Page 15 of Can’t Get No Satyrfaction (Mated to the Monster: Season 3)

CHAPTER 15

S ylvie’s breath caught as Thorn’s fingers moved to his belt. It was the only piece of clothing he wore, but that made the fact that he was removing it feel even more significant. The leather whispered against metal, each clink sending sparks down her spine. Her pulse thundered in her ears as he dropped it to the floor and stepped closer, steam wreathing his powerful frame like mist around a mountain. The enormous copper tub suddenly seemed much too small

That luminous green gaze locked onto her face, dark with something that made her stomach flip. Then uncertainty flickered across his face—a crack in the stoic mask he wore so well—and the vulnerability in his expression made her heart ache.

“There’s plenty of room,” she murmured, shifting to make space. Fortunately, there was an underwater bench to sit on or the water would have been above her head. Even seated the water lapped at her collarbone as she patted the surface invitingly. “I don’t bite.” A playful smile tugged at her lips. “Unless you want me to.”

His jaw clenched, muscles rippling beneath bronzed skin. He stood rigidly beside the tub, as if warring with himself. Steam curled around his horns, making him look like something out of a dream—wild and dangerous and beautiful.

Despite her playful tone, her heart hammered against her ribs. She couldn’t believe she’d been bold enough to invite him to join her, but watching him struggle with the decision, she didn’t regret it. Not when his gaze kept dropping to where water met skin, not when she could see the rapid rise and fall of his chest.

“You shouldn’t tempt me,” he growled, but there was a roughness to his voice that sent shivers through her.

“Maybe I want to.” The words slipped out before she could catch them, soft and honest in the humid air between them.

His eyes darkened further, pupils expanding until only a thin ring of green remained. The look sent heat coursing through her that had nothing to do with the water’s temperature.

He finally moved, water sloshing against the copper walls as he lowered himself into the tub next to her. His movements were careful, controlled—like he was handling something that might shatter. Steam rose between them, carrying the wild musky scent that clung to his skin.

The tub was large, but not large enough to keep them from touching. His thigh brushed against hers beneath the water, sending sparks of electricity through her body. She stayed perfectly still, afraid that if she moved too quickly, he’d bolt like a startled deer.

Warm water lapped at the sides of the tub, the gentle sound filling the charged silence between them. His chest rose and fell in measured breaths, as if he was trying to maintain his composure. He was so close she could feel the heat radiating from his skin despite the warmth of the water.

She waited patiently, her heart fluttering against her ribs. She wanted to reach for him, to smooth away the crease between his brows, but something in his rigid posture made her pause. Let him come to me.

When his arm finally slid around her waist, she nestled against him with a contented sigh. The hard planes of his chest were familiar now—bringing her the same comfort she’d found when she’d woken in his embrace. She rested her cheek against him, letting the steady thud of his heartbeat wash over her. His pulse was slower than hers, a deep, grounding rhythm that made her feel safe despite everything.

Her fingers traced the raised edges of a scar that ran along his bicep. The mark was old, silvered with time, but still vivid against his bronze skin. Water droplets clung to the uneven surface, catching the firelight. More scars crossed his chest and shoulders—a map of battles fought and won.

“Why do you act like you hate humans?” she whispered, following another scar with her fingertip.

His whole body went rigid.

“It’s not an act.”

Her heart sank, but she tilted her head back so she could see his face, staring grimly at the wall.

“Do you hate me?” she whispered.

“Gods, no!”

His shocked gaze dropped to her face, his answer vehement enough that she relaxed again. The arm around her waist tightened, pulling her closer for a heartbeat before loosening again. A deep sigh rumbled through his chest, vibrating against her cheek.

“I had a sister. Pretty. Innocent. Our parents died while she was still quite young and I raised her.” His voice was rough, like he had to force the words out. “She thought she was in love with a human male and he betrayed her. He and his friends. They hurt her. Broke her.”

The raw pain in his voice made her chest ache, and she pressed her palm flat against his heart, feeling it thudding beneath her hand. No wonder he kept his walls so high.

“When the baby was born, he was half human. She loved him anyway, but I… struggled.” She could hear the guilt in his voice and snuggled closer, trying to reassure him with her presence. “And even though she loved Marsh she eventually just… faded away. She died when he was thirteen. I did not handle it well. I watched over Marsh but kept my distance. He needed me but I was not there for him.”

More guilt. More pain.

“Have you ever reached out to him?” she asked gently, and the tiniest hint of a smile curved his lips.

“In a way. He has a mate now—a human mate—and she has helped bridge the distance between us.”

She sat up so quickly that water sloshed over the edge of the tub.

“Your nephew has a human mate? Then why are you so convinced that it can’t work?”

He looked down at the water, avoiding her gaze.

“Marsh is not like me. He is kind, gentle, thoughtful.”

She poked his chest, wincing when her finger collided with hard muscle, and he gave her a startled look.

“So are you, Thorn.”

“Was I gentle this afternoon when I was claiming you against a tree?” he growled, his green eyes glittering with defiance. “Was I kind?”

She returned the defiant look, wondering if he realized that he’d said he claimed her. “No, you weren’t gentle this afternoon, but you were gentle when you tended to my ankle. This afternoon you were fierce and passionate and exactly what I wanted.”

The arm around her tightened and he growled. She leaned up and pressed a kiss against his jaw. His breathing quickened as she let her other hand drift lower, exploring the hard ridges of his abdomen, the taut muscles that bunched and flexed under her touch. Her fingers dipped lower, searching for his cock, but found only a thick ridge beneath the silky fur covering his lower half. She squeezed it experimentally and he groaned, then guided her hand to one end.

“Press here,” he ordered, his voice hoarse, and she obeyed.

His cock immediately sprang free and her heart skipped a beat. He was so big—and so not human. The blunt point at the tip widened into a thick dark shaft, the darker ring at the base so wide that her mouth went dry. If he hadn’t already been inside her she would have sworn it was impossible. She ran a gentle finger over the wide ring of rough skin at the base and he shuddered.

“Is that your knot?”

The knowledge that it grew even bigger, that it had done so inside her, sent a streak of excitement down her spine. She curled as much of her hand as she could around him and he groaned, his hips thrusting into her palm. The water swirled around them, steamy and scented like herbs and forest. Like him. She stroked him slowly, savoring the way his body responded to her touch. Her thumb brushed over the sensitive head of his cock, making him hiss in pleasure.

The area round the base was equally sensitive. In fact everything she did made his body jerk against her. She stroked and petted and explored, and his cock seemed to grow harder and hotter until she could barely wrap both hands around it. She couldn’t resist gliding her hands along that massive shaft and a shudder wracked his body, his hips arching against her in silent demand. Her lips curved into a small, victorious smile. She might be at his mercy, but he was at hers too.

Her touch grew more confident, her fingers dancing over that dark, swollen length. He was so hard now, his body straining with leashed power, and her stomach clenched in response. She loved the way his breath caught, the way he growled with each stroke of her hand. The way he responded to her.

“Sylvie…”

“Shh.” She pressed a gentle kiss against his chest. “You don’t have to do anything. Just enjoy.”

He growled again, his eyes dark and hooded. His cock jerked in her grip, the tip weeping a single drop of liquid that glistened like a pearl on that dark skin. Her fingers danced across his length, tracing the veins, teasing the sensitive head until his chest rose and fell rapidly, his muscles rigid with need.

She reached down and ran her fingers across the thick ring at the base of his cock again. He shuddered, biting back a groan.

“Will your knot expand while I’m touching you?”

“No. only when I’m inside you.” The answer was immediate, a guttural growl. His eyes locked on hers, burning with intensity. “But if that happens again, you will be mine forever. Do you understand? Mine.”

The words sent a shiver down her spine, a mixture of desire and uncertainty. What did that mean for her? For them? She couldn’t think, not with his body pressed against hers, his scent filling her head. Her hand slid lower, cupping his heavy balls, and his hips arched in response. His control was slipping, his movements growing more urgent. More demanding.

“Do you want that?” she whispered, her voice barely audible over the sound of the water lapping at the tub. “To make me yours?”

He growled again, the sound echoing off the walls of the cabin, his cock throbbing in her palms. Her heart pounded against her ribs, her skin tingling with awareness. She wanted him too—wanted to feel him moving inside her, claiming her again with that massive cock. Her fingers tightened around him, urging him on, and he thrust into her grip with a desperate urgency that matched the need coursing through her veins.

His eyes met hers, blazing with desire. “Yes.”

Pleasure blazed through her, and she stroked him harder, her grip firm, feeling him swell beneath her touch. His hips bucked, his entire body straining as he sought release. The water swirled around them, steamy and fragrant, carrying the scent of their arousal.

Her name was a hoarse cry on his lips as he came, his cock pulsing in her grasp, and a surge of satisfaction rolled over her. Mine.

She held him through his release, savoring the way he trembled at her touch. His body was taut with tension, muscles rigid as he rode the waves of pleasure. His eyes were closed, his expression a mixture of ecstasy and relief. She watched his face, memorizing every line, every curve of his mouth. Committing them to memory.

When he finally opened those green eyes, they were filled with something she couldn’t name—something that made her heart skip a beat. He reached for her, his touch gentle, cradling her cheek. His thumb brushed over her lips, a feather-light caress that sent shivers down her spine. Then he pulled her into his lap, his arms circling her waist, and rested his forehead against hers.

“I need to take care of you,” he muttered, his voice rough with emotion. “But not in the tub.”

She blinked. “Why not?”

A sudden smile lightened his face. “I don’t want to drown.”

She returned his smile, suddenly giddy with happiness. He lifted her easily, muscles rippling beneath his damp skin as he stood up and stepped out of the tub. She wrapped her legs around his waist, savoring the feel of his body against hers. Water dripped from them, pooling on the wooden floorboards, but neither of them seemed to care. His eyes never left hers as he carried her across the room to the bed nestled in its alcove.

He laid her down gently, his hands lingering on her skin as if he couldn’t bear to break contact. Then he stretched out beside her, propping himself up on one elbow as he looked down at her. The firelight played over his skin, painting him in shades of gold and amber. He looked like something from a dream—a wild, untamed creature of the forest. But he was hers. All hers.