Chapter 35
JULIET
“What are you doing?” I had to swallow a few times before getting my question out.
But I can’t be seeing this right.
Roderick shrugs, fingering the item he just pulled from his backpack.
My breath comes faster when he leans back against a tree, as if he’s just taking a moment to himself.
To read.
His strong hands, which so expertly dug into rocky crevices a moment ago, now cradle a paperback. With his chin tilting downward and eyes focused on the page, it’s as if the world around him ceases to exist.
Which means I get to gawk at him without being disturbed.
Roderick is just as sexy reading as I imagined. His bent arms cause a subtle flex in his biceps while a muscle along his neck tenses to hold his head in place.
I’m going to need to lose a few pieces of clothing to deal with this smoldering view.
The thought inspires an idea.
“How good is your hearing?” I ask.
The werewolf glances up at me, closing the book on his thumb to hold his place. “With it quiet like this, I can hear a herd of deer grazing about a mile north of us.”
I glance around at what seems like our private outdoors getaway. “So, you’re saying you’d be able to tell me if any other hikers were approaching us?”
He nods.
“Are there?”
Headshake.
“We’re alone?”
Nod.
“Good.” I clap my hands together, decided. “Get your ass on the grass. I’m not sure how much longer I can stand not having you inside me.”
Roderick stares at me for a second, then tosses the book to the side and drops down to comply. Following my commands, like he agreed he would.
Good werewolf.
After toeing off my shoes, I reach for my waistband. The wind pushes cool air against my skin that has me shivering as I shuck off my leggings, but I don’t care. Who needs to worry about the cold when they’re about to have a furnace of a mythical creature between their legs?
Roderick watches me, eyes darkening with a hungry lust. The sight still brings on an anxious twinge, but I think being with Roderick is almost like desensitization therapy. Slowly but surely, I am associating black eyes with pleasure instead of pain.
I’m not healed from my past, but some wounds are scarring over. Making me stronger than I was before.
Standing ass out midday on the shores of a mountain lake is also a weird sort of invigorating. Especially when my companion doesn’t look at me like I’m Winnie-the-Pooh, but rather a jar of honey he wants to lick.
Another shiver shakes my body, but I’m not sure it’s the wind this time. Either way, I hurry over, then settle myself into Roderick’s lap.
A happy hum sneaks out of my chest at the immediate temperature change.
I might as well be straddling a radiator.
His warmth presses against my center, along with a hard ridge under his hiking pants.
Before I can reach between us to do something about that, my werewolf shoves a curious set of hands under my shirt, pushing the fabric up, along with the elastic of my sports bra.
The chill of the day touches my nipples only long enough to pucker them. Then they’re being soothed by his tongue and rough palm.
I gasp, rocking my hips and clutching the back of his neck.
Pleasure streaks through me at every suck of his lips and pinch of his fingers. There must be direct communication between the sensitive peaks and my clit because I already feel a rising tide of pleasure between my legs.
And then—oh gods—the noises Roderick makes. Every shift of my hips or drag of my nails earns me a growl. Another item I can check off my list as reclaimed. The animalistic sounds should terrify me, but these are so clearly Roderick’s that I can’t even pretend to think he sounds anything like my ex.
His teeth give my nipple a gentle bite, and I almost come. Just from that.
But I want him inside me when the orgasm hits. Feeling myself clench around him makes the pleasure go on longer, hit stronger.
My fingers dive between us, unbuttoning his fly, tugging down the zipper, and pushing fabric aside until his member pops free, jutting up, as if eager to finally be joining the party.
When I wrap my fist around his cock, Roderick’s growl morphs into a groan, and he rests his forehead on my collarbone.
Each one of his panting breaths teases my wet, aching nipples.
A bead of moisture seeps from the tip of him, and I use the evidence of his arousal to help my grip pump up and down his length.
Roderick buries his face in my neck, palms moving to cup my ass. “I want inside,” he grumbles against my skin.
“Good thing I came prepared.” I reach over to my bag and extract a condom from the outer pocket.
If Roderick was going to form words into a response, he loses them to the growl that comes when I roll on the protection.
This is secondary, not exactly necessary with the hormonal birth control I’m on, but I’m glad to have it anyway.
More comfortable that I’m the one in charge of the contraception and that he didn’t try to convince me to go bare just because it might feel better for him.
Roderick always makes me feel safe in every possible way.
And, gods, it’s fucking hot.
I shiver with need, pressing my knees into the grass so I can lever myself up. Then gradually, inch by delicious inch, I lower myself back down. Only, this time, Roderick’s dick slips into my wet heat. I swear I can feel the length of him throbbing.
“Gods.” His word comes out harsh, like a curse. Then, “Juliet,” which sounds like a prayer.
He stretches me, and for a moment, I simply sit and enjoy the sensation. Then I set the pace that makes my insides want to melt, moaning encouragement when Roderick supports my thighs to help keep the rhythm.
“I want to fuck you forever,” I sob, brain addled from the pleasure.
“Yes,” he grunts. “Forever.” Roderick reaches between us to massage my clit. “Mine.”
And I come with that word ringing in my ears.