She didn’t say a word. Instead she watched him, her eyes growing wider as he revealed his cock to her gaze.
This time her knees snapped shut. His dick bobbed in front of him, stiffer than he could ever remember. Pre-come leaked from the tip as though pleading with him to get on with the show.
Evan wrapped his hand around his length and moaned as he stroked himself from the base to the tip.
Ashley used her heels to scoot back a few inches. Her eyes bugged out. “That’s not… You can’t…”
Her sentences were chopped short and she licked her lips afterward, perhaps not realizing she had said nothing coherent. He knew what she was thinking. That bastard Damon must have had a tiny dick. Either that or he never let Ashley see it while he raped her.
A chill went down his spine and he shook thoughts of her ex from his mind. He would erase all memory of the jackass soon enough. He only hated that Ashley had gone through all that in the first place.
He settled his gaze on her eyes again, watching her as she stared at his cock. The darn thing grew as she watched, eager, willing, hell, demanding.
He wouldn’t pressure her. If she called a halt right now, he would stop. It would be difficult, but he would do it.
He waited.
She took in his length. Moments past while he watched her chest rise and fall, slowing with each breath. Finally her legs fell open.
She reached for him with one hand, grabbed his arm, and pulled him toward her.
Evan settled over her body, lowering himself in the V of her legs until his cock rested at her entrance and his chest brushed against hers. And then he kissed her, a sweet gentle kiss, slow and precise while he waited for her to part her lips for him.
Ashley tipped her head to one side, grasped his biceps with both hands and angled for a deeper kiss. She licked the seam of his mouth brazenly, coming out like a tortoise from her shell. When she pulled her mouth away and turned her head to one side, he feared she was panicking.
She heaved several breaths, not making eye contact. Her fingers squeezed the muscles on his arms. “God…Evan.” She turned to face him, inches separating them. “I need you. I never thought I could feel like this. I had no idea… Please… Claim me.”
A smile spread across Evan’s face. He felt the furrow of his brow as it relaxed. This was really going to happen. He pushed up to his knees with both hands, grabbed the condom from the mattress, and ripped through the foil pack. As he rolled the rubber onto his cock, he watched her face.
“I’m telling you, you don’t need that.” She rolled her eyes as if he were dense.
Evan smiled. “And I’m telling you I do. I can smell it on you. Not only can you get pregnant, but you’re ovulating this week. So, humor me…unless you want to start a family in nine months.”
She gasped. “You can smell that?”
He nodded. “And believe me, I don’t care if you do get pregnant. This mating is forever. Whatever happens, we’ll deal with it. But, I think you need more time to find yourself before we add a baby to the mix.”
She shook her head. “I’m not sure I believe you, but whatever.” She grasped his forearm and tugged him on top of her again. “Please. Stop chatting. I’m burning.” Her eyes were glazed once more.
His chest swelled. He affected her. He alone brought that look to her face. And he alone would treasure this gift for all time.
She bucked her torso into him.
His cock nestled at her entrance. “Look at me.” He waited while her vision cleared and he knew she was seeing him. “Keep your eyes on mine.” Evan wanted to be sure she never doubted who she was with while he claimed her.
She sucked in a breath and held it when he nudged her entrance with his cock.
He paused. “You okay?” He rested both elbows alongside her head. With one thumb he stroked her hairline. “Say the word and I’ll stop. There’s no law that says we have to do this right now.”
She shook her head. “No. I want to. More than I’ve ever wanted anything. I’m just nervous.” She nibbled her lip. “It feel like…like I’ve never done this before.”
He swallowed his anger and kept his face straight.
“I know it’s silly, but…he never took this much care. Didn’t look me in the face. Hell, he never took me from the front…” Her words trailed off and then she stiffened and continued. “I know this might seem like a stupid time to bring all this up, but I want you to know—you deserve to know—what this means to me.”
Stunned. He froze. He’d known she’d had a rough four years, but that bastard never had proper sex with her? God… When he got his hands on that asshole…
“Don’t look at me like that.” She squirmed beneath him and gripped his arms tighter.
Evan took a deep breath and closed his eyes for a moment, long enough to get a grip on his emotions. You’re with Ashley now. What matters is her and making her feel special.
He opened his eyes and found doubt in her furrowed brow. “I’m sorry.” He kissed her gently. “I’m sorry for everything you endured. I promise to make the rest of your life so fantastic you won’t remember what happened before me.” He grinned. It might not have been completely real, but he meant it deep inside. “Ashley, will you let me be that man? The one who holds your hand for the rest of our lives? Will you let me claim you as my own?”
“Yes.” Her word was a whisper. She exhaled slowly.
He settled over her, maintaining eye contact as he kissed her lips again and pressed into her tightness.
And God…so tight…
Ashley held his gaze, her eyes wider as he fully settled inside her.
He knew by the stretch she was in some discomfort, and he held steady, trying not to grit his teeth against the need to move.
Slow and easy, Evan.
He waited. She blinked. Her face relaxed, and then she smiled. “Move.” She wiggled her ass beneath him.
That one word warmed his heart, reached inside him and assured him everything would be okay. He pulled out halfway and pressed back inside her warmth. This time he did grit his teeth. If he wasn’t careful, he would come on the third stroke. “So tight, Ash… So wet…”
For a woman who thought she would need lube, she was sure slippery.
I did that… He beamed inside, proud she was his, proud he could affect her so thoroughly after everything she’d been through.
Evan held himself over his mate with shaky arms as he settled into a rhythm. He didn’t let her break eye contact. He watched as her face relaxed and her eyes rolled repeatedly back each time he pressed forward.
A low groan escaped her lips, and she dug into his arms with her fingernails. He loved the feel of each indentation she marked him with. He hoped she scarred him for life, because mentally he was a goner. He might as well have the physical remnants of their mating to match.
She tightened around him and he knew she was close to coming. His cock surged tighter, if that was possible. When she tipped her head back and exposed her neck, he nestled the base of his cock firmly against her pussy and rocked. Her whole body went rigid as her orgasm swept through her. She shook. And her sweet tight pussy milked his cock until he couldn’t hold back any longer.
He joined her into the abyss, teetering on the edge for one last second before he came. Drawn to be as close to Ashley as possible, he finally let his gaze leave her face, wrapped his arms under her arched chest, and tugged her close to his heart as he pulsed into her.
Evan nuzzled her neck, scenting her, commemorating this claiming with long slow inhales of her. She smelled so sweet, and he never wanted this moment to end.
Fearing he would squish her, he finally rolled to one side, taking her with him onto her side and not letting his cock slip from inside her warmth.
His vision returned to normal and he found her smiling at him. “I don’t know what I was waiting for. That was…”
He chuckled. “Good?”
“Good doesn’t begin to describe what we just did.�
�� She blushed and set her forehead against his chin. “My entire body is humming. I’m not sure when I’ll regain the use of my arms and legs.”
She wasn’t kidding. Evan couldn’t maneuver his limbs either. He hugged her tight against him, not wanting the moment to end.
Their hearts beat rapidly against one another, and Evan listened to the pulsing in his ear as they meshed as though proclaiming their joined rhythms were some indication of the completed claiming.
He could sense her calmness. She was relieved. Discovering she could indeed mate and enjoy the act relaxed her.
She wiggled from his clutches. “You’re squeezing the breath out of me.” She giggled, the sound music to his ears. He loved her laugh. It was rare.
He released her reluctantly, giving her a few inches between them. His cock slipped free.
“Thank you,” she whispered, her face serious.
He chuckled. “I think I should be thanking you.”
“Well, still. Thank you for showing me there’s more to life…and sex…than I could have imagined. That was so very different from any previous experience there is no comparison. Damon Parkfield was not my mate. He did nothing for me and he led me to believe it was all my fault.”
“It was not. I’m glad you can see that clearly. You’re mine now and he’ll never hurt you again.” Now I just have to find the bastard and make sure those words ring true.
“You can’t know that for sure, but I appreciate the sentiment.” She glanced over her shoulder. “Do you have a bathtub in there?”
“Of course.” He smiled. “I’ll go run it for you. Hang tight a second.” He pulled himself free of her warm skin and jerked the blanket from the foot of the bed to cover her.
She shivered as she snuggled under the cool sheets and curled onto her side, letting her eyes drift shut. A smile bigger than any he’d ever seen on her face took up residence. Her breaths slowed. Her mouth parted as she fell asleep.
He continued to stare down at her for long moments, watching her relaxed features, her glorious blonde curls, her soft cheeks flushed with their recent lovemaking. She needed sleep. He knew she hadn’t slept well in months. Hell, years. The bath could wait.
Instead he eased his jeans from the bed and padded to the bathroom to dispose of the condom and clean himself up. He felt like a million tiny weights had been lifted from his shoulders. He walked lighter as he reentered the bedroom and tiptoed past his sweet mate.
He had so much work to do. The council was counting on him to plow through all that material in just a few days and then resume his search for one rogue wolf who may or may not be quite as rogue as previously believed.
Someone was giving that man drugs. Evan suspected there was an entire conspiracy of sorts behind the strange substance he’d been giving Ashley. Damon Parkfield was one small piece of a giant puzzle, but the man was the only lead Evan or The Council had so far. He needed to track that bastard down and tug on the rope that bound Damon to his supplier.
A chill crept up Evan’s neck. He’d never been as sure as he was right then. His goal was clear and his motivation was strong. Until he found Damon and managed to get the man in custody, Ashley could never fully relax.
Heading to his office to resume his research, Evan held his head high. His cock still stood at attention and he wished he could spend the entire day lounging with his newly claimed mate, but as long as she was sleeping he had work to do.
Sitting around staring at her face in slumber wouldn’t help solve the bizarre crime he had devoted himself to investigating.
Chapter Seventeen
Two weeks later…
Evan reached for his phone as it buzzed against his thigh. He didn’t take his eyes off the apartment he watched as he answered. “Harmon here.” He hadn’t glanced at the caller ID. That’s how focused he was. Intent.
“Hey. This is David. Just checking in, boss.” He chuckled. “Are you still on that secret mission? I mean don’t worry about us back here at the office. We’ve got it covered.”
“Oh, sorry. Guess it’s been a few days since I checked in.”
“Yes, I’d say six to be precise. Are you okay?”
“Yep.” I’ll be better when I nail this bastard to the wall. Evan was confident he had finally found Damon Parkfield. If Damon didn’t emerge from the apartment Evan was facing in the next hour, Evan was going to pay him a visit. He’d rather get a visual first, but he wouldn’t risk more than another hour of surveillance on the off chance Damon was onto him and fled again.
“Okay… I guess you aren’t in your chatty mode. I’ll let you get back to it then. No worries here. I have two men out on assignment and I’m manning the fort.”
“Good. Thanks. David, I’m sorry. I’m knee deep right now. I appreciate you immensely and I will give you my undivided attention the moment I have the opportunity.” Evan remained rigid. Poised. His leg bounced and his eyes burned from not blinking enough.
“Okay, boss. Later.” David hung up.
Bless that man and all he did to hold the business together while Evan was away. Hiring him was one of the best decisions Evan had ever made. He knew he could count on David to run the office like a well-tuned engine.
Initially, Evan created his own PI company so he could be home and still have money coming in from the men he employed. Now that Evan was also employed by a much bigger fish with a hefty contract, he had no financial worries at all.
Evan glanced at his watch. It was still early in St. Louis. Hell, it was early in Virginia. Ashley would be sleeping at her parents’ house. When he was out of town, she didn’t stay at his place alone. Now their place.
He called her several times a day and he’d been gone six days this time. It wasn’t ideal and she was growing weary. He could hear it in her voice. There was only so much a newly mated shifter could do to assure his woman when he wasn’t in town more than a day at a time.
He couldn’t blame her. He’d spent three glorious days making love to her sexy body and then took off for a job he couldn’t discuss with her. Not a word. She had no idea he was hunting her own ex, nor that he’d been hired by The Head Council to do so. And besides, he wouldn’t dare risk telling her anyway. He knew she’d freak out from fear or anger or both.
Nope. It was best to get this job done and then deal with the fallout. He prayed she would forgive his involvement.
Eyes still plastered to the apartment door, Evan knew his personal time limit was up. He had to move. He climbed out of the rental car and stretched his legs. A window sat to the right of the apartment entrance and he could have sworn he saw the curtain flutter.
That couldn’t be good.
He moved quickly on achy legs. If that bastard saw him, he would flee so fast Evan wouldn’t stand a chance. Damon couldn’t be very smart in general, but he was sure astute when it came to running away from detection.
How the hell did that man always seem to be one step ahead of Evan? It made a chill run down his spine every time he thought about it. He’d never thought of himself as being very obvious in his investigations, but Damon’s ability to detect him was bordering on eerie.
There were fifty yards between Evan and that apartment. The curtain moved again, definitively. Evan picked up his pace, but he had to circumvent several large shrubs and the railing that ran around the front of the building.
He was too late. The front door whipped open and Damon emerged. The man carried only a backpack, but he took off running in the opposite direction so fast Evan couldn’t communicate with his legs to scramble.
Shit.
Evan ran, but Damon had a direct route around the end of the building. He disappeared from sight long before Evan could reach him.
By the time Evan rounded the corner, Damon was gone. Seconds. That man was fucking fast and always on alert. Goddamn it. Evan looked every direction. Nothing. He could have jumped in a car, ducked into another apartment. Hell, the bastard was so skinny he could be hiding behind a tree.
E
van stomped around the area, but he found nothing. Poof. As though the man had never been there. Finally, he gave up and headed for the apartment, furious with the way the man managed to get the upper hand. Evan’s skin crawled. It seemed once again someone had tipped Damon off. There was no way Damon could be as astute as he seemed time and time again.
Evan stopped outside Damon’s apartment and turned around. He held on to the frame of the door Damon had left open and looked around. Was someone watching him? It gave him the creeps.
Evan finally stepped inside, fear of what he might find niggling at the back of his neck. There was still no certainty Damon didn’t have another woman by now. “Anyone home?”
No answer. Evan took his time entering anyway. He shut the door behind him, turned the deadbolt, and secured the chain lock. He was taking no chances with Parkfield. The man was so unpredictable there was no guarantee he wouldn’t return and take Evan by surprise from behind.
The place was immaculate. No surprise there. Obviously the guy was type A the way he’d used Ashley as a slave to his house chores.
Evan began the tedious task of going through Damon’s belongings. The man had left with only the sparse number of things he could carry. This was the first time Evan had caught him unaware enough to go through his belongings instead of finding the place wiped clean of all evidence.
He opened cabinets and drawers in the kitchen area first. Nothing. Plates, utensils, nothing out of the ordinary.
The refrigerator held only a few items—some milk, beer, lunch meat, condiments, not much else.
Next he stepped into the bedroom. There was only one. It was a small place. Kitchenette, living room, bedroom, bathroom. It wouldn’t take Evan long to canvas the entire scene.
A small closet held only a few pairs of pants, shoes, shirts…
A dresser was half empty.
Fuck.
Redeemed Page 13
