Chapter 22 #2
As his body tensed, he lowered his lips to mine, his hand clamping around my face. There was still such tenderness in the man locked inside the beast, his thumb caressing my jaw as he finally allowed himself to release, erupting deep inside.
He threw back his head, offering another howl that sent chills down my spine and as I clung to him, I realized what I’d done.
As he gathered me in his arms, nuzzling his face into my neck, the single word whispered was one I’d expected to hear.
“Mine.”
* * *
Did I believe he would protect me?
Yes.
Would I like to hunt Bubba down? You bet.
“When are the tryouts again?” I asked as I rolled my hands around his butt cheeks, squeezing his gluteus maximus several times before shifting to his lower back while easing my butt onto his thighs. In doing so, a moment of blatant desire tore through me.
My, wasn’t I a horny little girl?
“September, but I heard they might do traditional tryouts even earlier. It’s also possible Vancouver will call me up. It’s all up in the air after the shit with the playoffs.”
The moment I smacked his bottom with every ounce of strength I had in my arm, he threw his head back with his eyes opening wide. “Ouch! What are you doing?”
“Reminding you that being a grumpy little boy doesn’t look good on you.”
He even cursed under his breath, but at least I’d captured his attention. “I’m just stating facts. I lost a major sponsor, which is what guys like me live for. You know, our pictures on billboards, our name on tee shirts?”
“Ah, a picture on the Wheaties box.” I rubbed the flats of my hands up his back, marveling in his muscular structure all over again. Man, the guy could turn me on and my pussy was sore. Even the scratches on my back ached, reminding me I was human and not a wolf.
But fucking in the forest had been tremendous fun.
“Exactly. At least you get it. I thought I had a guy then poof, the chance was taken away. My agent is shit as well. He’s all but disappeared, but I don’t have anything to negotiate for a better contract. I anticipate I’ll be dropped as a client soon.”
“There are other agents, you know.”
His snort was positively beastly. “The good ones are all taken.”
“Which means you must do your best at the tryout. So… you and I are going to work together to make that happen.”
He shifted back and forth, which did nothing more than allow me a deep whiff of his very masculine scent. His presence was dangerous for my soul. “And just how do you propose we do that?”
“Do you trust me?”
With the way he pursed his lips when he lifted his head, I knew he was teasing me, but I couldn’t help but smack his bottom again.
“You are so going to get it for that. Of course, I trust you.”
“Then we’re going to work side by side to get you in tiptop shape. Including exercises for your mind. You need a mental and emotional readjustment, which will significantly improve your chances of succeeding. I think you’d look hot on that Wheaties box.”
“You’re worried about my mind? Now, what do you suggest will bring back my emotional state?” He deepened his voice on the last two words.
The tease.
“Hot. Wild. Sex. And often.”
He managed to roll over on his side, pulling me down for one insanely sizzling kiss. Just the way his lips were crushed against mine gave this girl heart palpitations. Even my stomach was fluttering from thousands of butterflies. The night in the forest had been…
Well, very private. God know what would happen if I mentioned our romp on the woods to anyone.
After he swept his tongue inside, driving me nuts, I pushed him away and licked my lips while rolling him back onto his stomach.
“You know. I would think sex would make a man of your size relax.” I’d remained straddling his thighs, still concerned about his ribs while offering a deep tissue massage. However, he certainly didn’t seem as if he was in any kind of pain. In fact, the man had been euphoric since we’d returned.
I wasn’t going to try to ask any questions about why his cock had grown to twice the size.
Sure, I was like every other red-blooded horny female and had read omega versus alpha romance books.
Knotting was a term that seemed to excite all the romance readers.
I almost fell into a fit of laughter realizing that’s what he’d done to me.
If that was truly possible.
Just until a month before, I hadn’t known shifters were a real thing or that I’d have my own personal wolf lying under me. Of course after providing the hottest sex I’d ever had.
In the woods. At night. In the rain.
We’d fucked like animals and I was already eager to do so again. What exactly did that make me? Oh, yes, crazy as a loon.
“Do I not feel relaxed?”
“Not even a little bit.” I rolled my palms to his shoulders, being gentler than with other areas in his back, but from what I could tell, his shoulder had completely healed.
He sighed and eased his arms under the pillow. The man did have a wicked smile on his face, much like I’d seen in the forest. “Maybe because some chick makes me horny.”
“You can’t steal my words and no, you need a massage, not another heart pumping moment.” I was pretty certain that would come again later.
“You are one tough… lady. I assure you this is the face of temporary contentment.”
“Temporary, huh?” I shifted back and forth so I could work on his neck and the friction made me as wet as I’d been before.
Although that was a relative term since I still felt waterlogged.
Between the rain and a hot shower, my skin was puckered.
His? Perfect. Even in the bedroom light, it was glowing.
How was that possible when I likely looked like a dead rat with my stringy hair?
At least I no longer had raccoon eyes. That was a plus.
“Oh, yeah. I’m not done with you yet.”
“I’ll say when we’re done.” I continued the massage while studying his face. Was it possible he was even more handsome or was I just lost in the continued throes of lust? Maybe a little of both.
“If you say so.” His yawn was a pleasurable sight. I wasn’t certain the man even slept. Besides, I could snoop around his house if I wanted. My, wasn’t I a wicked girl tonight?
While he buried his face into the pillow, I continued rubbing while thinking about the night.
And not just about our passion either. He’d been more incensed by Bubba’s appearance than he wanted to let on.
I’d asked him about it once and he’d done nothing but grin.
But his eyes had told a different story.
I wasn’t immune to sensing danger. The man, along with the two women who’d been vying for best actress awards, had waited for the perfect opportunity to approach him.
For what purpose?
After a couple of minutes of me continuing to rub, he appeared as if asleep, his breathing even. Tormenting him was far too tempting. Leaning over, I blew in his ear, enjoying how he murmured but didn’t wake up.
With a dark chuckle, I raked my nail down his spine while shifting further down his legs. God, his butt was a sculpture created by the gods.
My mouth watered with every inch I moved lower until I reached the tops of his thighs. As well as the thick bulge between them.
I fanned my face as soon as heat crested across my jaw. Was it terrible of me to feel such intense desire when I had no idea where this was going? Um, hell, no. I was a woman after all. I bit back a laugh even as I brushed a fingertip across his scrotum, enjoying the husky moan.
When I repeated the sinful action, I wasn’t bothering to pay attention to his reaction.
Bad move on my part.
There was not a single movement from his hulking body before he tossed me over onto my back, yanking my arms into the air.
He had the benefit of my legs being tangled in the sheets, but I kicked out anyway, doing what I could to free myself.
He was far too strong and grinned in a way that allowed me to know he had no intention of letting me go.
“Now, what exactly did you think you were doing, little girl?”
I dipped my chin toward my breasts since they remained exposed. “In case you haven’t noticed, I’m not a little girl, but I was trying to annoy a very bad little boy.”
There was something so playful about him as he pressed his full erect cock against my stomach. “Apparently you need glasses. I’m definitely not a little boy.”
“That’s a matter of opinion.”
His smile covered his entire face, but as our laughter faded, so did his expression of joy. “Do you trust me?”
“What kind of question is that?”
“A straightforward one. You asked me if I trusted you so I’m tossing back the same question. Do you trust me?”
The sudden shift to being serious confused the hell out of me. “Yes, I do. Why?” A prickle of heat slipped down my back. I knew once he heard about what I’d gone through, he’d never let it go. Damn it, I was right.
“Then why didn’t you tell me you’d escaped a life of abuse? Did you honestly think I was going to use that against you?”
Shit. Shit.
Squirming, all I could think about was protecting myself.
Not because I thought he’d hurt me, but because once again, it felt as if facing the past would someone destroy the present.
“Not telling wasn’t about trusting you, although I’ve begun to question myself.
Keeping the story locked away was about protecting me. My heart. My soul. All of me.”
“That’s my job, princess. If you’d let go.”
“Letting go isn’t easy. Besides, I can protect myself.”
He lowered his head, not as if he was going to kiss me, but with a look that screamed he was willing to hunt the man down. Maybe I should let him.
“You’re just a girl. A little bitty girl. I’m a wolf.”
“Uh-huh. Do you want me to smack your butt again?”
“Do and you suffer the consequences.” His warning was almost too good to pass up.
Another playful moment that created a strange sense of urgency. “Since we’re going to break down all these walls, what about the woman you can’t mention? Don’t you trust me enough to talk about what happened somewhere in your past?”