Page 120 of The Pact

“Only sometimes?” I throw back playfully.

“Yes, but I like that. I don’t want you to always be so sweet. I want you to be scared, too.” He stares at me and waits for my reaction. I put two and two together. Not only does he want to chase me, he wants me to fear him. My eyes widen.

His eyes drop to my neck. Reaching out a hand, he brushes back some of the hair that’s come loose from my ponytail. “I want to catch you and mark you as mine.” Our eyes lock and heat spreads through me. Something about him claiming me is turning me on. My mouth is suddenly dry.

“That would be new for me,” I admit. The look he gives me says, No? Really? I ignore the taunt. “Can we try it?” I can’t believe the words coming from my mouth. I’m asking this towering, muscular man who could easily hurt me to chase me down and bite me.

“Thea. I’ve kept my distance so that you wouldn’t feel pressured to do that. I got carried away last time.” His brown eyes shoot down to my legs, then back up. Wesley isn’t going to take me seriously. He didn’t want me to go on this hike and he didn’t want me to ask to be chased—he’s too busy trying to coddle me rather than enjoy me.

I lick my lips. My eyes dart to the field behind us. I only have a fraction of a second, the element of surprise, to get a head start. A bird squawks in the distance and Wesley’s head turns towards the sound.

Suddenly, my hands are pushing me off the ground and I stumble over my feet as I take off running. I right myself pretty quickly, although I can’t tell if Wesley’s following me. I don’t know if I want to look back and risk tripping myself up.

My breaths come fast as I weave through trees and navigate the uneven ground. I’m not a runner, I’m not even a fast walker. Stinging hits my ribs. Spotting a large tree trunk, I head towards it to hide and recover.

Swinging around the base of the tree, I press my back against it and try to steady my breathing, but it comes out too loudly in this now quiet forest. Clamping my hand over my mouth, I try to contain the sound.

The pounding in my ears makes it nearly impossible to tell if Wes has followed me. He had to, right?

I don’t hear footsteps or the crunch of branches being stepped on. I close my eyes, trying to steady my heart so that I focus on the sounds around me. Why am I scared? I know who’s chasing me. I know he won’t hurt me. The rationalizations do little to ease the fear coursing through my veins.

My heartbeat finally calms enough to fade from my ears.

Slowly, the sounds of chirping comes to me. I strain to hear anything else. No twigs snapping. No grass crunching underfoot. What the hell? Did he not come after me? That thought frightens me the most because I don’t know how to navigate myself back to the trail.

I peer around the edge of the trunk. Nothing. I swear to God, if he’s just sitting on that rock laughing at me, I’m going to kill him.

I decide to head back the way I think I came when something snatches my wrist and yanks it.

Wesley’s face comes into view as our chest smack together. My pulse is in my ears again. I’m not sure how he crept up on me so quietly. Twisting my arm hard, I wriggle out of his grasp and run back towards the rock.

This time, my head start is non-existent. Wesley’s on my heels and I can hear him getting closer with each step. Those damn long legs of his. The stitch in my side returns full force and I know I don’t have much left in me.

Surrendering might be the better option, but it’s one I’ll never allow myself to make.

I push harder—it’s not enough. His enormous arms are wrapping around me and we go down.

Bracing for the impact, I shut my eyes. My whole body goes tense. All I feel is a forceful thud against my back. When I open them, I’m looking up at the bright blue sky. He took the brunt of the fall.

I’m about to ask if he’s alright, but he’s rolling me off of him and climbing on top of me.

Wesley’s hand effortlessly pins both of mine overhead and something about this massive man holding me down mixed with the fear of the chase is turning me on.

I squirm beneath him, pushing my pelvis into him. His lids shut momentarily.

Then his mouth is on my bare shoulder, licking a trail until he reaches the spot he wants. His teeth clamp down on my skin and I let out a cry. He releases me immediately. “Too much? Do you want me to stop?”

“If I want you to stop, I’ll say stop,” I push out breathy and agitated that his mouth isn’t still on me.

Wesley doesn’t waste another second finding the spot again and latching on. I can tell he’s bitten me hard enough to leave a mark, but I don’t know if he’s broken skin. When he lets go, he kisses along my neck and up to my jaw. “I want to fuck you more than I’ve wanted anything in my life, blue eyes.” I breathe a sigh of relief. It’s what I want too.

My mouth captures his and I kiss him roughly, biting his lip and drawing blood. He laughs at my eagerness and kisses me back. The taste of metallic coats our mouths and there is something so primal about this, like anything can happen.

No rules.

41

WESLEY

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