Page 35 of Bear and Book

“You can touch me,” I murmured.

Elias swallowed, eyes flicking up to mine. “You’re sure?”

“I’ve been sure since the first time I saw you,” I told him.

That earned me a faint, almost disbelieving smile before he leaned in again. This kiss was hungrier, though still slow, like he wanted to savor it.

Our mouths slid together, our breaths mingling, the mate-bond buzzing so loud I could feel it in my teeth.

I eased him back against the couch, bracing one hand beside his head, letting the other roam along his side. His shirt was soft under my palm, but I wanted it gone. I wanted skin.

He must have felt the same, because he tugged at the buttons of my navy shirt until it came open enough for his hand to slip inside.

His touch was warm, sure now, his fingers tracing along the lines of muscle. I groaned against his mouth and kissed him harder.

Somewhere in the haze, I realized we were half sprawled on the couch, but that wasn’t going to cut it. I pulled back just enough to say, “Bedroom?”

He hesitated for the briefest moment, searching my face, then nodded.

I followed him down the short hall, my hands never fully leaving him. The bedroom was dim, lit only by the spill of light from the living room, and it smelled faintly of cedar and Elias.

The second the door clicked shut, I backed him toward the bed. His legs hit the edge, and I eased him down onto it, bracing myself over him.

Elias looked up at me like I was something dangerous he couldn’t quite resist, and I liked that. I kissed him again, slower now, dragging my lips along his jaw, down to the hollow of his throat.

His pulse was fast, and when I scraped my teeth lightly against his skin, he let out a low sound that went straight to my gut.

My hands roamed, exploring the planes of his chest, his ribs. I took my time, letting him feel every touch, every stroke.

He responded in kind, his fingers sliding under my shirt, nails grazing lightly enough to make me shiver.

The bond thrummed between us, not demanding, just certain. Like it knew this was exactly where we were supposed to be.

I pulled back just enough to look at him. His hair was mussed from my hands, his lips swollen, his eyes dark with want.

“You’re gorgeous,” I told him.

Elias huffed a quiet laugh, like he didn’t believe me, but the way he reached up to pull me back down said otherwise.

I took the lead, kissing him deep, my body moving against his in a slow, deliberate rhythm.

My hands slid lower, down his thighs, drawing quiet gasps from him. His hands gripped my shoulders like he didn’t want me to stop.

Chapter 11

Elias

I’d thought about this moment in a hundred different ways.

And yet, lying there with Leo straddling me, his weight warm and solid, his eyes burning into mine, I still couldn’t quite believe it was happening.

My heart was a drum in my chest, fast enough I was sure he could hear it.

The sensible part of me, the one that catalogued risks, that never went into anything without a plan, whispered that I should slow down. But my fox knew better.

The animal in me recognized this for what it was. A turning point. A homecoming. The potential mate-bond thrummed low and steady, as if it had been waiting for me to stop fighting it.

Leo’s hands rested on either side of me, braced against the mattress. His thighs framed mine, his warmth pressing through my clothes.