Page 91 of The Secret Mate Society

The house was cool and quiet as we entered.Calder moved through the darkness with surprising ease, turning on lights as he went.I followed him to the kitchen, watching as he rolled his shoulders, tension evident in every movement.

"Want a drink?"he asked, pulling a bottle of whiskey from a cabinet.

"God, yes," I replied, sinking onto one of the barstools at the counter.

He poured two glasses, sliding one toward me before taking a long sip from his own.The amber liquid burned pleasantly as it went down, warming me from the inside.

"Your shoulders look tight," Calder observed, setting his glass down."Turn around."

I raised an eyebrow but did as he asked, swiveling on the stool so my back was to him.His hands landed on my shoulders, strong fingers digging into my flesh.I gasped as his fingers found a particularly tight knot between my shoulder blades.His touch was firm but gentle, working the tension from muscles I hadn't even realized were aching.

"Jesus," I breathed, my head dropping forward as he continued the massage."That feels amazing."

"You're carrying a lot of stress," Calder murmured, his thumbs pressing into the base of my neck."Just relax and let me take care of you."

The whiskey and Calder's skilled hands were quickly dismantling the anxiety that had built up throughout the evening.I closed my eyes, surrendering to the sensation as he worked his way across my shoulders and down my spine.Each press of his fingers seemed to find exactly the right spot, as if he could sense where the tension was worst.

"How are you so good at this?"I asked, my voice slightly slurred from relaxation and alcohol.

I felt him lean closer, his breath warm against my ear."Just another one of my many talents."

His lips brushed against the sensitive skin just below my ear, and I shivered despite the warmth spreading through me.The massage was shifting into something else entirely, his hands now more caressing than therapeutic.

"Calder," I whispered, leaning back against him.

His arms wrapped around me from behind, one hand splayed across my chest while the other traveled lower, teasing at the waistband of my jeans.The solid heat of him pressed against my back was intoxicating.

"Let me help you forget," he murmured, his voice a low rumble that I could feel vibrating through his chest."Just for tonight."

I turned my head, seeking his mouth with mine.The kiss was hungry, desperate, both of us seeking comfort in the connection.His stubble scratched pleasantly against my skin as his tongue slid against mine, tasting of whiskey and desire.

"Yes," I breathed against his lips."Make me forget everything but you."

In one swift movement, Calder turned me around on the stool so I was facing him.His eyes were dark with want, that hint of gold more pronounced than ever.He stepped between my legs, hands gripping my thighs as he pulled me against him.

"I can do that," he growled, claiming my mouth again in a kiss that left me breathless.

My hands found their way under his shirt, tracing the hard planes of his abs, feeling the heat of his skin beneath my fingertips.He was so warm, always so impossibly warm.I tugged at his shirt impatiently until he broke the kiss long enough to pull it over his head.

The sight of him never failed to take my breath away.All lean muscle and smooth skin, marred only by a few scars that I longed to know the stories behind.I leaned forward, pressing my lips to a thin white line just above his heart.

"Bedroom," he said, his voice strained."Now."

But I was already unbuckling his belt, my fingers working the leather free as my mouth found his again.I wanted him now, right here.

"Can't wait," I murmured against his lips, pulling his belt through the loops.

Calder groaned, his hands sliding under my thighs to lift me off the stool.I wrapped my legs around his waist as he carried me, my back hitting the wall beside the refrigerator with enough force to knock the breath from my lungs.

"Fuck…" he growled, his voice barely human as his teeth grazed my neck.

My head fell back against the wall, giving him better access as his lips and tongue danced against mine.His hands were everywhere, tearing at my clothes with an urgency that matched my own.My shirt was halfway up my chest, his mouth hot on the newly exposed skin when I felt his hands at my jeans, popping the button and dragging down the zipper.

"God, yes," I gasped as his palm pressed against my erection through my boxers.

He set me down just long enough to strip my jeans and underwear from my legs, leaving me exposed and aching for him.His own pants followed quickly, kicked aside as he lifted me again, my back pressed against the cool wall.

The contrast of the cold surface against my back and Calder's burning hot skin against my front was exquisite.I clung to his shoulders, feeling the muscles bunch and flex beneath my fingers as he positioned himself between my legs.