Page 23 of Posing for the Artist Wolf

The hand in my hair tightened. His pace increased, fucking me harder, faster. Deeper. I rode the edge, my whole body quivering. So close. I just needed?—

“Fuck, Claire,” Kai panted. “I’m going to come.”

The fingers between us applied more pressure. My back bowed as my orgasm tore through me with explosive force. My eyes screwed shut, stars bursting across my vision. My fingers dug into Kai’s skin, my only anchor to reality as I rode wave after wave of pleasure.

Kai growled, low and deep in his chest. His fingers tightened in my hair. “Mine,” he snarled.

His rhythm broke, his thrusts uneven as he buried his cock to the hilt and shuddered. He pressed his lips to the juncture of my neck and shoulder, teeth scraping my skin. Warmth spilled deep inside me as he groaned my name.

I sagged against his chest, resting my forehead against his shoulder and breathing his earthy scent deep into my lungs. My heart hammered in my chest, thundering in my ears. I could feel his pulse pounding, too, echoing my own.

I turned my head and captured his lips, pouring every ounce of emotion I had into the kiss. Kai returned the sentiment with equal fervor, his hands trailing up and down my back in soothing strokes.

Slowly, Kai eased out of the kiss. His fingers traced a delicate path along my collarbone, brushing over the design inked there.

“Tell me about this one,” he murmured, pressing a soft kiss to my skin.

I glanced down, smiling at the familiar sight of the thorns and vines. “My third tattoo,” I explained. “College friends have similar—we finished a unit on Georgia O’Keeffe, and got a little floral and, uh... floral in our inspiration.”

“The jazz cabbage? Oh, you fiend.” A chuckle shook his chest. “What about this one?”

This time, his fingers traced the spindly legged elephant clinging to my side. I shivered at the soft caress, my eyes drifting shut. “Salvador Dali. Just the perfect level of weird.”

Kai hummed, his lips trailing along the edge of the ink that formed the fossil of a velociraptor on my shoulder.

I tried to focus, to remember the story behind the tattoo, but Kai’s touch was proving to be wonderfully distracting. His hand skated over my hips to palm my ass. I arched into the touch with a sigh.

His lips ghosted over my skin, mouthing his way to the spot behind my ear where the tiny bat tattoo hid. “You are a work of art.”

CHAPTER EIGHT

CLAIRE

Ifidgeted with the hem of my sweater as we approached the weathered front of the Rusty Pine Tavern. Kai’s hand at the small of my back was a comforting presence, grounding me as my nerves threatened to send me running back to the safety of Briar House.

“You okay?” Kai murmured, his breath warm against my ear.

I nodded, forcing a smile. “Just... a lot to take in.”

Sure, it was easy to agree to meeting a man’s pack while he had his head between my legs, but in the light of day—even the fading evening light of Mill Creek—the reality of the situation was hitting home.

I knew the bare minimum. Names, jobs, biggest personality quirks. Enough to navigate small talk, but not nearly enough to banish the flight of nerves. I was a stranger in a world I was just discovering existed.

They were important to Kai. That was all that mattered.

My wolf wrapped an arm around my waist and squeezed my hip reassuringly. “We don’t have to stay long. It’s just a monthly thing Rafe and Maddy started—forced fun, you know?”

The tavern door creaked as Kai pushed it open, a wave of warmth and the scent of stale beer washing over us. I blinked, letting my eyes adjust to the dim interior. A hush fell over the room as we entered, and I could feel curious gazes burning into my skin.

Kai’s grip tightened slightly, steering me towards a cluster of familiar faces near the pool tables. Shifters, mostly, all of them my fellow townspeople and diner patrons. “Figured it’d be easier to introduce you here than at the pack house.”

“Boy, you sure know how to cause trouble,” a voice called out as the rest of the tavern resumed their chatter. I turned to see a ruggedly handsome man eyeing us with amusement. “Rafe won’t like you bringing a human.”

Kai snorted, gesturing to the slim blonde nearby. “You listened so well to that tripe with Brielle.”

I recognized the name, but hadn’t met her formally. She’d cleared out weeks before I decided to keep Briar House instead of selling, and I didn’t know the etiquette for in-person, post-service, meetings.

“Ah, so you’re the one who walked off with Grandpa’s cufflink collection,” I quipped, unable to resist.

---