Page 50 of Father of the Wolf

“Very.” His voice was low with desire. “I want to make love with you. Now. And perhaps all night long.” Perhaps for eternity.

“What will the others say?”

“Lucky devil.” He used his empathy to share his feelings with her and be sure that this was also what she wanted. She trembled under his touch. Her emotions roiled with the hot intensity of their shared, overwhelming need. Perhaps letting her experience his desire was not playing fair, but the evidence of her need let him shed any feelings of guilt.

He stood and gently tugged her into his arms. He held her close and leaned in to claim her soft lips. He’d intended to keep the contact light, but the moment their lips touched, his world tightened down to only the two of them.

She slid her free hand around his neck and met his kiss, opening to him at once.

He’d never felt so welcome in all his life. The way she invited him to deepen the kiss and joined in the sweet dance between their tongues… It was heaven.

His calm wolf spirit twisted awake within him. It recognized her as their mate and had no intention of letting her escape.

Even without that extra clarity, he already knew she was the one for him. Hope’s touch, her mind and her heart were everything he’d ever wanted.

As their lips slowly parted, he turned and led her from the kitchen. Her acceptance washed over him, gentling the desire for conquest into something much more heartfelt. He stopped her outside her bedroom door and asked one simple, silent question. “Are you sure you want me?”

“Yes,” she whispered in his mind, as soft and inviting as the fingertips she brushed over his lips. She opened the bedroom door and tugged him inside.

He pushed the door closed and pulled her into his arms, nuzzling her neck and nibbling with his teeth and tongue. Her hands slipped under his T-shirt and caressed his chest. His body hardened painfully at her loving touch. She pulled him into a slow, sweet kiss, gradually deepening it until she was rewarded with his low growl.

He wanted to feel all of her. He slid off her blouse and cupped her breasts through her lacy bra. Then he unfastened her slacks and eased them and her panties over her hips, letting them fall at her feet. He fumbled a moment with the fasteners of her bra before sweeping her into his arms and carrying her to the bed.

He removed his clothes and joined her. His intense gaze burned her already flushed body. She was beautiful, with long slender limbs and soft creamy skin. He stroked his hands over her flesh with reverence, with the strength of the emotions for her were so intense he was left weak, catching his breath with her every small reaction.

In all his life he had never experienced such anticipation, fear, and longing all at once. It was as if the world had conspired to lead him to this moment, to offer him this precious joy.

His touch burned and soothed as he offered her his healing caress, channeled through his fingertips. His hands focused on what remained of her long ago injuries, taking away her scars and pain and giving her his strength.

“Athair…”

He gave her a gentle push to keep her from sitting up. “Lay back and let me do this for you.”

“You don’t have to.”

“I want to.”

“Oh…” There in her mind he caught a glimpse of her self-conscious fear that he would reject her because of her old wounds.

He raised her leg and nibbled kisses over the places where her scars were. “My precious Hope. You are already so beautiful that I ache with the need to claim you and make you mine. Scars or not, you are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. Nothing will ever change that fact.”

His kiss followed where his hands led, though not always over scarred flesh. He started on her left leg, stroking, nuzzling, and nipping his way up her thigh. Although her musky scent beckoned, he moved to her right leg to repeat his ministrations until he was again back at her essence, which was swollen and moist with need. A few teasing licks, and he continued his dedicated healing until there was no pain anywhere in her body. In its place was fierce, demanding pleasure.

His own body cried for release as he knelt between her thighs, never stopping his endless feast of touching and tasting. He accepted her kisses and touches in return, guiding her tentative hands to explore his hard, aching body. Almost beyond endurance after only a few hesitant strokes, he rumbled deep in his chest and pulled her hands away.

Unable to wait any longer, he caught her hips and pushed into her inviting warmth. A world of feeling, like home. Love.

Tears formed in his eyes. He held her close for several long seconds before he began to move again. He slowly withdrew, and then thrust deeply, building their pleasure until she was writhing against him.

She wrapped her legs around him and he reveled in each stroke. She cried out as her muscles clenched at him, pulling him to a faster pace. The room shook as he joined her in a blinding climax.

They lay together afterwards, with his arms still wrapped around her and her thighs holding him. He rolled slightly to ease his weight to the side. She brushed the long hair back from his face. Neither spoke as if words were impossible for the moment.

Hope came back to herself slowly. She was almost, but not quite, shocked by her powerful reaction to him. Still, how would she face the others after having crept off to have sex like rebellious teenagers?

“Lucky devil, indeed,” she said, teasing him, “What did you do to make me act so indecent? I won’t ever be able to face the others.” Then she brightened, “Maybe they didn’t notice we came in here, and we can sneak back out again and try to act like adults.”

He chuckled. “Believe me, they noticed.”

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