Chapter Sixteen
Seraphina
When I got back inside, I hastily threw on my clothes. I shut the night out and tried to stop thinking about what I’d seen. The wind’s bitter chill had settled deep into my bones, and my leggings and tank top did little to shut out the cold.
I heated a cup of milk in the microwave, the rhythmic hum connecting me to the present, albeit momentarily. Stirring in some dark hot chocolate powder, I let the aroma conjure a myriad of memories—Tyler and I laughing and baking together in this very kitchen.
The heady scent, both rich and sweet, comforted me. I closed my eyes, inhaling it and letting it soothe me. Yet, too soon, the thought of Tyler being elsewhere clawed its way back into my mind. I could see him sitting on that couch, with Linda leaning in, her fingers grazing his arm. The bitter seed of jealousy took root in my stomach again, twisting tighter, suffocating the warmth of happier memories.
My heart thudded with agitation as I made my way up to my bedroom. I ran my brush through my tangled locks, the feeling evoking the familiar movement made by Tara and Selina when they combed my hair. Tyler was probably just at Linda’s on pack business.
I tried to get my mind off it, settling down in front of my altar and lighting some white sage incense. But every moment that the house remained silent grated against me. He still hadn’t returned, and it was getting late. Her touching his arm replayed in my head, each thought sending that familiar roil of jealousy churning anew.
Frustrated, I set the brush down and settled cross-legged in front of my altar, lighting white sage incense and watching the tendrils of fragrant smoke curl into the air. But the silence of the house taunted me, every moment stretching taut with longing.
I couldn’t bear the thought of Tyler and Linda together. It was like poison coursing through my veins. The idea of him being intimate with her made me break out in a cold sweat, and as I tried my hot chocolate again, even its rich taste seemed bitter.
As I fixated on Tyler, I felt as if I were conjuring him from the depths of my longing. He was so vivid in my thoughts: his tall, muscular figure clad in jeans and a plaid shirt, his short brown hair framing his bright blue stare. I could almost hear his laughter and the fierce yet gentle energy radiating from him that both settled and thrilled me.
Determined, I sprang to my feet, a newfound resolve coursing through me. I needed to find him. I needed to tell him what I had left unsaid. Tyler had heard from my lips that Logan was my fated mate, but he remained unaware that I had no feelings for him. My heart beat only for Tyler.
Charging downstairs, I stepped into the kitchen, a rush of hope swirling in my chest. I’d only gotten halfway across the room when the back door burst open.
My breath caught in my throat. Tyler filled the space, his form silhouetted against the night. He only wore a thin sweater, jeans, and boots. The cold had gotten to his cheeks, a line of color on his cheekbones. His body was tense, hunched against the winter wind at his back. His head bowed down—he hadn’t noticed me yet.
He kicked the door shut. The movement was more forceful than he’d clearly intended as the bang resounded in the silence. His gaze shot upward as if he were worried he’d disturbed me. That’s when his bright blue eyes found me.
I stood frozen, my heart thumping, a swelling wave of need crashing over me again. The deep yearning that I’d felt during these long, torturous days apart consumed me. I had been starved of his presence, and now he was here, breathing the same air I was—his chest rising and falling rapidly as if matching the frantic tempo of my heart.
“Seraphina,” he breathed, saying my name like an incantation. His low voice was enough to spark tremors through me.
As my breath quickened, his name was on my tongue in a heartbeat. “Tyler.”
He strode forward, the space between us closing in an instant. When he pulled me into him, I gasped, taken aback by the heat radiating from him. I had expected him to feel cold, a remnant of the bitter wind, but instead, his skin burned against mine. That’s when I noticed the dilated pupils and the blaze in his eyes. Had he returned here thinking of me, too? Could it be that the longing that had been eating me alive was echoed in him? Could this moment mean he felt just as much for me, even without our mate bond?
I wanted to ask him to break the thick tension lingering between us, but before I could form the words, his mouth crashed into mine.
As he kissed me, my own feelings sizzled up like fireworks. Everywhere Tyler touched me lit up as glorious need coursed through me.
I whimpered as his tongue found mine, tasting me, tangling with my own as if he were famished. His hands wound through my hair until they slipped down to my tank top and began to tug it off.
I lifted my arms eagerly, feeling bereft without the connection of his lips as we pulled apart for that brief moment. His bright blue stare raked over me, dipping down to the swell of my breasts, hungry and appreciative.
“Goddess, you’re beautiful,” he murmured, planting kisses and licking his way down the column of my neck. The intensity in his voice sent shivers through me as much as his touch did. His desire enveloped me, and I felt an electric charge sparking between us, pulling tighter and tighter until it was nearly impossible to breathe.
In one sweeping motion, he lifted me effortlessly, pressing me back against the sturdy oak table. Its cool surface contrasted sharply with the heat radiating from Tyler’s body over mine. The sensation of the solid wood against my skin heightened my awareness, making every inch of him feel even more intoxicatingly warm. He stared at me as if I were the most mouth-watering confection he’d ever put on this table. Which, for all the decadent desserts we’d made right here, really was saying something. He kissed his way down my chest, licking and teasing the swell of my breasts. I gasped, my hands grasping his shoulders as I lost myself to the sensations, feeling my body turn as molten as a chocolate lava cake.
He unclipped my bra, sliding it off, then grasped my wrists, pinning them above my head as he captured my nipple between his lips. I moaned as he tasted and teased my breasts. The combination of his mouth on my breasts and the firm hold he had on me made the feeling build in me.
“Tyler, Tyler.” This time, his name was heavy with need. I wanted more than just his kisses. I was aching for him, to feel him deep inside me.
He let go of me but only to pull off my leggings, bringing my knickers with them. As the fabric slid down my legs and the whisper of material landed on the floor, I felt deliciously bare. The intensity of want in his eyes ignited every part of me. His eyes tracking over my exposed skin had warmth pooling between my legs even before he’d touched me there.
His nostrils flared as he smelled my arousal, and he ran his thumb along my inner thigh, teasingly slow as he bent down. The look he gave was so decadent, his intent on tasting every part of me written there so clearly.
He dove in with fervor, his lips trailing up the soft skin behind my knees, a fiery rush of desire propelling him upward. His movements were frantic and consuming as he reached the apex of my thighs, his body igniting a blaze against my skin. When he kissed that sensitive spot, I groaned, the sound echoing in the silent kitchen—a raw expression of need.
“Tyler,” my voice broke, the word laced with a mix of longing and impatience.
“I’m going to devour you,” he growled, his blue eyes darkening with an insatiable hunger.
True to his word, his mouth devoured me with fierce urgency. His tongue delved deep. A gasp escaped my lips, turning into a moan as I bucked against him, my body a taut wire strumming with need. Each flick and swirl sent ripples of ecstasy surging through me. I felt the world blur around us as sensation overwhelmed my senses, crashing over me like a raging river, pulling me into its depths.
“Please,” I gasped, arching my back and crying out.
Just as I thought I might drown, he surfaced with a devilish smile.
The way he looked at me—a visceral mixture of lust and longing—made my skin prickle with exhilaration. I felt vulnerable yet empowered, this beautiful kind of surrender paired with deep hunger, one perfectly mirrored in Tyler’s expression and body language.
I shot up, needing to feel his skin against mine, and greedily wrenched off his sweater. My fingers roved over his taut, muscled chest—worshipping every hard line of him, down to his flat stomach and the thin trail of dark hair that led lower.
I licked my lips in anticipation of what I wanted to taste, the bulge and feel of him through his jeans driving me wild. Swiftly, I undid his button. The sound of his zipper sent a wave of heady expectation pounding through me. I was hardly able to contain my excitement as his cock sprang free, hard and thick—and right before me. My mouth watered at the sight, and I couldn’t help but grasp him firmly, my thumb gliding over the head and thrilling at Tyler’s sharp intake of breath.
But before I could taste him, Tyler growled, grabbing me and turning me around to face the table. My breath hitched as he parted my thighs and stepped between them, fitting himself against my back. I could feel the warmth of his body radiating against my back, a tantalizing promise of what was to come.
“Seraphina,” he whispered, his voice thick with lust, his breath hot against my ear. “I need you.”
With one thrust, he buried himself in me, filling me with his warmth. I gasped as he claimed me, each thrust bringing him deeper and sending shocks of pleasure through me. Instinctively, I rolled back into him with every thrust, pushing him deeper inside. The groan he awarded me with had me quickening our pace as our need climbed together.
His fingers found their way to my clit, and he began to tease, stroking me until I bucked against him, moaning as blinding pleasure built within me. His free hand found its way to my breast, teasing my nipple as he kept up a devastating rhythm with his other hand. My legs felt weak, and I had to plant my hands on the table, straining my arms to stay upright, each thrust of his hips relentless as the sound of skin meeting skin flooded my senses.
The world faded away as we moved together in a rhythm that matched the wild beat of our hearts. Desire cocooned us, thick and intoxicating, building until it engulfed everything. Every doubt fell away as I was swept up in the wonder of us again. As he brought me closer to the edge, all thoughts disappeared, utterly consumed by Tyler. This was how we were meant to be.
“Tyler! Yes!” I cried, my voice rising as a powerful climax tore through me. In a moment, Tyler found his release, too, letting out a guttural cry. Aftershocks of pleasure rippled through us as Tyler laid his hot cheek against my back, and I collapsed against the table, feeling both his panting breath and his racing heart against me.
Gradually, as rational thought returned in the wake of our desire, the first trickle of worry returned to me. I couldn’t help remembering the last time we’d done this together and how, afterward, Tyler had… regretted it. My throat tightened, and I almost didn’t want to move for fear that this exquisite feeling might crumble around us.
When our breaths had steadied, Tyler ghosted his fingers through my hair and peppered kisses down my back before drawing out of me. The absence of him created a fleeting ache, but as he turned me around, it was swiftly eclipsed by the insatiable look in his eyes. He lifted me into his strong arms, and I wrapped my legs around his waist, my arms encircling his neck.
He was already walking us out of the kitchen. “Where are we going?” I asked, still a little breathless.
His grin was lopsided, a spark of mischief dancing in his eyes, but there was an edge to his voice that hinted at a deeper desire. “Your room or mine—I don’t care,” he replied, his words tumbling out with a breathless urgency. “But I’ve nowhere near had my fill of you.” His low voice sent a shiver down my spine, making my toes curl in heady anticipation.
As he mounted the stairs, carrying me effortlessly, a giddy excitement surged through me, desire sparking in my veins. Tyler’s bright blue eyes locked onto mine, still blazing with that primal heat. I could feel the unmistakable pressure of his arousal hardening against my ass, sending a thrill through me. In that moment, I didn’t care where we were going; I was consumed by the unrestrained want radiating from him, utterly lost in the intoxicating connection between us.