Page 35

ELLIETTE

T he afternoon had started off bad with Daniel, turned interesting at the market, then became pure agony as soon as we reached the assisted-living facility. This was because it took four hours to deliver the groceries.

Every single resident had to invite Lukas in for coffee and a walk down Memory Lane, reminiscing with him about his past seasons and every single career hat-trick and winning goal.

One old man even brought out a hockey stick from Lukas’s rookie season; he’d bought it at auction with the hopes of one day getting it signed.

Lukas was polite and patient with everyone, seemingly taking it all in stride.

Thankfully, only one person asked about my bruises, and I got way more photos than I needed and lots of material to pitch another feature article, but oh my god…

Every time Lukas glanced my way—his pale blue eyes piercing right to my very soul—it was all I could do not to hyperventilate.

He loved me. He’d always loved me. Even back when I’d thought he hated me. He’d kept tabs. He’d looked out for me. Even from afar. If I’d ever found myself in trouble, I had no doubt he would have been on the first flight back to Minnesota.

These thoughts made my heart race, and my stomach plunge. So much so, that by the time we got back to our apartments, Lukas had to be able to smell every single one of my lust-filled fantasies. Pheromones had to be leaking out of my pores.

He walked me to my door, leaned in to kiss my cheek, then headed back toward his apartment.

But I couldn’t let him do it. The words he’d said at MetroMarket, the feelings he’d admitted to, they needed to be reciprocated—out loud—before he left me forever.

And I had no idea how much time there was to spare.

“Lukas?”

He stopped with his hand on his door knob and looked at me. “Yeah?”

“Lukas,” I said again, my voice tentative, because what I was about to say could go one of two ways—both of which scared me to death. “Will you love me before you go?”

He frowned. “I thought you understood me before. I’ve already loved you. For ten years now.”

I shook my head, praying he wouldn’t make me spell it out. “That’s not what I meant.”

Lukas stared at me for a few seconds, and I saw the moment of clarity when my meaning sunk in. Unfortunately, he didn’t rush to me, throw me over his shoulder, and carry me into his berserker den to ravage me.

Feeling embarrassed, I spoke quickly. “I don’t mean right now , necessarily. Just…before you go away. Would you think about that? ”

He shook his head. “I’ll kiss you all day long, but that … That would be a mistake.”

Memories of how he’d rejected me years earlier flooded back, and my voice cracked when I asked, “Why?”

“Because imagining you is torture,” he said. “ Knowing you would only make things worse.”

I bit down on my lower lip, then dragged it out from between my teeth.

Lukas’s pale blue eyes traveled my face, landing on my mouth.

“That’s too bad,” I said. “Because for me, I don’t think I’ll survive the not knowing.”

“And once you take a step forward,” he said softly, moving toward me, “you can never go back.”

“Right,” I said. “But…remind me why I’d ever want to go back?”

He reached me, and his hands slid around my waist. “Didn’t anyone ever tell you not to tempt a berserker?”

“I doubt anyone ever thought me capable of it.”

“Idiots.”

I threw my arms around his neck and kissed him. I think I may have even surprised him with the force of it all, but he caught up to me quickly, and as I pushed him backward, he pulled me forward, closer to his door.

“Just this,” I said, momentarily breaking the kiss. “Just this, and you’re already killing me.”

He rumbled against my lips, “Want me to stop?”

“Are you kidding?” I reached higher to comb my fingers into his hair. I curled my fingers, tightening my hold at the roots, knowing how much his wolf liked it.

He growled approvingly, then he was kissing me again.

My fingers still in his hair, I held him to me and kissed him back, giving him everything, taking all I could get .

One of his hands left my waist as he reached behind him for the door knob, then we were inside his apartment. I kicked off my shoes, dropping two inches in height.

“Last chance,” he said, pushing the door closed behind me. “We could watch a movie.”

“I’ve seen them all.”

He laughed but said, “I’m being serious. We can stop any time.”

“Do you want me to back out?”

“God, no,” he said. “But you might want to. Berserkers…we like it rough.”

I shrugged, even as his words sent a shiver down the backs of my legs. “So, be rough.”

Lukas turned his head slightly and scrutinized me out of the side of his eye. “I can’t tell if you’re being truthful with me. You’re either very brave, or…”

“Very stupid?” He might be right about that. The tension in Lukas’s body was feeling a bit dangerous.

A rush of adrenaline made my heart pound, and a rush of liquid heat pooled between my legs.

The corners of Lukas’s eyes tightened in response. He’d totally scented that.

“Lukas, I—” I never finished my sentence, which was probably a good thing because I had no idea what there was to say.

All I knew was one minute we were talking, his grip tight on my hips. The next moment, one of his hands was holding all my hair together at the back of my neck, and his mouth was on mine.

I opened for him again, allowing his tongue to slide in, but this time with such an unprecedented urgency that it gave me a glimpse of exactly what he’d been trying to tell me .

Sex with a berserker would be no gentle caress. This would be a battle.

Well, if that’s how Lukas liked it…

I yanked his dress shirt out of the waistband of his trousers.

He undid two of his top buttons, then reached behind him, grabbed the fabric behind his neck, and pulled the shirt up and over his head before tossing it aside.

I dropped my gaze to his broad shoulders, then looked down at those tantalizing washboard abs and the trail of dark hair disappearing under his waistband. I only wished there was more light coming through the windows so I could get a better look at him.

I reached for the zipper on his trousers, but he forced my hands away roughly and jerked me so fast and so tight against his body that my teeth clacked.

His arousal was hard as stone—so much so, I wanted to lose all his clothes and taste him.

“Bed or couch?” he asked.

“Bed.”

He lifted me, and I wrapped my legs around his hips, hooking my ankles behind his back.

Lukas stalked down the hall but stopped halfway. “Actually, here.”

“What?” I asked.

“First, here.” He set my feet on the ground so my back was against the wall, and he held me in place with one hand at my chest.

“Afraid yet?” he asked, meeting my eyes.

I glanced down the hallway toward his bedroom, then back at him. “No?”

He responded with a sound of approval that rumbled through his chest, then he turned me to face the wall .

“Oh, God,” I groaned, realizing what was about to happen. “Berserkers don’t waste time.”

“Not when they’ve been dreaming of this moment for ten fucking years.”

He lifted the hem of my dress, then lowered himself into a squat behind me as he dragged my brand-new, black silk thong down my legs.

I stepped out, then gasped as he immediately began kissing and nipping at my calves and the backs of my knees.

His nips turned to licks as he reached my thighs, tickling my skin with his hot wet mouth and lapping at what had to be evidence of my arousal.

“Spread,” he demanded.

I shuffled my feet apart.

“And tip that sweet ass for me.”

I moved my feet a few inches from the wall, so I could lean forward and do as instructed.

Lukas remained in his squat with his hands on my hips, then he slid them down over my ass. He slapped me once—hard—then soothed the sting with his palm before putting pressure on one hip and urging me to turn toward him.

I turned and looked down.

He was beaming up at me, and he stroked one finger through my slippery seam, crooking it as he reached my clit.

“Oh, God.” My legs buckled.

“Prayers would be good,” he said, bracing me. “Tell me if I need to stop.”

I nodded and bit down on my bottom lip.

“I’ll hold you up,” he said. “You won’t fall, but I want you to put both of your legs over my shoulders. Can you do that?’

I lifted my right leg and draped it over his shoulder, then when I was certain I wasn’t going to fall, I did the same thing with my other leg. I was basically in a seated position with my back pressed against the wall.

“Hold on,” he warned, then his mouth closed over my mound, and his tongue flicked out.

“Oh my god!”

He sucked and licked through my folds, wreaking havoc on my entire body, making me buck and shriek.

He groaned and swirled his tongue against my clit. “Christ. You’re too perfect. Like a fucking dream.”

My hips shot forward against his mouth, and my fingers curled into his hair.

Lukas’s fingers gripped my hips just as hard, and I saw stars with each drag of his tongue, each expert flick turning me inside out. There seemed to be no end to the sublime torture.

In less than a minute, something was building inside of me, something the likes of which I’d never experienced. I was coiling and tightening, spasming and burning, teetering on the edge of something colossal. And then it reached an impossible pinnacle of pleasure that I could no longer contain.

“Come for me,” he demanded, blowing cool air against my swollen flesh. “I want to watch.”

With one more intentional press of his tongue, a lightning crack of energy sliced through my body. A panicked cry burst from my lips, and I bucked against his mouth as a climax of immeasurable proportions racked my body and pounded through my sex.

“Fucking beautiful,” he murmured appreciatively, kissing my inner thigh. It was a moment of tenderness that brought tears to my eyes. Lukas…taking care of me …

He set me gently on my feet, and we both rose to our full height.