She didn’t argue when he lifted her shirt over her head. He tossed it aside and reached for the sweatpants. His fingers caressed her skin and her abdominal muscles flexed, tempting him to kiss her taut belly. Kneeling down, he removed her socks and discarded the remainder of her clothing.
She shifted her feet as he stood, wrapping her arms around her midsection.
He’d never seen anything sexier than his mate standing before him in nothing more than her underwear. The area where she’d been bitten had nearly healed, only a few marks marred her soft, pale skin. The cups of her bra had slid down so he could see a teasing glimpse of her rosy nipples. The visual made his balls tighten and his cock throb, his pants feeling too fucking tight all of a sudden.
Take your time. Do this right.
“Don’t you want to return the favor?” He tried teasing her, hoping it would ease any tension she might be feeling. He scented her desire but she was visibly nervous. Before she could answer he yanked his shirt over his head. She gazed up, her full lips pursed. He reached for his jeans and she stopped him, resting her hands on his wrists.
“I want to return the favor.”
He remained still, watching as she struggled with the button. She popped it loose and quickly undid the fastenings. Her fingers skimmed over his skin and he quivered at the contact. He couldn’t wait to feel her hands all over him, experience the sharp sting of her nails in his back. She pulled the jeans down his legs and kneeled to remove his boots. He assisted her once they were loose, kicking them off. His socks came off with his jeans, leaving his entire body open to her gaze.
Reaching up, she looped her fingers around the base of his cock. “I want to make this good for you too,” she whispered, stroking him.
Her intentions were good but with her kneeling at his feet and offering herself up to him on a plate, she stirred his beast. The wolf snarled in his head, tired of waiting for the man to seal the mating. Declan reached down, burying his fingers in Rachel’s hair. He forced her to her feet, using enough pressure as he pulled at the strands to make her look at him.
“You need to know I’m fighting to stay in control.” His voice had changed, so much deeper now. He didn’t want to frighten her but he worried he might. “I won’t hurt you. I could never do that. But I’ve been waiting for weeks, Rachel. It’s not easy. The animal inside me wants you too. It feels what you’re becoming. It knows you are the only female meant for it.”
She licked her lips and placed her hand on his chest. “Are you trying to warn me or prepare me?”
“Both,” he answered in a low growl, edging closer to her. “When I take you the wolf is going to respond. It’s waited too long for you. If you want this—if you want me—you have to say it. Females have to welcome the claim or a mating is bound to be doomed. I need to know for certain this is what you want.”
“If I say it is,” she asked, lowering her head, “what will happen?”
Poor little female. She thought it was a trick of some kind. “I’ll make you mine.”
Her head lifted and she removed her hand. He felt the absence of her touch, desperate to have it back. She reached behind her and unclasped her bra. With a shrug the garment slid from her shoulders and down her arms. She let it fall from her hands to the floor. Her creamy breasts were beyond tempting, the nipples in the centers hard and pink.
“I want you.”
An enormous surge of pride hit him in the center of the chest. Despite her anxiousness she found a way to be brave. It couldn’t be easy for her. He hooked a finger under her chin and lifted her head. Their gazes met, her irises once again changing colors. He reached out with his beast, sensing Rachel’s wolf. The instant a connection was made he saw the flare in his mate’s eyes. Her animal was rising, ready to accept the mating as well. There’d never be a better time to cement their union.
“You don’t know how many times I’ve wished you’d say that.” Another step and his cock nudged her belly. Her skin felt like silk, a perfect cushion for his length. “Will you be mine, Rachel? Will you give yourself to me?”
“Only if you’ll give yourself to me,” she countered, pulling her head away.
It was a challenge. One he was ready to accept. “I’ve always been yours. I just didn’t know it yet. Wolves wait their entire lives for this. The minute you walked into the shop you changed me forever. I’ve been trying to tell you that.”
“Yes,” she sighed and rested her hands on his shoulders. She ran her fingers over his skin, her gaze fixated on one of the tattoos over his collarbone. Leaning against him, she repeated, “My answer is yes.”
That was easier than I thought.
Rachel relaxed against Declan, finding an immense amount of relief in letting go. She wanted this between them. Fighting it had only made her want him more. Now she didn’t have to pretend he didn’t turn her on. She could be open with her feelings, letting him see the woman she kept hidden.
He moved her back and her knees hit the mattress. She held on to him as he leaned her back. There wasn’t a soft inch on him, his body covered in muscles and tattoos. It wasn’t a bad combination. In fact she wanted to spend one day going over all his ink, asking which ones had special meaning or significance to him. Since he’d placed the names of his family on his skin he probably made sure every single one had a purpose.
The instant she was settled—her head resting against the pillows—he brushed his lips over her cheek. Her chin came next. Followed by her neck. Lower he ventured, then lower. She slid her fingers into his short hair, clasping his head as his mouth swept over her sternum and then his lips surrounded her left nipple.
Suction. Heat. Bliss.
She didn’t try to mute her moan, relieved they were alone and she could be as loud as she wanted. He suckled, his tongue dancing over that most sensitive skin. Fiery wisps rushed from her chest to her pussy, a deep pressure building in her stomach. Her vaginal walls tightened, a rush of hot wetness soaking her panties. The material brushed her clit and she squirmed. She tried to part her thighs and found she couldn’t.
Declan shifted his weight, giving her plenty of room. Opening her legs, she let her knees fall to the sides. She remembered how good it had felt when he’d pressed his body against hers, his weight strangely comforting. Only he didn’t return, keeping his body from hers. He hadn’t stopped nursing her nipple, working her with his tongue, teeth and lips. She brought her hands to his back and tried to pull him down.
“Declan, please.”
The dark head at her breast lifted, Declan’s eyes finding hers. “Rachel, baby.” The statement came out as a low, sensual growl. “I want to get you ready first. I can’t promise I won’t take advantage if I feel my cock against that sweet little pussy of yours.”
She’d wondered why he hadn’t removed her panties. “I don’t want to wait.” Even when she said it, she knew it was true. Everything had brought them to this moment. Her clitoris throbbed, vaginal muscles contracting. “I need to feel you inside me.”
“Rachel…” He sounded torn but she could see the eagerness in his eyes.
“All talk and no action.” Thrusting her hips up, she said the only thing she could think of to taunt him. “If you want me, prove it.”
His growl frightened her, his irises flashing gold. His weight came crashing down and the length of his cock nestled against her mound, their skin divided only by the thin cloth barrier. He grasped her wrists in his hands and thrust them over her head. It felt like her heart was going to burst from her chest. Yet even in panic she felt an enormous thrill of excitement. A stirring in her head—that of the wolf—told her to up the ante. Instead of fighting the animal that had grown stronger, she welcomed its presence. Instantly the tension drained from her.