Page 25 of The Hunt

“Shut up.”She went to move as if she was going to sit back between his thighs, and he was more than happy for her to do that.Only, he wanted to kiss her.He didn’t want to let this moment slide.

“No, tell me.Lie to my face that you don’t want to kiss me?”he asked.

She sat back on her heels, folded her arms across her chest, and he found her complete stubbornness so cute.

“Fine, I’ll be the one to say it first.I want to kiss you, Calliope.I want to feel those lips on mine.”

She glared at him and he was about to move into position to take charge of kissing her.Only, she managed to stop him, put a hand against his chest, and then press him up against the tree.Jaxson didn’t put up a fight.What was the point?The kiss was what he was heading toward, and it was what he wanted more than anything.

She leaned in close.He looked into her brown eyes.He missed being this close to her, and he hated his childish self for not speaking up sooner.He nearly messed up one of the best things in his world.Calliope meant everything to him.He loved her.He’d loved her since they were kids.

Her breath fanned across his face, and this time Calliope pressed her lips to his, and it meant everything.

At first, he put his hands on her arms.She wasn’t touching him, and then he placed her hands on his shoulders.He wanted to feel her body against his.The moment she touched him, he was able to slide his hands up, circle them around her back, and just hold onto her.He didn’t want to stop touching her.

The scent of vanilla was heavy in the air, and he felt something else, something that shifted within him.This was his mate.The elders had decided.Calliope was meant to belong to him, and he didn’t want to ever give her up.

Sliding one of his hands up and into her hair, he held her in place and kissed her.Ravishing her lips as he just couldn’t stand to not have her.

Jaxson didn’t know how it happened, but she ended up laid against him on the ground, making out.Touching her was everything he had ever wanted.Kissing her was so damn right.It was like for the past three years, or even longer, a part of him had been missing, and he knew it was his own stupid fault.

All too soon, the kiss was over.

“I think it’s time we got some rest,” Calliope said.

“Yeah, I think you’re right.”

And with that, she snuggled against him, and Jaxson couldn’t do anything other than watch her sleep.

She was perfect—his woman, his mate—and he would never let her go.

Chapter Seven

Something didn’t feelright.

Calliope opened her eyes to see the sun moving.That was so strange—why was the sun moving?—and then she grunted as she realized her foot was being dragged.Only, this wasn’t delicately being done, she was being yanked, and then she screamed out at whatever was dragging her, finally gripped her ankle, and sent its teeth right into her flesh.The pain was instant.

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