Page 23 of Mated to the Pride

Stone didn’t make me wait much longer. After a few eager kisses on my neck, he leaned back to guide himself inside me, so thick and tight andgoodthat my toes curled around his heel, heat flickering and spreading up through me from the base of my spine.

I melted into the pleasure, moaning into his shoulder. His skin was already damp with heat, and I buried myself in him just for the scent. I wasn’t really sure how pheromones worked, or hormones, or whatever the hell they were — but whatever hold his biology had over me, it was a potent force.

“God, you’re beautiful,” he murmured, turning his head to press a long, lingering kiss on my temple. “I can’t believe how lucky I am.”

“How luckyyouare?Ahh, Stone—”

I arched hard as his cock moved deep inside me, shuddering around the spark of the sensation, and muffled my cries against his shoulder. All this waiting and dreaming and desperation, and it had finally come to this moment, more blissful than I’d hoped. I felt his heart beating in time with mine, hard and rapid inside his chest.

Before long, I felt his thrusts get a little more frantic — felt the desperation as he tipped his head back to find my lips and kiss me again through his shuddering, heavy orgasm. Soft and sweet no longer. Hand slipping down between us to rub at my clitoris with careful consistency, he made sure I followed not long after, kissing my sharp-edged cries of pleasure into muffled ones.

He couldn’t stay all night. In fact, he didn’t dare to stay for more than an hour; he didn’t want to alarm Blake in case the alpha awoke to find Stone missing from his bed.

“He’s pretty serious about stuff,” he said, flashing me a lopsided grin of apology. “I’m sure you’ve noticed.”

There was a flirtatious flicker in his eyes that pulled a tight knot in my stomach, making me wonder whether he already knew about my similarly wonderful trysts with Preston and Blake. If it was, he didn’t say so, and kissed me a moment longer before crawling off the bed.

My heart was still pounding minutes after he’d left, long after it had slowed from the flurry of my orgasm. Living here felt like losing my mind one man at a time — and now that I’d slept with Stone too, that only left Hale lagging behind.

As I closed my eyes, feeling a wave of inexhaustible lust wash through me, I had already made up my mind.

I’d come this far. I wanted all four of them. If he’d have me, I needed to be with Hale too.

Hale

Having sensed Stone’s animal glow as he came back from duty, I figured it must have happened for him. He finally had his moment with Jess. Wanting her like I did, I couldn’t even bring myself to tease him about it. Instead, I just shot him a grin and patted his shoulder as I passed by. Saying something wasn’t in my best interest, anyway. I knew I’d have the same light in my eyes the second I was lucky enough to take my turn, and then he’d be firing the same barbs right back at me.

If she really was the One Mate, of course.

It wasn’t that I doubted it, per se. I knew how I felt when she blushed and looked away, too shy to hold my gaze; I knew the feeling of deep satisfaction that settled all over me whenever I helped her out in some small way. All the signs were strong — and maybe that was why I didn’t dare to be sure. The idea that we’d found a One Mate at all was dizzying. For it to be Jess, and for it to feel like this?

Shit. I’d be crazy to let myself hope for it. If it didn’t pan out, the disappointment would crush me.

Of course, I could try and think logically about all I wanted. Actually, resisting those feelings would be a different battle entirely. The second I stepped into the kitchen, hearing the door close on Blake and Stone behind me, I was caught up in the hourglass shape of her as she watched them walk away, and the unsteady rhythm her fingers drummed out on the counter-top.

I tapped her shoulder, stepping quickly to the other side before she could catch me there. Her smile was flustered, but sincere. She blushed right across the bridge of her nose, and tucked imaginary out-of-place hairs behind her ears.

“You’re a born nuisance,” she said, without any force or irritation whatsoever. Far from it. The quirk in the corner of her lips was full of warmth and light — despite the shyness. “Good morning, Hale.”

“Morning, Jess. You sleep well?”

She turned her body away from the window now, leaning back against the kitchen counter. I was well-practiced at ignoring the swells of lust I felt around her now but seeing her hips arch forward a little against the surface drove me wild. I forced myself not to look directly, instead focusing on setting the coffee brewing.

“I did,” she said. “For some reason I was extra-comfy last night. Like I was exactly where the universe wanted me to be right then. Is that weird?”

I swallowed. Lucky I was good at holding my composure. “Maybe?” I said, trying to sound casual. “But if it is, it’s a good weird.”

“I guess so.”

Even now, she struggled to meet my eyes. I could see the blush had spread all the way down to her collarbone, and couldn’t help but grin at her. “Aw, man. I still scare you after all this time?”

Jess tutted. “You don’t scare me. I’m just… distracted, I guess. I have a lot to do today.”

“Oh, right. Yeah.” I smirked. As the coffee started brewing, I stepped back from the counter to give her a full look. No matter what she said, I could see that pretty glow of embarrassment on her. I figured I ought to take pity. “Well, don’t let me keep you. I’m gonna head into the shower.”

“Oh. Okay.” I didn’t know why this should be a surprise to her in the morning, but it sounded that way. Jess gave me a faint smile, shrugging her shoulders and turning back to the sink. “Well, you enjoy. I’ll be right here.”

I bit back a flirtatious invitation. She’d come to me on her own time, or not at all. Being playful and a little intimidating was one thing, but I absolutely did not want to risk making her feel pressured or uncomfortable. Whether she was our One Mate or not, I’d never treat her that way.

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