Page 57 of The Secret Mate Society

“Oh… my god…” I panted, unable to form words.

“Uh-huh,” he replied, having the same problem.

I lay there in his arms, his cock still pulsing inside me.Most guys would’ve started to go soft, but not Calder.No, he was still thick and throbbing, unable or unwilling to pull out after the job was done.I couldn’t blame him either, there was a part of me that wanted to go again already.

“Oh no…” I heard him whisper against my neck, his forehead coming to rest against my shoulder.

“What’s wrong?”

“I… I didn’t ask you,” he said, pain clear in his voice.“I just came inside you without asking.I’m sorry…”

I craned my neck, capturing his lips with mine.“It’s okay.Unless youknowyou’re gonna give me something I’ll need a doctor for.”

“No, no!”he said quickly.“Nothing like that… I just… I should’ve asked.”

“It’s okay,” I repeated.“Really.”I kissed him once more, loving how concerned he was to have my permission.When I pulled back I stared at him for a moment, admiring the gold flecks in his eyes.“So… are you going to call me‘pup’now?Is that what’s happening?”

He looked so shy.“Do you mind?”

All I could do was smile.“Not at all.”

Chapter25

Ethan

“Iknow you don’t want me to go,” I said to Calder as I pulled on my jeans.“But that’s just too damn bad.”

“That monster threatened your life!”he cried back.“And you’re worried about the stupid newspaper?”

I let out a long sigh.We’d been having this conversation since the night before.All weekend he’d been trying to convince me not to go back to work, that he would take care of everything.But I couldn’t stand the idea of just giving up on this job I’d worked so hard to get in the first place.I was a journalist and Ilovedmy work.I couldn’t just give it all up because some really hot and possiblystraightguy decided to fuck me.And I definitely wasn’t going to give up because of that monster.I still wanted to solve that mystery and I needed the paper’s resources to do it.

“I have to,” I reiterated.“I said I would cover the arts and culture section for Rosie.There’s a local coven of witches putting on a parade on Tuesday and I need to get the details.”

“Oh, you’re not going to the racial sensitivity training about black cats down at the YMCA?”Calder asked, rolling his eyes.

“Is that a real thing?”

He looked at me like I was an idiot.“No!Of course not!”

“I don’t know,” I replied, shaking my head.“Between haunted mazes, pumpkin spice riots, and fundraisers for otters with lisps, I wasn’t sure.”

“Did those things actually happen?”It was Calder’s turn to look dumbfounded.

“Yep.”

“Christ…” he said, shaking head.“This town is weird as hell.”

“You got that right.”I pulled on my hoodie.“So I’m going to work.”

Calder's jaw clenched, that muscle in his cheek twitching the way it did when he was trying not to lose his temper."Fine.But I'm coming with you."

"To my office?"I couldn't help the laugh that escaped me."What are you going to do, stand guard at my cubicle?"

"If I have to."He folded his arms across his broad chest, his stance widening as if preparing for battle."I'm not letting you out of my sight, Ethan."

I should have been annoyed by his overprotectiveness, but something warm unfurled in my chest.No one had cared about my safety this much in a long time.Maybe ever."Look," I said, softening my tone, "I just need to pick up my assignments and drop off the articles I finished this weekend.An hour, tops.Then I'll come straight back."

Calder studied me for a long moment, those light brown eyes flecked with gold in the morning light."One hour," he finally agreed."And you take my bike.It's faster if you need to get away from something."