Page 15

Each time I answered, at first quietly, almost unsure because I’d never been treated this way before, but as my need ratched up, my answer became please.

”I need you inside me.” I grabbed his shoulders, pulling him closed. “Please.”

“If you insist.” He gave me a searing kiss before lining himself up with my entrance and slowly entering, inch by glorious inch, until he bottomed out. He stayed there, watching my face, his eyes glued to mine.

“You feel so—” He pressed his forehead to mine.

“I know the feeling,” I moved my hips. “Now move already.”

He barked out a laugh. “Bossy much?”

Before I could sass back, he did. Slowly at first and then faster and harder, my hips bucking beneath him. He thrust into me over and over again, his hands wandering, his mouth finding mine for brief heated kisses. I wrapped my legs around him, unwilling to let him disappear, even for a second.

It was fucking amazing.

“Garner.” I wasn’t even sure what I was asking for.

“I’ve got you.” He waited until I met his eyes and said again, “I’ve got you.”

And he did.

I held back my orgasm as long as I could, wanting this moment to last longer, but eventually there was no keeping it back,my cum shooting between us with barely a brush of his hand. He sped up slightly, and moments later he followed, his cum shooting into me, his knot growing—filling me to the point where it hit that fine line between pleasure and pain. Gods, this man was amazing.

We stayed tangled up after, connected by his knot, breathless and sweaty. My eyes fluttered closed, my consciousness slipping away, the orgasm taking everything out of me.

The last thing I remembered hearing before falling asleep was the word, “Mate.”

Did he think this was a game of chess? If so, he definitely won.

9

GARNER

I woke early, but not because I couldn’t sleep. Whoever designed the rooms had placed a twentieth-first century mattress on the four-poster. Thank gods.

Nope, I pulled myself awake because I didn’t want to miss one minute of being beside my sleeping mate.

He’s your mate but you’re not mated.

I could always count on my beast to keep me up to date.

Not wanting to disturb Joss, I lay still, content to have his body resting against mine. Lying underneath sumptuous bedding with a proper goose feather quilt was a luxury, though I’d had to calm my fox when he scented the feathers, thinking there was prey in the bed. I stifled a laugh as I pictured Joss being woken up by a fox attacking the quilt and feathers flying everywhere.

I almost did it.

Very glad you didn’t.

Joss stirred, and my breathing sped up as I practiced what to say and how to position myself. I got up on one elbow, thinking thatwas a sexy position. But would Joss appreciate opening his eyes to me posing like a model? Perhaps not.

Rolling onto my side facing him, I reconsidered when I pictured it from my mate’s point of view. With eyes drilling into him, just inches from his face, he might freak and leap out of bed.

I rolled the other way, then got on my belly, but ended up pulling the quilt up to my chin and closing my eyes.

There was always the possibility that the morning after the night before would be awkward, especially if it was a one-and-done. And though Joss was my happy ever after, I couldn’t read his mind

“You move around a lot.”

My eyes snapped open. “Sorry, did I wake you?”