Page 38 of Clashing With The Grumpy Wolf

That warmth between my legs turns into liquid heat and our eyes lock. His nostrils flare and with his keen wolf senses, I know he can smell it. Instead of feeling embarrassed, it only makes me more aroused. The air between us charges with crackling tension. His eyes begin to glow, the emerald green of his wolf rising to the surface. I feel the hard evidence of his arousal pressed against my hip, and my breath catches.

"Julia," he says, voice rough with restraint, "can I kiss you?"

My heart hammers against my ribs. I’ve never wanted anything more in my life.

I nod, then find my voice. "Yes."

Adrian doesn’t hesitate. He captures my mouth with a hunger that makes our previous kisses seem tame. This is raw need, no pretense, no holding back. His lips move against mine with passionate intensity, and I respond in kind, my hands sliding up to tangle in his thick hair. His tongue invades my mouth, his taste laying waste to my sanity.

He tastes of mint and wilderness, and all of a sudden, I’m no longer myself. No longer Julia the wedding planner, the girl with the color-coded binder and the tight schedule.

I’m just a woman, drinking in the essence of a man who makes my bones turn to jelly and my belly quiver with need. My fingers explore the broad expanse of his shoulders, feeling the coiled strength beneath his shirt.

His large hands begin to wander over my body, one cupping my face while the other slides down to my waist, then hip, leaving trails of heat in their wake. Each touch ignites another flame under my skin. I arch into him, pressing my hips firmly against his erection, wanting more. Wanting everything.

I've never felt this possessive urge before, this primal need to claim someone as thoroughly as they're claiming me. I run my hands over his chest, feeling the rapid beat of his heart beneath my palm, matching the wild rhythm of my own.

Adrian breaks the kiss, breathing heavily. His eyes now glow fully, nothing human in that luminous green.

"Julia, if we don't stop now, I might not be able to later."

I blink up at him, trying to process his words through the fog of desire clouding my brain.

"Why would I want you to stop?"

"My wolf," he explains, voice strained. "He's too close to the surface. He wants to claim you completely. As my mate."

The word 'mate' sends a shiver through me that has nothing to do with fear and everything to do with want.

"This isn't pretend for me anymore," Adrian confesses, his expression raw with honesty. "If it ever truly was. My wolf wants you.Iwant you."

Reality crashes through the haze of desire.

"Mate? As in forever?"

"Yes." His gaze doesn't waver. "Wolves mate for life."

"So I have to decide right now if I want to stay with you forever?" My practical nature asserts itself even through the fog of arousal. "That's a big decision for a Tuesday morning."

The corner of his mouth lifts in a slight smile.

"You always have a choice, Julia. Always. Even if we continue, my wolf will always see you as his mate, but I will respect whatever choice you make about our future."

I study his face, seeing the sincerity in his eyes.

“I can't promise forever yet.” I lick my lips. “I barely know you.”

"I know."

"But this isn't fake for me either." The admission feels like stepping off a cliff. "What I feel for you, it is real. I want you, Adrian. All of you."

A growl rumbles from his chest, the sound vibrating through me where our bodies touch.

"That's more than enough. And I'll spend every moment between now and forever trying to convince you to stay and accept the wolf’s claim."

He kisses me again, deeper this time, his control slipping further with each passing second. I feel the change in his body, the barely leashed power as the wolf rises closer to the surface.

Adrian reaches between us, pulling away the blankets separating our bodies. Cool air hits my bare legs, and I suddenly feel very conscious of how I'm wearing absolutely nothing beneath his flannel shirt.