Page 37 of Samuel
There was a vulnerability in his expression I hadn’t seen before, and I could tell he was letting me see a side of him he kept hidden.
The realization struck me that he trusted me enough to share this, to show me parts of himself that were usually protected.
I promised myself right then that I’d never betray his trust.
“Must have been…different,” I murmured, searching for the right words. “Being exposed to a pack after so long on your own.”
“It was,” he agreed. “But it reminded me that sometimes, you need someone to watch your back. There’s Zane, he’s married and has two kids. Doyle, his second-in-command, is recently mated.”
He hesitated, his eyes meeting mine. “Some of them might still consider me an outsider but they’re also my family.”
Samuel told me more stories of his pack, about his life, his family. It felt like he was opening a door, inviting me inside.
And as I listened, I found myself wanting to know more. But it felt only fair that I share something in return.
“What about you?” Samuel asked.
“Well, I had Finn,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper. “My cousin. We grew up together in the Guild. He was the only family I had. The only one I was close to.”
I hesitated, the next words catching in my throat. “It’s strange, but… I don’t think I’ll miss that life.”
Samuel reached across the table, his hand covering mine, grounding me.
“You don’t have to go back to it,” he said, his voice soft yet firm. “You’ll always have a place here. With me.”
The air between us grew thick, the warmth of his touch sending a shiver down my spine.
His eyes met mine, and for a moment, everything else faded away.
I leaned forward, drawn to him, and he met me halfway, capturing my lips in a slow, tender kiss. It was different this time.
Less about the heat, more about something deeper, something that wrapped around us both like a binding thread.
Samuel tugged me closer, and I let myself fall into him, into this moment.
I slid onto his lap, every nerve in my body ignited.
This close, I could feel Samuel’s heart beating in time with mine, a steady, grounding rhythm beneath the heat.
He wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me closer, pressing me flush against him.
The warmth of his breath tickled my neck, sending a shiver down my spine.
Samuel leaned in, his lips grazing the sensitive skin just below my ear. I shivered in anticipation.
“Right here,” he murmured, his voice a low rumble that sent warmth flooding through me. “This is where you belong.”
I tangled my hands in his hair, pulling him close.
Our lips met in a kiss that started slow, almost teasing, but quickly deepened, growing more urgent.
I felt his hands slide over my back, one slipping beneath my shirt, his touch searing against my skin.
His fingers traced a line up my spine, each touch drawing me deeper under his spell.
I felt a need I’d never known building inside me, pulling me toward him like a magnet.
The room around us faded as the kiss grew hotter, and suddenly, I didn’t just want him—I needed him.
