Page 70 of Howl for the Gargoyle

Except that was an important question. My breath caught, and I blinked up at him. Part of me wanted to hedge around the truth. I think so. But all Rafe had ever asked me to do was to let go and embrace what I wanted. Which was almost exclusively him. The thought startled me and made the answer clearer than ever.

I can lose the band. I can lose the record.

I cannot lose Rafe.

"Yes," I said.

And Rafe beamed at me, smile so startlingly bright and full I nearly fell back another step with the force of it. "Then we'll figure it out."

Just like that.

I threw myself against him, and he was ready. He always caught me. We grappled at my clothes in the kiss, but I was still wearing my bra and my socks when we tripped into my shower. Rafe yanked the water on high, and one cold stream struck my back, drawing me out of the starving haze of the kiss and making me stifle a screech before he spun us, wincing as his wings created a shield.

We stared at one another for a moment, Rafe's expression twisted as the initial cold blast of water beat against him, and I broke out laughing. I hopped in place, pulling my socks off one at a time and tossing them with a wet slap to the tiled floor outside of the shower. I reached for my bra next and Rafe caught my hand, stopping me, reaching out and pinching one of my nipples through the lace, his eyes staring.

"Leave it for a bit. You like it when I lick you through lace," he said.

Steam was starting to billow up from his back, and his wings were stretching and folding, flexing under the warming water before settling and tucking close.

"Hmm, you think you know what I like?" I asked, shuffling closer, the steamy air warming around us.

Rafe scoffed, lips twitching. "I know I do, Hannah."

I grinned briefly and then hid my smile away, gazing up at him. "Prove it."

Rafe's gaze darkened, everything still for a moment. And then suddenly I was off my feet, cold, firm arms banded around my back, a rough kiss pulling on my breast through my thin bra. I might've considered stifling my moan, but Rafe forced it out of me before I could play any games with him.

I didn't want to play games. I wanted this. I wanted what he'd given me from the start—genuine interest, curiosity, abandon. I pulled my arms free of his grip, arching my chest into his mouth, his tongue swirling around my right nipple. His hair was still frozen on top, but the hot water had thawed the strands against the back of his neck, and I held him there, stroking my fingers against the tense muscle, down to where his wing roots thickened his skin.

Rafe turned again, and I gasped, eyes falling shut as the water sprayed down on me, soaking my hair and burning my still cool skin beautifully. My knees bent, and my legs wrapped around Rafe. With a gentle twist of my body his mouth slid to my left breast, treating it with the same sucking kisses and teasing twirl of his tongue before latching onto my nipple and drawing roughly.

I was rocking shamelessly against him, taking the smooth and subtle friction of his stomach against my core, and Rafe kissed his way up my chest, nesting his head under my jaw. I turned my head, resting my cheek between his horns, and we paused like that, wrapped around one another.

"Hannah," he whispered against my collarbone.

"Mm?"

"I fucking need you."

I blinked at the simple words, not understanding their significance. That was our aim, wasn't it? A messy, wonderful union to celebrate being together again? His head tipped back, and my heart tripped in my chest at the sight of him, eyes wide and frightened. He pulled me down an inch, and I gasped at the brief press of his cock to my sex.

"I should be on my knees," he said, staring up at me. "I should have you screaming on my tongue, make you drench my fingers. I know what you like, but I—"

But he needed me. And we weren't client and partner now. I bent my head and kissed his forehead. I wasn't sure if it'd ever been entirely selfish between us. I'd craved his pleasure from almost the start, and he'd been devoted to mine.

"Take what you need," I murmured. You are what I need too.

Rafe groaned, and it only took one easy correction between us before I was sliding down onto his cock.

I whimpered as he bucked, holding me to the hilt, and his chest rumbled, eyes falling shut. I stared my fill of him, as stunned by his beauty as I had been that moment I first saw him, walking into the MSA apartment. His eyes opened slowly, lips curving.

"We are never going an entire month without this again," he said, the words thick and low.

My lips parted on a gasp and Rafe turned, pressing me to the tile wall and thrusting in, hard and fast. I cried out at the bone deep shudder of pleasure, and Rafe swallowed the sound with his kiss. He was relentless, hands everywhere, massive body pinning me to the wall as he fucked me.

I didn't need to be in control. Rafe's mastery of my body was more than enough. I tangled myself tighter around him, kissed his throat when he pulled away to moan, let him ride me up the wall with his force, my own voice ragged and broken with praise.

Everything was going to change. I had a mate, and I barely knew what that meant, but in this moment only one thing was clear and important.

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