Chapter 20 #2
Smiling, I take it from him, wondering if he’s basking in the significance of this moment in the same way I am.
I take in a deep breath of crisp spring air, swearing I can taste the sunshine on it as I yank the twine, allowing the metal grate door to swing open.
Several moments pass before I finally see movement.
The crate shakes as Finn rips from its confines, dashing through the grass, his svelte body whisking to the top of a small incline before stopping to take in his surroundings.
Finn bows into a crouch, his impossibly long whiskers twitching as he takes his time casing the environment for threats and scents.
My cheeks split from the grin pulling at them and I whisper, “Go,” willing him to hear my voice on the breeze and understand it in his own animal mind. My heart and my lungs are at an impasse; the former wants to race wildly while the latter doesn’t seem to want to take a breath.
A warm touch feathers at my hand, and I look down to see Wolf’s fingers wandering in the air between us, seeking out mine.
They brush each other again and lace together, and when I look up at him, he’s leaning toward me, but his eyes are set straight ahead on Finnegan.
He’s watching him with the same bated breath I am, eagerly waiting for the cat to fully free himself.
I look back to Finn myself, still silently urging.
“Go on, go,” I whisper again. I finally let out the breath I’d been holding and hungrily draw in another before the bobcat arches his back, shakes out his tail, and tears off again, bounding across the field, his hind legs meeting his front with each gallop.
“Yes!” I shout, so overcome with relief, joy, and a fresh exhilaration. I turn toward Wolf, wanting to gauge his reaction, to see if we’re sharing in the same brand of endorphins. I don’t speak, still catching my breath as if just getting off the biggest thrill ride of my life.
A relaxed smile adorns his lips, and his eyes flash with some kind of excitement. He gives me time to replace one breath, maybe two and then his hands encase my rib cage and pull me toward him, and his lips firmly press and hungrily move against mine.
It feels like we’re drowning in each other, and I don’t want to come up for air.
I want the force of this current to pull me under.
And what’s even more intoxicating is I think Wolf feels the same way.
His kiss is borderline desperate, like he’s chasing something he’s so close to catching.
Something he never knew he wanted but he never wants to go without again.
To be at the center of that kind of desire is dizzying.
Never mind that no matter how this ends up, we’re turning a corner, and it gives me hope for this union.
I’m both thrilled and relieved that my body responds this way.
It’s one thing I can take off the list of things to worry about making this marriage work.
We definitely have chemistry, and yet it feels like something so beyond that as Wolf’s strong arms come around me and lifts me up, taking hold of my knee to guide my legs around him.
The next few events are a blur of more mouths melding and heavy breathing and jostling as Wolf gets us back to the house, using our momentum to push through the front door.
He yanks off his hat and discards it before kicking the door shut with his heel.
Wolf sets me down and our hands venture off, touching everywhere.
Wolf’s grip my waist as mine skim up his chest, wanting so badly to explore the smooth skin I know is under there.
He dances me back toward the couch before bending over me and draping us across it. At the contact, a breath whooshes out of me followed quickly by a moaning sigh because the weight of his body on top of mine—it’s a feeling I never knew I needed so badly.
Wolf’s mouth resumes its ravaging of mine, and I’m enjoying every movement, every press of his lips and sweep of his tongue, and I’m beginning to feel an ache radiating from my core to the tender place between my legs.
It’s like a kind of torture, yet I press into him, seeking more.
When he releases an approving groan into my mouth, I damn near space out.
When he breaks away, we both draw in air before his mouth takes to my jaw, blazing a trail down my neck.
I’ve never been so in tune with someone else or so aware of the many things happening in every part of me.
Any shred of modesty I might’ve been clinging to is lost in the wind, and I can’t help letting out sounds of pleasure.
A shuddery sigh when Wolf’s mouth delves into the V of my T-shirt.
A moan when his hand travels up underneath it.
A whimper when he pulls it up enough to make out with my stomach.
“Wolf,” I pant out his name helplessly.
His face returns to mine. “Is it too fast?” he asks, nibbling at my jawline.
“No,” I say. “No, I want more.”
“Me too.” He kisses my mouth before straightening up and reaching behind him.
Peeling his shirt off, he presents the view of his torso.
While I’ve seen and heavily admired it many times before, this is a whole new perspective to be viewing it up close.
Coming back down to rest on an elbow, Wolf brings his mouth to mine again, releasing a moan of his own against my lips as his rough fingers fumble with the fly on my jeans.
When they snap open, his hand reaches inside, skimming over the stretchy material of my panties.
His fingers find the seam of my lips through the cotton and deftly press and stroke against it.
“Oh god, oh my god,” I whimper as his body journeys down mine, his mouth greeting the skin of my lower abdomen just above the opening of my jeans. “Wolf.” His name wheezes out of me, and in a heartbeat he’s hovering over me again, checking in.
“What is it? Are you okay?”
“Yeah.” I nod. I hate to break rhythm, but I should probably let him know. “You’re the first person I’ve done this with. I just wanted you to know,” I whisper and reach for his belt, yanking at the strap.
“Are you serious?” He lifts his head to search my eyes,
I’m determined not to slow us down. I free the strap of his belt, and the buckle clinks between my fingers as I unclasp it.
“Yeah. Don’t stop,” I urge and nip at his neck, trying to show him there’s no reason to put on the brakes.
Thankfully he follows my lead and bends down to start trailing his mouth down my neck.
I’m about to settle into the carnal bliss again when the loud, bleating chirp of his radio blares through the house, making me jolt beneath him.
“Shit,” he grumbles as I give a startled scream. “Fuck,” he barks again, withdrawing his hand from my jeans and easing himself off me.
Yeah, he better get to that fucking radio before I do because right now I’m too damn tempted to take it out to the pond and see if it can swim.
I never knew such a heated moment could deflate so quickly, and watching him stride shirtless to the kitchen is now just a form of torture.
He’s hidden from my view by the back of the couch but I hear him snatch the radio off its base.
“Owens Three. Go,” he says, his voice rattled with irritation. Static and garbled words blare through the other end before he mutters another curse under his breath. “All right fifteen out, show me responding.” He sets the radio down and refastens his belt.
I stand, straightening my shirt and raking my hands through my hair as he comes in to retrieve his shirt from the floor. “Okay.” The word whooshes out of me along with the wind in my sails.
“Some hikers had a close call with a mountain lion,” he explains in passing. “We’ve gotta locate it and secure the area. I don’t know how late I’ll be.” He grabs his hat off the floor and slaps it on his head.
“Fine. Be careful,” I tell him as I do up my jeans.
He hooks the radio to his belt. “Sorry, Moll,” he murmurs, then grabs his jacket off the chair and shrugs into it on his way out the door.
Yeah, me too.