Page 26

Bastian

I step into the dorm, my hair still damp from my post-game shower. My body hums with the leftover adrenaline, but my bond with Rachel is what really drives the thrum in my veins. She’s close. I can feel how proud she is of me and it's a heady feeling, but under her pride is something else… anticipation.

Lucas steps out of my room, closing the door behind him before I can see what he’s up to.

“What were you doing in my room?” I narrow my eyes as I toss my bag on the couch.

Lucas leans casually against the wall like he hasn’t just spent a week benched for something that wasn’t his fault. His smirk tells me he’s definitely hiding something.

“What did you do?” I demand, narrowing my eyes.

“Oh, you know, just a little MVP celebration. Don’t say I've never done anything for you,” he snarks and jerks his head towards my bedroom door. “Time to go claim your prize, tiger.”

I don’t bother responding. I already know what’s waiting for me, or should I say who. I can feel her energy like a crackle in the air. Lust, anticipation, and a mischief I love to see growing in my Firefly as she gets more comfortable in herself as our mate.

I open my door and freeze.

Flickering light fills the room, casting long shadows across the walls. A plate of food sits on the desk, but I only have eyes for the snack laid out on my bed. The warm candlelight paints her skin in golden tones, and the soft jersey clings to curves I’ve only dared to imagine.

Rachel stretches across my bed like a gift from fate itself.

I’ve wanted to see her wearing my number all week, but I can say now with absolute certainty the fantasy could never compare to the reality. Her creamy legs are bare, the edge of the jersey barely covering the tops of her thighs. My eyes catch on Lucas’s mark as they trail up her body. Her hair fans out around her, creating an ebony halo. Her vivid green eyes catch mine, swirling with nerves, heat, and something even deeper.

Every inch of me goes stiff.

“Holy shit,” I breathe.

She gives me a coy smile, tilting her head to the side. “Took you long enough. I was beginning to think you weren’t interested in your prize.”

I growl, low and dangerous in my chest, and kick the door shut behind me before reaching back and turning the lock.

“You trying to kill me, Firefly?”

She shrugs, not bothering to hide the wicked glint in her eye. “Maybe. Or maybe I just thought my MVP deserved a little something special.”

I stalk towards her slowly, letting my eyes drag over every inch of her body. “One home run and I get this? What do I get if we win the whole season?”

Her lips curve in a sexy seductive smirk I’ve never seen on my mate before, but decide instantly that’s my new favorite expression on her. “Guess you’ll just have to stick around and find out.”

I reach the bed and brace one hand beside her head, the other sliding up the exposed skin of her thigh. “Oh, I’ll be sticking around,” I murmur, my voice rough with lust. “But right now, I’m going to unwrap my present.”

She shivers under my touch and I feel it through the bond, she wants this, needs this, maybe as much as I do.

“Bas…” she whispers, her hands tangling with my shirt, pulling me down.

I kiss her. Deep and filthy, claiming her mouth with reckless abandon. There’s nothing gentle about it. I’ve been holding back, giving her space to come to me. But she’s here now and she’s mine. Time for her to find out what it means to be mated to a tiger.

“Mine,” I growl against her mouth.

She gasps, arching into me. “Yours.”

Her whispered agreement snaps the last of my control.

I lean back just enough to get a proper look at her, my eyes roaming every inch of her. “Take the jersey off,” I practically purr each word.

She bites her lower lip, hands trembling slightly as she lifts the hem of the jersey revealing inch by tantalizing inch of skin in a slow tease. My heart stops when she gets the jersey to her bellybutton. The lack of panties has my mouth drying. The only thing keeping me from seeing her most private parts is the way she positions her legs as she slowly… so fucking slowly… removes my jersey. There’s no way to hide her perky tits though, as it comes up and over her head. My tiger snarls in my head, practically feral at the sight of his mate bare before him. As usual, we’re a hundred percent on the same page.

It’s time to claim our mate.

“Fuck, Firefly…” I swear, my gaze drinking her in like a man lost in the Sahara Desert. I undress as quickly as I can without falling over and join her on the bed. My hands slide up her calves, over her thighs, then pause just below her core. “You’ve laid yourself out like a feast. What kind of mate would I be if I didn’t taste every inch?”

Her breath hitches as I nudge her knees apart, settling between them. I trail kisses up one thigh all the way to her hip bone before moving to the other hip and making my way down the other thigh.

“You’re teasing,” she pouts, her need igniting the bond between us.

“Oh, like you weren’t with that little striptease?” I arch a brow.

Her face flushes even more, if that’s possible, but she doesn’t deny it.

“Two can play that game, Firefly. I’m going to take my time with you. You’ll be begging for me by the time I finally give you what you want.” I grin, nipping the inside of her thigh. “You gave me a gift and I intend to enjoy every bit of it.”

Lowering my head, I slide my tongue between her folds, groaning when her taste hits me. She gasps, arching her back and I grab her thighs pinning her in place.

“You’re already dripping for me,” I murmur against her, my lips brushing her clit. “Such a good girl.”

She moans, her fingers tangling with my hair as I suck her clit into my mouth. Her thighs tremble and squeeze my head, urging me on louder than any words could. Relentless, I devour her like she’s my last meal. I slip two fingers inside her and curl them until her moans tell me I’ve hit the spot. She gasps again, breath hitching, hips bucking against my iron grasp.

“Bas… oh my… Bas…”

“That’s it. Good girl, let go, Firefly. Give it to me.”

It doesn’t take long before she shatters. Her body trembles as she cries my name and her pussy clenches around my fingers. I don't stop. I ride it out, continuing to lick and suck until she’s whimpering, too sensitive, overwhelmed.

Crawling up her body I lick a path from her belly button to the swell of her breast, stopping to suck her nipple into my mouth. Her moan is softer this time, her body still vibrating from the high.

When I finally meet her eyes, the pupils are blown and her lips part as she softly pants. “You okay, Firefly?”

“Better than okay,” she sighs. “But… I think I need more.”

“More?” I tease, grinding my hips into hers so she can feel exactly how much I want more as well. “You sure you can handle that?”

She hooks her legs around my waist and she uses her leverage to pull me forward, lining me up perfectly. Only my sheer will keeps me from sinking into her. She may want more, but I told her she wouldn’t get it until she begs for it.

“You begging yet?”

“You’d deny me?” she pouts, sticking out her bottom lip.

I swear I have the strongest control ever. Growing up to be the perfect son gave me self discipline unlike any other and for once I put it to good use. Teasing my mate.

“You know what you have to do to get what you want. I’m a man of my word, Firefly. If I say you’ll beg for it, you’ll beg .”

“Please…”

“You can do better than that, sweet girl.”

“Bastian! Pleeease,” she drags out the word as she rocks her hips. “I need you. All of you.”

“Careful, Firefly,” I growl, sinking into her. “Say shit like that and I may never stop.”

“Don’t… Stop,” she whispers as a chant between huffs of breath.

Long deep strokes turn into a harder, faster pace as she rakes her nails down my back. I can’t hold back the feral growl that rises in my chest but it only seems to turn her on more as she gushes around my cock. I grab both of her hips and lift her slightly, adjusting the angle. Her answering moan goes straight to my cock and it pulses inside of her.

“Touch yourself,” I order, my voice low and gravely. “I want to see you fall apart on my cock like a good girl.”

She doesn’t hesitate, her fingers find her clit and the second she touches it she clenches around my cock. Her body arches with ecstasy and I watch her fall apart. The scream from her lips sounds a whole lot like my name, and that’s all it takes for me to follow her over the edge.

I groan loudly, burying myself deep inside of her. Stars explode behind my eyes, my body locks, hers trembling around me and the bond between us flares, hot and white. Collapsing next to her, I pull her into me and wrap my arms around her. We stay like that for a few minutes, breathless and tangled together. Our hearts beat in unison.

She shifts slightly, throwing her leg over mine and tucking herself into my side. I slowly run a hand up and down her spine, sending goosebumps trailing down her arms.

“Did I break you?” I tease softly, nuzzling her hair.

Her sweet giggle is almost musical. “Completely wrecked. You’re not allowed to be that good, I’m supposed to have functioning brain cells tomorrow.”

“That,” I say. “was one hell of an MVP trophy.”

She hums and nuzzles into my chest. “You earned it, my tiger. I love you”

Hugging her tight I plant a kiss on top of her head. “Love you too, Firefly.”

Her fingertips trace patterns across my chest and I can feel her mind drifting, her thoughts spinning despite how relaxed her body is.

“You’re thinking awfully loud there, Firefly,” I say gently. “What’s on your mind?”

She hesitates for a moment then sighs. “I think I’m going to ask Professor Stone about my mom Tuesday.”

“Tuesday?” I exhale slowly. “You sure you’re ready for that?”

“No,” she admits with a deeper sigh this time. “But I need to know, we need to know. Mr. Ashford thinks it could help find the answers he’s looking for about my father and honestly I just really want to know who my mom was. What was she like? It’s so weird to go your whole life missing someone you know so little about.”

I have to suppress my anger at her father for putting her in this position. If only he were a half-way decent person she wouldn’t be in this situation.

“You’re so brave, Firefly. But may I make a suggestion?” She meets my eyes and nods her head. “How about you wait until your Film Studies class. You’ve got that with Liam right?”

“Yeah…” she says slowly.

“Let me talk to him. I’ll let him know the plan. He’s going to want to be there for you, Firefly. And I know I’d feel better if at least one of your mates can be with you.”

Her eyes soften and I see her melt a little more. “You guys are always doing that.”

“Doing what?”

“Anticipating my needs before I even know I need them.”

I smirk. “Well get used to it. We won’t be stopping any time soon.”

She rolls her eyes but kisses me again anyways. “Thank you.”

“Always.” I settle back with her, pulling her close again.

Outside, the night is still and calm, but here in this bed, we’re all fire and safety wrapped into one. I know no matter what the future brings we’ll face it together.