Chapter 6
Chapter
Six
Soft light streamed from the living room windows. A leanly muscled arm lay slung over my waist, warm breath tickling my neck. A familiar smell washed over me.
Rowan.
How had I gotten from the floor to the couch? I remembered reading my book and how warm and soft Rowan’s fur was, and not a thing after that.
But this was the most rested I’d felt in months. I let out a soft sigh and smiled, content to lay here for a while longer.
Dad and Barrett would be back over today, and that wasn’t something I was looking forward to, but training was a necessary evil.
Rowan shifted against me as he came awake. His arm tightened, dragging me even closer. I huffed a laugh. Sometimes he was such a bear.
“Morning,” I whispered.
Rowan answered by placing a warm kiss behind my ear. Every nerve in my body went taut at the touch. His fingers flexed against my stomach. Another kiss lower on the side of my neck. My neck arched, allowing him better access.
Rowan’s breath went ragged. His teeth teased my earlobe, dragging a moan from me. He went still, let out a wicked chuckle, and did it again. Fingers slid over bare skin, dragging up over my abdomen, brushing against the underside of my breast.
That strange magic inside me came roaring to life, screaming Mine in my head over and over again.
I went pliant in his arms, reaching back to drag my fingers through his hair.
Rowan shifted me onto my back and loomed over me, hazel eyes bright with gold.
He dipped his head and claimed my lips in a hot open-mouthed kiss.
I met the demand, opening my legs to allow him to settle in between them, the evidence of his want pressing against my core.
His clever fingers slid downward, past the elastic of my joggers and found—
Rowan let out a violent curse as his hand found only bare skin. “Gods, Evie.”
I dragged my hands down the front of his bare chest, that magic still screaming inside my head. Rowan looked at me, swallowed hard, and let his fingers drift lower, sliding into the slickness of my folds.
My lips parted, breath caught.
“Your eyes,” he murmured, dipping his head for another kiss. Our tongues tangled, his fingers stroking a rhythm beginning to drive me mad.
“Rowan,” I moaned.
He slipped a finger inside, sending my hips bucking. A ragged cry tore from my throat, swallowed by Rowan’s lips. He put his mouth on my neck and dragged a kiss down my collarbone, his other hand pushing my thin sweater up.
His hot tongue swept over the peak of my nipple, and those clever fingers continued to work.
Oh gods. “Rowan, I’m—We—” My back arched from the couch, ragged gasps and moans dragging as a crescendo built within me with every clever touch.
“So fucking beautiful,” Rowan murmured. His thumb swept over my clitoris, tipping me over the edge. Stars burst behind my eyes. My throat went hoarse as I bucked against his hand. Magic swept over the room, a blast of power that shattered the windows, and still pleasure held me in its wicked grip.
“Evie,” Rowan moaned, his body highlighted in power the color of watermelon tourmaline. “Gods.”
My hands swept down his broad back and pushed at his joggers. He sucked in a breath as I slid them down.
“Evie.”
I pushed at his chest until he was on his back. Looming above him, soaked in power, Rowan’s eyes went wide with desire.
“Your eyes, Evie. They’re different.”
I slid down his body, exploring every scar and lean muscle with my lips. Rowan sucked in a breath as I went lower. “Evie, we don’t—”
“Shut up,” I snarled.
Rowan let out a bark of hoarse laughter, which quickly turned into a shout when my lips closed over the tip of him. His hands buried in my hair as I tasted him. Desire pooled in my core, even after the release that had rocked me only moments before.
My hand slid around him, reveling in the hard, silky feel of him.
All thoughts other than Rowan’s pleasure flew out of my head.
All my doubt was gone, the only thing to focus on was him.
Our eyes met. Rowan’s heavy-lidded with pleasure, a ring of molten gold around his irises, and mine casting a strange azure-gold glow over his body.
My hand stroked up his shaft, and my tongue swirled around the silky head.
“Fuck. Evie.” He gritted his teeth and arched his neck. A low moan came from his throat as his hips bucked. I worked him, reveling in his pleasure. His scent drowned me, and I sensed the moment he lost control.
A sharp shout ripped from his throat. Claws slid from his fingertips, the sound of fabric tearing as release found him. Magic snapped between us, tightening that bond, but deeper, more ancient magic swirled around us, waiting for that moment when we joined as one.
Even when the sound of his pleasure quieted, and I collapsed against him, I still wanted him. Rowan reached down and dragged me up, holding me against his chest, my head tucked under his chin.
Silence dragged on, the only sounds in the room that of our ragged breath.
“Fuck,” he breathed after a few moments. “I—I didn’t mean to get carried away.”
“Rowan?”
“Mmm?”
“Shut up.”
He snorted. “How about this?”
I tilted my head up to look at him.
“How about we do that every single day from now until eternity?”
I chuckled, even as my cheeks burned with embarrassment. “I didn’t mean to be quite so forward. My magic rose, and instinct led me.”
“I like your instincts.”
I lightly smacked him on his chest.
He tilted my chin up. “Seriously, though. You can touch me anywhere, anytime, any way you want to. You can interrupt any meeting, shut the door, and have your way with me. I don’t care who I’m speaking to or what I’m working on.
Shit. I don’t even care if you turn my computer off. Let everyone else know how lucky I am.”
I smiled against his chest. “There’s something I need to tell you.”
Rowan stilled. “Okay?” He didn’t sound worried, but what I was about to tell him was a little weird. “Is it about that other magic that keeps reaching out for me?”
I jerked my head up. “You feel it too?”
“How could I not?” His eyes crinkled with a smile. “Whatever it is has a serious crush on me. And your eyes get super weird, especially today.”
I groaned. “Are you familiar with fae mating bonds?”
Rowan went very, very still. “Some. They aren’t very common.”
“I think I’m experiencing one.” I cleared my throat. “With you. It’s a little disconcerting.”
His fingers stroked down my back. “Huh. How about that?”
I peered at him. “You aren’t even a little bit freaked out?”
His brow furrowed. “Why would I be? I didn’t think double bonds existed, but to have the opportunity to be mated on both sides of my nature is an honor few, if any people, ever experienced.” His chest lifted in a sigh. “I’m in love with you, Evie. I have been for a while.”
My heart stuttered. I suspected but hearing him say the words brought my world to a screeching halt. He loved me. Without conditions.
“I’m all in. I would never say no to this magic, or whatever it is that calls me to you.
I feel it in my chest, but I also feel that strange tug.
The magic feels like some sort of compulsion spell drawing us to each other.
I can sense this intellect looking at me through your eyes sometimes.
” He chuckled. “And every time I sense it, I can smell your desire kick up a few notches.”
I squeezed my eyes shut. “Gods.”
Rowan clicked his tongue. “Don’t be embarrassed. Desire for one’s potential mate is the highest compliment. There’s a period when the mating bond completes that turns a male into a complete rutting machine.”
He laughed at my expression. “If you let this happen between us, don’t be surprised if I’m jumping out of corners, reaching for your skirts.”
“I don’t wear skirts.”
“Just keep wearing no underwear in those joggers, and we won’t have a problem.”
“Rogue,” I said with a chuckle.
He brought me in for a tighter hug. “You have training this morning?”
I groaned. “Yes.”
He stroked a hand down my hair. “I have a few meetings later on. I’ll meet you outside in a few hours if you want.”
I nodded. “Sounds good.”
Rowan made no move to leave. “Bears have an inherent lazy streak,” he mused. “It can be quite problematic.”
I pressed a kiss against his chest. “Oh? How lazy?”
His fingers drifted down my back and cupped my rear end. “Never too lazy for that.”
My lips curved, but everything we’d just done sank in. I was playing with fire and gods, was it difficult to stop. “Rowan?”
“Hmm?”
“I care about you. Very, very much. I’m not sure what the future holds, but right now, I hope you’re in it with me.”
He let out a slow breath. “Me too, Evie. Me too.”