floor without saying a single word. The thought that Laney wanted me as much as I wanted her blew my mind. Entering the hallway, I reached for the first door handle. Locked. Laney checked the next one. It was also locked.
“This might be a short endeavor,” she said, her face flushed, making her look even more beautiful.
I reached for the next door. “Bingo.” I pushed it open, unable to believe we were looking for an empty room to make out in. With the dim light of the hallway shining in, I could see the room only had a small round table with a half dozen chairs. A whiteboard took up one wall. This would do.
Laney closed the door, sending us into darkness. With my eyesight, I could see well enough. She leaned against the door as if nervous. I went to her, taking her backpack and setting it on the floor. I wanted this gorgeous woman standing before me more than I’d ever wanted anything in my life.
I trailed my fingers from her shoulders down her arms to her wrists, encircling them. I knew we shouldn’t be together because we weren’t the same, but right now, I didn’t care. My need for her was beyond anything I could express.
I lowered my head, my lips brushing against hers.
I felt her arms try to reach forward, toward the button of my pants, but I raised her arms above her head, pinning them in place with one of my hands.
My free hand traced down her arm, along her cheek, over her breasts, to her stomach.
I slid my hand behind her, pulling her body against mine.
I released her arms and lifted her, her legs wrapping around me.
I carried her over to the table, laying her on it.
When it came to her, I couldn’t say no. I didn’t want to say no.
Her fingers clutched the front of my shirt, yanking me closer to her.
Her mouth was on mine, hard and demanding, needing me.
The realization made me soar. She wanted this as much as I did.
I braced my hands on either side of her head, caging her in without really meaning to.
She reached for my pants, unbuttoning them.
I knew I should stop her. This was crazy. Reckless. Impulsive. But it felt right.
Her hand pushed my pants aside and reached beneath my boxers, sliding along the length of me. I hissed, the sensation heady and intoxicating.
“That feels like your hand,” I whispered, teasing her. “I could have sworn you said it was your mouth that would be doing things.”
“Patience,” she murmured against my lips. “Unless you can’t hold out that long and you’re in a hurry? If that’s the case, I can move this right along. But…if you can last for more than two minutes, I’ll make it worth your while.”
Fuck. She would be the death of me.
Her hand moved up and down as her tongue did the same in my mouth. Control was something I’d always prided myself on. Control was something I barely had around Laney. My hand slid under her shirt, caressing her skin, wanting more of her.
The door opened, and light burst into the room along with voices.
“Shit,” Laney said, removing her hand and buttoning me up.
I yanked her shirt down and turned to face the three girls who’d just entered.
“I’m so sorry,” one of them said. “We have the room reserved from nine to ten.”
“No worries,” I said.
Laney stood up and grabbed her backpack, rushing out of the room without looking at the girls.
I chuckled and headed after her.
“That was so embarrassing,” she said as she entered the stairwell.
“It was fine. They didn’t see anything. My ass was still in my pants.”
She hit my arm. “I guess it’s a good thing my mouth wasn’t wrapped around you. I never would have lived that one down.”
We exited the library. I wanted to invite her back to my place so we could finish our make out session. However, I actually did have a huge exam to study for.
“You done for the night?” I asked.
“Yes. I think I need a shower to cool off.”
“That makes two of us.” I took her hand, holding it as I walked her to her dorm. When we got to the door, I stopped. “Text me when you’re in your room.”
“Will do.”
“We have another home game this Friday.” There weren’t too many left since the season was winding down. “Do you want to try to make this one?” I didn’t want to pressure her, but I really wanted her there.
“I’d love to come.”
Thankfully, there’d been no trace of the enforcers since that night the one spoke to Laney. It seemed as if they really had left.
“The team is going out after the game, and I have to go with them.” Especially since I’d missed the last one. “I want you to come with me. Then we can go back to my place. You can sleep over if you want.” Because I very much wanted her to.
“I want.”
Excellent. “And I don’t have anything going on Saturday. I’d like to spend the day with you.” I had a million things I wanted to show her. A thousand things I wanted to do with her. A lifetime with this woman wouldn’t be enough.
“That sounds perfect.” She smiled up at me, her bright blue eyes shining.
“Then pack your bag, Laney Lake. You’re mine this weekend.”