Page 39 of Can't Be Love

As soon as we were inside the pasture and in open fields, Thomas kicked and the horse took off at a full sprint. I held on even tighter and felt the rumble of pleasure go through him. I realized then that I was becoming more and more in tune with his emotions all day. It was a sign that the bond was strengthening between us. I stiffened for a moment and let the thought sink in, taking a quick assessment of everything I had learned and observed about him.

Thomas may not have been my first pick as a mate, but he also wasn’t the douchebag I had portrayed him as. He was a good man, and it was easy to see he’d be a great Alpha when his time came. I definitely still had some unresolved personal feelings I was sorting through, but the thought of taking him as a mate and spending my life with this man, no longer revulsed me.

My mate, I thought, hugging him instead of just holding on for dear life. I took a deep breath, accepting his scent for the first time without any idea how that small gesture would affect me physically. I moaned in pleasure. It was the most delicious, intoxicating scent I’d ever smelled.

Thomas stopped short and the horse responded in kind, rearing back on his hind legs and neighing loudly. I squeezed Thomas tighter, saying a quick prayer we wouldn’t both go flying off. He quickly regained control of the horse.

“I’m sorry,” he said in a deep voice.

One second I was sitting behind him, my eyes shut tightly. The next, he had reached around and pulled me off. I yelped as I went flying through the air, though he remained completely in control. When I opened my eyes I was sitting in the front seat facing him. He was staring at me like he couldn’t believe his eyes. He gently touched my face and took a deep breath.

“What changed?” he asked.

“Wh—?”

Before I could finish saying the word, his mouth crashed down on mine. I didn’t hesitate or stiffen this time. I kissed him back with a desperate urgency, opening fully to him as his tongue swept in and battled with mine. I moaned into him, his arms wrapping tightly around me.

We were six feet off the ground on a horse who had just been spooked. I should have been panicking, but I was lost in my mate’s kisses without a care in the world.

He slowed and backed off, giving me a moment to catch my breath. He peppered light kisses across my cheek, nipping at the lobe of my ear. He growled, “Mine.”

My entire body shook in recognition. “Yours,” I returned, finding his mouth again and kissing him with a desire that overwhelmed all my senses.

Our lips never broke apart as he dismounted, bringing me with him. He paused only a moment to remove a blanket from the saddle bag and spread it across the ground.

I giggled. “You came prepared, I see.”

He grinned, and my heart flipped over in my chest. “For a picnic lunch, or so I thought.”

I quickly removed my shirt and discarded it on the ground before reaching for his. There was a great sense of urgency. I needed him. All of him. He made short work of his boots, his pants, and my pants. Soon we stood naked in the middle of nature taking a moment to admire each other. He went to remove his hat, but I stopped him.

“You can keep the hat,” I said with a smirk.

“Yes, ma’am,” he replied, before his lips found mine again.

As we resumed our kisses, my hands explored the hard planes of his chest, the bulging ridges of his arms, and the tight muscles of his stomach that had clearly earned him his place in the Six Pack.

His hands cupped my breasts and his calloused thumbs skimmed my nipples, the contrasting textures causing more pleasure than I could ever have imagined.

“Please tell me you’re on the pill, because despite what you think, I did not come prepared for this,” he said between kisses.

I grinned against him. “I am, but at this moment I wouldn’t give a shit anyway.”

He laughed and it became a playful bantering of further exploration that had me panting and ready when he finally took me. I flinched at the sting of his intrusion, and he slowed, giving my body time to adjust and accept him. Taking his time, he led us to a steady rhythm that soon had my head soaring in some unknown plane of existence before crashing back to reality. We were both sweaty, my chest heaving as I tried to regain consciousness.

“That was amazing,” I said in wonder as we lay there, still joined as one.

I groaned in protest when he rolled off me, a huge grin on his face. He kissed me softly this time, lovingly.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

I took a quick personal assessment. “More than okay,” I assured him, pulling him down for another kiss. I could quickly become addicted to his kisses.

He rolled to his back, removing his hat, and pulled me with him, tucking me close to his side. He kissed the top of my head and sighed contentedly. We lay there talking for a while just getting to know each other, our likes, our dislikes, all those little details of life. I had never felt so perfectly content and happy in all my life.Complete,my wolf’s voice said.Mate.

I sat up and looked around. We were in the middle of a field. The mountains were off in the distance, but otherwise I couldn’t see anything or anyone in any direction.

“Um, Thomas?”

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