by Jenika Snow
She had to end this. It had gone too far, and even if the other shifters started it, and Bram was just protecting them and defending himself, this needed to end now.
“Bram.” Her voice was surprisingly strong for the events that had transpired, but he instantly stilled and looked at her. “It’s enough.” His eyes flashed, yet it wasn’t with anger but acceptance and surrender. Her big bear was submitting to her. That was a heady damn feeling.
“Mine.”
If she hadn’t realized that before, she certainly did now. He stalked forward, and all Kenzie could do was stand there. When he was right in front of her, she inhaled deeply. The violence he just delivered should have had her screaming in fear, running away from him, and reminding her of the life she had led.
But none of those emotions came to her. Instead, she softened under his gaze, felt everything that was female about her melt right before her mate. He made sure she was safe, once again, and she knew that falling for this bear was unavoidable.
“You’re mine, Kenzie, and I’ll destroy anything that threatens to take you away.”
Her breath stalled, and all she could do was nod. Yes, she was his, and dammit did it feel good.
21
The terrain was rough and uneven, but it was perfect for her inner deer, and being out in the open with nature surrounding her was glorious.
For longer than she wanted to admit, she had been surrounded by glass, steel, and the effects of modernization as Rook kept her with him, but not having anything restraining her, and smelling all the wonderful scents was sublime. Bram was in front of her, but only by a foot.
It had only been two days since he had taken her back to his home, and the kind of attention and affection he gave her were what she dreamed of while living with Rook. She hadn’t thought about the fight he had with the wolverines, and found it easy not to, especially when he was so gentle and soft with her. Maybe she was starting to heal.
She may feel as though she was, but that didn’t mean the threat of Rook wasn’t still very real. “Are you sure we’re safe?” Despite the thick protection the forest gave them, Rook was a hunter and got a thrill from the chase.
She didn’t sense anything aside from the cleanness of nature, and Bram was relaxed, which helped her calm as well, but she still asked… for the third time. He stopped and turned to look at her.
“Kenzie, I promise you’re safe. This is my home, and I know it better than I know myself sometimes. If there was any kind of threat, I would know, and there wouldn’t be any way I’d take you out of the safety of the cabin.” He took a step forward and took her hand in his. “I just want to see you smile when you see the waterfall.” He gave her hand a squeeze and started leading her again. He had only kissed her that once, but she couldn’t stop thinking about it.
He hadn’t tried anything else for that matter, but she could still sense his restlessness to be with her. It was this frantic need to take his mate, to possess her in the way she possessed him.
She didn’t fear him, and certainly didn’t fear the way he always watched her, as if he truly did want to make sure she was comfortable and safe, whilst holding himself in check. For as much as she knew he wanted her, Bram stayed the perfect gentleman, even if it had only been these couple days. They had only been hiking for about a mile, but soon the scent of fresh water and the sound of the waterfall he had spoken about came at her full-force.
They came to a stop right as the trees thinned out. “Be careful. The ledge is only a few feet away.” Bram smiled at her, and the look was contagious. They moved closer, and her breath stalled when she saw how high they had gone up the mountain and the incredible waterfall that lay right in front of them. The water pooled at the basin below and quickly rushed farther down the mountain. It was beautiful with colors of white and blue, and the mist that sprayed up to them, even from their height, was refreshing.
“It’s so beautiful.”
“It really is.”
She turned and looked at Bram. He wasn’t watching the falls but instead had his eyes trained on her. “The most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.” He wasn’t talking about the falls but about her. He sounded so enthralled, so weak, that it was such a sharp contrast to the strong, ruthless male she just met.
Kenzie didn’t say anything, but honestly, she didn’t know how to respond. After a few seconds of Bram just watching her, he pulled her closer to his body, and they stared at the cascading water.
They settled into a relaxed, comfortable silence, and that was fine with Kenzie, because she couldn’t remember the last time she felt so content.
22
Bram pulled the truck to a stop in front of the cabin, and after grabbing the grocery bags and heading inside, Kenzie excused herself to the bathroom. The time with Bram seemed to pass so quickly.
Already, she had been with him for several days, but even if it had passed quickly, she felt like she had been with him far longer.
This was her second trip into town, and even if she felt safe with Bram, she still didn’t let her guard down. She knew Rook was still lingering in Sweet Water, hiding and just waiting for her.
It was nice getting out, seeing the small, intimate town that was so much more than how it presented itself. Shifters and humans alike mingled effortlessly, and she loved the small, personal relationship everyone seemed to have with one another.
Kenzie shut the bathroom door behind her and stepped up to the mirror. Her side didn’t hurt as much, but the annoying itch that came with the healing process was starting to bug her.
She should have been healed already, but the stress and fear she still carried, albeit lessened now that she was around Bram, slowed things down.
Bram hadn’t so much as touched her in the way she wanted him to, and Kenzie found herself immensely disappointed because of it. He had kissed her, but it wasn’t nearly as thorough as she ached for. This arousal that grew inside her was becoming almost unbearable, and she knew he was going slow, not wanting to frighten her further.
There wasn’t any doubt in her mind he could smell her desire for him, but he was far stronger than she gave him credit for, because he could keep himself in check.
She really shouldn’t even be thinking about the lewd things that passed through her mind on a daily basis now, but it was unavoidable. How could she not want him, when he helped her far more than he would ever realize?
Pulling her top off and turning to the side to look at herself in the mirror, Kenzie started peeling away the tape and bandages. The claw marks were now just raised, pink lines, and her body was rejecting the sutures. She really didn’t need the dressing anymore, so she tossed it aside and ran her fingers over her flesh.
Twisting to look farther behind her, because one of the marks snaked behind her back, she gasped out as her skin was pulled taut. In the next instant, the bathroom door was pushed open. A squeal of surprise left Kenzie, and she spun around and braced one of her hands on the counter for stability. Bram stood in the doorway, a concerned and wild look on his face.
“What’s wrong? You okay?” He scanned her body, and it was after the initial shock of seeing him bust in that Kenzie realized she didn’t have a top on and her breasts were only covered by a thin, cotton bra. Fire raced up her neck, and although she wanted Bram with an intensity that startled her, she was embarrassed by her state.
“I heard you cry out in pain. What’s wrong?” He stepped farther into the bathroom and took hold of her arms. He pulled them away from her body and continued to scan her for injuries. Despite the fact that she was only dressed halfway, there was no arousal reflected in his expression, only a deep-seated need to make sure she was okay.
“I’m all right.” At his disbelieving look, she added, “I swear. I just turned a little too quickly, and it pulled at my wound.”
After another couple of seconds looking her over, he finally seemed satisfied and released her. He took a step back. Neither one said anything for so long that Kenzie started to g
et uncomfortable, especially with her lack of clothing. She grabbed her shirt, but before she could put it on, Bram had a hold of her hands, stopping her from moving.
“What are you doing?” Her words were a breathy mix of confusion and simmering arousal. The way he dipped his gaze down to her chest had her feeling like she wore absolutely nothing in front of him.
“I can’t even tell you what you do to me, what having you near does to my body.” He was still looking at her chest, and her breathing kicked up, causing her breasts to rise and fall at a rapid pace. “It isn’t just about the fact that you light my body up, Kenzie. Just having you near makes me feel so good. It feels so right, baby.” He took a step closer, and the mix of his cologne as well as his natural scent washed through her. “I have to fight my bear every minute not to tear your clothes off, run my tongue over your skin, and make you mine.” He rested his forehead against hers and closed his eyes. At that moment, he looked so vulnerable and nothing like the fierce male she knew he was. “But I know I have to be gentle with you and go slow. You’ve been through so much, so much more than I can even comprehend.” He opened his eyes but didn’t lift his forehead from hers.
“Bram?” Her eyes fluttered closed when he moved his mouth to her neck, and his warm breath teased the skin right below her ear.
“Yeah, baby?” His voice was low, husky, and the scent of his pheromones was a gust of intoxication that had her head spinning. “I’ll be gentle and won’t push you to do anything you don’t want.” The feel of his tongue on her throat had a small mewl leaving her. “I won’t take anything you’re not willing to give.”
Her head was suddenly too heavy for her to hold up, and so she let it fall back, baring her throat for her mate.
“That’s it; surrender to me willingly, and I swear to fucking God, Kenzie, I’ll never make you regret it.”
Kenzie didn’t regret it and wanted to just let go, so she brought her hands up, gripped his massive biceps, and nodded her desire for him to continue. “Bram, I want you, want this, but…” He lifted his head and looked down at her.
“Tell me what you want, and it’s yours.” She licked her lips, knowing she really did want this, but for this first time, it had to be her way.
“Will you let me take control?” She didn’t need to elaborate, because by the softening of his expression, she knew he understood. And although she didn’t know what the hell she was doing, for once in her life she wanted that control.
“Anything, baby. Anything I have is yours.”
He brushed his lips against hers, nothing overtly sexual, but almost surrendering, like he was ready to let her take the reins. He dropped his hands and took a step back. For a moment, all they did was stare at each other, but she knew he was waiting for her to make the first move. The shirt he wore was a button-down, so she lifted her hand to his chest and rested her open palm right over his heart.
The steady beat of his heart calmed her. Her hands shook slightly, yet it wasn’t from apprehension but liquid arousal. Kenzie slipped the buttons out, and when the material was hanging open, she smoothed her hands along the hard ridges that were clear through the white undershirt. His chest rose and fell, his breathing increasing with each passing moment.
Pushing the shirt off his shoulders, she started to lift the hem of his tee, seeing the ripped six-pack that was revealed. In one swift move, he lifted his arms over his head, gripped the back of his shirt, and pulled it over his head and tossed it aside.
Kenzie breathed out roughly when she looked at his hard chest. It was wide, golden in color, and so muscular she felt like a small, insignificant female beside him. The sharp edges of his tattoos that covered his back peeked over his shoulders, and she couldn’t keep herself from lifting her hands and running her fingers over the dark ink.
A full-body shiver wracked his body, and he growled low in his throat. She knew it must be hard for him to just stand there, not taking control when she knew he wanted to. Nervousness was a living entity inside her, but she pushed it aside and reached for the belt at his waist. His erection was already tenting his jeans, and it was enormous.
After getting the button undone and his zipper down, she took a deep breath, gripped the edges of the denim, and pushed them down. He wore no underwear, a fact that turned her on even more. His shaft sprang forth like another limb, and all she could do was stare at it.
“You see what you do to me, Kenzie?” His voice was so low, so rough, that her nipples instantly hardened and her pussy swelled. “You have total control of me, little deer.” His eyes were lowered, the blue like neon washing across the bathroom. “Touch me.” Keeping hold of his gaze with her own, she reached out and gripped him. He was far too thick. Her hand couldn’t wrap fully around him, and he seemed to throb in her grasp.
“Yeah, Kenzie, that’s it.”
Her eyes fluttered closed as the sensations slammed into her. She wanted him, wanted to feel Bram touch every part of her. Power surged through her when she started stroking him, and he couldn’t hold his eyes open any longer.
Her chest moved up and down, and the fact that she couldn’t seem to get enough oxygen into her lungs had her feeling lightheaded. Taking control wasn’t something she was used to, and the fact that Bram had willingly given himself up to her was good enough for her. She wanted him to hold her, kiss her, slide into her body slow and easy. She wanted it all.
Dropping her hands and taking a step back, she watched the different emotions pass across his face. “I want you, Bram…”
She didn’t finish that sentence, didn’t tell him she wanted him to be the one to show her what he wanted, what he knew she would like, and what would make her feel so unbelievably good. A low, animalistic growl left him, and then he had her in his arms, kissing her like it was the last time, or like he just couldn’t get enough.
He moved her backward so her back met the cold tile of the wall and started running his teeth up and down her neck. He moved his other hand down her waist, over her outer thigh, and snaked it around until he could grip her behind the knee.
“Are you sure, Kenzie? You own me, and because of that, you are the only one who can bring me to my knees.” He waited until she nodded and pressed back against him, letting him know that although she knew she couldn’t have been the one in control, that she wanted him to show her how wonderful it could be.
When he lifted her leg and brought it flush with his hip, it put her pussy in direct contact with his erection. Bram thrust his hips forward, and she groaned as his cock pressed against her clit. Sparks of pleasure went straight through her body. He did it again and again until lights danced before her eyes. If he kept it up, she would get off from this alone.
“Is this okay, Kenzie?” He kept moving against her, bringing her pleasure higher and higher until she was gasping for air. “Fuck, please tell me this is okay.”
“God, Bram.” Curling her hands farther into his arms, she started moving her hips in time with his, bringing herself closer to her climax that was right at the surface and tempting her with release. She wished her pants weren’t in the way and that she could feel how smooth and hot he was against her bare flesh. “It’s okay, Bram. It is so okay.”
Her head fell against the wall, and a moan spilled from her right when he thrust especially hard against her. He cupped her breasts and ran his palm up and down her nipple, causing the little bud to tighten further.
This was like nothing she’d ever felt before. She wanted the damn bra off, wanted the offending material that blocked her from fully feeling his skin against hers to be torn away.
“Just say the words, baby, and I’ll do it. I’ll do whatever the fuck you want me to do.” He read her so well, scented her emotions so thoroughly that the slightest shift in her had him knowing exactly what she wanted.
“I want it gone, Bram. I want nothing between us.”
“Fuck, Kenzie. I’m about to come just from hearing those words.” In the next instant, he reached behind her and unl
atched her bra. The material slid down her arms, and he tossed it aside. When he pulled back and looked at her bare breasts, it was like he was reaching out and touching her. It penetrated her, seeped to her very marrow, and had her only thinking about being with this bear.
“Take me, Bram. Make love to me. Show me how it is between mates.”
You’re going too fast. Things will go terribly wrong if you give yourself to him.
It was as if she had been waiting for this moment all her life, like the pain and horror that had always surrounded her had been nothing but a bad dream.
Being in Bram’s arms was incredible and inspiring, and even if it was only going to be this one time, she wanted it and wouldn’t deny herself this one pleasure.
23
His groan vibrated against her chest the lower he went down. His hot, humid breath teased the peak of one of her breasts, causing the turgid tip to stiffen even more.
Biting her bottom lip until she tasted the tangy flavor of blood, Kenzie waited for Bram to suck a nipple into his mouth. For several long, agonizing seconds, all she felt was his warm breath teasing over her.
“Bram, you’re torturing me.” Slipping her hands over his arms and spearing her fingers into his hair, she tried to pull him closer to her chest. It was like trying to move a stone wall.
“Aww, baby, that’s the last thing I want to do,” he said but still had yet to move. “I just don’t want to push you, and I’m trying to go slow, even though this is the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do.”
She tightened her fingers in his hair.
“Bram, I won’t break. I feel stronger with you, having you by my side. I just want you.”
