by Vella Day
“I can’t get enough of your scent,” he said.
Even better to drive him to the brink with. Too bad there wasn’t a pump attached to her body like on a spray can of perfume that would send her scent straight into him.
Nabbing his earlobe, she then wrapped her arms around his waist and drew him close. When his hard chest pressed against her breasts, she nearly combusted, and she had to force herself to stay strong. How was it possible that she was seconds from climaxing, yet they’d barely begun?
As if he could read her mind—or else he could tell how excited she was from her blue glow—Jackson lowered his lips and kissed her with such urgency that she couldn’t take it any longer. Ainsley wrapped her legs around his waist and lifted her hips, begging for his cock.
With their tongues plunging to some imaginary beat, her aura grew and grew. “Please, Jackson.”
“Please what?”
He knew. “I want you.”
His grin exposed his sharp teeth, and her body nearly detonated. “Then you shall have me.”
Her heart pounded at this monumental step. Her whole life, she’d adjusted to the idea that she’d be alone. Then Shamus came to town, and she’d met Jackson. Now, they would join and become mates for life.
Tears welled on her eyes. As if he understood what she was experiencing, he swiped away the brimming tears. “Let me love you,” he said in the softest, sweetest tone.
“Please.”
Cupping her face, he kissed her gently at first, and then with more urgency. When she lowered her feet to the mattress, he aimed his cock at her entrance and plunged in.
Holy Hades. Fire scorched her insides and a feral urge to mate encompassed her. The room glowed blue as he stretched her wide. Ainsley grabbed his shoulders and hung on for dear life, her nails growing and her teeth sharpening.
Not only did her body seem to be altering from the inside, her emotions were running out of control. It might have been from the lack of sleep, being in a town that held wonder as well as disappointment, or perhaps, it was the process of mating, but she was totally overwhelmed with passion.
Love, love, mate, mate.
Where had that thought come from?
Jackson broke the kiss and lowered his face to her neck. Her pulse soared. Surrounded by the most intense sexual haze ever, she pressed on her heels and lifted her hips to meet each thrust.
He drove into her, and Ainsley could almost feel the union form between them. Desire flowed. Nails sharp, she dragged them down his back, scraping his skin. She opened her mouth to draw in more air.
“I need you, Ainsley.”
He needed her? No one had ever said that to her before. On the next thrust, it was as if some kind of a magnet drew her to his neck. As she bit him, her blue aura encased both of them, and when his incisors sank into her neck, emotion swamped her completely. Her climax claimed her so hard that she visibly shook—or else it was because Jackson’s cock had exploded again.
Her vision swam, and her senses heightened. Seconds passed before she remembered to breathe.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
Her lips wobbled, but she managed to smile. “I’m more than okay.”
Jackson smiled at her as they lay there letting their heart rates return to normal. Leaning over, he ran his finger down her cheek and then kissed her sweetly before slipping out of bed and heading to the bathroom. Something about the marking on the back of his shoulder seemed different. When he returned with a cloth to clean her up, she motioned for him to turn around.
When he did, joy spread through her. “Well, I’ll be damned.”
“What?” he asked then turned back to face her.
“The marking on your back changed. You now have a Wendayan vine underneath your bear paw print.” She was thrilled at the physical manifestation of their mating. “It really happened!”
“For real?” He grinned. “Let me see yours.”
She twisted around. “Holy crap. Instead of the wolf print on one side and the vine on the other, yours have combined. The vine is under the wolf paw too.”
Ainsley rolled onto her back and raised her arms. “I think that calls for another celebration.”
“You, my mate, may be the death of me. But trust me, I’ll love every minute of it.”
Chapter Nineteen
‡
Flying back to the States had been pure torture. If Jackson thought delivering ashes to Uncle Gordon had been hard, sitting next to his mate and not touching her had taken every ounce of his control.
To keep his mind off his need, he focused on what came next—getting Ainsley to move in with him. No way would he agree to live in her insanely small apartment. Not only was the location unsecure, the shower alone would have been enough to dissuade him. The shifter compound could better protect her from any Changeling attack. As much as he wanted to discuss a lot of things with her on the plane, he had to be content to wait until they landed.
Making the trip over one weekend had been crazy, but Ainsley was dedicated to her job. She’d explained that a few patients were in serious need of her treatments, so he couldn’t fault her for wanting to be there for them. He also wanted to return to his work.
When they finally stepped foot on US soil, he was exhausted but happy to be home. It was early afternoon, and Jackson was eager to convince Ainsley to move in with him. If she balked, he’d have to use some persuasive tactics. At least, he’d look forward to that.
Once they settled into his car, he maneuvered out of the airport. “Do you feel any different after mating?” he asked.
“I’m not sure, but I can say I’m hornier that I was before.” She reached over and squeezed his leg. That was the last thing he needed—intimate touches from her.
“That makes two of us, which brings up my next topic. Now that we’re mated, I’d like you to move in with me.” Her shoulders stiffened, and he could physically feel her angst. “What is it?” he telepathed.
She whipped around toward him and smiled. “I heard you!”
When her voice came in loud and clear, his damn pulse soared. “We’re mates, but I’m sensing a resistance to the idea of you moving in with me. Why is that?”
She looked out the car’s side window. “Are we ready for that?”
“I am.” Hell, even if he wasn’t, he didn’t want to spend another minute away from her. “But we can take it slow if you want.”
Please say no, that you can’t live without me.
She smiled. “I heard that.”
“Good.”
He hoped that once she thought about it, Ainsley would see the wisdom of his suggestion.
“I just need a few days,” she said, her voice soft and rather distant. She twisted toward him. “Don’t get me wrong. My body is climbing the walls right now to be with you. Hell, my hair is tingling, my teeth are about to show, and my wolf is crying for me to say yes.”
“Then why don’t you?” He honestly didn’t understand.
“I don’t want to get my hopes up.”
He glanced over at her. “Do you think I’d leave you? I won’t, I promise.”
“I know. I can’t explain it.”
Pushing her wouldn’t serve either of them. Poor Ainsley had gone through so much already. Not only did she move to a new town and start a new job, she’d finally reconnected with her old friend only for him to be murdered. Add in finding a mate and being cleansed on top of that, and he was surprised she hadn’t had a break down.
When they arrived at her place, he seemed to have developed amnesia about all the stress she’d recently experienced since he wasn’t ready to be apart. With the engine in neutral, he twisted toward her. “How about you spending the night with me? Or maybe a few days to see if I drive you crazy?”
Her brows rose. “How do you know I won’t drive you crazy.”
“Never. Come on. What do you say? I’ll be at work much of the time, and you have your job, but it’ll be easier to learn about each other if we’re sh
aring the same space. You tell me about your day, and I’ll tell you about mine.”
Jackson was at a loss about what else to add. He’d never asked a woman to move in with him before.
She blew out a breath then grabbed her stomach. “I want to so much, but I’m scared. I can tell you if I say no, my wolf will claw me to death from the inside. So yes!” She grinned. “How about I shower, pack for a few days, and then drive over to your place? We can take it day by day.”
He liked that she was willing to find a win-win solution. “Sounds like a plan.”
After turning off the ignition, he slipped out the driver’s side and retrieved her luggage from the back.
She reached out to take it from him. “I got it,” she said.
From the determined way she said it, Ainsley was still waffling about giving up some of her independence. Deciding it was best to give in this time, he handed her the light case. “See you soon?”
She nodded and headed toward the door.
Follow her, his bear demanded.
Dammit, no. As much as he wanted to run after her, Jackson needed to give Ainsley some space. She would come.
Once the light in her apartment clicked on, he headed home. When he entered his front door, he glanced around to make sure he’d picked up before he left. She had mentioned she liked all the wood in the house, but he had to admit the furniture was a bit masculine. Giving up the brown leather sofa and chairs would be hard, but if she wanted her yellow sofa and lime green chairs, he could compromise.
Because Ainsley would be there soon, he straightened up then headed into the shower. Just as he finished drying off, his cell rang. Wrapping a towel around his waist, he rushed down the hall to answer it, having left his phone on the dining room table. He hoped it wasn’t Ainsley saying she’d changed her mind.
It was Connor. “Hey,” he answered.
“Wanted to see if you landed safely.”
“We did.” He gave him the quick rundown of delivering the remains to his uncle and then how awesome it had been to tour the castle ruins. Because Connor would find out soon enough, he told him that he and Ainsley had mated.
“Hey, that’s fantastic. Are you with her now?”
If she had been, Jackson would be making love with her, not talking on the phone. “She’s cleaning up and will be over shortly.”
“Great. I won’t keep you, but I wanted to let you know that our fathers convinced Mr. Donaldson to let them start work on the property before the closing date.”
He whistled. “Holy crap. When our folks want something, they sure go after it.”
“You got that right. Once an Alpha, always an Alpha,” Connor added.
How true. His dad still tried to tell Kalan how to do things with regard to the Clan. “Knowing them, they offered Donaldson an added incentive.”
Connor chuckled. “My thoughts exactly. Are you coming into work tomorrow?”
Why wouldn’t he? “Absolutely. I can’t wait to get started.”
“Good. We can go over your plan to find the treasure.”
“That would be great.”
As soon as he disconnected, his senses heightened. Ainsley was here. She must have rushed over! Jackson debated dashing back into the bedroom and changing, but he was curious what she’d do when she saw him in a towel. Knowing her, she’d pulse blue. That worked for him. It would save him the hassle of undressing.
Before she had the chance to knock, he opened the door and winter air rushed in. He was so riveted on seeing her rush up the driveway that the cold didn’t even register at first.
As soon as she was close, he reached for her suitcase. “Come in.”
“Do you meet all your guests in a towel?” she asked, fighting a smile. The second her gaze dropped to his erection, his willpower shattered.
Mate, mate.
Goddess help him. His need truly was more intense after mating. The lust, the demanding need, and the powerful throbbing in his groin forced him to focus on one thing—Ainsley.
She asked me a question.
“No. Never. I showered, and just as I was about to dress, Connor called.”
“Everything okay?” she asked. Stepping past him, blue sparks jumped off her.
“Yes. He was just checking to see if we’d arrived home safely.”
“That’s nice of him. Mind if I get a glass of water? I meant to when I was home, but forgot.”
Forgot, hell. Ten bucks said her wolf’s yearnings had taken over her brain. “I’ll get you one. Have a seat.” He set her case by the door, and as he turned around to head to the kitchen, she yanked off his towel. “What the—”
Her laughter stopped him short. “Gotcha!”
What a feisty woman. If she was going to play that game, he would indulge in her luscious body right now. The moment he turned around and drank her in, his teeth and nails instantly sharpened. Controlling his bear now that they’d mated seemed to take a lot more work.
“You’re asking for it,” he said as he came near. Just as he reached out to draw her near, she disappeared. “Oh, no you don’t.”
Ainsley was still there. He just couldn’t see her. Slowly, he waved his hands in the air, not wanting to hurt her if she hadn’t moved.
“I’m behind you,” she telepathed.
He swung around and there she was. Not giving any thought to his next move, he rushed her. When she remained visible, he snatched her up before she pulled that stunt on him again. Three steps later, her butt hit the kitchen counter.
“You aren’t getting away from me this time,” he said.
“I don’t want to.” She threaded her arms around his neck.
“Smart ass.” An hour ago, she was tentative, but now she was a little minx. Would it always be like this? He hoped so.
Kiss her.
And kiss her he did. The moment their lips touched, his bear scraped and clawed at his insides. Devouring her mouth, he fumbled to unbutton and then unzip her jeans. With her wearing boots, he’d never get her undressed fast enough. With each passing second, his desperation grew—as did his need to shift.
He stepped back. “Help me get you naked.”
“I thought you’d never ask.”
Once she kicked off her footwear, she worked to remove the several layers above her waist while he divested her of her jeans and then her panties. With two quick flicks of her hands, she tossed off her socks.
Now naked, he returned her to the counter and then shoved aside the toaster and coffee maker. “Lean back,” he demanded, his breathing way too ragged.
Not able to wait any longer before tasting her, he lifted her legs over his shoulders and prepared for a feast. The first swipe of his tongue brought him some relief, but it was like a drug—one that made him want more. A few additional licks gave him his reward—her glorious blue glow pulsing and shimmering. He loved the Wendayan expression of excitement.
Even without the telltale signs, he’d have known. Her fingers were clenched, and her teeth had sharpened. When he nabbed her little pearl and flicked his tongue across her sensitive nub, she wiggled and sucked in an audible breath.
“Damn you. Take me before I shift,” she growled.
“You don’t have to ask twice.” Jackson slipped her to the edge of the counter. “Wrap your legs around my waist and hold on.”
As she positioned herself, he placed his hard dick at her entrance. When she hugged his neck and leaned forward, his cock slipped into her wetness and his teeth extended. If he thought he was excited in Scotland, he was more so now. Her blue pulses jacked up his hormones to a new height.
Between her lavender scent, her bare breasts, and those divine lips that could kiss like a goddess, he lost it. With one arm around her back and the other supporting her butt, he withdrew then plunged into her again.
“I can’t get enough of you,” he telepathed. If he’d had enough oxygen in his brain, he might have been able to say the words out loud.
Ainsley kissed him, plunging her tongue
into his mouth. The sweeping motion made his bear roar. Squeezing her legs tightly around him, she lifted up and dropped down, all the while encasing him in her blue cocoon.
Take her completely demanded his pushy bear.
Breaking the kiss, he slid his lips to her neck and drove his cock into her hard over and over again. His mate met him thrust for thrust. When Ainsley’s sharp canines touched his neck, he couldn’t control his climax any longer. Just as he dug his teeth into her, his hot seed exploded. Ainsley bit down on his neck at the same time, and his body shuddered with the full force of a tsunami.
Her orgasmic scream followed and was coupled with her inner walls clamping down on him, holding him tight. Both of their hearts beat with the fury of a wild storm, and he never wanted to let her go.
Sweet goddess. If every time they made love was like this, he might not survive.
*
When Ainsley woke up the next morning, she was delighted to find herself snuggled against Jackson. She smiled at the amazing turn her life had taken. How had she even considered not living with him?
You were a fool, her wolf said.
True. To think her mate was her best friend’s brother. The whole concept that she was mated to a non-Changeling still blew her mind, but delighted her at the same time.
Ainsley wasn’t sure Naliana had made the best pairing as far as Jackson was concerned. Blair had commented a few times that Ainsley wasn’t the easiest person to live with. Poor Jackson. What if she got on his nerves? She could try to remain non-confrontational, but as a reformed Changeling, she could only bend so far. If he expected a woman who would give into his every wish, he’d be sorely disappointed—that is unless he was naked and touching her all over. Then she’d probably say yes to anything.
With her thoughts on sex, she remembered her shock when Jackson opened the front door last night wearing nothing but a towel. Man, did he look like a god, or what? Her body had gone crazy, what with navy sparks zooming off her everywhere. Sure the girls had warned her that she’d experience an increased level in her need, but she never thought it would be this bad. Izzy had claimed she needed to be with Rye several times a day in the beginning, and Ainsley had the sense it might be even worse for her.
