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Harlow was the last to head out of the building. She wanted to say so much more to Atlas, but she worried he was disgusted with her. Did he blame all of this on her? Did he doubt his decision now to provide safety for her?
She tucked her head as she quietly walked past him but felt a slight tug land on her arm first. “We need to talk.”
His skin on hers sent shivers down her spine, and she wondered how bad this was about to get.
“It’s occurred to me that I’ve seemed indifferent toward you. For that I’m sorry. It is not what I intended.”
Harlow’s eyes met his and they penetrated her, so dark they were almost black.
“It’s not?” Harlow stuttered.
He made small steps closer to her, but it only made her nervous. She began to step backward in an attempt to keep a distance between them.
But Atlas continued.
They moved until she was backed against the wall with nowhere else to go. His hands landed on either side of her, gripping the wall beneath them. Atlas leaned down to the curve of Harlow’s neck and began to inhale her like she was the source of his air.
The closing space between them and his predatory nature now on display ignited her. This is what she had been hoping to see at dinner the other night. He stopped at her ear and whispered. “Your scent. I can’t stay away from you. It’s like it was made for me.”
“Then don’t,” Harlow whispered.
Her whole body was on fire, and it was all she could do not to writhe into his hips. She’d never felt anything like this before, not even for Vincent.
His face aligned with hers, and his lips hovered over her own. His hot breath was intoxicating. “Don’t be nervous,” he said, exposing his teeth just slightly. “I want you to be mine, Harlow. Would you like that?”
Harlow nodded, barely able to move. She was melting more and more with each movement he made, each word he spoke. It was truly like she was made for these men and that scared her. Not enough to stop either of them, though.
“Have you talked to Colt?” She figured he had, but this was new territory for her. She had to be sure nothing got in the way.
Atlas nodded and then slid his tongue lightly over her bottom lip. He bit his own bottom lip afterward with a hiss. “You taste so damn good.”
“I… I’ve been cheated on, Atlas.” Her words blurted out, making her feel stupid. He lifted his head, creating a small void between them that she hadn’t felt since her back hit the wall. She didn’t like it. She had to think fast so she didn’t ruin this.
“I just mean, I don’t want any bad blood between you, me, and Colt. Mostly I don’t want to come between you two.”
A wolfish grin slid up one side of Atlas’s lips. “You are ours, little wolf. You’ve always been ours. I know you felt it too, from the moment you came to Forest Crest. You leave the politics to Colt and me. We’re big boys. We can handle it.”
Finally, Atlas’s big, strong, rough hands landed on her shoulders and slid down her arms. The fire in her ignited again, and she knew she wouldn’t be able to put this out anytime soon.
Little wolf.
She liked that.
His breath grew harder as he leaned back into her. This time his body pressed lightly into hers, and his hand landed under her jaw, grasping it. He taunted her with his lips for a moment, grazing them with his own and feeding her his hot breath.
It was so simple yet so erotic. Her body stayed perfectly still, as if stunned. He was the predator, and she was his prey. When his lips finally crashed onto hers, all bets were off. A moan rose independently from her chest as she wrapped one of her arms around his neck.
Her body, once tight and nervous, became loose and excited. His tongue slid between her lips and tasted her. As their lips parted, and their breath mingled in the small space between them, Harlow had a feeling it was going to be a long night.
Chapter 18
Atlas
Atlas closed his eyes, inhaling her as if somehow the act itself would swallow her up, and she would be part of him forever. He’d smelled nothing like it in his life. He knew that whatever happened in the future, right now he was exactly where he needed to be, and he had her exactly where he wanted her.
“So, it looks as though we’ve come to some arrangement then,” he growled against her ear, hoping his words weren’t too strong. He could smell something on her—not fear, but certainly something uncomfortable still, and he didn’t like it.
Beneath him she was so small, her frame petite and dainty. Atlas had to remind himself that even though he was alpha, sometimes he needed to cool it a little. Usually, Colt was the person to help him with that, but Colt wasn’t there now. It was just him and Harlow.
