“Say you’re mine, Julie.”
“Yes, I’m yours. All yours. Please.” She knew she begged, but couldn’t stop the words. Release was so close yet out of reach. She needed him.
With one hard thrust, he was seated fully inside her. She cried out as her body clenched around him.
His lips nuzzled the back of her shoulder. It was the only warning before his teeth sank in, marking her. Giddiness filled her, even as pain shot down her shoulder. Finally she was his forever, and no one could claim otherwise. The sharp sting faded as heat radiated outward from the mark in a steady throb.
The orgasm crashed through her without warning. Her muscles tightened before the world exploded, blinding her. The onslaught of sensations bombarded her until she shattered. Never had she experienced release this intense. She heard cries and vaguely registered they were hers before conscious thought fled.
The last thing she heard before the world went black was Brendan calling her name, but she was helpless to respond.
“Julie, come on, baby, wake up.” He sat on the floor, cradling her in his arms and nuzzling her cheek with his nose. Jesus, she’d scared ten years off his life. One moment she was clenched tight around him, and the next she’d fallen forward and would’ve hit the wall if he’d been slower reacting.
He’d heard that a mating bite gave both lovers intense orgasms when the enzyme binding them together was released. But he hadn’t realized what “intense orgasm” meant until he’d experienced it firsthand. He was lucky he hadn’t passed out along with her.
As the bond linked them together, Brendan’s world had exploded. He’d felt her pleasure at the connection, and they’d fed off each other. The enzyme wouldn’t change her, although she might gain some shifter perks. Not that he wanted to change anything about her, except maybe her ability to scare the living daylights out of him.
She groaned. His breath whooshed out in relief at the sound. Her eyes opened, and her gaze connected with his. The wicked smile curving her lips was so contradictory to his frantic worry he had to take a mental step back. His brows furrowed in concern.
“Are you okay?”
“No.” His heart stopped, but her smile belied the words. “I’m not ‘okay.’ I’m wonderful.” Then she looked around in confusion. “How’d we end up on the floor?”
Stunned, he continued to stare at her. Could she really not know she had passed out?
“What?” she asked, looking nervous.
Now that the panic had abated, he felt…smug. Making Julie orgasm so hard she passed out could easily become his favorite habit.
He nuzzled her jaw, enjoying the way her head tilted to give him more access. She did it without thought, unaware of the action, her body opening into his embrace.
“Promise me you won’t keep things from me anymore. Mates shouldn’t have secrets.” She pulled away, and he felt the loss like a blow to the heart. But as he was about to follow her, she turned around, straddling his hips and resting her forehead against his.
“I didn’t mean anything by it. I didn’t think it was a big deal, and didn’t want to worry you.” Needing to touch her, he stroked her back. Mentally reaching out with their new connection, he sensed her regret.
Each mating was different, but he could tell their bond was strong. He couldn’t read her thoughts, few pairs had that ability, but he could sense the nuances of her emotions. It was a handy trick, considering her skill at hiding them.
Wanting to test the link between them, Brendan thought only about Julie, letting his love for her, the delight he took at holding her in his arms, fill him. He projected his love through the bond and watched Julie’s eyes dilate with pleasure.
“Oh, Brendan,” she whispered before her lips slid against his in a tender kiss. Her tongue slipped inside his mouth, gently stroking his as if they had all the time in the world. After all, they did.
Chapter 10
Julie glanced at her watch with a frustrated groan as she exited her car. There wasn’t much she hated more than being late. And being late to Jason and Samantha’s wedding went beyond “bad.”
The past week had flown by, her connection to Brendan growing each day. She’d be in the bookstore, minding her own business, and all of a sudden she’d be horny and know Brendan had thought of them together. It took some getting used to. But she couldn’t be mad. Knowing without a doubt she was the only woman for him was a rush she couldn’t begin to explain.
Earlier, Brendan had shooed her out the door, calling Ethan to let him know she was on her way to Jason and Samantha’s where the girls were meeting. He would be taking his own car to meet the boys at the B&B Gwen owned, except for Ethan who was on guard duty.
Much to Jason’s consternation, Samantha had insisted they adhere to the tradition of not letting the groom see her before the wedding. It had been quite a fight, and Jason had relented only after Ethan agreed to sleep in the guest room and protect Samantha with his life. Jason had been overbearing ever since receiving the note. Not that she blamed him–the thought of losing Brendan was enough to make her feel like dying.
She was more than halfway to the house when she remembered the gift for Samantha she’d left sitting on the counter. The sapphire hair barrette had been a favorite of their grandmother, and would look beautiful in Samantha’s pale blonde hair. It would also cover something old, borrowed and blue. She dialed Brendan and cursed as it rolled over to voicemail, knowing he must have already left.
Turning the car around and speeding home, she hoped she could somehow beat the limo to Samantha’s house.
Pulling into the driveway, Julie rushed into the house and snatched the silver-wrapped gift from the counter. She paused only long enough to lock the front door on her way out before hurrying to her car.
As she reached for the car door, a hand seized her from behind, covering her mouth. She dropped the keys and the gift in her terror, realizing too late she could’ve used them as a weapon. She tried to struggle free, but her attacker’s other arm surrounded her waist, preventing any movement. The arm was strong, too strong for her to break free. She couldn’t think, terror preventing any thoughts from forming. Oh God, she couldn’t die like this!
She tried to pry away the hand over her mouth and drew in a breath to scream. The world went hazy as a sickening odor assailed her, and she drew in another breath to still the spinning. As her limbs collapsed, she realized what had happened and tried to hold her breath, but it was no use. Reaching out, Julie sent one thought through the mental connection between her and her mate.
Brendan.
It was her last ditch effort before she fell into the black abyss beckoning her.
Brendan smiled as he walked into the B&B, Moonlight Burrows. Jason paced the entryway where a hassled Alyssa, Gwen’s best friend and co-owner of the inn, attempted to calm him.
He didn’t look like a man happy about his impending marriage, but Brendan knew that wasn’t the case. He was chomping at the bit to get back to Samantha. He knew from hanging around their family so much that they’d only spent one night apart their entire relationship during which Samantha had gotten lost, ended up in a different shifter town and scared the living daylights out of everyone. Just the thought of anything similar happening to Julie made his eyes shift to the wolf’s.
He shook his head. Nothing had happened to Julie. He’d bet that right now she was gushing over Samantha’s dress and sipping champagne. He needed to get control of himself. Using the connection between them, he reached out and sensed her worry. But he knew without digging deeper it was an oh no, I spilled something on my dress worry and not anything more serious.