Page 16 of Sanctuary

“Oh my gosh!” I gasped, rushing to his side as he staggered back. “I’m so sorry! Are you okay?”

He groaned, touching his nose gingerly. “I’ve had worse,” he muttered, though his eyes were watering.

“Here, let me see,” I said, gently prying his hand away. His nose was red and starting to swell, but didn’t appear broken. “We should get some ice on that.”

As I fussed over him, he bent to retrieve the book I’d thrown from the leather chair it had landed on. His eyebrows shot up as he read the title.

“‘Hunting the Omegas by Aquila Thorne’?” he said with a smirk.

I felt my face flush hot with embarrassment. “It… it must be one of Wren’s,” I stammered.

“Whoa!” he exclaimed, his eyes growing rounder as he flipped the book open. Clearing his throat dramatically he started to read it. “‘So responsive,” he purrs against my pussy. “I can’t wait to hear you howl for us’.”

He looks at me above the book and says, “I didn’t realize we had such...stimulating literature in our collection.”

“Stop!” I laughed, reaching for the book. But Connor held it out of my reach, continuing to read in an exaggerated baritone.“‘Come for me, baby. Let me feel you. His teeth sink into my flesh, marking me as his mate. The sharp pain mingles with pleasure, pushing me over the edge.’”

As I stretched to grab it, I lost my balance, stumbling against his chest.

My heart raced as his lips found mine, our breath mingling in the warm air between us. I wrapped my arms around his neck, holding onto him tightly as he pulled me closer. His hand slid up my back, tracing gentle patterns on my skin that sent shivers down my spine. It felt so right to be in his arms. “Do you even want to do this?” I heard him murmur.

In response, I instinctively kissed back. My own desire growing with each passing moment. His touch ignited a flame inside me that I thought had been extinguished long ago. “One hundred percent,” I whispered back, my voice trembling with emotion. He pulled away just enough to look into my eyes, his gaze filled with a yearning that matched my own. “You taste like strawberries,” he mused before pressing his lips to mine once more. This time, the kiss was even more intense, his tongue dancing with mine in a seductive rhythm that left me breathless. As we broke apart for air, he ran his thumb gently across the swell of my bottom lip. “Connor...” I breathed his name out softly, reaching up to trace the outline of his jawline. His smile was slow and sexy as he looked down at me. “You know,” he started, leaning in close to nuzzle my neck, “this library is really beginning to look much more inviting.”

Connor’s hands slid down to my hips, pulling me even closer against him. The heat between us intensified as I felt his fingers slip beneath the hem of my shirt, his touch leaving trails of fire across my skin.

“I’ve been wanting to do this since the bingo hall,” he confessed, his voice husky against my ear before nipping gently at my earlobe.

A soft moan escaped my lips as his mouth traveled down my neck, leaving a path of hot, open-mouthed kisses that made my knees weak. I clutched at his shoulders for support, my fingers digging into the firm muscle beneath his shirt.

“Connor,” I gasped as his teeth grazed the sensitive spot where my neck met my shoulder. “We shouldn’t—”

“We absolutely should not be doing this,” he growled, capturing my lips again in a kiss that silenced any further protests.

My back pressed against the bookshelf as his body pinned me there, one of his hands tangling in my hair while the other continued its exploration beneath my shirt, fingers dancing dangerously close to the underside of my breast.

Just as his thumb brushed over the lace of my bra, a series of sharp, frantic barks shattered the moment. Connor jerked away from me, startled, as a massive black and tan Doberman came bounding into the library, its nails clicking rapidly against the hardwood floor.

“Killer!” Connor exclaimed, hastily adjusting his rumpled shirt as the dog launched itself at him, front paws landing squarely on his chest.

I pressed myself against the bookshelf, my heart still racing—though now for entirely different reasons—as I watched the enormous dog lick Connor’s face enthusiastically.

“Down, boy! Down!” came a commanding female voice from the doorway.

An elegant woman with silver-streaked dark hair stood there, her eyes twinkling with amusement as she took in the scene before her. “Am I interrupting something?”

Connor cleared his throat, his face flushing red as he gently pushed the dog down. “Iris! You’re back early.”

“Clearly,” she replied dryly, her gaze shifting to me. I became acutely aware of my disheveled appearance—my lips swollen from Connor’s kisses, my hair mussed where his fingers had tangled in it.

“You must be Mia,” she said, stepping forward with an outstretched hand. “I’ve heard so much about you from Wren. I’m Iris, Rory’s mother.”

I smoothed down my shirt and tried to compose myself as I shook her hand. “It’s lovely to meet you, Mrs. Hennessey.”

“Please, call me Iris,” she insisted, her eyes moving between Connor and me with undisguised interest. “I hope Killer didn’t frighten you. He gets rather excited after long car rides.”

The massive dog had calmed somewhat but was still circling Connor, sniffing his crotch. “Iris, as much as I like your dog, can you get him out of here please?”

She chuckled and whistled sharply. “Killer, come!” The dog reluctantly abandoned his investigation of Connor’s nether regions and trotted to her side. “Good boy,” she cooed, scratching behind his ears.

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