Page 56 of Complicated Past

He gave an almost bashful smile before he turned.

“Wolves.” That wasn’t what she’d expected. She ran her fingers over the most prominent one in the center with a serious, watchful gaze in its light eyes.

He looked over his shoulder at her. “I have the personality traits of a lone wolf. That’s my nickname on the team.”

A shiver of pleasure ran through her that he shared his nickname.

“It doesn’t mean I’m dangerous. But I will protect my pack. I prefer small groups of people. Ones that I trust. I’m independent, and I don’t like to need help.”

“Um, hmm.” She chuckled slightly at his admission.

“That middle one represents me,” Linc said. “The smaller, pale colored wolf next to it is for Bri. I added it after she finished rehab. The pup is Jalen. I got that done after she decided to keep him, and I promised to help watch over him.”

Her eyes misted as he explained. She touched a fingertip to the face of the two smaller wolves, then pressed her lips to the protector wolf.

“The ones in the background by the forest are for my team. They always have my back. How do you feel about tattoos?”

“I think this one fits you perfectly.” Maybe one day he’d add a wolf for her. That’d be down the road, but she smiled at the idea.

He turned to face her again. She ran her hand from his shoulder, down the well-defined muscles of his arms, taking in the sight of his impressive abs before his mouth claimed hers.

She was in such a state of bliss that she offered no resistance when he maneuvered them to lay face to face and nose to nose and then lip to lip on the couch. His knee nudged between her legs.

It didn’t take long before his thigh rose. His hand slid under her to the small of her back, applying pressure. When she writhed against his thigh, he ground harder. His solid erection pressed against her. She wanted Linc as much as she wanted her next breath.

Her fingers hesitated at the button to his pants, then trailed down the fabric covering the hard length of him, which pulsated against her palm.

A pleasured rumble rose from his chest into his throat.

Rather than shy away, she curved her palm to cup him. He leaned against her hand, rotating his hips while his smoldering, dark brown gaze maintained contact with hers.

Removing her hand, she raised her torso to lift her shirt. Now, it was his turn to stare.

He licked his lips before trailing one finger down her cheek, then her neck, and over the curve of her breast. His hand covered and caressed one breast before tweaking her nipple through the thin fabric. “You doing good?”

“Better than good.” She reached behind her to unclasp her bra, then slowly eased the straps down her arms. Linc swallowed and licked his lips again as she laid back. “I’ll let you do the honors.”

“Okay. But I’m going to take my time.” He graced her with that soulful smile, and she couldn’t determine if that was to make her more comfortable or to make her beg him for more—which she was close to doing already.

Even though he had the strength to overpower her easily, Linc stayed true to his word and did not pressure her in any way. His relinquish of control also restored the confidence that Don had stolen from her and banished the anxiety that usually took hold at this stage of intimacy.

First, Linc kissed her jawline, moved down her neck to her collarbone, then focused on the swell of her breast. Anticipation built as his warm tongue slid under the loosened lace edge of her bra to wet her skin. Finally, his mouth traversed to cover the peak where his hot, moist breath warmed her through the fabric. When he bit lightly, her back arched up toward him. The hand sliding up her thigh stopped before reaching the place she so wanted him to touch.

His teeth clasped the lace edge of her bra cup and pulled it down to bare most of her breast. He removed the bra and tossed it to the floor. “Perfect.”

The way he kissed and nibbled and sucked had her in no hurry to make him move on to the next step yet. She simply enjoyed as he focused on her pleasure and not his own in a way she’d never experienced. As he lavished equal attention on the other breast, her hand ran down the muscles of his arm to take his hand and guide it higher.

He obediently followed orders, first palming her, then his finger gently stroked before delving in to tease and explore. She pressed against his hand and clenched around his finger. After spending the past few days dreaming about Linc, his touch already had her on the brink of coming.

“Let’s take this to the bedroom where there’s more room,” she said, her breathing labored.

“I like that idea.” He eased off the couch to a standing position and extended his hand.

Inside the bedroom, Linc removed his wallet from his pocket. He opened it, then held up foil packages. “Two.” He laid them on the nightstand while unfastening his pants with the other hand.

The way he said it and eyed her, she banked on them using both. She skimmed off her leggings as his pants dropped to the floor.

They both paused, taking in each other’s bodies. His legs were muscular like the rest of him. That a man this amazingly fit and gorgeous was attracted to her had seemed too good to be true when he first asked her out. Since then, she’d lost some pounds and a dress size, but she was no stick figure. Her stomach certainly wasn’t flat, and she needed an underwire bra to keep the girls perky, but Linc made her feel beautiful and desirable.

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