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“Dammit.” I struggled to maintain control over my turbulent emotions while my wolf took possession for a second, and I swiped my tongue along Tori’s neck, eliciting a moan from her. “I can’t help myself. Being this close to you…it’s intoxicating.”
“I feel exactly the same way.” She turned, her gaze locking onto mine. Our faces were mere inches apart, and the temptation was too strong to resist.
Our lips met in a fiery, needy kiss. As our tongues tangled, Tori turned to face me, and our hands explored each other’s bodies, groping and gripping with fervor. My arousal heightened, my desire to claim Tori as mine becoming all-consuming.
I cupped her breast with one hand and gripped her ass tightly with the other. Our bodies aligned, and Tori’s hand snaked inbetween us and under my shorts, curling around my dick as she stroked me. I groaned into her mouth as we fucked each other’s mouths with our tongues. I moved my hand from her breast down between her thighs, and I cupped her, swirling my fingers over her pants as the damp heat soaked through.
“Ridge,” she gasped, breaking away from the kiss, releasing my cock to clutch my shoulders.
“Yeah?” I kissed her nose and leaned my head back to study her. Tori’s flushed face, her lips swollen from our heated make-out session, and her moans that were still ringing in my ears had my control hanging on by a thread. I had to keep my wolf in check as I saw the panic on Tori’s face, and I needed to ease her worries.
“Is this real between us, or just some fated thing?” she asked. “Because I don’t know about you, but I can’t focus around you long enough to figure out my own head. Are my feelings real? Is your wolf forcing you to want me? I keep getting more and more confused.” She looked so frustrated.
“Oh, little wolf.” I took a deep breath and rubbed my hands down her arms, resting my forehead against hers, anything to be closer to her. I needed to touch her, or my wolf and I would go insane from our overpowering desire. “I can’t say one way or another if the whole fated thing plays a part. What I can tell you is, even if we didn’t have this rare connection between us, I’d still want you and choose you again and again.”
Tori’s gaze searched mine, trying to find the truth in my words. “Really?”
“Really,” I said. “My feelings for you are genuine. My wolf may want you because you’re his mate, butIwant you because you’re…well, you’re you, and that’s more than enough. I was already falling hard for you long before I figured out what we were meant to be to each other.”
“Ridge.” Tori hesitated. “I’m not so sure. Do you think our fake relationship played a part in all of this? Maybe it influenced how we feel about each other?”
“No,” I said. “I didn’t understand the why of it, but the idea of you being framed or hurt was unbearable for me, even back then. It’s why I proposed the fake relationship in the first place. Something about you just drew me in, even before I knew anything about your shifter side.” I paused, my entire being tying itself into knots in anticipation of her answer. “I felt strongly for you right away, even if I can’t explain it. It was there. Did you feel it, too, Tori? That there was something between us from the start? I mean, outside of the fake relationship and anything to do with your feral shifter side.”
Tori looked down, chewing on her lower lip as she considered the question. She moved away from me, and disappointment spread through me as she put physical distance between us. I understood her need for space, but it did not make it any easier to bear.
After a moment, our eyes met again, and she said, “It’s hard for me to see things clearly because I’m still getting used to the idea of shifters not being horrible monsters. I’ll admit, I have come a long way, and I am comfortable with my wolf now. But everything’s still so confusing—shifters not being monsters, witches, and now fated mates. It’s a lot to ask for me to understand and accept shifter culture regarding fated mates when it’s still so outlandish to me.”
“Look.” I ran a hand through my hair in frustration, even though I tried to hide it. “I understand what you’re saying, and you’re right. It’s a lot to ask of you, and I want you to be comfortable and embrace it all whenever you’re ready. Take all the time you need. How about we put the whole fated mates thing on the back burner for now? We don’t have to label what we are or what we might become. Right now, we’re just twowolves. One hopelessly in love with her, and the other tolerating his rabbit-food ways.”
Tori froze, stunned by my outright confession of my love for her. Her cheeks flushed, and she looked absolutely adorable at that moment. I loved watching her try to wrap her mind around it all. Besides, it was an easier way to reveal my truth to her. If I flat-out told her, she’d for sure run. This way, all my cards were on the table, and she had all the facts while she worked her way through the fated-mate conundrum without any pressure to return my feelings.
Slowly, she shook off her fluster, a playful smirk forming on her lips. “Okay, Mr. Rabbit Food,” she teased. “Sounds good. But just so you’re well aware, I plan on converting you to the dark side of junk food sooner or later.”
“Is that so?” I said with a raised eyebrow, impressed by her ability to go along with this. She had every right to fall apart, to run, but this gorgeous woman was smiling at me.
“Absolutely.” A twinkle flickered in her eyes. “Brownies, milkshakes, fries, greasy burgers and pizzas…oh, can’t forget Pop-Tarts. Those will be staple foods on the menu, and you’re going to get addicted. I promise.”
“We’ll see,” I said. Closing the gap between us, we shared a tender yet passionate kiss. It was a promise, and as we got lost in this sweet moment, I wantedsobadly for this all to work out in my favor.
As we pulled apart, I thought about the shop I had bought for Tori. She had no idea, and now, with her questioning our relationship again, I feared she’d reject the gift outright if she thought it was motivated solely by our fated mate bond. I’d keep it a secret for the time being and wait for the right moment, when our connection was strong enough to withstand any doubts she might still have.
For now, I focused on the present, on the beautiful woman standing before me. And on how much I appreciated these moments with her because she was the best gift anyone had ever given me.
“Hey, Tori? I need to ask you for a big favor.”
“Okay, what is it?” she asked.
“Could you at least do what you’ve been doing and keep the males far away from you? It’s been…a mission to keep my wolf at bay.” My inner wolf became territorial and protective when it came to our mate. A battle between us and the other males was brewing.
Tori giggled, clearly amused by my request. She leaned in, her breath warm against my skin as she whispered, “I will absolutely do that.” Her lips brushed against mine, sealing the promise with a soft kiss, sending my pulse into overdrive.
“Thank fuck.” I sighed in relief, pulling her closer and reveling in the heat of her body. The simple gesture was enough to calm both me and my wolf. Tori understood our needs and would do her best to respect them.
I stole several more lingering kisses. I savored the way her soft curves fell against my harder frame before she reluctantly pulled away. Tori’s cheeks were no longer flushed as we both calmed enough to no longer be on the brink of shredding each other’s clothes. Which sorely disappointed me.
“I need to head back to Kyle and help him wrap up the training,” she said with a regretful twist of her lips.
“Go,” I said against her mouth, giving her a gentle push in Kyle’s direction. “I need to track down Clawson. Haven’t heard from him in a while, which is unusual.”
