Chapter 12
twelve
CALLIE
The sun had set completely, turning on the gorgeous lights strung across the porch, when Hudson returned.
He shifted as he reached the stairs, picking me up wordlessly and holding me to his chest with an iron grip as he carried me inside.
I wrapped my arms around him, hugging him as he headed for the shower.
He washed us both, kissing my neck as his hands moved over my bare body.
And kissing the mark on my shoulder as he made love to me with water falling over our skin.
It was the most beautiful night of my life.
When morning came around, he woke me with his face between my thighs. We didn’t get out of bed until noon—and wandered back soon enough.
On the way to my dad’s place to pick up my things, I grinned as I read messages from Wren about Reed showing up—and refusing to leave, much like Hudson had.
It would take time for her to forgive him, but I was pretty sure she would. She’d been in love with him for years.
We moved my stuff into Hudson’s place, and asked one of the town’s realtors to put my dad’s house on the market.
Then, we spent the next two weeks getting to know each other again, both physically and mentally. The only time we left was to pick up groceries or visit Wren, Reed, and Parker at the bookstore for an hour or two.
The day we were supposed to go to the office for the pregnancy test, I woke up too nervous for sex. The appointment was early, so we just showered, then got in Hudson’s truck.
Instead of taking the turn that would lead into town, he turned away.
“Where are we going?” I asked him.
He flashed me a grin. “I rescheduled the appointment.”
“You what ?”
He put his hand on my thigh. “We’re not together for the sake of breeding, Callie. We’ve got things to settle before we find out whether or not the baby’s coming.”
“I’d like to know what’s going on in my body, actually,” I shot back.
“You will. After we do this.”
“After we do what ?”
“You’ll see. Patience, Cal.”
“Neither of us have any of that, as you damn well know.” I leaned back in my seat, huffing. “I can’t believe you rescheduled the appointment.”
“Can’t you?”
“Fine, I can. I’m just irritated.”
“You won’t be for long. Trust me.”
I did trust him, and my initial anger calmed as he turned onto a dirt road I recognized. We’d gone hiking together a lot when we were teenagers, with him in his bear form. I’d even ridden on his back now and then.
He parked in a small, empty dirt clearing, and got out. When I opened the door, he lifted me out of the truck, setting me on his feet.
“ Hiking is what we have to settle?” I asked, the doubt in my voice clear.
“Yep. Let’s go.” He laced his fingers through mine, and we headed down the trail together. Though it was familiar, I couldn’t remember where this one led.
It still felt nice to be in the forest together, surrounded by nature, though.
“I hope you have a plan,” I said. “Because I’m going to be very irritated if we skipped the appointment and there’s no plan.”
He chuckled. “We’re practicing trust, remember?”
“Right.” I moved a little closer to him as we kept walking, pressing my arm against his.
“Tell me about your favorite class in college. You never mentioned that on the phone,” he said, as we kept walking.
I launched into a story to answer his question, and by the time it was over, we reached a familiar lookout point.
Makeout Point .
I was pretty sure every town had one.
My face flushed as I remembered leaning in and trying to kiss Hudson there during my sophomore year. Some embarrassments would never fade.
I turned to ask Hudson why he’d brought me back, and my mouth closed suddenly.
My eyes widened, too.
He was on one knee, holding a small, black box with a glittering ring inside it.
“Callie,” he said, those gorgeous eyes gleaming as they met mine. “I’ve wanted you for more than a decade. I’ve been yours for just as long. Our situation is abnormal to say the least, but I want this desperately. Say you’ll be mine, for the rest of our lives.”
My eyes stung. “Hud…”
“That’s not really an answer.”
I sputtered an emotional laugh. “Of course I’ll be yours, you big, ridiculous bastard.”
His chest rumbled with his laughter as I threw my arms around his neck and kissed him, hard.
He kissed me back, and I heard the ring box hit the ground, but was too lost in him to care.
“Remember when you tried to kiss me here?” he asked against my mouth, pulling away for a moment.
“Are you trying to kill the mood?” I teased.
He chuckled. “No. I’m reminding you why this is the perfect place for a new start.” Taking my lips again, he pulled me down over his lap, so I could feel his erection against my core.
“We’ve been together so many times the last two weeks, I don’t know how you can still be hard,” I whispered.
“Welcome to Shifter 101. Being near your mate equals wanting to fuck her. Always.”
I laughed. “No wonder most of you guys are afraid of commitment. That’s a lot of sex.”
“No kidding.” He kissed me again. “But I do have a proposition for you.”
“Oh, really?” My voice was playful.
“A new idea, actually. One we haven’t tried.”
“I’m listening.”
He leaned in, brushing his lips against my ear as he whispered, “You let me fuck you from behind.”
Heat rolled through my body. “We haven’t tried that yet?”
“No. I’ve been worried I’ll be too big for you.”
“When has that ever been a problem?”
“Never, actually. Which is why I’m proposing it.”
I smiled. “I’m not against it. When we get home, we can?—”
“Oh, no. The offer only stands right here. Right now. Against that rock.” He gestured to a misshapen boulder that looked fairly smooth.
“You’re insane,” I said, though my body was still warming.
“It’s the mate thing. I’m blaming that.” His hands slipped beneath my shirt, stroking up over my abdomen before finding my breasts.
When he teased my nipples over my bra, I sucked in a breath. They’d been sensitive the last few days, and he was taking advantage of that every chance he got.
“I can smell you getting wet for me,” he murmured into my ear.
“We’re at Makeout Point,” I protested, as he slid his hands around my back and unbuckled my bra. “Anyone could come up here.”
“It’s the middle of a school day. The teenagers are busy. We’ll be fine.” He slipped his hands back to my front, pushing the bra aside so he could grab my bare breasts.
My hips rocked, and he pinched my nipples, making me swear.
“It’s a long drive back,” he said. “You want to wait until we were home?”
It was only twenty minutes, but I wasn’t used to waiting. He never made me wait.
I groaned. “I can’t believe I’m considering this.”
“It could be the best sex of your life.”
“It’s always the best sex of my life.”
He pinched my nipples again. “You’re right. Let’s get back in the truck. I’ll screw you when we get home.”
“You’re trying to use reverse psychology on me. It’s not going to work,” I warned.
But I was already picturing myself bent over that boulder, while he drove into me from behind.
“I would never.” He kissed the side of my throat, releasing my breasts and grabbing the ring box on the ground. “Want to see it?”
“Of course.”
He opened it, and I sighed.
It was perfect.
Just like him.
“It’s gorgeous. Put it on me.”
He grinned, sliding it on my ring finger and tucking the box back in his pocket. “Now everyone who sees you will know you’re mine.”
Okay, that made me hot.
I undid the button on his jeans. “Alright, I want it, but just a quickie.”
“Here?”
“Against the boulder.”
“Deal.” He grabbed the hem of my shirt, but I stopped his hand.
“Clothes stay on as much as possible,” I said.
His eyes heated. “Fuck, woman.”
I flashed him a grin. “That’s kind of the point, Hud.”
He lifted me with him as he stood, carrying me to the rock. I didn’t bother telling him to let me walk. We both knew that wasn’t going to happen.
He set me down on my feet when we reached it.
I planted my hands on the curved edge of it as he shoved my leggings down to my knees and opened my thighs. The head of his cock was against my slit a heartbeat later, and my fingertips pressed against the rock as he filled me in one rough motion.
“Fuck, your ass feels good,” he growled, his hand slipping between my thighs as he worked himself in and out. I leaned more of my weight against the boulder, the feel of his fingers against my clit overwhelming.
He knew exactly how to touch me.
Exactly what I wanted, and needed.
“You fit perfectly inside me,” I moaned.
“Of course I do. I’m your mate,” he said, smacking my ass lightly.
I nearly climaxed from the light tap alone.
“Harder,” I said, and he thrusted into me harder.
My body clenched around him, my orgasm making my hips jerk and rock. He swore, fucking me roughly until he filled me with his pleasure.
It was supposed to be one-and-done… but I wanted more.
So, I met his final thrusts with my own, pushing myself backward and making him move again. He filled me harder and faster, still working my clit as he fucked me again and again.
Two climaxes later, I was panting and my knees were shaking from my pleasure.
“So much for a quickie,” he growled, smacking my ass lightly again.
“You’re my mate, and my fiancé now. We don’t need to be quick,” I said, catching my breath.
“Good. I’m nowhere near done with you.” He rocked his finger against my clit, and I smiled.
He would never be done with me, and I would never be done with him.
We were forever.