“Do you want me to stay while you settle in?” He asked, attempting to buy himself more time
Lara shook her head in response before saying “I don’t know how I could ever thank you enough for everything you’ve done” It almost sounded like she was reluctant to see him leave as much as he was reluctant about leaving.
“There’s no need to thank me. Here, I’ll give you my number and if you need anything, anything at all, I’m just a phone call away” Archer saw a pen and a notepad on the kitchen bench, so he walked over to the table and wrote his number down before handing Lara the paper.
Lara smiled as she looked down at the paper in her hands and to Archer’s surprise, launched herself at him, giving him a bone-crushing hug. She wrapped her arms around his waist so tightly that Archer was sure he felt a rib crack. She rested her head on his chest as he wrapped his arms around her back and held her there for what felt like minutes but could have been hours. He never wanted to let go. He wanted to bottle up this moment and take it with him to remember every time he felt lonely in his big house.
Archer felt Lara’s arms relax as she slowly released him and took a step back. He felt instantly empty without her touch, but this was the feeling he would have to get used to now.
“I guess this is it” Archer rushed out. He better get this over with, delaying the inevitable would help no one.
“I guess so” Lara replied as her eyes dropped to her wringing hands
“Well, it was really nice to meet you Lara Williams ” Archer forced a smile as he turned and walked towards the still opened front door before taking a few steps out onto the porch.
Lara’s voice made him turn around “It was nice to meet you too, Archer” she was leaning against the door that was now half closed, he could sense hesitation from her and see sadness in her eyes. The dread and emptiness that was circling inside Archer’s stomach was turning to unease, it felt like his instinct was telling him not to do this, not to leave but what could he do? She needed space to clear her head and put the pieces of her life back together. He understood that, and he had to respect that she wanted to do this on her own. She needed to do this on her own.
He stood on that porch and watched as Lara closed the door. He would never forget the empty sound of the ‘click’. I guess she wasn’t my mate after all. He’d heard stories of how fated mates are meant to fall in love with each other almost instantly and have their happily ever after but that wasn’t how this had played out, it was proof that they truly weren’t meant to be.
Archer let out a sigh before taking a step down the porch stairs towards his car. He could feel his connection to Lara, almost tangible like there was an invisible rope between them that was stretching with each step he took away from her. He needed to know what this connection was, he needed to get closure. To find out if this bond was just something they created as a way to survive in that shifter prison or more than that. The thoughts circled around in his head as he convinced himself that he needed to tell her how he felt. If she didn’t feel the same way, then that was his closure. He would leave and never look back, but if she did… well, if she did feel the same way, then he would wait for her. He would wait until she felt ready, ready to explore whatever it was between them.
Before Archer could talk himself out of it, he walked back up the porch to the closed door. He knocked twice and waited. Fuck. This was a mistake. There he went, talking himself out of it again. He turned and began walking down the steps again before the sound of the door opening stopped him in his tracks.
Chapter 24
Lara smiled as she opened the front door, she knew it had to be Archer. A part of her didn’t care why he was knocking on the door, just the thought of seeing him one last time made her heart beat faster.
She had convinced herself that they had nothing in common, that Archer was just a playboy who knew how to charm the literal pants off women but there was a gut instinct inside Lara that told her otherwise. She could no longer deny the chemistry between them. It that had been steadily building since they first shook hands through the bars of the cell, and now it felt almost tangible. Lara was known for being the cautious and responsible, but there was something about Archer that made her want to throw all that away and let go of all inhibitions.
Archer was standing on the steps of the porch, on the way back to his car. She dropped the smile on her face and wondered if she’d made a mistake mishearing the knock on the door but when her eyes met his, she saw a hunger there that she hadn’t seen before, and she realised she hadn’t made a mistake after all. Before Lara could think of something to say, he crossed the distance between them faster than humanly possible. In that moment, their eyes met, and it was as if electricity has passed through her. There was a sudden spark that pulsed inside her chest and warmed through her entire body.
Lara felt like she could see directly into his soul and suddenly she knew he felt the same connection as she did. As much as her mind wanted to pull away and prevent getting hurt, it seemed her body was willing to take the risk. He cupped her face with both hands and leant in towards her but stopped close enough that she could feel his breath on her lips, he was hesitating. Lara’s heart was beating fast now, and she felt as though it would burst through her chest at any moment. Fuck being cautious and Fuck being responsible she thought as she leant her head back and closed her eyes, giving him the approval, he seemed to be waiting for.
She wasn’t sure what she was expecting, but it wasn’t this. The chemistry between them peaked as Archer pressed his lips roughly on hers. There was an intensity there, an urge, a need. His lips were pushed hard against hers as he held her there for what could have been hours, yet Lara felt it was still not long enough. She opened her mouth slightly and he took up the invitation, delving into her mouth with his tongue.
Her hands moved instinctively to the hem of his shirt before running her hands up his back to feel his hard muscles against her fingers. She could feel the panther inside, paying attention to Archer as if he was important to her too. Out of pure impulse, she dug her nails in and raked her hand down his strong back. She felt Archer pull back, afraid that she may have hurt him, she opened her eyes to see him throw his head back and let out a groan. When he faced her again, all of her doubts were put to rest as the hunger in his eyes intensified. Suddenly, the dark brown colour that Lara as coming to love, Love? was replaced with a yellow gold momentarily before returning to the normal colour once again. Lara instinctively knew at that moment; his lion was awake and present, just like her own animal. Is this a shifter thing? She had no idea but, right now, she didn’t care either.
He kissed her again, harder this time, pushing his body up against hers. She could feel the warmth of his broad chest against her breasts through the thin material of the dress she was wearing. She closed her eyes and felt his hands move from her face to grab her backside and squeeze, gently at first, before squeezing harder. She got the impression that he was trying to be gentle with her, trying to hold himself back. She should be scared of him, scared of the monster inside of him and what would happen if he ever lost control. It was then that Lara realised, deep down, she knew that he would never hurt her. Something inside of her telling her to trust him, maybe it was instinct, maybe it was a shifter thing, but something was telling her that Archer would rather hurt himself before hurting her, and she believed it.
Archer tilted his head and began kissing her neck, softly at first and then using his teeth to gently nip at her skin. It set off a fire in her belly that made her want him even more. She stepped back against the weight of his body still pressed against hers, and without thinking, she dug her nails into his back again, urging him backwards with her. Archer released her neck and smiled in that sexy, boyish way, before moving to close the front door behind him. She grabbed his hand and pulled him towards her before leading him down a short hallway and stopped at a door that opened to a bedroom. Lara wasn’t sure what had come over her. She hadn’t been home in two months,
but her first instinct was to take Archer to her bedroom? She watched as he looked inside the room from the doorway but said nothing. She followed his eyes and cringed at the floral bedspread that sat on top of her king bed. She always loved her bedroom, but she had never experienced darkness like she had the last two months and now, the floral, whimsical designs that she used to surround herself with, felt too innocent to belong in her bedroom anymore.
Lara wrung her hands, something she always did when she was nervous and right now, she was nervous as hell. What if he thinks I’m just like one of the many girls he has probably taken back to his place? Wait. What if he doesn’t feel the same way about me? What if he doesn’t want to go any further with me? Her self-doubt was short lived when he looked back at her and smiled. Something in his eyes told her that they were on the same page about what they both wanted right now. Archer leaned over and pushed his lips to hers, she opened her mouth almost immediately as their tongues met again in a sensual dance that she wished would never end. He moved his hands to her waist and pulled her roughly against him. She could feel his erection now, jutting hard against her stomach and it only made her want him even more. He moved one hand up past her waist, to her stomach before running it over her breast and his palm there, before squeezing gently. Lara couldn’t help but bite down on her bottom lip and let out a soft moan as he continued to squeeze and knead her breast, making her nipples harden and her underwear damp with pleasure.
Archer moved his head down and ran his tongue over the top of her cleavage, just above the neckline of her low-cut dress. Lara rested her head against the wall and closed her eyes as his hands made their way to her shoulders to take off her denim jacket. Her jacket fell to the floor and Archer moved both hands to yank down her dress lower to begin kissing and licking just above her bra. His hands found her breasts and began to explore her, making her nipples achingly hard, yearning for his attention.
Suddenly Archer released her, and she opened her eyes abruptly at the lack of contact. He was smiling at her, a beaming smile that reached his eyes “You’re so fucking gorgeous” he said as he reached out and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. Before Lara could take in what he just said, he swiftly leaned down and began kissing her again. He was ravenous as he claimed her mouth before sucking and nibbling at her chin, then her neck as his hands explored her body.
When Archer’s hands reached her thighs, he tugged at the material there, pulling her dress above her knees before running his hand up the inside of her leg. Lara bit her lip as Archer pulled back, watching her intently as he ran his fingers over her underwear, directly over her clit, making her jerk at the pleasure he instantly created. He used his fingers to pull her underwear aside and touch her sex again, this time with nothing between them. Archer let out a moan and then leaned in against her ear “You’re so wet for me” he whispered. Lara gasped at the intensity of the pleasure as he moved his finger along her wetness before dipping inside her and pulling it out again to run up her seam to her clit. Lara felt like her blood had turned to molten lava and she was burning from the inside out. There was a fire in her belly that was growing with each moment of pleasure he was giving her.
“Archer…” Lara started to say. What did she want to say? Truth be told, she had no idea what she was saying since her brain stopped working when he first kissed her at the door. She only knew that she wanted him. Her legs shook with unsteadiness as he explored her sex, her breaths became shallow and her heart raced faster than it ever had before. She tugged the hem of Archer’s shirt up in a hint to take it off, he smiled at her with a smirk before pulling it over his head and throwing it to the floor.
Lara couldn’t tear her eyes off his chest, his rippling abs, his tapered waist and those deep Ken doll muscles on his hips. She ran her fingers over the mounds of his six pack, the hard muscle there was a reminder that she wasn’t just living out a fantasy, this was real. Lara was the one who’s control was slipping now, her body desperate to be closer to his as he moved his finger rhythmically up and down her wet seam before flicking her clit in just the right spot to make her body tingle at the pleasure, her own release building. Lara needed to feel Archer, to explore him in the same way he was exploring her. She frantically reached for his belt and after a few moments of fumbling, he smirked and released her as he unbuckled his belt. When she managed to lower his zip, pulling down his jeans and briefs, his erection sprung free. Lara’s eyes widened at his impressive length, he was huge. Instinctively, she reached her fingers over the tip of his length before wrapping her hand around the girth, stroking him once.
“Fuck” Archer whispered as he threw his head back. She noticed the glistening beads of wetness on the tip of his shaft and she impulsively leaned down, running her tongue over the tip of it.
Archer’s moan turned into a growl as he moved too quick for a human, he picked her up under her knees as she wrapped her legs around his waist as he ground his hips against her sex with his length. She let out a helpless whimper, she could feel the pleasure building even faster now as he moved swiftly into her bedroom, placing her on the bed before climbing on top of her. With his hands on either side of her head, he knelt over her and gently placed his lips over hers. Every kiss they shared so far had been desperate, urgent and intense, but this one was gentle and tender.
Archer pulled back briefly before making his way down her neck, kissing and sucking as he went. “You’re…so…beautiful” he whispered in between kisses before sitting up and straddling her legs, granting her a front row view to his impressive abs. She looked up to see him smile, it was a genuine smile that reached his eyes and if Lara wasn’t lying down, her knees would have given out over what that smile could do to her body. She felt a tingling sensation in her chest and the flutter of butterflies in her stomach. She was falling for him, or had she already fallen for him? She didn’t know anymore. Her body and mind were no longer in sync and she was in a freefall, tumbling towards inevitable heartbreak. She would have to deal with the collateral damage later however, because right now, the only thing she desperately wanted, was right in front of her.
“Archer, I need you” she whispered. He leant down and kissed her, forcing his way inside her mouth with his tongue, he was ravenous now as he claimed her mouth. She liked the way he was gentle at times but could take control if he wanted to, it was hot. Lara’s tongue met his in a frantic rhythm that was building to fever pitch and she could sense he was just as hungry for this as she was. He lowered his body and she could feel his length against her sex through her underwear as he ground against her before letting out a groan into her mouth. Archer pulled back, she could see him above her, his eyes closed in a desperate attempt to maintain control. She reached up and gripped his hair gently, pulling his face back to her as he opened his eyes “Archer, please” she pleaded. The anticipation of his length sheathed inside her made her heart beat faster and her breaths shorter, she couldn’t wait any longer. Archer seemed to lose control too as he ground against her one more time before reaching down to pull her underwear aside, positioning himself at her entrance. Adrenalin was pulsing through Lara’s veins now as she could feel the tip of his thick length against her wetness. Yes, yes yes she thought as she closed her eyes, longing for him to thrust inside of her.
“Fuck! We…we shouldn’t” Archer’s voice broke Lara out of her daze as she opened her eyes abruptly to see him. He was looking down at her, hesitation and worry in his face. He sat up quickly and lifted his briefs and jeans back to his waist from where they had been around his thighs.
“Wh…what happened? Did I do something wrong?” Lara said with a shaky voice, she wasn’t sure what to do, she had been so close to release yet now all she felt was mortified. She wanted to lower her dress to cover up her exposed underwear and legs, but Archer was sitting up in between them, preventing her from moving.
“No!” Archer almost yelled “No, no, God no” he repeated softly before running his hands up and down her legs that were bent at either
side of him. Lara wanted to pull herself away after that level of rejection but something about the way he was touching her, feeling her, made her think that he wasn’t rejecting her at all. “I don’t think we should go all the way yet” Yet, that sounds promising Lara thought. “But that doesn’t mean that we have to stop” Archer smirked at her as he shuffled his body down until his face was directly above her underwear, his strong grip on both her thighs. Lara took a sharp intake of breath, she was starting to see where he was going with this.
Archer reached the waistline of her underwear and pulled it down, over her legs and feet before throwing it to the floor. Lara instinctively pulled her dress down slightly to cover herself, but Archer put his hands over hers, stopping her.
“You’re beautiful, don’t hide yourself.” There was something about the way he said that made her believe it and suddenly, she didn’t want to cover herself up around him. He leaned down and kissed the inside of her knee, then the other knee before agonisingly making his way slowly up to her thighs and then finally, to her exposed, aching sex. The mortification she felt earlier had dissipated completely and the only thing she could think about was what this man was doing to her and how much more she wanted. Lara watched as his eyes stared back at hers before they flashed into a gold yellow colour and then returned to dark brown as he planted a kiss right over her clit. Lara’s body jerked at the intensity of the pleasure he was giving her, she threw her head back against the covers of the bed and closed her eyes before she felt his tongue run down her wet seam and then back up to flick expertly against her sex. Lara moaned, she could feel the release building again as Archer seemed to know exactly what to do with his tongue, he licked and flicked in a rhythmic motion that was bringing Lara right to the edge of ecstasy.
Archer could read her like a book now and seemed to know that she was close, he ran his tongue down Lara’s wetness once more, slowly returning to her sex and circling his tongue around her hard nub before pressing down on it. Lara threw her head back and screamed his name as an explosion of ecstasy rippled through her.
The Lion's Purpose Page 14
