This was what she needed.
The two of them together.
“Play with your nipples.” Her eyes flew open and Declan was there, looking right at her. Clutching her hip and guiding her to a faster pace, he growled, “I want to watch. Show me what you like.”
They’d done so much together. She wasn’t sure why that idea made her shy.
Mustering her courage, she let go of his shoulders and brought her hands to her breasts. At first she rested her palms over her hard nipples and averted her gaze.
“No.” His voice had thickened, his growl heavier. “Look at me.” It wasn’t easy but she did. “I want to see it when you get off. I know you enjoy nipple play. Touch them while I keep touching you. You don’t have to be embarrassed. Not with me.”
A small drawing back of her hands and her nipples were between her fingers. She rolled them gently, moaning at the feeling. His lids lowered, hooding his eyes. The look he was giving her was more than enough to ramp up her libido. Combined with the fullness of his cock and the friction he applied to her clit, it wouldn’t take her long.
“Do I feel good, baby?”
“Yes,” she answered, moaning at the delicious sensations. “You feel so good.”
They stayed like that, gazing into each other’s eyes. She didn’t stop, gliding up and down his cock. The hand at her hip made her go faster, then faster. Heat and pressure built in her abdomen, matching the pulsing between her legs. Declan didn’t look away, his irises so bright she thought they might blind her. Her muscles drew up, stomach tight.
“Come for me,” he whispered thickly.
The pressure in her body split, coursing over her. She tried to inhale but her breath caught in her throat, the pleasure nearly too much. Declan held her gaze as she came, his lips slightly parted, his hair damp and messy around his forehead, temples and neck. She made a mental snapshot, never wanting to forget. The glorious hum spreading over her skin intensified, the pleasure so perfect she thought she might drown in it.
“My sweet girl.” Declan’s forehead creased and his teeth snapped together. “I’m right there with you.”
He stopped her movement, slamming her down his length. His cock swelled, the hand on her hip squeezed and she felt the liquid heat of his climax explode inside her. As he came he lifted his hips a bit, sending his cock deeper into her. She took it all, rocking back and forth. To keep balanced she released a breast and put her hand on his arm. His motions eased and finally stopped altogether. The fingers at her clit moved away, the hand on her hip resting limply over her skin. He panted for air, his chest rising up and down.
He’s too tired for this.
Prepared to care for him, she shrugged him off when he reached for her. “Let me pull up the blankets.”
As she lifted from his cock a trickle of his seed escaped, weaving down her thigh. She climbed from the bed and retrieved the towel she’d left there. Before she could let her nerves get the better of her, she carefully wiped herself clean and carried the plush length of fabric to the laundry basket near the closet.
Declan tracked her movements. She could feel the heaviness of his stare.
She turned out the light and returned to him, ready to pull up the covers. She’d no more than pulled everything aside when he tugged her to the center of the bed. Despite his injuries he covered their bodies with the blankets and snared her by the waist. His chest cradled her back, his still-hard cock resting in the crease of her ass. She’d been afraid to touch him—not wanting to cause him further pain—but apparently he didn’t mind so much.
His lips brushed her ear, his breath warm. “Thank you.”
“I don’t like seeing you hurt.” A small step toward a confession about her feelings but a step nonetheless. “Tell me this doesn’t happen a lot.”
“I can’t believe it. Are you worried about me?”
She thought he might be holding his breath as he waited for her answer. “Yes.”
“No, baby. This doesn’t happen often.” He rubbed his cheek against the side of her neck. “Things have been strained since Chloe and Jackson got together but eventually that’ll settle down.”
“Will it take you long to heal?” She brought her hand to his, cautious as she rested her fingers over his knuckles. “Will the food make everything better?”
“I’ll be completely healed in the morning.” Pressing a kiss to her shoulder, he whispered, “The food definitely helps but it’s not what makes me better.”
“It’s not?”
“No.”
“Is it the wolf then?”
He paused, his breath tickling her skin. “It’s you, Rachel.”
Her heart skipped a beat. “Me?”
“Yes, you.”
“I’m glad.” It wasn’t his words that made her bold, it was the way he said them. “I want to be the one who gives you what you need.”
“Am I finally starting to grow on you?”
“A little.” She smiled, welcoming his good humor. “Keep it up.”
With a gentle nip, he settled against her. “I have every intention to.”
Silence fell over them and his breathing fell into a steady rhythm. She gazed across the bedroom and tried to keep her eyes closed. Sadly a sliver of light from the moon had made it through the blinds in the window. She couldn’t stop staring at the white hue, wondering how it would feel against her skin. In less than twenty-four hours the wolf inside her would rise and everything would change.
“Don’t worry, baby. I’m here. I’ll take care of you.” Declan let go of her waist and cupped her breast, resting his elbow on her hip. “Get some sleep.”
So he knew she was tense. Not a surprise.
It seemed he was getting to know her better and better.
With a final look, she forced her lids closed.
It wasn’t like she had any other choice.
Chapter Fourteen
Rachel thought she shouldn’t have kept thinking about the lack of time she had left.
Doing so had only made the minutes tick by quicker.
To make the suck-factor worse, Declan had been on the phone all day.
They’d gotten hot and heavy more than once only to have Jackson, Gavin or Shane call and interrupt them. He hadn’t been able to let the answering machine do the work, promising he’d return as soon as he could. His sly smile and grumbling about his job as Beta had lightened her mood a bit. She’d waited, and waited, and waited…
Then she decided she wasn’t staying in the bed all day.
He hadn’t returned after she’d taken a shower so she’d used several minutes to dry her hair. Time passed, each second rushing by. She’d cleaned up her mess. Paced the room. Eventually she’d decided to find him if she had to. He’d been in his office, looking through a Rolodex. He’d given her an apologetic look but hadn’t stopped sharing information with Jackson and asking questions. He said goodbye and she’d expected him to end the call when he hit the button on the receiver and went to the other line.
His stomach had growled, the sound loud in the office.
Always the one to receive breakfast, she’d then found herself the cook.
After she fed him he still didn’t budge from his chair, answering calls on his cell and his office phone. She’d waited, trying to give him space. Yet the calls kept coming. Once she’d slipped her head into the door and he’d put his hand over the phone and apologized again, appearing almost frustrated.
So she’d left, letting him do his work.
That’s how a majority of the day had gone.
Hours had passed. Morning had turned into afternoon. Unable to do anything else she’d catered to Declan, making him lunch. He’d thanked her with a kiss when the phone rang again. Wanting to be near him, she’d decided to eat with him, taking a seat in the chair on the other side of his desk. Then—as she’d plucked a photo album of Declan’s tattoo work over the years from a shelf—things had gotten really strange.