Page 128 of Big Bad Wolf

“Walk me home?” Ruby asked, eventually emerging from their mutual stupor.

“Always.” Rafe took her hand and led her through the dark woods back to the little house on the edge of the trees.

“Hey, Rafe?” she asked when they stood in her yard under the soft glow of the lights from Lena’s window.

“Yeah?” He didn’t know what was supposed to happen next, and his heart clenched at the thought of letting her go inside alone. But as for the next logical step, he was at a complete loss.

“Want to make it official?” She raised her eyebrows suggestively and heat shot through Rafe’s body.

“What did you have in mind?”

Ruby ran a hand down his chest, her fingers skating across his abs, skimming along the waistband of his pants. A low growl started in his throat. Ruby smiled wider.

“I thought instead of running away from me, we could switch it up. Maybe I could do the running…”

A dozen images crowded into his head, Ruby running, Ruby pinned down… He groaned.

“What are you asking for, Ruby?”

Pink crept up her cheeks and she bit down on her bottom lip. “I want you to chase me.”

Fuck.

The chance to release all these human emotions and let his inner beast play was so damn tempting. He could show Ruby how much he wanted her so much better than he could ever tell her.

Rafe stepped closer and dipped his head. He whispered, “And what do you want me to do when I catch you?” He brushed his lips along the shell of Ruby’s ear and she shivered.

“I want you to make me yours.”

His teeth scraped the soft skin of her neck. “You’re sure?”

“Yes.” The word was nothing more than an exhale but it rang through his body and left him trembling. There was no coming back from this, but if she was in then so was he. Forever.

He held her closer, his lips pressed against her racing pulse, her fingers raking through his hair. He kissed her hard and fast and then let her go. She leaned back against a tree with a gasp.

He let his lips tip into a predatory grin as his gaze raked over her. “Well, brave girl, you better run.”

Chapter Fifty-Five

Ruby tore through the woods, underbrush scraping at her legs, tearing through her tights as she ran. Somewhere in the distance, thunder rumbled. The sound echoed in her chest.

Rafe must have given her a head start because she didn’t hear him behind her. It was dark. Almost impossible to see more than a few feet ahead. Ruby ran with her hands out in front of her, stumbling her way through the trees.

Her heart raced. Something like fear prickled along her spine. Even though it was Rafe following her, even though she wanted to be caught, it was like some primal part of her body didn’t know that. She was nothing more than prey in these dark woods.

Her hand skimmed along a tree trunk, scraping the skin from her palm. She stopped running and pressed the hand against her chest to ease the sting.

Leaves rustled somewhere to her left. She peered into the darkness and saw nothing. She kept going, slower now, her breath shallow and unsteady. More rustling. Silver eyes watched her from the shadows. A familiar thrill crept up Ruby’s spine. He was there.

She kept going, picking up her speed again, not wanting to end their little game yet. Her boots crunched over dry leaves and her skirt flapped against her legs. She’d ditched the cloak in a heap in her yard.

A low growl traveled across her skin. He was close. Her heart rammed against her ribs, waiting to get caught, running to stay away. It was the sexiest, most terrifying game of tag she’d ever played.

Another growl and this time Rafe’s breath ghosted against her ear. She bit down on a scream as his strong arm banded around her waist and scooped her right off the ground. He held her tight, her back against his chest. She could feel the steady beat of his heart.

His teeth scraped against her neck, sharp against her skin. The teeth of an animal. “Caught you,” he whispered.

Ruby whimpered.