Page 27 of The Four Leaf

“First, no. Taking care of you after we’re a mess is something Iwantto do.” I rub a soapy hand across her check, my heart warming when she leans into my touch. “But the technical term is called aftercare. Second, it doesn’t always need to take place in the woods.”

She pouts, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything more adorable. “But that was fun and exciting.”

Now, my tender heart swells in my chest. “So is hunting you through the hotel and fucking you in the alley.”

Sam lets out a whimper, her lashes fluttering as though she’s picturing it. I begin to wash her body, careful not to press too hard when I go over the more bruised spots. “It’s different for everyone, but for me, primal play is a state of mind. My beast, or need to engage in primal activities, is triggered by different things. In our case, it’s always been your smell.”

Her head jolts back as she listens, but then almost immediately a lightbulb goes off in her head. “Stinky Sam.”

I smirk and nod. “Stinky Sam wasn’t because you stunk. It was because you smelled so fucking good, I wanted to bite you. I didn’t understand why, and it freaked me out a bit. Made me worry you would think I was out of my mind.”

“And is that the same reason we stopped wrestling and playing around?”

On a bent knee, I wash one of her feet before gazing back up at her. “Yes. We would get rough, and I would suddenly want to get rougher. I wanted to pin you down and make you submit. We were teens when I finally figured out I was actually aroused by it.”

She tilts my chin up with her forefinger, prompting me to stand. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Because I love you too much to lose you.” The admission is both a heavy weight from my shoulders and sets me on the edge. “I didn’t want you to think differently of me.”

Sam purses her lips, her annoyance clear. “You’re telling me, I’ve been missing out on all that because you were scared to tell yourbest friendyou liked a little frolicking in the woods?”

I roll my eyes, twisting her by the shoulder so I can wash her back. “It wasn’t worth the risk at the time. Primal is still so new to many people, and I just... I don’t know. Bambi, I wanted to play it safe. Better to have you in my life as a friend than nothing at all.”

“I hate you think so little of me. Meanwhile, I’ve been out here, bored out of my mind, dating boring ass suits when I could have been getting railed in the forest by the man I’ve loved since I knew what love was.”

A deep ache radiates across my sternum. It’s a combination of elation and regret; anger that I didn’t trust her sooner with this part of me. Threading a hand through my hair, I toss the loofah on the hook. “You’re right, and I’ll spend every day you let me, making it up to you.”

Sam twirls back around. “I owe the same to you. Ever since the day you pushed me in the mud, I always thought that was you rejecting me. Putting me in the friend zone permanently. But now I see, we missed an opportunity, but not our chance. We have that now.”

My lips stretch into a wide, involuntary smile. “For a person who’s so soft and mushy, it’s hard to believe you want someone who’s hard and rough around all the edges.”

She shrugs, wrapping her arms around my neck and perching on her tiptoes to place a quick kiss on my lips. “What can I say? It also doesn’t hurt that you want to take care of me after. It feels pretty damn good.”

“Have to keep my prey in good shape. Wouldn’t be much fun to chase if not.”

Sam laughs, the sweet sound winding around every tight muscle left and melting them into butter. “Well, now that I know everything, I promise to make it harder on you next time.”

“So you want it to be challenging to catch me?” Something I can’t make out shimmers in her eyes as she rakes a hand down my stomach. My abs tense and flex as she moves over each one. I’m relishing the feeling of finally being touched by her in the way I’ve craved for so long.

“Yes. It’s the hunt and the fight I crave. The need to subdue my prey in order to rightfully earn my prize.”

“I see.” She nods, a mischievous smirk curling one side of her lips. “Well, in that case, catch me if you can, number twenty-four.”

Before I realize what’s happening, the glass door swings open, and Sam sprints from the shower. It only takes a second to reach her, but when I wrap my arms around her wet waist, she manages to slip from beneath my grasp.

The beast in my chest roars to life as I grab her again. Our slick bodies fall over the bed, and we begin the best wrestling match we’ve ever had.

Our limbs tangle as I try to get her hands above her head. She wriggles and flails, her breath coming out in pants as she gives it everything she has to free herself. I drop my head and open my mouth wide, my teeth clamping down on her shoulder.

She yelps, bucking her hips up and pushing her pelvis straight into my erection. I growl, need surging through me as she continues to fight. She really doesn’t make it easy, both of us too wet and slick with residual soap to get any type of grip. Every time I manage to secure a hand, she wrangles it free.

It takes far too long, but I finally get a good grip on both of her wrists and shove them above her head, squeezing them tight. I move my knee on top of her clenched thighs and bear down, forcing her legs to part.

She makes me work to lift my knee, but when I press my thigh against her warm entrance, her head falls back, and she grinds against it, creating a friction that makes her eyes roll back.

“Need more already, huh?”

She smiles. “Maybe. Or maybe I just wanted to see if you’d be able to catch me while slippery.”

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