Page 19

Her eyes were wild, her smile a challenge I couldn’t back down from, but she wasn’t going to win the way she thought she was.

I wasn’t going into that apartment, because the moment I stepped inside, I’d be knot deep in her, filling the flat with the sounds of her ecstasy. Instead, I’d settle for this.

Her eyes widening as I dropped down to my knees, easing one high heel off, then another, before skimming my hands up her thighs. She was already wet, the heavy scent of it filling my nose.

“Harper—”

“We should really go in… Oh shit!”

We should be inside, away from prying eyes, but if that couldn’t happen, then I’d pull her pretty little lace underwear aside, replacing the fabric with my tongue.

I was starving, and it was only a taste of her that would satisfy me.

My tongue slid up, collecting her slick and rolling it around on my tastebuds before going back for more.

Her clit, her core, I needed to taste all of her, and so I did.

That’s when the wolf shifted forward.

When my boundaries were down, he made himself known, something that earned me scorn in the wolf shifter community. Poor control meant risk, and that described me to a tee. Otherwise, why would I feel him pressing hard against my skin, demanding that he be let out?

Only to do so in this form.

My tongue shifted, growing longer. I tried to pull away, but her hand slapped down on my skull, holding me right where I was. We ate her, sucking her clit, rolling it around and around in our mouth, then pushing her thighs wider as we forced our tongue inside her.

It was a poor substitute for our knot. She seemed to sense that, letting out a thin whine of frustration, because on some level she knew.

More of us, that’s what she required, but she’d need to be satisfied with this.

With all of the control I had left, my thumb moved, rubbing the hood of her clit faster and faster until she arched up, pressing herself hard into our face, right before she burst. I licked her though every wave, then carefully cleaned her up once she stopped twitching, forcing myself to stand up.

“That was…” Harper wavered on her feet, forcing me to move forward.

My mouth hovered over hers, those hazy eyes staring, right before I kissed her.

Not the perfectly polite kiss I had planned.

I definitely hadn’t anticipated flavouring it with her pussy juice, but Harper kissed me back hungrily.

The first rock of my hips against the crux of her thighs and I was pulling away.

“A good start,” she said finally. “Let’s finish things inside. ”

My hand snapped out when she reached for me. I kept my grip light, but made clear she wouldn’t be touching me again.

“When you’re ready.” The wolf bled into my voice, turning it into a growl.

“When you want me in your bed, never to leave. When your back is arched, your neck bared, ready for my bite. That’s when I’ll come inside your apartment, Harper, because right now you’re not ready for that, and I won’t force you. ”

Force.

That was the word that helped me regain control.

I didn’t need to spell it out for the wolf, because he knew.

He was right there with me, watching my mother shrink from my father’s touch.

Dad had hurt Mum, claiming her before she even knew what he was, then forcing her to live with that horror every day they were together.

“Tell me I can see you again.”

“After that?” The hard, brittle exterior Harper put on was being reapplied by the second. She pulled her dress back down, then picked up her heels. “You got it, Fur Face. I’ll even pretend to run away so you can give chase first. Now where the hell did my underwear go?”

“These?” I pulled them from my pocket, but when she went to grab them, I shoved them down deep. “They’re a little souvenir of tonight.” I’d wrap that lacy scrap around my cock and jerk off into them, trying to pretend it was her. “One of us will call you tomorrow. Take the call, Harper.”

“Or what?” she said, cocking her hip.

“This is meant to be.” I dared to move closer, brushing a little kiss across her lips. “You can fight fate if you like. In fact, I’d love to see you try. The chase, remember?”

“Just for that, I’m going to agree to date anyone who calls,” she said.

“Good girl.” I spanked her on her arse and then made sure she unlocked the door and got inside safely. “Lock up after me, so no weirdos get in.”

“I am the weirdo, mister,” she said, before closing the door in my face.

“So how’d it go?” Kieran asked as soon as I walked in the door.

“Good by the smell of you.” Tor walked over, nose working, but I shoved him away before he got too close. “And you’re what?” He peered at me. “Smiling. Actually smiling.”

“Of course, I am.” I crossed my arms and looked the other two over. “I was with our mate.”

“Our mate?” Tor looked at Kieran. “Did you hear?—?”

“Our mate,” I confirmed. “But we’re not fucking it up this time.

In some ways, your dads had it right, Kieran.

” The big guy looked all grumpy at that.

“Your sleuthmates are supposed to stop you from doing anything stupid.” I glanced at each one of them in turn.

“That’s where I come in. Harper went out on a date with some idiot tonight. ”

“She what?” Kieran growled.

“Then I made clear what a mistake he was making.” Suddenly, I had their complete attention.

“When he scuttled away while Harper was in the bathroom, I stepped up.” What happened tonight, my brain kept coming back to it over and over, as if to reassure myself it was actually real.

“Shifters might be out to the world now, but the rules didn’t change.

We have to show Harper we’re serious about her.

I get the feeling she’s been kissing a whole lot of frogs and is about to give up on finding her prince. ”

“Princes.” Tor always bounced back the fastest. He grinned. “Well, alright, I’ll take her out on a date tomorrow night.” He nudged Kieran. “Gives you time to think of something that’s gonna rock her world.”

“But no sex.” I felt like a hypocrite saying that, especially when I could still taste Harper. “Keep that weird ass dick of yours in your pants.”

“Because having two nutsacks is normal?” Tor shot back.

“A knot is not a nutsack…”

We bickered for a while, blowing off some steam, but it wasn’t enough.

When I got back to my room I was stripping my clothes off by the second.

My cock was still rock hard, because my body didn’t know that we weren’t mating Harper tonight.

It still smelled the sweet scent of her arousal and wouldn’t quit until she did.

So I’d need to pretend.

The first rasp of the lace against my shaft had me shivering, the scent getting stronger with every stroke.

I worked my fist up and down, then surrounded my knot with my hand.

Harper, I thought. Harper… Her lips on my mouth, her body moving against mine, both of us finding a terrible rhythm.

I had to believe that would happen one day.

Then I’d work out what the hell I’d do to stop history repeating itself.