by LM Spangler
This wasn’t going as well as he had planned it in his head. He’d hoped they’d grab a drink and then sit and talk. Not argue while standing in a steamy bathroom. “Well, did you?”
“I loved you, Micah. With my whole being. You were my everything.” She lifted her hands in the air then dropped them. “You were my life.” The tone of her voice lowered, and her breath hitched. If Micah didn’t miss his guess, she was fighting back tears.
She had used words in the past tense. Loved. Were.
It had been five years. Did he still love her? Could she be his life again?
She had changed. Her once long, black hair laid in short, bleached layers atop her head. Her body, once delicately curved, now carried a few extra, ultra-sexy pounds.
Drea lifted her head, and their gazes collided. Her eyes were still the same, vivid violet shade they had been years ago. They reflected the same intelligence, verve, and love of life.
This was the same woman. His woman. His Drea. He still loved her. With each strong heartbeat, he felt it.
Yet, he had to know why she hadn’t tried to locate him. “Tell me why. That’s all I ask.”
“Your uncle told me you had been attacked by a rouge wolf pack and killed. He told me my life was in danger and to stay away from the Bridges Pack. So I did. A month later, I…” Her voice trailed off. Then, her eyes searched his for a moment before she continued, “I found out I was pregnant. I hightailed it to Cicada Lake, bought a house with my college fund, found work, and began a new life.”
The first tear trickled down her cheek.
He stepped toward her. To his surprise, she didn’t back away. “Drea. My sweet Drea.”
She shook her head. “Don’t. I can’t take you stepping into my life, and then stepping back out. There isn’t just my heart at stake, but my … our son’s wellbeing, as well.” She paused. “Why didn’t you try to find me?”
Micah had wanted to. But his near-death experience had made him harsher, harder. Left him scarred, both mentally and physically. He rubbed his chest. “I’m not the same man you fell in love with. I’ve … I’ve killed.”
Her head tilted to the side as she studied him. “Okay,” she said slowly. “You have to remember, Micah, that I know you. You wouldn’t kill unless it was necessary.” She paused again. “Are you okay? You’re rubbing your chest.”
He glanced down. Sure enough, he was making circles over his pectoral muscles. With a sigh, he slid his jacket down his arms then pulled his black turtleneck over his head, exposing a wide expanse of chest and torso.
She gasped and the tears fell harder.
Damn. He hadn’t wanted her pity. He was trying, in his apparently inept way, to explain why he hadn’t hunted her down.
Drea finally stepped out of the shower. “You were … attacked, weren’t you? The person you killed did this to you, didn’t they?” She reached out to him, running her fingers over the scars that crisscrossed his torso.
A thousand fires ignited in his blood. He growled a warning. Her touch, her soft touch, undid him. The want that had abraded his system since he had seen her earlier in the evening rose to the surface.
“Drea. Stop, honey. You’re playing with fire.”
For the first time since he’d broken into her house, she smiled.
Reaching for her towel, she yanked it loose. It fell to the floor in a pile of paisley-printed terry cloth. She swallowed hard. “Maybe … maybe I want to burn.”
Chapter Four
Micah jerked her hard against him, wrapping his arms around her. Her breasts were pressed against his muscular chest. His head descended, and his mouth captured hers.
The kiss was brutal. It branded. It claimed.
And she thought, yes. Take me. Make me yours again.
His tongue teased the seam of her lips, demanding entry. With a moan, she opened up. He plundered. He robbed her of breath.
Her hands gripped his broad shoulders, and her fingernails dug into his flesh.
His fingers drifted down to her ass. He grabbed her globes and pulled her sex against his jean-clad cock. Of their own volition, her hips ground against his hard length. Her core clenched, drenching her in wet heat.
He lifted his head. “Damn. I want you, Drea.”
“Yes. Take me. Make love to me.”
Strong arms swept her off her feet and carried her to the bed. He laid her gently in the center. The mattress drooped when he sat on the edge. One thud followed another as he removed his boots. He rose and shimmied his jeans down his legs, kicking them to the side.
Then, he stood in his naked glory, his long cock jutting from his body. She licked her lips, wanting to taste him, to take his length into her mouth. She rose to her knees, moved toward him, and reached for him.
But he caught her hands in his. “No, honey. You’d get that mouth of yours around me, and I’d explode. When I come, I want it to be inside you.”
Drea nibbled her lower lip as she lay back again, with legs spread in invitation. Love and lust, both, ran through her, making her head spin and her heart thunder. By the gods, she wanted him—just like five years ago. She needed him like breath, like water, like life itself.
He stood at the foot of the bed, staring at her, the look of hunger making his amber eyes glow.
She swallowed hard. It had been so long since anyone had looked at her with such longing, hunger, and—dare she think it?—love in their eyes.
And she wanted. Him. Their old life together. Everything.
The man was a golden Adonis, all solid muscle. The scars crossing his chest did little to detract from the sculpted perfection. Dabbles of hair dusted the expanse, trailing down over his stomach to his pubic hair. His arms and legs were long and strong.
“Untie your hair,” she replied.
He pulled the band free. Shiny, light blond strands fell to his shoulders.
She smiled. Both at the sight of him, as well as his previous question. She used to ask him the same thing whenever he’d appeared to be deep in thought. “This seems like old times. Yet…”
He kneeled on the end of the mattress. “Yet?” he prompted.
“So brand new.”
His smile was tender and loving.
Her heart somersaulted in her chest. Gods, I still love him.
Micah lowered himself then, positioning his broad shoulders between her legs. He nipped each thigh before inhaling deeply. A growl rumbled low in his chest.
Liquid heat flooded her core, and he growled again. The feel of his rough beard hairs rubbing against her skin added to the delicious pleasure.
“You want me, don’t you?” His tone reminded her of warm whiskey. Smooth. Potent.
“Yes.” Her own voice sounded low and husky in her ears.
“I want to taste you first.”
She nearly came on the spot.
His spread her wet folds, exposing her sex to his hungry gaze. His tongue swept from her entrance to her clit. Just one, quick lick.
Pleasure rocketed through her, making her hips buck. “Oooh. Again. More,” she begged, as she tangled her hands in his silken hair, pulling his head closer to her needy core.
He laughed. “More of what?”
“Your mouth on me.”
His tongue found her clit again and swirled once, twice, and then plundered. Over and over, his mouth teased, nibbled, and devoured her. Then, he slid two fingers into her channel and began rhythmically thrusting. In and out. In and out. Again and again.
Her hips bucked wildly. Her stomach quivered. Heat—sweet, glorious heat—kindled low in her belly, slowly growing, burning hotter and hotter. He drove her to the edge and over. She exploded.
White-hot pleasure lanced her system. Her moans mixed with his growls. He devoured her until she settled, trying desperately to catch her breath.
Micah kissed and licked a path over her still-quaking belly to her breasts. He suckled and nipped each turgid peak until she was moaning and begging again.
He found her lip
s with his. Her flavor still lingered on his tongue. It was the most erotic taste she’d ever sampled.
“Inside me. Now. Now!”
Then, he was one with her. Flesh met flesh as he set a steady, body-rocking pace.
Each thrust sent little fires flickering through her system and, by the gods, she wanted—no, needed—to burn. She wanted Micah to scorch her, mark her, make her his.
Forever and always.
“Micah.” It was a whispered plea.
He opened his eyes and met her gaze. Desire and passion reflected in their molten golden depths. So much emotion.
It was fuel. It was fire.
Drea’s fingers delved into the shining strands of Micah’s hair and pulled his head down for a kiss that she hoped stole his breath, blew his mind, and flamed his desires. She nipped his lower lip. He chuckled softly, and she plundered. Her tongue swept against his, tangling, dueling.
The chuckle died away and was replaced with a guttural growl. His hips snapped forward and back in a breakneck pace. She had no time to recover from one move before he drove into her again.
Her hands gripped the soft cotton of her comforter and twisted, as he continued to batter her to delirium.
That delicious, sweet heat sparked low in her belly, slowly spreading until the wildfire raged out of control. He continued to thrust into her with powerful strokes as her channel clenched around his length. His groans grew into growls as he increased the pace. Finally, he buried his head against her neck.
“I’m going to come. Oh, gods,” he murmured, until he uttered one final, low groan. He ground his hips against hers as he released himself deep inside her, exactly where he had wanted to.
His arms trembled as he fought to support his weight. Then, he rolled beside her, pulling her with him. “Rest your head on my chest,” he advised, inhaling and exhaling heavily.
She laid her head over his heart and listened to the strong, steady beating. Together, they came back down to Earth. Now what? The thought escaped before she could censor it. She had wanted him sexually, but hadn’t bothered to think of what came next.
Drea didn’t have any idea what Micah was even doing in Cicada Lake.
“What do we do next?” she blurted out.
His chest rose and fell, rose and fell. She imagined he was pondering her question. After a few moments, he finally spoke. “I didn’t leave you willingly five years ago. You know that, don’t you?”
“Yes, I do now.” She ran her fingers over his scars. “Who tried to kill you? And why did you scar? I though lycans were known for their healing abilities.”
“Yes. Once they go through the first change, they are. I hadn’t yet. The change came over me while I was floating down a river. Since the damage had existed prior to my transformation, some of it couldn’t be repaired.”
She continued to trace the puckered skin. “Who did this to you?”
“My uncle, cousin, and some cronies.”
She gasped. Holy shit. His family did this to him? The bastards. “But why?”
“Power. Alpha status.”
“Is your uncle still Alpha?”
He shook his head. “No.”
“Why not?”
Micah snorted. “I killed him. Them.”
At one time in her life, she would have been appalled. But her time in Cicada Lake had taught her that power struggles amongst lycan packs, vampire clans, and other paranormal species were very real. Often life or death. She snuggled closer to him. “Good.”
He caressed her hair. “You’re not disgusted?”
“No. I’m not. They tried to kill you. They brought about their own demise. You just gave the process a swift kick in the ass.”
“You’re amazing, my sweet Drea.”
“Am I yours?” Doubt etched her tone, and she hated herself for feeling it, but she had Reed to worry about. “It’s not just me anymore.”
He rolled onto his side, so he was facing her. “You are mine. I lost you once. I won’t do it again. And yes, I know Reed is part of the deal, and I’m ecstatic to know we’ve created another person. I want the chance to prove that for the rest of our lives. After I catch the bail jumper I’m after, I’m moving to Cicada Lake. Hopefully with you and Reed.”
She took that thought with her as she laid her head back onto his chest, directly over his heart. The strong, steady beat lulled her to sleep.
****
Micah awoke the next morning to the sound of the bathroom faucet running. Her side of the bed was still warm so she must have just awoken as well. He leaned up on an elbow and waited for her to walk back into the bedroom.
And his cock hardened when she did. She ambled toward the bed, hips swaying seductively. “You are a lycan’s wet dream.”
She smiled. “I wasn’t sure you would like what you’d see if you’d ever seen me again, which, obviously, you have.”
A blond brow rose. “Why would you say that?”
“As you can see, I’ve gained some weight. Thankfully, faes don’t get stretch marks like humans or I’m sure I would have gotten them too.”
“Drea, you carried a child … our child. Of course you’re going to gain weight.” He reached out. “Come here.”
She rounded the end of the bed and stood in front of him.
He grasped her by her ass cheeks, unbalancing her and she toppled into bed. He aligned her body with his and gazed down at her, at his life, his love, his everything.
She reached up and brushed an errant strand of hair from his face. He placed a soft kiss on the palm of her hand. “I don’t know who we have to thank for bringing us together, but I’d sure love to meet them.”
“Probably the Fates,” Drea answered. “Doesn’t matter. I’m here. You’re here. Reed is here. We’re all here. That’s what matters. I can’t wait for you to meet him.”
“Do you think…” Micah rubbed the back of his neck. “Do you think he’ll like me?”
Drea laughed softly. “I wouldn’t be surprised if he didn’t recognize you straight away. You have to remember, he’s half you. He may not know you’re his father but he’ll know you’re a pack member. That’ll be a good start. Let him integrate you into our family”—she made quote signs with her fingers—“first. The rest will come with time.” Her hand slid between their bodies.
He gasped when her warm fingers wrapped around his cock and stroked gently. His body’s blood flow redirected itself into his erection. Pleasure winged through him as his hips rocked in rhythm with her caresses.
The woman made him hot, made his body burn—by her, for her, because of her. Love equaled lust, the pair making his pulse race through him once again.
Micah cupped her neck in his hand and captured her lips with his. The ferocity of the kiss even surprised him. He needed her as much as he needed the oxygen he breathed.
He slid a hand under her hip and rolled onto his back, making her straddle his waist. Her full breasts were an offering he couldn’t resist. He took each rosy nipple between his index finger and thumb, rolling and pinching the nibs into tight peaks. Rearing up, he captured one nipple in his mouth, suckling and nipping, feasting on the bounty on both breasts.
As he lay back, one hand snaked between her legs, cupping her core. Her folds were slick with readiness. His fingers slid between her nether lips before delving into her channel. A throaty moan escaped as she began to ride his fingers. Her head fell back and she’d begun to nibble her lower lip. He found her clit with his thumb and rubbed the hardened nub, back and forth, back and forth. Her breaths roughened, came faster and faster, until her closed eyes became slits and she stifled a scream.
Her channel rippled around his fingers but he didn’t relent until her orgasm subsided. “You are so hot,” he said as he lifted her with one hand and held his cock upright with the other. She settled the entrance of her channel on the head of his cock and sank down his hard length. He groaned low and long. Her exquisite heat engulfed him and, by the gods, he wanted to burn, to go up in fla
mes.
She rested her hands on his pecs and begun fully riding his erection. From base to tip and to the base again. He allowed her to set the pace and found watching her facial expressions added fuel to the fire burning through him, threatening to ignite. And he couldn’t wait to explode. He needed it, wanted it, and would welcome it.
Drea had begun to moan with each thrust and began to quicken the pace. Micah grasped her hips and lifted and lowered her as his hips snapped forward. A stifled scream escaped her as her channel tightened around his cock, sending him over the edge. His orgasm rushed from his balls, down his shaft, and exploded inside her, like he’d wanted. He held her against him until he was completely spent.
Drea rested chest-to-chest with him. “I could get used to mornings like this.”
“That’s music to my ears.”
Drea glanced toward a side table. “Let’s get our showers. Reed’ll be up in an hour or so. I’d like to have you in the kitchen when he gets up. I’d rather all the question at once.”
“That’s fine. I have a change of clothes in the truck.”
His pulse pounded like a jackhammer on speed as he fetched his duffle bag from his vehicle.
His was about to meet the person that would change his life forever.
He couldn’t wait.
****
An hour later, Micah sat at the kitchen table, sipping a cup of coffee, chatting with Drea, trying desperately to calm his nerves. Twice in twenty-four hours he faced situations that unnerved him more than facing hardened criminals. One was a crying woman, the other was a child. If someone found out, they might have took his man card.
His pulse raced NASCAR-fast when the padding of small feet came from upstairs, down the stairs, and into the dining room. The boy’s hair stuck out in every direction but his amber eyes were clear and intelligent. His face was a mirror image of Micah’s as a child. They even shared the baby fat. Both were average height and weight for their age.
Micah’s heart thudded hard against his breastbone as his gaze collided with his son’s. Neither moved nor spoke. The only sound was Reed’s inhalations. The boy looked from Micah to his mom and back to Micah.
“Hi,” Reed finally said.
