by Zoey Harper
It was that thought which gave Tegan the confidence she needed to part her thighs.
Colton fell between them, but he was quick to support most of his weight on his hands. He gazed down at her, his eyes clouded with lust.
"Fuck, Tegan. I told you I wanted to take this slow."
Tegan smiled and rocked her hips up to meet his groin. Colton growled before dropping back down to kiss her neck and suck her earlobe.
A new wave of heat engulfed Tegan, and she lay on her back, her hands rubbing circles on Colton's back as he feverishly nipped and licked at her neck.
His chest rose and fell against hers, and Tegan found that their clothes were ruining the sensation of intimacy that was starting to build. She wanted to feel Colton against her. To have the skin-to-skin contact that none of her exes had ever given her.
Sure, there'd been some contact when they collapsed over her back. But they'd quickly retreated, gotten dressed, and left.
For once in her life, Tegan wanted to know what true sexual intimacy felt like.
Tegan lowered her hands and started to pull Colton's shirt upwards. The bear shifter sat up quickly and completed the job, revealing a well-muscled body covered in the perfect amount of hair. Tegan ran a hand down his chest and smiled.
"Soft."
Colton narrowed his eyes. "Keep the cuddly teddy bear comments to yourself," he warned.
Tegan grinned, as he quickly lifted the hem of her shirt, drawing it up over her head. Colton hissed, then cupped her breast in his hand, gently caressing it.
"Damn, Tegan. We've been talking all this time, and you had no bra on? Naughty girl."
Those were the last words Colton spoke, as he quickly leaned forward and licked her nipple. Tegan's belly clenched, and she twisted, unable to keep still. It appeared that Colton's tongue was skilled at more than just kissing. He made love to her breasts, leaving them standing erect, ready for more.
Where her underwear had been soaked, now it was drenched. Tegan's clit was swollen, desperately in need of attention.
She needed Colton, bad. There was no need for foreplay. She was hot and wet. These were the perfect conditions for her to attempt to take his monster inside her.
Tegan dropped her hands down to his jeans and undid the button. Colton quickly caught on to her plans and covered her hands with his. Together they pulled his pants and boxers down.
Tegan didn't get much of a chance to admire Colton's proud manhood because he quickly reached for her pajama bottoms and pulled them down, along with her underwear.
Naked, they drank each other in. Colton's hungry eyes ran up and down her body, and for the first time in a long time, Tegan felt proud of her curves.
Colton liked what he saw. She had no reason to be ashamed. Not now, and maybe not ever.
The scars on her back from some of her father's beatings were another matter, but she'd already trusted Colton with this much. The time to explain and expose her scars would come later.
"I need to be inside you," Colton said as he hovered over her once more, dropping a hand to her sex.
He cupped her center, before slipping two fingers into her, all while palming her clit. Colton pumped his fingers a few times gently, before withdrawing to take his manhood in his hands.
"You're wet," he said, stroking himself. "Are you ready or do you need more time?"
Tegan took a deep breath. This was it. There was no going back now. Both she and Colton were ready. If the sex hurt, that meant it was something wrong with her. He'd done everything right.
Tegan looked up at Colton. His face was calm and free of tension, but his eyes burned with passion. He was doing his best to slow down for her, which told Tegan everything she needed to know.
Colton was a bad boy, but when he put effort into it, he could be as sweet as anything. Having sex with him felt right.
She could trust him as she'd never trusted another man. Not even her brother. That spoke volumes.
Before she scared herself by following that thought down a rabbit hole, Tegan nodded.
"I'm ready."
Colton smiled and lowered himself, quickly pecking her lips. Taking a deep breath, he guided himself into her hot center. Tegan gasped. He hadn't even gotten halfway in, but she already felt so full and stretched.
Colton dropped down to rest on his elbows before he lifted a hand to stroke her face. He pushed a little more, then eased out. Tegan grimaced, but she didn't cry out. It had been a while, so it was only natural. She focused on her breathing as Colton repeated the pattern. A minute later, he was fully buried inside her.
"There. You okay?"
Tegan nodded and raised her head for a kiss. She was sore, but there was nothing she or Colton could do about it. All she needed was a distraction until her body grew accustomed to his size.
Colton dipped his head and took her breast in his mouth once more. Tegan grabbed his head and held him to her. He grazed her nipple with his teeth, and Tegan yelped.
"Again."
Colton chuckled against her and carried on his ministrations. A couple of minutes later, the fire in her belly had built up again, and the pain in her core had receded. Tegan lifted Colton's head and kissed him, signaling she was ready.
That spurred Colton on. He raised his hips and thrust into her. He moved slowly but with great precision, and pretty soon Tegan felt like she was weightless, pillowed on a cloud somewhere.
She wrapped her arms around Colton's back, pulling him closer to her. He buried his head in her neck and panted with the exertion of his efforts. Tegan felt her orgasm starting to build, and if the early signs were any warning, it was going to be earth-shattering.
Colton picked up his pace, and his thrusts became wilder and more forceful. He was close to the edge too. Tegan rocked up against him, meeting each thrust with one of her own.
"I'm close," she whispered, her voice hoarse.
Colton moaned in acknowledgment; then he lost it. Bucking like a madman, he plowed into her. Tegan's body shook with every thrust. This was how hard and fast sex should be.
With that thought, her center clenched, and her orgasm thundered over her. She felt herself grasp Colton's manhood firmly; then a warmth filled her as he cried out, filling her with his seed.
Tegan's sex contracted, and she shook, staring at the ceiling, eyes open but unseeing. Her mouth fell open, struggling to draw breath. She briefly thought that she hadn't used any protection, but that melted under the heat of passion that filled her body.
I just had sex, and it felt good.
Colton finally collapsed against Tegan, his body spent. "Sorry," he mumbled, trying to force himself to get up.
"Stay," Tegan said, wrapping both her legs and arms around him. His weight anchored her down rather than overwhelmed her. The last thing she wanted was any degree of separation.
Colton breathed raggedly against her. "That was amazing."
Tegan chuckled as she fought to catch her breath. "It was. I never knew it could be like that."
Colton raised his head and struggled to rest his weight on his elbows. He raised a hand and stroked her hair, smiling down at her. "What did I tell you? I've got a range of skills."
Tegan punched his shoulder, but she laughed. She wrapped her arms around his neck and just stared at him.
By this point, most men would have pulled out, gotten dressed, and left. But here Colton lay, still inside her, looking down at her like she was the most beautiful thing in the world.
They remained like that. Neither moving or talking. They seemed lost in a trance.
Tegan felt Colton's cock begin to shrink inside her before slipping out, but it did nothing to diminish the closeness she felt to him. She cupped his cheek and stared into his eyes.
Just say it.
Tegan had been pushing her feelings down from the day she met Colton. At first, she thought it was because he was a halfway decent guy, but now that excuse wouldn't fly.
He did something to her. He made her feel safe an
d wanted. No man had ever made Tegan feel wanted.
Her father and brother acted like she was an inconvenience. To them, women were for sex and taking care of the home. They both had women to fulfill those roles for them, and so she was just this extra person that hung around.
Colton wanted Tegan. There was no doubt about that. They may have rushed toward the end, but Tegan knew deep down that they'd made love. Didn't people stick around after they made love?
"What are you thinking?" Colton asked, his voice taking on that sweet tone again.
He feels what you feel. Don't be a chicken.
Tegan dug deep, past all the insecurity and wounds of her life, and reached for the bit of courage that had helped her leave the Bluewolf in the first place. She lifted her head and pressed her lips against Colton's, locking her arms around his neck.
"I like you," she said, her voice surprisingly steady.
Warmth flooded Tegan's chest as Colton's jaw dropped comically. He blinked rapidly and shook his head.
"You what?" he asked, his voice going up an octave.
"I like you." Tegan smiled "That wasn't just about sex for me. I like you, Colton, and I want to see where this goes."
Colton peeled her hands off his neck and scrambled to get off the bed. He stomped around the room looking for his clothes, muttering to himself. Tegan crawled to a sitting position and wrapped her arms around herself.
Colton looked mad. Like she'd done something wrong. Tegan's chin trembled, and she bit down on her bottom lip in a bid to stop it. Her chest hitched, and she pressed her hand against her breastbone.
"Colton," Tegan whispered, unable to raise her voice.
Her lungs constricted, making it hard to breathe. She felt violated. She'd just given him something she hadn't given to anyone in years. She'd told him all about her fears, her childhood, and her darkest secrets.
Yet there Colton stood, a few feet away, pulling his jeans on faster than was humanly possible.
"I've got to go. I'll come back for you later." Colton grabbed his shirt off the floor and walked out of her apartment with three giant strides.
His voice had been cold. Gone was the amusement, worry, or care that he'd shown her over the last hour. Where Tegan had been warm and content, a chill swept over her, making her limbs feel heavy.
Of course, Colton had left. Of course, he didn't feel what she felt. He was just like every other shifter she'd dated. He'd just been biding his time, probably to make her feel safe so that he could sleep with her again.
Stupid, stupid, stupid! When will you ever learn?
All men were the same, and Colton had lured her into believing that he was different. Tegan's cheeks burned hot as tears slipped down her face. Angrily, she wiped them away.
Colton had just taken advantage of her. He'd pretended he cared about her past and gotten her to open up to him. He was probably lying about not having had sex in months.
No male shifter could stay celibate that long. Heck, she'd seen girls leaving Elvis’ house once, and he was one of the most disciplined men she knew.
"User," Tegan choked out, but her heart wasn't in it.
If Colton was an asshole for using her, then she was an idiot for falling into his trap. For believing that Colton was different from any man she'd ever met. For thinking that he could somehow see past the mess that she was and see something inside her.
I really am a broken mess. I should thank Colton for finally confirming it, and move on. I need to focus on creating a life for Mom and Spencer. Fuck everything else, and fuck Colton. He can find another sniper.
10
"Asshole," Colton yelled before kicking the tire of his truck. He'd driven a good twenty minutes, needing to get as far away as possible. He had hoped the distance would ease the ache in his chest, but it only made it worse.
I really fucked up this time.
The day had started great for Colton. He'd been looking forward to seeing Tegan after yesterday's breakfast where they'd spent hours talking. At that time, Colton had chalked up his excitement to a boyish crush.
Tegan was insanely hot. She was also kind and great fun once she got comfortable. Sure, Colton hated the fact that his bear clawed away at his insides every time he saw Tegan flinch away from a male wolf. But other than having to fight to keep his anger in check, he'd enjoyed every minute with Tegan.
When he went back to his hotel, he'd even cleared out the bathroom and cupboard for her.
Colton shook his head. "That should have been my first hint."
He walked around the front of his truck on the side of the road, leaned against the grill guard, and took a deep breath.
Colton quickly raised a hand to his chest and rubbed at it. The ache got worse the more he breathed.
Having sex with Tegan had been amazing. Better than anything he'd ever experienced, which was saying something, because he'd slept with some adventurous women.
Tegan was a mixture of sweet shyness and open lust. Thinking about the way she’d rocked up against him made his cock stir, and the way she’d clenched him as he came made his heart race.
And yet you left it all behind.
Colton pushed off the truck and paced. A couple of vehicles slowed down, thinking he might need help. Colton waved them off with the middle finger. He needed time alone to think.
Going back to the hotel room would make him feel cooped up. Going to the forest would make his bear itch for a shift. Colton wanted to shift so badly, but he couldn't. There was no telling what destruction he'd cause.
Besides, he had a good feeling his bear would run straight back to Tegan. That would cause far too much commotion, apart from scaring the living daylights out of her.
"What does it matter?" Colton mumbled. "She probably hates me already anyway."
Colton squeezed his eyes shut and tried to force the wave of emotions down.
This was precisely why he drank and stayed away from everyone. The only thing he needed was the excitement that came from a good fight. Everything else got fucked up way too easily.
Thoughts of Emma filled his mind. She was a perfect example. Colton had allowed the little speck of gold in his heart to hold on to her, even though he could see that the girl he knew as a child was long gone.
He'd made a fool of himself, and it had ruined everything. It'd driven his bear wild and made him leave his father's clan.
Now, Colton was a glorified lackey for Patrick Hargrove, standing beside a road in Stonewick, too afraid to go back to his mate and apologize for freaking out.
No, no, no. Don't think of Tegan that way. You're no good for her.
Colton crouched, then dropped on the ground. He needed something solid under him. His legs were growing weak.
Colton's mind had just voiced the one thing he'd been running from. He'd gotten a hint of it yesterday, then Tegan had said she liked him, and it had been as clear as day to him.
"She's my mate," Colton whispered, running a hand through his hair.
He repeated the words once more, trying them on for size, and the worst thing happened. The ache in his chest eased, and the weakness in his legs disappeared.
Colton felt grounded, and joy bubbled up within him. Images of bringing Tegan back home to Bolsend filled his mind, and he slammed his fist on the dry, cracked earth beside him.
"Fuck. I'm going to screw everything up."
Colton had already messed up. He'd had sex. No. He'd made love to his mate then left her. It was clear that he'd been making love to her. All that bullshit about being able to take things slow was a lie.
Colton had been so desperate to be inside her, so desperate to have her close, that he'd spat it out.
The truth was that he'd never had slow sex with anyone. Let alone in a bed. Colton was averse to that kind of intimacy. It was always a quick fuck in the bathroom of a bar or the back of a car.
That was the polar opposite of what he'd done with Tegan.
Colton had crawled onto her bed and taken his time with he
r. If he hadn't been so damn hard and about to pop, he'd have eaten her out. Colton had never given oral sex, but he wanted to give that to Tegan.
He shook his head. "This is bad."
Tegan was a gentle creature. Everything about who Colton was and the life he lived would traumatize her.
What would happen when he was in a bad mood, as he often was? He'd probably bark at her and slam a fist on the table, making her jump.
Colton's heart constricted at the thought. He loved Tegan. He couldn't let her live that life. She'd promised herself she wouldn't turn into her mother. Colton had to help her uphold that promise.
He lifted his knees and rested his arms on them. There were no easy answers. It had only been a few days, but Tegan had swept into his life like a fucking hurricane, making him feel things he'd never felt.
Not even at the height of his infatuation with Emma had he felt so deeply for another person. So whole. So full of purpose. And so ill-equipped.
There's good in you, Colton Lennox. Don't let the darkness snuff it out.
Colton squeezed his eyes shut and forced back the tears that filled his eyes. It had been a while since he'd heard his mother's voice so clearly.
Colton's memories were faded now, and he only heard her in the occasional dream over the years. But the words were clear, and he remembered the look on her face when she first uttered them over fifteen years ago.
Colton had just come back from yet another weekend with the Gray Shade Clan. Ramsey had been particularly horrible to him that weekend. When he'd told his mother that he didn't want to go back, she'd told him that he needed to learn about his shifter side.
Colton remembered the sadness in his mother's blue eyes as she told him she couldn't teach him about that.
In the preceding weeks, Colton had found himself shifting in the middle of the night without a cause. That was the reason his mother had arranged for him to spend weekends with his father's clan.
When Colton came home upset after being bullied, he'd snapped at his mother and raised his voice to her. That was the first and last time. He was at the end of his rope.
