Page 39 of Pleasure and Mane
"Need any help?"
Quinn gasped as Caius's arms wrapped around her waist from behind, his chest solid against her back. "You said eighteen minutes!"
"I lied." His teeth scraped against the sensitive spot below her ear. "Couldn't stay away from you that long."
She turned in his embrace, arching into him as his hands slid up her back. "Distracting me from packing seems counterproductive."
Caius nipped at her lower lip. "Who says we can't do both?"
The raw hunger in his gaze made her knees weaken.Ten days. Ten days of learning this man—his strength, his tenderness, and the way he could shift from commanding Alpha to playful lover in a heartbeat.
Quinn fisted his shirt, dragging him closer. "You're impossible."
"And you're mine." His mouth crashed down on hers again, stealing her breath as he backed her toward the bed.
Somewhere in the haze of desire, she registered the sound of her overnight bag hitting the floor, forgotten. The pregnancy loss mystery, Vincent Keale, and the weight of the past week—all of it faded under Caius's relentless touches and kisses.
For now, there was only this. Only him.
Thirty minutes later, Quinn's cheeks were flushed, her lips swollen, and her blouse slightly rumpled as she leaned back in the passenger seat of Caius's truck. The sun dipped low on the horizon, painting the sky in shades of amber and violet, and the air smelled of pine and earth. Behind the wheel, Caius looked unfairly composed, his fitted black henley hugging his broad shoulders like it had been tailor-made for him. Quinn glanced at him, still catching her breath, and caught the smirk playing on his lips. She rolled her eyes but couldn't suppress her own smile.
"What?" he asked, his voice low and teasing.
"You know what," Quinn replied, smoothing her hair down self-consciously. "You're not even a little bit ruffled. Meanwhile, I look like I've just been—" She cut herself off, shaking her head. "Never mind."
Caius chuckled, the sound warm and rich, sending a shiver down her spine. "You look perfect. Always do."
She rolled her eyes again, but her heart fluttered at his words. Reaching for her notebook on the dashboard, Quinn flipped through the pages, her fingers tracing the lines she'd written earlier. Poems about Caius—about the way his hands felt on her skin, the way his voice rumbled when he whispered her name, and the way he gazed at her like she was the only thing that mattered in the world. It was raw, vulnerable, and terrifyinglyhonest. But writing had always been her escape and her way of processing the world. And now, Caius had become her muse.
"What are you writing about?" Caius asked, his tone casual but his eyes gleaming with curiosity.
"You," she admitted, her cheeks heating. "Us."
His smirk widened. "Care to share?"
Quinn hesitated, her fingers tightening on the edge of the notebook. Sharing her writing felt like baring her soul, but the way Caius was looking at her—soft yet expectant—made her want to. "One poem," she said firmly. "Just one."
He nodded, his expression serious now. "Deal."
She cleared her throat and began to read, her voice steady despite the flutter in her chest.
"Your hands, they map my skin like uncharted stars,
Each touch a constellation named, each kiss a galaxy claimed.
You're the storm and the calm, the fire and the ash,
And I'm just the world, bending to your gravity."
When she finished, the truck was silent except for the hum of the engine. Quinn glanced up, finding Caius staring straight ahead, his jaw tight and his grip firm on the steering wheel. For a moment, she wondered if she'd overstepped, if she'd revealed too much too soon. But then he spoke, his voice thick with emotion.
"That's the most beautiful thing anyone's ever written about me," he said softly. "You're magnificent, Quinn."
Her breath caught at the intensity in his voice. "It's just words," she murmured, though her chest swelled with pride.
"They're not just words," he countered, glancing at her briefly before focusing back on the road. "They'reyou. And you're..." He trailed off, shaking his head. "You're everything."
Quinn's heart skipped a beat, warmth spreading through her like wildfire. She'd never been one for grand declarationsor poetic speeches, but with Caius, everything felt different. Natural. Right. She reached over, lacing her fingers through his where they rested on the gearshift. He squeezed her hand gently, his thumb tracing circles on her skin.
