Page 17 of Howling Mad (Romance Expected Dating Service #1)

The hostess approaches with a sympathetic smile. “The manager has opened our private lounge for stranded guests. Please, follow me.”

She leads us to a cozy room with plush sofas and a fireplace where actual flames dance. Other couples and small groups huddle around, speaking in low voices. A server moves through the space, distributing candles and glasses of complimentary wine.

We settle onto a loveseat near the fire, and I’m acutely aware of how close we’re sitting, our thighs almost touching. “Some first date, huh?” I say, accepting a glass of rich red wine from a passing server. “Complete with natural disaster.”

He laughs. “I should have checked the forecast. Some meticulous planner I am.”

“I like that you didn’t. It’s nice seeing the spontaneous side of you.”

The server approaches again with a small plate. “Since you had to abandon your dessert, the chef insists you try his special dessert for new mates,” he says, setting down what appears to be chocolate-dipped strawberries dusted with gold.

“Oh, we’re not…” I begin, but Michael’s hand covers mine.

“Thank you,” he says simply, and the server nods knowingly before moving on.

“New mates?” I whisper, heat creeping into my cheeks.

His eyes reflect the firelight, molten silver with flecks of blue. “The pheromone lights didn’t lie, apparently.”

The storm rages outside, but in here with the fire crackling and Michael’s hand still covering mine, I feel a different kind of storm building between us.

“Finley,” he says my name like it’s something precious. “Yesterday, when I said I didn’t want to pretend anymore... I meant it. From the moment I walked into Romance Expected, something about you felt...right.”

I meet his gaze, my heart thundering. “I felt it, too. I kept sending you on terrible dates because it meant I got to see you afterward.”

He laughs softly. “I suspected as much.”

Outside, lightning flashes, illuminating the room in stark white before plunging us back into firelit intimacy. The storm has intensified, lashing rain against the windows like a living thing.

“Your hair,” he says suddenly, reaching out to touch a strand that’s curling wildly near my face.

I groan, touching the increasingly untamed mass. “The humidity. Penelope calls this my natural wolf state .”

“It’s beautiful.” His voice drops lower, sending a shiver down my spine. “You’re beautiful.”

The air between us charges with electricity that has nothing to do with the storm. His gaze drops to my lips, and time seems to slow.

When his mouth meets mine, it feels like coming home.

His lips are warm and firm, tasting faintly of chocolate and wine, and I lean into him, my hands finding their way to his shoulders.

My wolf stirs beneath my skin, responding to his scent and touch.

His fingers tangle in my unruly hair, and I make a small sound in the back of my throat that’s almost a growl.

The kiss deepens, his tongue sliding against mine, and heat pools low in my belly. I’m vaguely aware that we’re in a semi-public space, but the storm and power outage have created a bubble around us, and the other guests are mere shadows beyond our little corner.

When we finally break apart, we’re both breathing hard. Around us, the lounge has emptied somewhat as the storm begins to abate, but I barely notice.

“The rain is letting up.” His thumb traces my lower lip in a way that makes me want to bite it gently. “They might be able to get the cars soon.”

I gather my courage, knowing what I want with absolute clarity. “I don’t want this night to end yet.”

His eyes darken to the color of a storm-swept sea. “What did you have in mind?”

“My place?” The boldness surprises even me. “Penelope texted earlier that she’s staying at her training partner’s tonight.”

Michael’s smile is slow and full of promise. “I’d like that very much.”

The storm allows us to claim his car ten minutes later, and the drive back to my apartment passes in charged silence, the air between us crackling with anticipation. When we reach my door, my hands shake slightly as I fumble with the keys.

Inside, the apartment is dark and quiet. I turn to face Michael, suddenly nervous despite the certainty I feel. “Would you like something to—”

The rest of my offer is lost as his mouth claims mine, hungrier now and more urgent. I respond in kind, sliding my hands under his henley to touch his warm skin. He makes a low sound in his throat, almost a growl, and the primal noise sends heat rushing through me.

We stumble toward my bedroom, shedding clothing along the way.

His Henley shirt catches on a lamp, nearly sending it crashing to the floor.

We laugh breathlessly, and then I gasp as his mouth finds the sensitive spot where my neck meets my shoulder, a wolf’s most vulnerable place.

The gesture is both submission and dominance, and my knees nearly buckle.

“I’ve wanted this,” he murmurs against my skin, “since the moment I saw you.”

In my bedroom, moonlight streams through the window, the storm having cleared to reveal a nearly full moon that bathes us in silver light. Michael pauses, taking in the sight of me in just my underwear, and the heat in his gaze makes me forget to be self-conscious about my curves.

“You’re perfect,” he whispers, drawing me against his bare chest.

I trace the lean muscles of his torso, exploring the planes and angles that his suits had kept hidden. When I reach the waistband of his jeans, he inhales sharply. “May I?” I ask, and he nods, his gaze never leaving mine.

I unbutton his jeans, sliding them down his hips along with his boxers. My breath catches at the sight of his cock, fully aroused and magnificent. I reach out, wrapping my fingers around his length, and he groans, his head falling back.

“Finley,” he whispers, his voice ragged.

His hands move to my back, unhooking my bra with surprising dexterity. When the lace falls away, he cups my breasts, his thumbs circling my nipples until they harden into tight peaks. I arch into his touch, a whimper escaping me.

“So responsive,” he murmurs, lowering his head to take one nipple into his mouth and teasing it with his tongue while his fingers continue to work the other.

Pleasure spirals through me, sharp and sweet. I let go of his cock and tangle my fingers in his hair, holding him to me while he lavishes attention on my breasts. My wolf stirs closer to the surface, wanting more…everything.

Michael guides me backward until my legs hit the edge of the bed. I sit and then scoot backward as he follows, hovering over me. He hooks his fingers into the waistband of my panties, drawing them slowly down my legs. When I’m completely naked beneath him, he pauses, taking in all of me.

“You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen,” he says, his voice reverent.

I reach for him, pulling him down to me. The feel of his weight pressing me into the mattress, skin against skin, pulls a moan from deep in my throat. His cock presses against my thigh, hot, and insistent.

His mouth finds mine again as his hand slides down my body, over the curve of my hip, to between my thighs. When he discovers how wet I am for him, he groans into the kiss. “So ready for me,” he whispers against my lips.

His fingers explore my slit with gentle precision, finding the spots that make me gasp and arch beneath him. When he slides one finger inside me and then two, my hips buck involuntarily.

“Michael…” I dig my nails into his shoulders. “Please.”

He moves his hand away from my clit so he can position himself between my thighs. The blunt head of his cock presses against my entrance, and our gazes lock. Something profound passes between us, the recognition going beyond physical desire and even the connection we’ve been building for weeks.

When he pushes inside me slowly, giving me time to adjust to his size, I cry out, arching my back off the bed. He fills me completely, stretching me in the most delicious way. For a moment, neither of us moves, overwhelmed by the sensation of our bodies joined.

“You feel incredible,” he says, his voice strained with the effort of holding still. “Like you were made for me.”

I wrap my legs around his waist, drawing him deeper. “Move,” I whisper. “Please.”

He begins to thrust, slowly at first and then with increasing urgency as we find our rhythm. Each movement sends waves of pleasure through me, building higher and higher. My wolf is so close to the surface now that my canines lengthen slightly, and my nails sharpen into claws against his back.

Rather than being alarmed, he moans with desire. His wolf responds, his eyes flashing gold in the moonlight. “Don’t hold back,” he says, his voice deeper and rougher. “I want all of you.”

The permission unleashes something primal in me. With a strength that surprises us both, I flip our positions, straddling him and taking control as my wolf demands. Michael’s hands grip my hips, guiding my movements as I ride him.

“You’re magnificent,” he says, looking up at me with awe.

I lean down to kiss him, nipping gently at his lower lip with my slightly extended fangs. He groans, thrusting up to meet me, as I’m rapidly spiraling toward release.

“Michael…” I gasp, my movements becoming erratic as pleasure builds to an almost unbearable peak. “I’m close.”

“Yes.” He slides one hand between us to where we’re joined.

His thumb finds my clit, circling with just the right pressure, and I shatter, crying out his name as ecstasy crashes through me.

The intensity of it triggers his release, and he pulls me tightly against him, his cock pulsing inside me as he comes with a primal growl that vibrates through my very bones.

For several heartbeats, we remain locked together, trembling with aftershocks. My wolf subsides gradually, and my features return to fully human. I collapse onto his chest, listening to his thundering heartbeat gradually slow.

I finally speak, and my voice is husky. “That was definitely not practice.”

Michael laughs, and he traces lazy patterns on my bare back. “Definitely not.” He tilts my chin up to look at him, his expression suddenly serious. “That was... I’ve never felt anything like that before. It was like our wolves recognized each other.”

I nod, understanding exactly what he means. “I know. It felt like...”

“Like coming home,” he finishes for me.

We lie tangled together, bathed in moonlight, with neither of us willing to break the spell. Outside, the night has cleared, stars twinkling above the city. A sense of rightness settles over me, bone-deep and certain.

“Stay,” I whisper against his chest. It’s not a question, but a soft demand.

“Wild wolves couldn’t drag me away,” he murmurs into my hair.

I smile, closing my eyes as a different kind of satisfaction washes over me.