Page 66 of Wolf Mate

With his lips an inch from mine, I breathed out, “But Josie.”

His entire body flinched. “Dammit, Skylar.” He pulled back. “Do you not want to kiss me?Iknow that no means no.”

“Is that a serious question?” My hands fisted in his shirt, and I wasn’t sure if I was pulling him closer or pushing him away. I feared it was the former. “Of course I do. But not when you’re with someone else.”

He sighed. “You won’t like it, but I’ve got something to tell you.”

My heart nearly stopped. What had he been keeping from me?

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Iclenched my hands, trying to contain my frustration. He’d better start talkingnow. “Are you engaged to her?” I didn’t know why that was where my mind had leaped. She was gorgeous, and not forbidden to him, so why wouldn’t he settle down with her? But then why the hell was he here with me? Was I some conquest he wanted to make before they exchanged vows? Not that I was anything to brag about, but that was all I could come up with.

“What? No,” he replied hurriedly, cupping my face with his hand. “Not even close to that.”

Some of the pressure squeezing my body lifted, but cold fear still strangled my heart. “Then what?”

One side of his mouth tipped upward. “Josie and I arejustfriends. Nothing more.”

I could breathe again, and something warm expanded in my chest—hope. “You jackass. That was the last thing I expected you to say.”

“Yeah, I got that after the engagement comment.” He snickered. “But I figure this news is just as bad in a different way.”

“What do you mean?” The thought of him being with Josie these past weeks had been hell. At least it wouldn’t torment me anymore.

He placed his hand on the door beside me and leaned closer. “It’s hard enough to stay away from you and appear indifferent, but I played up the Josie angle to make you want to stay away from me.” He pressed his forehead to mine. “We’ve been friends since forever. She’s part of my dad’s pack, and we support each other, but that’s it.”

My stomach dropped. Ihadbeen using her existence as a reminder to stay away from Raffe. “I’m still forbidden to you.”

He grimaced. “I know. Believe me. But I’m finding it hard to care about that, especially when I’m with you like this.” He stared at me with those warm eyes that were my undoing.

Maybe the alcohol was influencing me, but Raffe was here in front of me, wanting to kiss me. He wasn’t with anyone, so it wasn’t wrong. There was no reason to say no if he tried again, right? Other than him stealing my heart.

Wolf peeking through, he licked his lips. “I’m going to try to kiss you again, but if you still don’t want me to, all you have to say is stop.”

My head spun, and I nodded. “Okay.”

He smiled, and then his lips were on mine, urgent yet soft enough that I still had control. My skin sizzled as I followed his lead. I’d never been kissed before, and this was the most amazing experience ever.

Something came over me, and my tongue glided across his mouth, begging for entrance.

He growled, the sound warming my body and making my brain hazier as I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him closer.

I needed more of him, his taste, his smell. Everything about him was so damn tempting and perfect.

Responding in earnest, he deepened the kiss, his hands sliding down to my waist, where he touched my bare skin.

A desperate moan escaped me. I should’ve been embarrassed, but with the way he was touching me, I couldn’t think past how good his touch felt.

“Fuck,” he rasped, pulling away from my mouth and trailing kisses down my neck. His lips hovered over the main artery in my neck where my pulse pounded, but I didn’t feel any panic or fear like when the vampire had bitten me.

An overwhelming desire came over me, and I tilted my head back, giving him better access to my neck. My heart pounded, and my blood jolted, finally waking up from the night.

His teeth raked against my skin, and I whimpered and grabbed his hair, pressing him into my neck while heat flooded my body.

It wasn’t enough. I neededmore.

He stilled and kissed my neck softly in the same spot where his teeth had grazed me, and then he untangled my hands from his hair. He leaned back, putting distance between us, but one hand remained on my waist, anchoring me in place.

---