Page 58 of Hungry As Her Python

The sound of her heartbeat thudding inside her soft, sweet body filled the space between us, and my control snapped.

“You’re my mate, Maribella Strega,” I said roughly. “I know you don’t believe me, but it’s true.”

She tilted her head, mouth curving in that way that made me both crazy and weak.

“How do you know that?”

“A Shifter knows. My Python knew the second I saw you?—”

“Wait, which Python? This one?” she teased, her hand slipping into my sweats and closing around me with a firm, slow stroke.

My eyes slammed shut.

“Fuck. Yes, that one. But also the other one.”

“I see,” she purred, dragging her tongue along my neck until I thought I might lose the ability to stand.

“Bella,” I growled, grabbing her wrist before I lost it completely. “If you don’t stop, I’m going to take you right here. I’m trying to be a gentleman and give you space, but I’m only human.” I paused, correcting with a feral grin. “Partly.”

“What if I don’t want any more space between us tonight, Big Guy?”

And just like that.

I was wrecked.

Still, I had to ask.

Just had to push the envelope.

Even though her answer just might kill me.

“What are you saying, Bella? Will you let me claim you, Mate?”

Chapter Seventeen-Bella

I froze for a second, my palm still wrapped around the thick, pulsing length of him.

His words hung between us like a live wire, crackling with possibility and danger.

Mate.

That was the real kicker though.

That one word sent a shiver down my spine that had nothing to do with the cool air drifting through the kitchen window and everything to do with the way his body felt under my hand—hot, alive, mine.

Was he right? Was I really his mate?

My brain wanted to be skeptical, logical, cautious.

But my body? Oh, Goddess, my body was a traitor.

It was already singing in tune with him, every nerve lit up, every cell leaning toward him like a plant to the sun.

His kiss.

His touch.

The deep, aching joy that bloomed in my chest when I was with him. I didn’t have that with anyone else. Ever.