Kit’s brows shot up as she put her hand to her chest, my attention briefly flicking to her full curves.

“I’m sorry. Did you just compliment me?”

I rolled my eyes. “Haha.”

“Well, well, well. And here I thought the big bad wolf himself would never change. But look at you now.”

My heart skipped at the familiar nickname, and a memory of the time I’d nearly claimed Kit right on the riverbank sprang forward in my head. It made my cock twitch against my leg, my wolf howling in agreement with what I’d almost done.

What he wanted me to do now.

Tension suddenly pooled in my gut, and I could feel the fucker push through this layer of humanity. He wanted out. Shit, this is bad. I should go now before it gets worse.

“Kit, I…” I tried to breathe around the swelling scent of lilac; why was it stronger? “We should just get some rest. It’s going to be a busy few days.”

Her brows rose again. “Oh, right. Rest. Umm…will you be…sleeping in here? Should I…”

Strip, little Kit. That’s what you should do. Claim her, Kaiden. Do it.

I tried to shake the thoughts away. “Umm, I can leave. I’ll sleep in the main house. It’s not—”

“I don’t want to kick you out of your own room, Kaiden. I’ll just…well, hell. I guess I could sleep in the closet.”

She giggled softly, and the sound went straight to my cock. When Kit got up to head in that direction, my hand snatched her wrist on instinct. I didn’t honestly know what I was doing, but before I could even think, I had Kit in my lap, a low growl reverberating through me.

“No. Don’t. I…” I lowered my face into the crook of her neck, breathing in that scent as Kit trembled in my hands. “Goddamn it, Kit. Do you have any idea what you do to me?”

I pulled back enough to see her wide stare and parted lips. The feeling of her curves in my grip, the weight of her supple thighs pressing into me…I needed her.

Right the fuck now.

“I—”

But I didn’t wait for her words. I couldn’t. Instead, I crashed my lips against hers, finally kissing Kit.

Chapter 14 - Kit

Kaiden was kissing me. I was sitting in his lap, and Kaiden was kissing me!

The feeling of his soft lips caressing me, his iron grip on my hips, was enough to leave me breathless. I could feel the growing erection beneath me, and my entire body hummed in a way it never had before.

I had zero experience with this—and I really did mean zero—but all I could think was just how right it felt to have him snatching me up like this. Kaiden’s fallen leaf and dew scent flared in my nose, more potent than I’d ever noticed it before, and something I couldn’t quite understand felt like it clicked into place.

But this was nuts. Kaiden was stressed. It had to just be that, and I pulled back.

“Kaiden, what are you doing? Have you lost your mind?”

He shook his head, a look of desperation on his face like me pulling away had crushed him. Kaiden’s grip on my hips yanked harder, and I was flush against his chest in a flash, one of my legs pulled over him so that I straddled his lap.

“Maybe. I don’t care. I…I just need you. Goddamn, do I need you, Kit. It’s like I can’t breathe if you’re not right up against me.”

His lips were on mine again, and I wanted to melt into him. Still, I couldn’t shake my disbelief, and I slid my face to the side, Kaiden’s mouth going straight for my throat.

“You hate me. You’ve said as much yourself for years, Kaiden.”

He shook his head again, nipping at my neck. “I’ve never hated you. Never. Fuuuck,” Kaiden moaned low as he rubbed his erection against me, and heat pooled into my core, slick coating my skin beneath my pants.

“I was…” he mumbled against my skin, “I was so stupid. It was just so intense. I knew, Kit. I knew immediately. Damn, you’re going to be the death of me.”