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It had proven much harder than I’d bargained for to have her out of my sight. No matter how much I tried to shut off my mind, I still heard her howling in pain in the library. Still felt the massive spike of fear when I’d seen her in the hunter compound. Anything could’ve gone wrong.
But I didn’t want to bring my worries into my home, knowing Tori would sniff them out in a heartbeat. I wiped my hand down my face and started changing my mindset. I wouldn’t worry much about it tonight because she’d be next to me the whole time. When she was around, it was easier to filter my thoughts. It was only when we were apart that I turned into a glass-half-empty guy, which I despised.
Once I’d collected myself, I went inside and my body came alive at Tori’s scent. The manor no longer just smelled like me, but of our intermingled scents. My wolf approved, as did I.
It didn’t take me long to hunt her down. I found her leaning over the kitchen counter, swaying her ass back and forth to a rhythm in her head as she rifled through one of my cookbooks, mumbling about rabbit food and that she’d starve here.
I stifled my chuckles. This woman was irresistibly adorable and sexy as all get out. Needing to taste her now, I rushed with shifter speed to her side and turned her toward me, pinning her hips between mine and the island. I kissed her like I needed her to breathe, because it was true. She was the only thing that could get me through each day.
Grinding my raging erection into her soft belly, I slid my hand up her back, grabbing a fistful of hair and angling her head so I could dominate every inch of her smart mouth.
Her erotic moans set my blood on fire, and I growled when she clutched my ass and curled one leg around me, trying to line me up exactly where she needed me.
Heaven. I was at the gates of Heaven, and Tori was my key to entering paradise.
Her tongue dueled with mine as our hands roamed, squeezed, and caressed each other. Our arousal permeated the air, and I wanted to toss her over my shoulder like a caveman and take her to my bed. She could wipe my mind of the terrible memories plaguing me all day and fill them with new ones of her soft body melding with mine, her moans enticing me to lay her out before me and feast on her pussy till she couldn’t see straight. Then, and only then, would I sink into her tight sheath and bring us both to completion, her heat joining mine to combustible degrees.
We could have it all now if I could get her in my bed as quickly as possible.
I lifted her, and she wrapped her legs around my hips. A loud moan rumbled through my throat as she ground her core into my heavy erection, forcing a bit of pre-cum to leak out of the head. Damn. I wanted to be inside her so badly, but at this rate, I’d embarrass myself and explode like a teenage boy.
“Ridge, hold on.” She reached for the counter, grasping it so I’d stop moving us toward the stairs.
I pouted, fearing she’d back off again.She was good at giving and taking in the moment, which was great—until she had time away from me to listen to the voices in her head and overthink everything. Then she pulled the brakes on us. I was getting familiar with her push and pull, but it fucking hurt.
I’d do anything to make her comfortable and happy—except sleeping in separate beds. That was no longer permitted. We didn’t have to do anything, but she wouldn’t sleep apart from me again. My heart and mind and wolf couldn’t take that separation.
She caressed my hair and kissed the corner of my mouth. “I’ve been thinking, and I’d like to take you up on that run now.”
My arms tightened around her in sudden fear of dropping her. Running with my mate was exactly what I wanted to do, but I’d never pushed her on it after discovering her hatred for that part of herself. Allowing her wolf to come out and find balance with her was crucial to stopping her from turning completely feral. I wanted Tori to enjoy that part of being a shifter, but nobody could enjoy something if they were constantly forced into it.
“You asked if I wanted to run as wolves together the morning after we met,” she said shyly. “It was fun when I let my wolf out to play, with your help. This time, I want to do it again, but I want to enjoy it with you and not stress about hurting someone or whether I’m a monster.”
She dropped her gaze, but then worked up the courage to look me in the eye again. “I’m still wary of my wolf because of how feral she is and how little control I feel when she comes out. But with you around, I have more control. You soothe me. I want to accept that I’m a shifter because that’s what I am, and I can get there with you by my side. I feel like I can do anything when you’re by my side.”
Tori let out a little puff of air. My little wolf was nervous, but I was over the moon that she wanted to do this. Several miles out of Blackwood Creek in the surrounding woods was a beautiful area that was my favorite place to go running. I’d been excited to take her there, and I wasn’t going to pass up the opportunity that she’d so graciously given me.
“Do you want to eat first or head out?” I asked.
For Tori to have acknowledged her wolf and shown her vulnerable side was a huge deal, but she wouldn’t appreciate me pointing that out or fussing over her. I figured it was best to move right along.
“Um… let’s leave the rabbit food behind, shall we?”
I threw my head back and laughed, then kissed her with such emotion, I hoped it spoke to her of things to come. The kiss ended far too quickly, but much as I’d fantasized all day about all the delicious things I’d planned for Tori, I didn’t want to wait for the run. She’d offered, and I wanted to head out at once.
As I lowered her onto her feet, she rubbed against my erection, and I hissed. Tori looked a little sheepish, but I still caught the hungry look in her eyes. I could already tell tonight would be the best night.
I let the town budget, disciplinary action, and the standard operating procedures of my company fade away to the back of my mind, slowly calming enough so I could walk out to the woods more comfortably. Grabbing my mate’s hand, I led her out the back door and guided her to the familiar clearing in the woods on my property that we’d used before.
Dropping her hand, I removed my shirt, unbuttoned my pants, and kicked off my shoes. I got out of my clothes much faster than Tori, so I was rewarded with watching her strip, revealing her pale, creamy skin one delightful section at a time.
All my hard work—pun intended—of getting rid of my earlier erection was useless.
Tori chucked her bra, and it smacked me in the chest. “Better watch it, wolf-man. You’ll want to cash in on this running thing before I change my mind. Who knows when I’ll suggest we do this again?” She winked at me.
Smirking at her, I dropped to all fours and shifted.
Tori did the same, but it took her a little longer to shift. But she did it faster than she’d ever done before, so there was an improvement.
