Page 127 of Primal Bonds

Both man and cat felt a primitive satisfaction at that.

He slid his hand down to toy with her clit. She made a murmur of pleasure and he slid his fingers into her folds. She was hot and slick and ready.

He kissed her again while his fingers kept up their slow dance: in and out of her passage, around her tight, swollen bud. Soft, teasing touches until she was writhing in his arms, her breath jerking in and out.

His muscles locked under the strain of holding back. But he kept it up until she said, “Jace,” and started chanting “please” over and over.

“Take it,” he growled against her ear. “Now.” He dragged his fingers over her clit.

Her back bowed as she cried out his name. He kept up a steady, circling pressure until she went limp. “Oh. My. God.”

He chuckled and gave her a soft kiss. “Be right back.” Exiting the shower, he grabbed a rubber from a basket under the sink, worked it over his erection and returned.

Evie was slumped against the black tile wall, her creamy skin slick, her dark lashes spiked with water. Her nipples were a dusky rose that made his mouth water. She held her hand out to him with a secret little smile that shot straight to his groin.

He stalked toward her and lifted her up against the tiles so he could suck each nipple in turn. She moaned and gripped his nape. Sharp nails dug into his skin, stoking his arousal higher.

His cat purred. It liked a mate with claws.

He set his tip at her entrance and rocked his hips, small nudges until he was full seated. He expelled a harsh breath. She was so tight. So perfect.

Then she squeezed herself around him and his vision blurred.

He wrapped one arm around her shoulders, the other holding her hips to protect her from the hard tiles, and thrust into her. Harder this time.

Pleasure slammed up his spine. She tightened her legs around him and met him thrust for thrust. Her wet body was cool against his, but inside she was a silky hot glove.

On his chest, his quartz warmed, and a distant corner of his mind felt surprise. So it had some life in it after all.

He bent his knees and thrust straight up, hitting a spot deep inside Evie’s womb that made her eyes roll back in her head. She gasped and clenched on him, rhythmic tightening that set up an answering pulse in his balls. It was too much. He buried his head in the side of her neck, tonguing the mark he’d made on her, and then joined with her, hard and fast until he came with a muttered curse.

He held himself deep inside, letting the hot, wet pleasure of her sweep over him. Wringing him out, and then filling him again to his very essence.

His breath scraped in and out of his lungs. He let her legs slide down to touch the floor again as he said a prayer of thanks to the gods that had brought him to her door. He’d been only half-alive, his only focus work and Merry. Scarred and bitter from the Darktime, even more than he’d known.

Evie had saved him in more ways than one.

“Mine,” he said one last time.

Her arms tightened on him without speaking. But he heard her answer loud and clear through their bond: Yours.

Chapter 39

Beau and Kyler had settled on brunch. Evie and Jace emerged from the shower to find everyone in the kitchen, including Suha and the two hard-eyed soldiers, who were introduced as Ryder and Jamila.

Beau and Kyler were busy putting together breakfast burritos. A pitcher of orange juice and a bowl of ripe strawberries sat next to fresh salsa, and Suha handed Evie a mug of hot coffee as she entered the kitchen.

Jace fussed over Evie, having her sit and then filling a plate for her. When she started to protest, he stopped her with a kiss. “You’ll find I take good care of my mate,” he murmured against her lips.

“So do I.” She tugged him down next to her. “Now eat.” She made him a plate and set it before him. Then she noticed the open mouths. Everyone at the table was staring at them.

Suha recovered first. “You’re mates—congratulations!” She jumped up and hugged Evie, and then frowned at Jace. “Does she know what that means?”

He wrapped a possessive hand around Evie’s nape. “Of course.”

Suha set a hand on her hip. “You know it’s not binding unless the woman accepts. And she has to know exactly what she’s getting into.”

“Too late. She’s already accepted the claim.”

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