Page 28 of Jace’s Mate (East Coast Territory #1)

J ace grabbed Anikka’s hips and pulled her closer, shifting her body so that she was pressed intimately against him. Thankfully, the flowered dress she’d arrived in was gone, replaced by soft denim and his shirt. Still, there was too much fabric between them. He needed her naked!

He wanted her! She was like a drug that burned out rational thought. All he could think about was being inside of her, feeling her body clench tightly around his shaft.

Intellectually, he understood that Anikka was ovulating. And yes, he knew that he should use protection, to protect her. But in this moment, he couldn’t think rationally. He couldn’t think at all, beyond a deep and primal need to feel her bare skin against his.

“Now!” she gasped, tearing at his clothes as well.

He wrapped his hand in her hair, pulling her head back. He saw the pulsing vein at her throat and sucked on it, feeling her shiver. He also felt her fingers fumbling with his belt, finally freeing his shaft and then…!

“Please, Jace!” Anikka whimpered. “Don’t reject me again! Don’t make me wait! I’ve waited too long already.”

She didn’t understand. He heard the confusion in her voice and wanted to react to it. But his body clamored to fill her, to soothe the ache he knew was inside of her in the only way he knew how.

So as soon as he was free, he ripped her jeans and panties off. “Say my name!” he ordered.

“Jace!” she whispered against his mouth, then gasped as he thrust into her. Fighting with himself to go slowly, he reminded himself that she was a virgin. Now she was his mate! Every part of her was his. And she owned all of him in ways she couldn’t even begin to understand.

Thrusting slowly at first, he leaned her back onto the table. He wanted to take this slowly, to show her how good this could be between them. Hell, he wanted to take her up to his bedroom and make love to her until their scents melded together.

But right now, at this moment, he needed to give her pleasure, to fill her and hear her cries of happiness and connection.

“More!” she begged. “Faster!”

He pushed deeper into her body, filling her completely, then stilled, absorbing her gasp of surprise into his mouth. She trembled, but slowly, the slender fingers gripping his shoulders loosened slightly.

“You okay?” he asked, kissing her neck, then nipping at her earlobe.

She smiled up at him, rolling her hips experimentally. “Definitely!”

He took that to mean that he could start moving again.

Slowly at first, then with increasing speed and intensity, Jace moved inside of her, shifting and thrusting, trying to give her as much pleasure as he was feeling.

Every thrust felt better than the last and he could feel her body tighten, coming closer and closer to her release.

When he felt the beginning trembles, he shifted her hips, gripping her bottom as he tilted her hips upward slightly.

With this new angle, he could rub against that delicious nub and she screamed, crying his name as she exploded into a release that had her nails digging into his skin.

That small touch of pain was so good, he couldn’t hold back his own climax and held her tightly, feeling every ounce of himself pour into her slender body.

Even the smaller, flickering aftershocks were better than anything he’d ever felt before.

Slowly, their breathing eased and he relaxed his hold around her. Lifting up, he looked down at her kiss-swollen lips.

“That was…”

“Perfect,” he finished for her. He wanted to roar with pleasure at the dreamy, satisfied look in her pretty eyes, but worried that might scare her.

He had to take this slowly, he reminded himself.

He lifted her into his arms, still connected to her, and carried her over to the sofa.

Sitting down, he adjusted her so that she was still snuggled against his chest, then proceeded to stroke her hair, her back, kissing her shoulder and neck.

He felt her sigh against his skin and smiled, contented. For the moment.

For a long time, neither moved, other than fingers touching skin, lips exploring and the soft, post sexual sighs of satisfaction.

“I don’t want to move,” she whispered to him, her fingers sliding against the back of his neck.

“I don’t want you to move,” he said, then nipped her shoulder, smiling when she squeaked, then laughed. His hands moved lower, cupping her bottom, but when she started to stiffen, he moved his hands higher. He didn’t want any tension between them. Not yet. Not after that blissful experience.

“I need a shower.”

Jace chuckled and hugged her. He wouldn’t mind a shower right about now either, but this moment felt too good. Holding her like this, finally, felt too perfect.

“Just a few more moments.”

Thankfully, he felt her relax against him again and he pulled his fingers through her hair reveling in the long, soft strands. He had so many questions, but they could wait. This moment, her soft, contented sighs, were enough for now.

When they finally separated, he knew that this first time with Anikka wasn’t enough.

And it wasn’t just because she smelled so good.

This was his mate. He’d heard about the voracious appetites from others when they’d met their mates, but Jace hadn’t realized that the need would be this all-encompassing.

It was painful, this need to connect with Anikka, to make love to her.

It was almost as if he needed to imprint himself on her.

He needed to embed his scent into her skin. Yes, that was what he was feeling.

But before he could do that, Jace needed to get Anikka’s permission. Right now, she was too baffled by their world. He could see the instincts starting to assert themselves within her, but there was still too much she didn’t understand.

Gently, he helped her sit up, handing her one of the napkins left behind and grabbing one himself to clean up.

“Was that normal?” she asked, turning her back on him as she cleaned up.

“For mates?” he clarified, a slight grin tilting his lips. “Yeah.” He sighed heavily, his muscles tightening as he fought the instinct to protect her from everything.

She tossed the napkin into the trash can, then lifted the torn panties.

She contemplated repairing them, but knew it was pointless.

Jace watched, thinking that he preferred her like this, but regretted that she was self-conscious in front of him.

Soon, she would stand in front of him naked while they talked.

And she’d be completely comfortable doing it. But right now, it was all too new.

And to be honest, Jace wasn’t sure he would be able to control himself if she was naked. This need for her…was new to him. He’d need to learn to control it just as she was going to have to learn their ways.

“I think that…” she paused, not sure where she was going with that thought.

Pulling her back into his arms, he buried his nose in her hair and breathed in her scent. “It’s going to be okay, Anikka,” he vowed. He’d make it okay! Hell, he was going to make it better than okay!

A sharp knock on the door interrupted them, and Anikka jerked out of Jace’s arms, blushing furiously. His frown deepened, but he turned, placing his body squarely between her and the entrance.

He didn’t answer the door until he heard the zipper of her jeans. Only then did he call out, “What?”

The door creaked open and Megin peeked in, eyes lowered. “We’ve spotted something you need to see, Alpha.”

Jace didn’t need more details. His gut told him this was about Anikka’s uncle.

He turned to her, his gaze serious. “Are you ready for this?”

Anikka blinked up at him, still adjusting the knot at her waist. “I don’t think I’ve been ready for anything since meeting you, Jace,” she replied, voice tart. “What’s next on this roller coaster?”

A few chuckles filtered in from the hallway. Jace glowered at the interruption but realized that Anikka was immune to his intimidation. That, strangely, pleased him.

“We’ve been tracking your uncle. We suspect he’s trying to cause trouble. We need to find out why.”

Anikka stared at him, then flicked a glance at Megin, who still hadn’t looked up—but he’d heard every word.

“Why would he try to annoy anyone here? From what I overheard before I left that house, he was only planning to stay a few months. Just passing through.” She folded her arms around herself, unconsciously shrinking in on her own body.

“Do you know what his plans were?” Jace asked.

She thought, then shook her head. “No. He never told me much, but I saw people coming and going all the time. We moved a lot. He’d rent a house for a few months, maybe a year, then suddenly we were gone.”

Jace made a low sound in his throat. “Is your uncle wealthy?”

She barked a laugh. “Not even a little. He always had ‘big plans’—at least, that’s what he said. But he was terrible at turning those plans into anything real.”

Jace glanced at Megin. “This might be bigger than we thought.”

“What do you mean?” Anikka asked, peering around him toward Megin like the younger man might finally give her a straight answer.

Jace turned back to her and placed his hands gently on her arms. His touch wasn’t rough, but firm enough to ground her.

She could feel something different in him. His energy. His heat. It rolled off him in waves. Was it anger? No. That was ridiculous. She couldn’t smell emotions. Could she?

“I need to meet with my team,” Jace said. “You’ll stay here until I’m sure it’s safe for you to move around freely.”

She opened her mouth to argue, but the slight tightening of his fingers silenced her. A quiet warning.

Fine. She thought, You don’t have to tell me anything—I’ll just read your thoughts.

His jaw clenched. It would be better if you didn’t. Not yet. Soon. When we know each other better.

Better for who? she challenged.

“Do I need to be here for this?” Megin asked, half-laughing, half-nervous.

Both Jace and Anikka turned to glare at him.