He growled, low and deep. Instead of moving forward, he'd lost ground with Nika over the course of the night. He wasn't going to let that happen.
"Either you let me in, sweetheart, or I'm going to make a huge nuisance of myself until you do."
Nika suddenly appeared in the window. "Why do you have to make things so difficult? And don't call me that."
"I could be asking you the same thing. Come on. Let me in. You know you want to."
Garrick stood his ground while she glared down at him through the window. To show her he was not just going to walk away because she wanted him to, he crossed his arms over his chest and calmly stared back up at her.
She threw her hands in the air. "Fine, you win. Come around to the side, and I'll let you in. I don't need you making a scene in front of my pub."
Chapter Six
Garrick smiled in triumph as he walked back to the side entrance. His mate could balk and do her best to push him away, but she would soon learn they were meant to be together.
Nika stood at the open door waiting. Before he stepped in, she put a hand on his chest to keep him out. "A few ground rules first. No touching or kissing."
He looked pointedly down where her hand rested on his chest. "It would seem you're already breaking one of your rules."
She quickly yanked her hand back. "As I said, no touching or kissing. And none of this 'we're meant to be together forever' crap, either."
Garrick sighed dramatically. "Well, there go all my plans, right out the window.
Are you sure about the no touching or kissing?"
"Doubly sure. Either you agree to my rules or I'm not going to let you upstairs."
"All right. I'll follow your rules." He would agree to anything at this point.
Nika took a step back, giving him enough room to walk into the small entranceway hall. A flight of stairs at the end of it led to the flat. She shut the door behind him before brushing past him and going up the steps. He followed behind her, enjoying the view of her backside.
When they reached the flat, Nika motioned for him to go into the living room.
Garrick took a seat on the couch and looked around the room. It was sparsely decorated with an armchair, coffee table, and the couch he sat on, all of which had all seen better days. A tele sat on another smaller table across from the couch. The light blue paint on the walls was a bit faded, and the dark blue carpet on the floors showed signs of wear and tear. The improvements done on the pub downstairs had not extended to the flat above.
Slipping onto the armchair kitty-corner from the couch, Nika didn't say anything when she stared in his direction. The annoyance she had to be feeling about having him in her home showed on her face. Her scowl was hardly welcoming.
"You don't have to sit way over there," he said and patted the couch cushion next to him. "There is plenty of room here."
"I think I'll stay where I am. It's safer this way."
"What's the matter, Nika? Don't you trust me not to break your rules?"
"Of course I don't trust you," she said with a sneer. "So far, you haven't really listened to me when I've said to leave me alone."
"Only because I know deep down inside that isn't what you want."
She rolled her eyes. "So now you're a mind reader?"
"No." Garrick decided it was time for them to move off this particular subject.
"Are you going to offer me something to drink? My throat is kind of dry from having to yell at you to let me in."
"Fine." Nika stood. "All I have up here is bottled water in the fridge. Is that okay?"
"Water is all right with me."
He watched her walk out of the living room and disappear down the small hallway off to his right. The sound of a fridge door being opened and then shut reached his ears. Nika returned a few seconds later.
When she moved closer to the couch to hand the bottle of water to him, he stuck out his leg and purposely tripped her. As she landed on him, Garrick fell back on the couch, twisting so Nika ended up sprawled along his body. Her breath left her lungs in a whoosh, and her lips hovered over his. She stiffened, but didn't make any move to get off.
Trying to act the part of the innocent, he said, "Don't look at me. You're the one who tripped. I just let you use my body for a softer landing."
Her gaze lingered on his lips. "I wouldn't exactly call your body soft."
"You've got that right," he said huskily and lifted his hips into her, letting her feel his hard-on. She licked her lips and Garrick forced himself to remain still.
"I thought I told you no touching," Nika said.
"Well, from where I'm lying, I would say you're the one doing the touching since you're on top of me." He held up his hands. "See. I'm keeping my hands to myself."
Nika's gaze drifted to his hands, then zeroed back in on his mouth. She took her bottom lip between her teeth. Intense arousal shot through him, making his cock even harder. It jerked inside his jeans as he pictured what it would feel like to have Nika's mouth sucking him deep.
With a quiet moan, she whispered, "Aw, fuck it."
Her lips came down on his. Garrick growled low, wrapped his arms around her, and kissed her back. He sucked Nika's tongue into his mouth and let her twine hers with his. While they kissed, he put his hands on her arse, shifting her so the apex of her thighs landed on his erection. She ground down on him as he lifted his hips into hers.
She'd come like this the night before, but this time, he didn't want any of her clothes between them. The next time he made her come, he wanted his mouth on her pussy.
With the taste of Nika on his tongue and the scent of her arousal perfuming the air he breathed, Garrick fought to keep his wolf side under control. A difficult undertaking, especially with her on top him, riding him through his jeans. His cock was so hard he was about ready to explode. Every time he touched Nika, his need to have her became stronger. She made him ache until all he thought about was burying himself in her warm body. Over and over again.
Garrick pushed his hands under the back of Nika's shirt, caressing her silky skin.
When he reached the fastener of her bra, he released the hooks. She deepened their kiss as she shifted a little to the side and palmed his cock. The feel of her fingers running along his length had his shaft straining against the zipper of his jeans.
Holding Nika to him, Garrick sat up and slowly lifted her shirt up her body. He pulled back when it reached her unfastened bra to give her a chance to refuse if this wasn't what she wanted. In answer to his questioning stare, she took hold of her shirt and pulled it off over her head. Keeping her gaze on him, she let her loosened bra straps fall down her arms, then dropped it to the floor with her shirt.
His gaze fell to her breasts. They were definitely more than a handful, topped with dusky rose nipples. They were perfect, and he couldn't wait to have his mouth on them again.
"So beautiful," he breathed against her skin.
He nuzzled a breast before taking her taut nipple into his mouth. Garrick covered the other breast, tugging at that nipple, while he sucked on the other. Holding her this way felt like heaven.
Nika buried her fingers in his hair and held him to her while she rocked against his cock. He released her nipple and moved to take the other into his mouth. With caressing strokes, he glided his fingers down across her ribs and belly to rest on the top of her jeans. He undid the button and pulled down the zipper. By slow degrees, he pushed the waistband down her hips.
Garrick pulled away, lifted her off his lap, and made her stand before him. "I need to taste you, Nika. Will you let me?" To show her exactly what he wanted, he tugged her jeans farther down her legs.
Eyes heavy with desire, Nika nodded. "I want you to. I ache."