Chapter 32 #2
She was planning to visit Redding in a few weeks, along with her mate Bastian.
They’d already booked a room at the cute bed and breakfast on Main Street because they wanted the whole “mountain town experience” as she’d put it.
I was both excited and nervous. Elle had become one of my dearest friends, but she was also high energy.
Grump that he was, I wasn’t sure Axel was prepared for the full force of her vibrant personality.
Part of the reason for her coming was to venture into the cave and have a look at the knife for herself.
We still hadn’t been back—I didn’t want to put Axel through that again so soon, even though I knew he was healing.
But we needed a solution for it. Otherwise it would be stuck there for whoever found it next.
I set down my phone and got back to work. I couldn’t let Axel win. No way.
We worked in comfortable silence for a while, the only sounds the scrape of carving tools and the gentle bubbling of cider on the stove. Through the windows, I could see the autumn afternoon lengthening, shadows growing longer across the porch.
At one point, Axel stopped to serve us both a steaming mug of apple cider from the stove, which was amazing.
I made the final cuts on my creation, feeling rather proud of how I’d done. I’d chosen a classic jack-o’-lantern face—triangle eyes, nose, and a big toothy grin. Simple, but when done right, it was perfect. Halloween perfection.
“Done!” I announced, holding my pumpkin against my belly. I wasn’t ready to turn it around yet.
“Feckin’ finally.”
“What do you mean feckin’ finally?!” I mimicked, butchering his accent.
“Been adding extra carvings to mine for the last thirty minutes waiting on you.”
“Let me see.”
“Ladies first.”
“Fine.” I spun mine around. His gaze raked over it and gave nothing away. Completely emotionless. “Well? What does yours look like?”
His jaw flexed. Was he… “Are you trying not to…to laugh at me?! Oh my, God! You are!”
His eyes began dancing, lips twitching. “Wouldn’t dream of it, lass.”
“You are such a liar. I’ll have you know that this design is quintessential jack-o-lantern.”
“Uh huh. What happened to all that competitive Halloween spirit? All that bragging?”
“This—this is brag-worthy. It’s a jack-o-lantern!”
“Took you two hours to do that.” He was smiling now, his face lit with mirth.
“Oh yeah? Well—” I reached for the pumpkin guts in the bowl beside me and grabbed a handful, my fist closing around the gooey mess, then lobbed it at him. His eyes widened a fraction before it splattered all over his shirt then dripped down where he was leaning over the island.
His eyes turned yellow in an instant. “That was a bad idea, little witch.”
“Was it?!” I huffed, grabbing another glob and chucking it at him. This time he dodged and it sailed right past his face, landing against the backsplash above the stove.
Axel was around the island in a flash. Before I could blink, he’d slung me over his shoulder.
“Put me down,” I screeched, pounding my fists against his back.
“Or what?”
“Or—or I’ll use my magic and make you.”
“Uh huh.” His hand came down, smacking my ass.
The sting made me whimper and I tried to squirm against him again.
“Going to punish you for your bad behavior. But first, thought you’d like to see what I carved for you.
” He walked me around the island. To the front of his pumpkin.
He didn’t let me down, so I was forced to view it upside down.
And all the fight went right out of me. Because staring back at me were two bunny faces, expertly carved, with various layers of orange depending on how deeply Axel cut into the pumpkin.
One had lop ears, and the other pointed, with tufts of fur all around its face.
It was unmistakably Basil and Sage. Tears sprang to my eyes.
“You like it?” he asked when I was silent for too long.
“Yes!”
“So, I win?”
“What?! I—no! I didn’t say that.”
“We’ll see what you say in a minute.” With that, he marched me into the bedroom.
He deposited me on the bed with more care than his rough handling suggested, following me down until I was caged within his arms. His shirt was still covered in pumpkin guts, the orange stringy bits clinging to the flannel.
“You’re a mess.” I laughed, reaching up to pluck a strand from his shoulder.
“Whose fault is that?”
“Yours. For insulting my pumpkin while having your own ridiculously perfect pumpkin.”
“Ridiculously perfect?” He dipped his head, pressing a kiss to my jaw. “That’s high praise coming from you, sweetheart.”
“Don’t let it go to your head.” My breath hitched as his mouth moved to my throat, finding the sensitive spot just below my ear. “Though I will admit...carving Basil and Sage was really sweet.”
“Wanted to make something you’d love.” Another kiss, this one over my claiming mark. I felt his satisfaction through the bond when I shivered.
“Mission accomplished,” I whispered, threading my fingers through his hair.
He pulled back just enough to meet my eyes. “You’re crying.”
“Barely,” I snorted. “And they’re happy tears, you jerk.”
His laugh was soft. “Bet I can make you even happier.”
“How do you plan on that?”
“Got a few ideas.” His hand slid under my sweater, warm palm spreading across my ribs. “Starting with getting you out of these clothes.”
I lifted my arms as he pulled my sweater over my head, leaving me in just my bra and skirt. His eyes darkened as they roamed over me, lingering on the claiming mark now fully visible.
“Beautiful,” he murmured. “My beautiful mate.”
“You’re still dressed,” I pointed out, tugging at his pumpkin-covered flannel. “And covered in guts.”
He sat back on his heels, stripping off the offending shirt and tossing it aside. I never got tired of looking at him—all those tattoos covering hard muscle, the broad shoulders, the way his jeans sat low on his hips.
“Better?” he asked.
“Much.” I reached for his belt buckle. “Though you could lose the pants too.”
“Impatient.”
“You’re one to talk.” I got his belt undone, then his zipper. “Mister cave man who throws women over his shoulder.”
“Not women, just you. As for the cave man part…”
The pun wasn’t lost on me.
“How about that punishment I promised you?”
Heat pooled low in my belly. “What kind of punishment?”
“The kind where I take my time.” He used his free hand to unfasten my bra, sliding it off and tossing it away. “Where I make you beg.”
“I don’t beg,” I lied, even as my body arched into his touch. Because I pretty much begged all the time now.
“We’ll see about that.” His mouth closed over my nipple and I gasped, my hands flexing in his grip. He took his time, lavishing attention on first one breast, then the other, until I was squirming beneath him.
“Axel,” I breathed.
“That’s not begging.” He released my wrists to work on my skirt, sliding it down my legs along with my panties. “That’s just saying my name.”
“Please?” I tried.
“Please what?” He settled between my thighs, his breath hot against my sensitive flesh. “Use your words, little witch.”
“Please touch me.”
“I am touching you.” He pressed a kiss to my inner thigh, maddeningly close but not where I needed him.
“You know what I mean.”
“Do I?” Another kiss, higher this time. “You’ll have to be more specific.”
“Axel, I swear—“ The words cut off in a moan as his tongue finally found my clit, making my hips buck. “Oh, God.”
“That’s better.” He took his time, long, slow strokes that had me climbing steadily but not fast enough. Every time I got close, he’d pull back, press kisses to my thighs, let me cool down just enough to be frustrating.
Punishing.