18. Willow
Chapter eighteen
Willow
Jeremy hovers, breath misting mine, our mouths a hair-width apart. Waiting for me to come to him. My belly heats as I close the distance.
From the moment he entered the house, that scent of his lingered in my nose, every inhale drawing it deeper inside to a place that feasts on the alpha musk. Green, living and herb-laden, like a farmers’ market garden. A scent I’ve almost forgotten after so many years house-bound.
Breathing it this close makes me soak through my panties in one hit.
Both the scent and his friendly good humor puts me at ease. I pictured having sex with a guy but not laughing while he made snacks in my kitchen.
Now, his mouth, flavored with beef and hummus, presses to mine, sucking gently on my lips between kisses.
A soft whimper escapes me. Mr Shares leans against my thigh, letting me know he’s close.
Jeremy takes hold of my waist and pulls me closer, until my shoulder curls into his chest. He runs his tongue across the seam of my lips, teasing.
Warmth flushes through me, burning away my inhibitions. I open, sealing our lips tighter and touching my tongue to his. His other hand cradles my neck, keeping my face turned toward him. His big fingers gently graze my skin, and his alpha scent flows around me, deeper and spicier than before.
I pull back, panting for air.
He looks down at me, eyes sparkling. His brown irises carry beautiful green mica points inside that seem to catch and hold the daylight. For a moment he says nothing, just strokes my cheek, as if he’s examining a work of art.
“What do you want to do?” he murmurs, releasing me.
I look down at my plate, blinking to clear the swoon. My body sings for him, but I guess I’m still a little nervous.
“I . . . I don’t want this food to go to waste.”
His smile widens, revealing a brilliant, playboy grin. Jeremy doesn’t feel like a stranger; more like a cheeky neighborhood boy who likes to tease but always has your back when the shit goes down. Not that I ever had a friend like that. Always wanted one, though.
I clear my throat and straighten up on the stool.
He follows my lead and calmly goes back to eating. I miss his touch already, so I slide my hand over on the counter, palm up.
Jeremy puts his hand into mine and links our fingers, a smile tugging at his mouth as he chews. So natural, it’s startling.
My fingers tingle where they touch his warm skin. Every now and then he gently squeezes or runs his thumb over mine, as if we’ve always done this. The rigid sensation that formed in my chest the moment I first felt heat symptoms melts away.
When I finish eating, Jeremy takes my plate and washes it, wiping the bench and sink over as he finishes.
“I have some questions for you, if that’s okay?” He studies me with a thoughtful gaze.
I nod and walk to the couch, doing my best not to limp. Jeremy slides in close enough for our knees to touch and takes my hand, not even raising an eyebrow when Mr Shares climbs up on my other side.
“How to you want to do things? Do you have any rules?”
I scrunch up my nose. “Didn’t you read my profile?”
“There was paperwork, sure,” he confirms. “But I want to hear it from you.”
He lifts our joined hands to his lips.
My heart flutters. “Um, well. Let the dog out into the front yard a few times a day. Not the back; he can escape from there.”
His mouth quirks. I stare at the turn of his lips, wondering what’s amused him.
“And where’s the dog food?”
“Laundry. One container of the food is in the fridge there, but let it come to room temperature first, plus a scoop of biscuits in the evening. I left a printout on the wall.”
“Of course you did.”
I snap upright to see if he’s mocking, but he’s tilted his head to one side, leaning it on his arm hooked on the back of the lounge. Nothing in his expression appears cynical.
“That’s Mr Shares’ needs taken care of.” He strokes the back of my hand. “Now what about yours?”
Oh, so that’s why he was smiling. I chuckle under my breath. His pronounced knuckles rub through my fingers. I unlink our hands to run my finger over one, mapping the size. How would he even get a ring over one of these?
It feels foreign for an alpha to ask me what I want. “Um, don’t ask me to go outside. Don’t ask about my scars.”
His gaze flicks to my body, but he keeps his curiosity locked down. “Anything else?”
I chew on my lip. Do I sound like a tyrant? Don’t do this, don’t do that.
Jeremy captures my hand in his. “Willow? This moment is all about you, so I really want to do my best.”
All about me. Not about alphas taking their pleasure. The weight on my shoulders evaporates.
“Please,” I whisper, swallowing hard. “Don’t leave before I tell you to go. Don’t dine and dash.”
Something flickers in his eyes, but I look away from it. I don’t need pity, and the vulnerability stings.
He reaches out and lifts my chin. “I absolutely will not leave you until you say. I’m here for you, Willow.”
A twinge runs through me, bringing with it a burst of inner heat. Even if I’ve paid for him to be here, that tenderness streaming off him promises to cherish me. I melt.
“What about you?” I ask, trying to remember if the clinic provided a list of the alpha’s boundaries. I’m having a hard time recalling any specifics.
“You,” he breathes out. “Anything you give me, I want.”
Sounds almost like a confession. Turning to face him, I close my hands experimentally around his shoulders. He’s a perfect fit, broad and tall enough for our faces to meet even though he’s slouched down. My gaze drifts to his mouth, the phantom taste of him sparking a fresh batch of desire.
Jeremy lifts me until I straddle his lap. After he smooths my skirt over my thighs, his warm hand settles behind my head, and he tugs me closer until our mouths meet. This time when we kiss, there’s no holding back. We’re both hungry, teased by an hour of flirting and rising pheromones.
It’s been years since I held someone this close.
All this time, I thought I didn’t need anyone, but now that I have an alpha in my arms, my desperation for contact explodes.
Not just any alpha—Jeremy. This big, tender man with the oversized hands and wide jaw, and eyes that tell me I’m the most desirable woman he’s ever seen.
He deepens the kiss, chasing my tongue first and then my panted breaths. When I gasp, he trails his mouth along my jawline, placing soft kisses on my tender skin until I shiver all over. His ragged breaths gust over my ear, bringing heat boiling under my skin. I need more.
When he nibbles down my neck, I thrust experimentally across his lap.
Jeremy tugs my collar to one side with his teeth, and then he grasps my hips, encouraging my moves. When he pulls our bodies closer, the hard length inside his jeans grinds into me. My heart stutters. He’s big. Like real big. Most alphas are, but now I’m even more excited to see.
“You like that?” he whispers into my neck.
My cheeks burn as I nod.
“Hmm,” he murmurs. “It’s all yours, when you’re ready.” To prove his point, he tips me back and tugs my spread legs deeper into his groin. The friction is so delicious I moan.
“Oh, that’s my good girl.”
His words start an avalanche inside, blood and tingling rushing though me in a sudden swell. I hiccup.
Jeremy chuckles. “You like that too?”
He doesn’t expect an answer; instead, he grinds up into me, fanning the flames coming to life in my pussy. My scent flares around us. I wriggle, hoping it’s not too off putting for him.
The alpha breathes deeply. “Willow, you smell so amazing.”
Is he a mind reader or what? Even before my insecurities fully bloom, he’s reassuring me.
His nose tracks down my decolletage. “I just want to breathe this all day.”
He supports my back with one hand and shifts the other around my waist to my blouse, toying with the hem.
I suck my cheeks in against the sudden need to rip my clothes off and rub myself all over him. I’m a big girl; I can wait a little longer.
No, maybe I can’t. And I don’t need to hold back, do I? Warmth and pressure bloom all through my hips and I gyrate with more energy over that ridiculous bulge.
“I can feel you,” he murmurs, breath catching. “Fuck, you’re beautiful.”
His fingers graze the bare skin over my navel.
I grab his hand and run it under my blouse, eager for more touch. My nipples ache at the thought of his hands on my breasts. Jeremy grunts softly and dips his hand right under my bouse, those splayed fingers covering most of my belly.
Straightening over his lap, I undo the top button of his plaid shirt. When I pause to see how he reacts, the alpha smiles.
“Go on.”
The second button pops loose, revealing a curl of dark chest hair. I lift my gaze shyly.
Jeremy releases me and undoes the rest of his buttons, tugging his shirt until it hangs loose at his sides.
He’s broad. Not ripped or chiseled, but just pleasantly normal with hints of muscle moving under his sun-tanned skin.
Dark brown hair peppers around his pectorals, with small nipples crowning them.
His body hair thickens as it runs down past his navel and disappears inside his bunched jeans.
The alpha takes my hands and places them on his chest, holding my wrists to keep them locked against his body.
The fine hair tickles my fingers, making me giggle.
A second later, his heartbeat thuds under my palm.
I glance up in surprise and find his eyes gleaming with emotion.
He’s enjoying this contact as much as I am.
I gasp in a breath. Slick and heat explode in my pussy, trickling down my leg.
“Jeremy,” I murmur, diving into his chest.
His scent explodes like a cloud I can taste, telling me he’s sensed my slick.
The first true sign of an omega ready for sex.
Our touches grow urgent. Jeremy skips my delicate buttons and peels the blouse right over my head. I shrug the last way out and reach around my back to unclasp my bra, throwing it onto the couch. I press my chest to his, moaning as our bare skin connects. A shiver runs through his body.
Jeremy clutches my back, fingers digging into my shoulder blades, exploring the dips in my lower back.
Panting, I strip the shirt off his arms and seal my lips to his.
We writhe, gasping heated breaths into each other’s mouths and whispering our names.
His chest pulses with soft groans as I thrust over his covered cock.
“Willow, honey, you’re going to break me in half,” he whispers. Despite his words, he grips my thigh and rides me over himself more.
I grin and get to my feet, backing up slowly.
Jeremy surges up from the couch and lifts me, bouncing me up onto his waist.
“I’m going to take you to your nest now. Is that okay?” he asks, kissing my throat.
This alpha always checks for my opinion and wants to know about my needs. No one’s ever asked about my preferences this way, not in my entire life. An emotion I can’t name floods through my heart.
“Yes. More than okay.”
I cling to him as he strides to the nest, shivering and running my hands through his hair and tugging his face up for kisses. The consuming desire rises, burning away my inhibitions. My body pulses with heat and sweat dews my skin.
I need this alpha, now.