Page 10 of His Stubborn Mate

“You’re giving me a choice,” she said, her voice barely more than a whisper. “But what if I choose you, Rance? What if I want this bond as much as you do? What if, even without knowing any of this, I felt this same pull to you?”

His heart hammered in his chest, the words he had longed to hear bringing both relief and torment. “If you choose me,” he said, his voice rough with emotion, “then I promise you, I will be everything you need. I’ll protect you, love you, and cherish you for as long as we live. But you have to be sure, Amanda. Once we complete the bond, there’s no going back. We’ll be connected in ways that go beyond just being together. We’ll share everything—our thoughts, our emotions, our very souls.”

Amanda’s hand tightened around his, and he could see the determination in her eyes—the stubbornness—the strength that had drawn him to her in the first place. “I’m not afraid of that, Rance. I’m not afraid of what we could be together.”

Rance’s resolve wavered, the intense need to claim her warring with his desire to give her the time she needed. He could feel the bear inside him pushing against the barriers he had put up, urging him to take her, to make her his in every possible way.

But he couldn’t do that. Not until she was absolutely sure.

“Amanda,” he said, his voice strained, “I need you to understand that this isn’t just about physical desire. The bond will change you, just as it’s already begun to change me. You’ll start to feel the pull, the same way I do. And it will only get stronger.”

She looked up at him, her eyes filled with an emotion he couldn’t quite place. “I understand, Rance. And I want this. I want you.”

His control snapped. The moment the words left her lips, the dam inside him broke, and the full force of his need for her crashed over him like a tidal wave. He couldn’t hold back any longer.

In an instant, he closed the distance between them, his arms wrapping around her waist as he pulled her against him. His lips crashed down on hers with a hunger that had been building from the moment he first saw her, a hunger that only she could satisfy.

Amanda responded with equal fervor, her hands tangling in his hair as she pressed herself closer to him. The taste of her, the feel of her body against his, was intoxicating, and he knew that he would never get enough of her.

But even in the midst of his desire, Rance held back, giving her the chance to stop, to pull away if she wanted to. He had to know that this was truly what she wanted, that she was ready to accept the bond between them.

But Amanda didn’t pull away. Instead, she deepened the kiss, her body molding against his as if she had been made to fit perfectly in his arms. Her willingness, her eagerness, was all the confirmation he needed.

With a low growl, Rance lifted her off the ground, carrying her to the bed in the corner of the cabin. He stripped them both of their clothes before laying her down gently, his hands trembling with the effort to maintain some semblance of control as he looked down at her.

“You’re mine, Amanda,” he said, his voice rough with emotion. “And I’m yours. Forever.”

Her eyes met his, and in that moment, Rance saw the truth in them—she was ready. Ready to accept the bond, to be his mate in every sense of the word.

And with that realization, he let go of the last vestiges of his control. There was no more holding back, no more resisting the pull between them. They were fated to be together, and now, there was no turning back.

Rance leaned down, his lips finding hers once more as he claimed them in the way his very soul demanded. He poured all of his love, his need, and his desire into that kiss, knowing that this was the beginning of something extraordinary.

Chapter Six

Rance

He stretched out beside her, covering her with his body before trailing kisses from her mouth down her torso. He suckled at her turgid nipples, pulling them into his mouth and laving them with his tongue before nipping at them and sucking again. He reveled in how she responded, moaning and running her fingers through his hair.

Spreading her legs wide, he settled himself between them before putting his mouth on her sex, kissing her labia, and nuzzling her clit. She was more than ready for him. She was wet, ripe, and he was sure, delicious. Her arousal was intoxicating, and it was all he could do not to give in to the need to claim her and do so in a frenzied rut.

He covered her with his mouth, feasting on the honey he found there, spearing her with his tongue again and again. She was driving him mad and doing absolutely nothing other than responding. Amanda arched up as she came—trembling before she went stiff and then relaxed completely.

Slowly, he worked his way back up her body. “Wrap your legs around me.”

Amanda smiled softly, her eyes soft and yet needy as she clung to him. He slid his hard length over her clit to lubricate his cock. As he moved into position to claim her, he realized that while the bear-shifter in him didn’t give a damn about birth control or safe sex, it wasn’t something they had discussed. There were so many things they hadn’t discussed, and he didn’t really care.

He started to pull back, and she smiled up at him. “There are things we should talk about.”

She laughed softly. “I’m clean. No sex since my last physical and I’ve been on birth control for years. And you?”

“Same… well, not the birth control part, but you know what I mean.”

“I do, indeed; now why don’t you fuck me?”

“We’re going to have to have a long talk about the male dominance in the bear-shifter community.”

“Can we have that talk after you fuck me?”

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