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Ridge soothed and cuddled me, saying all the right things as always. My energy drained out of me, all the fighting, struggling, and running finally catching up to me.
After some time, Ridge covered me with his shirt since my clothes were torn, then he carried me back to the manor.
I was so done that I didn’t fight his hold, letting myself be cared for as he nuzzled my neck and kissed me.
Chapter24
Ridge
Having Tori in my arms always felt like she was exactly where she was supposed to be. Even with her crying and working through her pain, it was the best experience in the world. Comforting her and helping her through what had to be a cathartic release showed me we had a true connection. Something singular and special.
I was still buzzed from our run. No matter how much I wanted to wipe away the tears streaking down her cheeks, I knew they were desperately needed. They were freeing her to become the shifter she was meant to be.
Not for the first time, I wondered if my connection with this little wolf was more substantial than anything else I’d ever felt. I wanted so much for her. Watching her finally shift and maintain some control of the wolf, at least part of the time, had been breathtaking. She’d taken a massive step in preventing the feral side from taking over. The more she shifted, the more that feral side would disappear, but at least I could take care of her now. Hopefully, she’d stay around for me to care for her even longer.
In the manor, I went up the stairs to her bedroom. I probably could have put her down, but neither of us mentioned it, and I didn’t want to. I’d hold her for as long as she’d let me.
Bypassing the bed, I went straight to the en suite bathroom and juggled her in my arms so I could turn on the water in the shower. The hot water would soothe her aching bones, and I was sure she’d want to get rid of the dirt and the leaves.
Wanting to ensure she was comforted, I dropped kisses onto her head, her cheeks, her eyelids. I was relieved that the tears had finally stopped, but even more relieved that she held me tight around the neck.
The steam started coiling from the shower. I only wanted to comfort her, so I challenged myself to stay on task and not think about her in the shower. That got shot to hell when her scent started to get a little muskier, and my cock responded instantly to that little bit of arousal enveloping me.
Clearing my throat, I slowly lowered her feet to the ground. I wanted to respect her space, so I started to untangle my arms around her waist. A much-needed cold shower was in order.
“I’ll leave you so you can clean up. I’m sorry if my wolf’s growl rushed you into shifting. It had to have been a surprise.”
My cock swelled some more when she kept her eyes on mine as she peeled my shirt from her body. I curled my fingers into my palms, resisting the urge to reach out and touch her.
Tori rolled her eyes and huskily said, “Just get in the shower, Ridge. I want you now.”
“Oh, thank fuck.”
I stripped down, picked her up again, and stepped under the spray. Tori giggled the whole time.
I caught her lips with mine, swallowing her laughter. My hands roamed over her soft curves, and I knew I’d never get enough of touching her. She fit me so perfectly, I couldn’t help but admit that I’d always want more of her.
Our tongues slipped and slid together as we explored each other’s bodies. One of my hands cupped her breast and I tweaked her nipple. She jerked against me. I wrapped my other hand around her neck, holding it in place so she couldn’t move her lips from mine. The dominant action had the alpha in me hard and ravenous for her.
Tori’s hands roamed down my chest and abs, her fingers teasing my thighs. My cock throbbed at how close her touch was, and it drove me insane.
I flattened her back against the shower wall and pushed my erection against her stomach. She smiled against my lips. I’d never imagined how sexy that would be; I’d never kissed someone who smiled against my mouth before. It made everything more playful.
I lifted my head and swept my tongue over her lips before rising to my full height. She was so tiny compared to me that the instinct to protect her and look after her was intense and demanding.
Reaching for the shampoo, I squirted some in my hand.
“Turn around.”
She chuckled. “You’re really going to wash my hair?”
“I want to take care of you. So, turn around.”
Her face slackened into a serious gaze. She swallowed and nodded as she turned around.
I stepped closer, surrounded her body with my own, and said, “Lay your head back.”
She did it without any sass or argument, which was refreshing since she seemed to like to fight me over everything.
