“What Cormac speaks is truth. They are very intelligent creatures, but they can’t speak.”
She sighs. “Fine.”
"We need to get back to the ranch to finalize preparations on our end," Cormac says. "I'll wait downstairs, Fen. Give you two a minute." He tips his chin and quietly walks out her front door.
When it closes behind him, the atmosphere in the room shifts instantly. The professional veneer we've both maintained cracks as our eyes lock. The three feet of space between us suddenly feels like both too much and not enough.
"This is really happening," she says quietly, but I can hear her elevated heartbeat, see the pulse fluttering at her throat.
"Having second thoughts?" I ask, keeping my voice neutral despite the tension coiling inside me, the need to touch her becoming nearly overwhelming.
She shakes her head. "No. Just... processing what it means. For a long time, my work with GUIDE was straightforward. Hunt the dangerous creatures. Protect humanity. Now..." She gestures vaguely between us, a flush creeping up her neck. "Everything's more complicated."
I step closer, unable to resist the pull between us any longer. "Some complications are worth it."
Her eyes meet mine, and that electrical current that's always present between us flares hot and bright. "Are they? Because from where I'm standing, this feels like walking a tightrope over a very deep pit filled with venomous snakes." Her voice drops lower.
"You won't fall," I tell her, reaching out to brush my fingers against her cheek. She leans into my touch, her eyelids fluttering. "And if you do, I'll catch you."
A small smile touches her lips. "The big bad wolf, promising to keep me safe. Isn't that the opposite of how the story usually goes?"
Then… A miracle. Her hand comes up to my chest, fingers splaying over my heart.
I freeze. Stunned. My wolf goes still too, afraid to shatter this moment. Her touch burns through my shirt, brands my skin beneath. My heartbeat accelerates, hammering against her palm. There's no hiding it… the effect she has on me. The power she holds.
"Maybe it's time for a new story," I murmur, leaning down until our faces are inches apart. The scent of her arousal hits me and it's nearly impossible to think of anything but tasting her again.
She tilts her chin up, her breath warm against my lips. "Maybe it is." Her fingers curl into the fabric of my shirt, tugging me closer. "Though we should probably wait until after the mission to continue revisiting that particular story."
My hand slides to her waist, finding the warm skin beneath her shirt. "Should we?" I ask.
"Definitely not," she whispers, and then her mouth is on mine, hot and desperate. I back her against the counter, lifting her easily, her legs wrapping around my waist as the kiss deepens.
Her hands tangle in my hair, pulling slightly in a way that sends fire racing down my spine. My wolf rejoices at her boldness.
I trail kisses down her throat, breathing in her intoxicating scent.
The soft sounds she makes when my teeth graze the sensitive spot where her neck meets her shoulder send a primal surge of satisfaction through me. Mine, my wolf growls. Ours.
Her legs tighten around my waist as I press her more firmly against the counter.
"Fen," she breathes. Her head falls back, giving me better access to the elegant column of her throat. I take full advantage, tasting the salt of her skin, feeling her pulse race beneath my lips.
Time loses meaning. There is only the silk of her hair between my fingers, the heat of her body against mine, the sweetness of her mouth. She kisses like she fights, with precision and passion, giving no quarter and expecting none in return.
My wolf surges forward, canines lengthening, the urge to bite nearly overwhelming. To mark. To claim. To bind her to me.
I wrench myself away, the shock of separation like cold water.
We're both breathing heavily. Her eyes, normally so sharp and assessing, are soft with wonder and hazy with desire. I rest my forehead against hers, trying to rein in the thundering of my heart, the urgent demand of my body.
"Stay," she whispers, her fingers tracing the line of my jaw. "Tonight."
Every fiber of my being screams to accept, to carry her to that bed where I've already held her through the night. To do more than just hold her this time.
"I can't," I manage, though the words cost me. "If I stay, Astrid..." I cup her face in my hands, forcing myself to meet those questioning eyes. "If I stay tonight, I don't trust myself to hold back from claiming you completely."
"Would that be so terrible?" she asks, voice low and tempting.
