Silas felt his cock stiffen, and he had to reach down and adjust himself again.

It wouldn’t be so bad, except . . .

Except now that he’d seen her with the pack’s pups that morning all he could think about, all he’d craved was to fill her up, take her rough and hard, until he spilled his seed into the depths of her womb. Not careful. Not tender like he should be. But a rough, literal claiming. As many times as it took until everyone knew she was his mate. She’d look absolutely scrumptious a few months from now, round and full with his child, something that was wholly theirs, and he wanted that future with her so badly, so keenly, he ached for it.

For future Christmases full of family, one of their creation.

A new life. A better one.Exactly as the packmaster had said. But not with the pack.

With her.

“Cheyenne,” he warned, his voice lowering to a gruff rumble. He could see what she was trying to do now and he didn’t care for it, or maybe he cared for ittoomuch.

His cock ached, balls tightening with need.

“I know what you’re thinking,” she said, “or at least I think I do, and you don’t have to worry.” Cheyenne pranced her way around the kitchen island toward him, sauntering with an extra little sway in her hips that made his mouth fucking water. “I already locked the door and hid the key when we came in.” She placed a small hand on his chest, and he let out a troubled hiss. That wasn’t what he’d been thinking at all. He honestly didn’t give a fuck who saw them.

“You naughty, sexy little minx,” he purred.

He hauled her up and into his arms, sprawling her out overtop the kitchen island within seconds, careful to stick to his messy side to keep her careful gingerbread creation intact.

She squealed a little, wiggling and playfully swatting at him a bit, as he tore her apron off. Those damn little strings in the back didn’t stand a chance against him. Her shirt and pants came next. He bent down, growling against her ear. “You’re the only kind of dessert I want to eat.” He licked the whorl there. “Now and always.”

“What if you did then?”

He pulled back, watched her grin up at him.

“What if you had me exactly how you want me?” She stared up at him with those large doe eyes. “Would that be so bad?”

He groaned. “You’re killing me, woman.”

“I don’t think you mean that literally.”

He shook his head, chuckled. “I don’t.”

“Then whatdoyou mean?”

“I mean I want to take you raw, bare, right here against this counter, sweetheart.” He drew back, spreading her legs wide. “Fill you up with a different kind of sugar.” He dipped a finger into a nearby dollop of icing that’d fallen on the countertop and dangled it over her with that mischievous question in his eyes. A devilish smirk tugged at his lips.

“What if I want the same thing?” She nodded at the icing in his hand, but he knew they were talking about more than that. “What if I said yes?”

“You don’t mean that.” He shook his head. “Not with me.” His eyes flashed to his wolf.

“Don’t tell me what I mean, Silas.” Her features suddenly hardened, for only a moment, as if she were annoyed by his denial, but the sunshine was back just as quick. “I want you. I want this.” She rose up off the table enough to reach down and cup the hard mound straining at the fly of his jeans, where his length threatened to break free. “That’s all I want this Christmas,” she smiled at him, clearly pleased at her own cleverness at parroting a song. As if he were a gift, a present. But the situation was reversed, couldn’t she see?

Shewas his gift.

Everything he’d ever wanted.

“Please.” She bit her lower lip.

And it was about that time Silas lost it.

Fuck, if he’d every really stood a chance of saying no to her in the first place. He growled his pleasure, spreading her further open where she laid on the island counter, naked and bare. He wanted to spoil this woman now and every Christmas for the rest of his goddamn days. Treat her like a queen. Whatever she wanted, needed, he’d give it to her.

Even this.

He was too far gone give to two fucks about the consequences.