They ate a while in silence and before she knew it, she’d eaten every bite of food on her plate.If he wouldn’t stare at her crazily, she would’ve been tempted to lick it clean.Eventually, he rose and took their plates to a dishwasher and put them in.Then he pulled something out of the fridge and set it on the island.
“You baked a cake?”she asked, surprised.
“There’s something cathartic about baking.”
“I hate to say this, Asher, but you’re messing up all my bad-boy preconceived notions about you.”
“Dang, I hate to be a disappointment.”
He cut the cake and placed a slice on a small plate, then slid it to her.Rich chocolate temptation, and she picked up her fork to take a bite.Nothing had ever tasted so good.
“Well?”he asked, taking a bite of his own.
“I think you missed your calling,” she said seriously.“You should’ve been a baker.This cake would make you a million dollars.”
He grinned.“You can take it home to Clover, if you’d like.”
“Really?She’ll love that.Thank you.”
She finished her dessert in a few bites and wished she had enough room for another slice, but she was so full she was uncomfortable.This time, she was the one who rose and placed the dishes in the dishwasher, then turned to face him.
“Are we going upstairs to have sex now?”
He tilted his head as his gaze searched her face.“First, tell me why you want to get rid of your virginity.”
“Does it matter why?From what I heard, you sleep with women once and move on.That’s what I want.”
He winced.“You make me sound like a Lothario.Let me just say, it matters to me.”
Juni saw his resolve and wondered if she should just walk out.She didn’t want his scrutiny or judgement, and glanced at his door, trying to determine if she could walk home.
“Why are you nervous?”
“I, ah, I just don’t know why you care to know.I’m a girl.You have a cock.That should be enough.”
He tilted his head and stared at her, waiting patiently.She huffed and gave in.
“After my mother died, my father became more unhinged.He’d always preferred living apart from a society he thought corrupted the natural nature of wolves.”The memories threatened to overwhelm her.“When Brinnah Brice came to town, he heard about her secular pack in Canada.It gave him the idea that maybe Sheridan wasn’t the place for him, so he went up north to check it out, and he liked it so much he asked to join.They made a deal.Their alpha, whose mate died of some disease, wanted a virgin wife.And my father offered me up like a lamb to a slaughter.”
“So, it’s your noose,” he surmised.
“I get rid of my V-card and that won’t ever be hung over my head again.Never mind the fact that my father is dead.”
“Okay,” he murmured.“I respect that.”
He stood and held out his hand.She stared at it for a brief moment, because she knew as soon as she took it, everything would change.This man before her was her moon fated mate, but he didn’t know that and she wouldn’t tell him.A mate wasn’t what she wanted.She refused to escape one prison only to plunge into another.Men used women up, until there wasn’t anything left except hollow husks rotting in the ground.
Juni slid her hand into his and he pulled her up.They stood so close his warm breath stirred a few strands of her hair.His nostrils flared as desire turned his eyes molten.Butterflies swarmed low in her belly as nervous anticipation gripped her.
He led her from the dining room, down the hallway to the bedroom.The low light offered just enough illumination to cast an ethereal glow to what they were about to do.
“One last chance,” he murmured.“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
He slowly undressed her, unbuttoning her blouse to let it float to the ground.Then he unzipped her pants and they pooled at her feet.She stepped out of them and stood before him in only her panties and bra, chest heaving as she waited.He perused her up and down, the heat in his gaze scorching hot.He undressed himself until he also stood before her in his boxer-briefs, his body chiseled perfection, the V-cut of his Adonis Belt disappearing under the cotton.The bulge between his thighs grabbed her attention, and she couldn’t seem to look away.Soon, that would be inside her.
Everything became crystal sharp.The placement of the furniture.Him.Her.The way her skin felt.The mood.The thumping of her heart in her chest.Slowly, she reached behind and unhooked her bra, letting it slide down her arms.He watched it fall to the floor.Then she tugged her panties and stepped out of them.Being a wolf, she shouldn’t be shy since nakedness was a part of their nature, but she couldn’t help it because this man was about to know her intimately.Following her lead, he dropped his underwear and gripped his cock.A bead of fluid rose at the tip, and she wondered how he would taste.
