Covert Desires

by Sondae Bennett

  Trailing his lips farther down, he savored the flavor of skin along the way. Husky moans rumbled in her throat, hardening him to the point of pain. His cock pressed insistently against his zipper, demanding attention.

  He stopped to suck at the exact spot her pulse hammered in her neck, and felt her hands grip his hair as she threw back her head, opening the arch of her neck. He gripped her hips harder, pulling her as close as their clothing would allow.

  Dark need filled him, spilling over when she tightened her legs around his hips.

  “Too many clothes,” he ground out, unable to contain the growl that followed. But she didn’t seem to mind. If anything, her hands clenched harder before reaching for the hem of his shirt even as his reached for hers. They tangled together in the middle, neither able to pull the clothes off with the other’s hands in the way, but Danny took charge.

  Brushing her hands away, he pulled her shirt up, but left it just past her nose, tangled with her hands above her head. She tried to yank at it, but a touch on her shoulder stopped her. He waited until her body relaxed, then placed a searing kiss against her exposed lips.

  Her tongue met his willingly, massaging his as she thrust her chest up. Reassured, Danny glanced down at the flesh he’d revealed. Dear God, she was stunning. All firm muscles and creamy skin. Two long scars curved around her waist, and a small round one, as if from a cigarette, marred the expanse above her navel, but none distracted from her beauty. Even in a sports bra she looked sexy as hell. He groaned. That sports bra would not be easy to remove.

  With a glance at her still-covered eyes, he released his claws long enough to rip the material. It fell away from the most perfect breasts he’d ever seen. Dark red nipples hardened under his perusal, causing him to groan again.

  “Danny?” A thread of unease tinted her voice. Her arms began to shift restlessly, as if the desire to cover herself proved too great.

  “Shhh,” he whispered, placing a finger against her lips. The need to replace her fear with pleasure filled him. The restless energy stopped and she kissed the tips.

  Reassured that she was okay, he let his gaze drift downward again. The woman was amazing. In awe, he let his hand follow the trail his eyes made, sliding his fingers over her skin in the gentlest of brushes. In one long caress, he ran his fingers over the pointed nipple of one breast, watching in fascination as it grew harder and goose bumps scattered over her flesh.

  Without warning, he leaned down and took the peak into his mouth. Amber cried out, her jean-clad legs wrapping around his hips.

  Their jeans needed to go. But first, he wanted to hear her cry out in pleasure. Wanted to taste her orgasm on his lips. Needed to know she felt the same desire coursing through his blood.

  He reached up and caressed her other breast, pinching and twisting the nipple until the scent of her pleasure tickled his nose. The hunger for a taste proved too great to resist. His hands fell to the buttons of her jeans, supporting her as she wiggled to get them past her hips. Finally she was free, and nothing stood between them. Gripping her thighs, he pulled her legs apart far enough to slip his head between.

  He closed his eyes as the sultry flavor, so uniquely Amber, fired his taste buds. With a groan, he hitched her legs over his arms, opening her further, and plundered. Her moans were music to his ears, becoming more erratic with each thrust of his tongue, each swirl, until finally he drifted up to the little bundle of nerves, taking it into his mouth and sucking.

  She exploded. Thrusting against his mouth as liquid heat spilled from her core. Pure masculine pride filled him as he lapped at the evidence of her passion. His dick felt hard enough to break rocks.

  Kissing a trail back up, he paused long enough to nibble at the nipple he hadn’t before, while his hands reached up and removed her shirt. Renewed passion clouded her eyes when they met his and her freed hands gripped him close.

  She leaned in, raising her lips for a kiss. Danny was helpless to resist. When she moaned, he knew she tasted her passion on his tongue. The knowledge fired his blood until he was mindless with desire.

  He reached for his fly, ripping the button off in his haste. He was desperate to feel her heat around him. To thrust inside her and hear her cry out in pleasure as she surrounded him. He yanked down his pants and froze when she reached out and clasped him tight. His eyes rolled back as she squeezed him and pumped. Once. Twice. And then he was lost. Yanking the condom out of his back pocket, he barely got it on before pushing her hands behind her back and thrusting inside her welcoming heat.

  Red haze filled his vision as Amber’s moans of pleasure filled his ears. The taste of her skin flooded his senses until everything fell away but him and her. Lost in the passion between them.

  He thrust inside, desperately seeking release. Never before had he felt so frantic. And yet, for the first time, so at peace. As if everything was right in the world. Amber was his. Now more than ever, he knew it to be true.

  Meant for him.

  Mate.

  His teeth bit into the juncture of her shoulder and neck, piercing her flesh and releasing the enzyme that would bind them together forever. He had a moment to feel the bond forming between them, then all was forgotten. White-hot passion encompassed him, an avalanche of ecstasy. Beneath him, he felt her stiffen. Heard her cry out with the same pleasure. And felt complete.

  * * * *

  Wow. Who ever knew an orgasm could be so…consuming? Amber’s hand slid from Danny’s sweaty back, falling against her thigh. If she’d known, she wouldn’t have put him off for almost a month. She would have dragged him inside that very first day to roll around on the sheets.

  The man was incredible, and she struggled to catch her breath from the greatest orgasm she’d ever had.

  Amber turned her head to kiss his neck, cringing as her own neck stung. Had he bitten her? She seemed to remember a piercing pain right before pleasure engulfed her. She reached up, hissing as her fingers encountered an open wound.

  Danny raised his head as she brought her fingers into view. Blood?

  “Oh my God,” he said, grabbing some toilet paper and pressing it against her neck. The horror in his eyes as he stared at the wound freaked her out more than the wound itself. But no matter how bad it was, she’d had worse. Yet despite that, she found herself muttering, “You bit me.”

  The level of panic in his eyes made her squirm. He shook his head and focused back on her, reaching up to cup her cheek with one hand. Logically, she knew she should be strong. Knew she shouldn’t let her emotions get too entangled, or confuse lust for love. But she couldn’t help nuzzling against his hand and taking the comfort he offered.

  “I’m so sorry.”

  “It’s okay. I’ve had worse.” That sent new fear to enter his eyes. “And I’ve been tested, so if you’re worried about that–”

  “It’s not that.”

  “Then what’s the matter?” she prompted when it looked like he wouldn’t continue.

  “I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

  There was so much regret in his expression, Amber sucked in a breath. Hurt her? Sure, she might have a few bruises. But she’d wear them with pride. Evidence of the force of his passion. Passion for her.

  She laughed. Who would have thought she had it in her? In the course of her job, she’d faked more orgasms than she could count. But this? She’d never experienced anything like this.

  “You didn’t hurt me. But I’ll hurt you if you don’t promise to do it again.”

  “Right now?”

  Amber laughed. “You up for that?” She looked down at his softened cock. “Maybe later tonight.” She trailed a finger down his chest in a similar caress to the one he’d given her. Danny growled–actually growled as her hand moved down his stomach. She loved that noise. So primal and passionate. She didn’t even know if he was aware how often he did it, but it was one of the things she loved about him.

  She paused. Lust. Not love. She couldn’t let herself get confused.

  Her
gaze flew downward as she felt Danny stiffen against her thigh, then back up to meet his in surprise. So soon?

  “Ready when you are,” he joked.

  She laughed, sliding her fingers into his hair. It was going to be a long night.

  Chapter 12

  “Oh!” Amber reached up and clasped her robe closer together as she spotted Jason and Ethan outside her window inspecting the damage from the night before. She’d come out to start the coffee and then planned to wake Danny with a blowjob. Guess that plan was on the back burner for the moment.

  What were they doing here?

  Turned back around, Amber headed to the bed. Danny was still asleep, and he looked so peaceful, she couldn’t resist running a hand through his hair. As if seeking her warmth, he turned his head into her touch and she felt her heart crack a little bit. Leaving him would kill her. Sooner or later, she’d have to tell him everything: who she was and what she was doing here. She could only hope he would forgive her for lying after he learned the truth.

  “Danny, your brothers are outside,” she murmured.

  His eyes flew open, but a smile curled his lips when he saw her, causing her stomach to bubble with happiness.

  “They can wait.” He grabbed her hand and yanked her onto the bed, claiming her lips in a scorching kiss.

  Amber closed her eyes, losing herself in him. Against her leg, she felt his hard shaft, dragging her back to the present.

  She pulled away from his kiss. “We can’t. Your brothers will know.”

  But he was undeterred, nibbling a trail to her ear. He took the lobe into his mouth before swirling his tongue around the rim.

  She gripped him tighter, straddling his legs as his hands urged her. She felt the heat of his cock against her core, separated only by a thin sheet. It didn’t matter that she was still sore from their sexual gymnastics the night before. Nothing mattered but getting him inside her.

  She threw off the robe, moaning as he kissed a trail down her chest and then took her nipple into his mouth. Her skin burned with need wherever he touched, filling her with fire.

  Pounding at the front door dragged her out of the haze of passion. They couldn’t. Not with his family wandering around outside. His family seemed to have a bad habit of interrupting them.

  Amber tried to get off his lap, but Danny held onto her hips, his head shaking in denial against her shoulder.

  “I’m going to kill them,” he ground out, causing her to laugh.

  “Go on. It’ll keep.” She left the robe on the bed, making the way to her discarded jeans on the floor.

  “Use the robe. They won’t be here long.” The promise shone from his eyes.

  Biting her lip, Amber slipped the robe on and went to answer the door while Danny put on his jeans from the night before.

  “Don’t you guys have something better to do this early in the morning?” Amber joked as she opened the door. She still didn’t quite understand why Danny had called Jason last night instead of the cops, but there’d been more pressing things to think about.

  Both men stood in the doorway staring at her. Not in her eyes. But at her neck.

  “Do I have a hickey or something?”

  They both continued to stare.

  Amber reached up and felt the mark where Danny had bitten her. Right. She’d forgotten about that. Still, what was the big deal? It was all in the name of fun.

  Ethan recovered first, smiling at her. “Honey, you don’t have a hickey or something. You’ve got about a dozen.” Then he leaned in and kissed her cheek. Quite a change from when she’d first met him. Guess she’d passed the family test.

  “Well, come on in. I’ll put some coffee on.” She started for the kitchen, but turned when she realized they still stood in the doorway. “Is something wrong?”

  Ethan merely looked uncomfortable, but Jason stood with his arms crossed, a dark frown on his face. And he was still staring at her neck. Guess she hadn’t quite passed the family test after all. Maybe she should have stayed in bed and let Danny handle his family.

  As if on cue, Danny came out of the bedroom. He took one look at the scene and crossed behind her, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her against his chest.

  “Good morning,” he said with a hint of a challenge in his tone. “Amber, why don’t you finish getting ready and let me deal with these guys.”

  No need to ask her twice. She didn’t point out that he’d told her to stay in the robe. Obviously their plans for the morning had changed with the unexpected, and unfriendly, appearance of Danny’s brothers.

  * * * *

  Danny stared at Jason, waiting for the door to the bedroom to close behind Amber. Already his wolf ached from her absence, even knowing she was just in the next room. After feeling the sense of peace she gave him, he knew he’d never be complete unless she was near.

  “You mated her?” It wasn’t really a question. They’d obviously seen his mark, and no doubt had smelled the change in both of their scents. Still, he nodded a confirmation. “So she knows about us.” That wasn’t a question either, and Danny shifted in discomfort.

  Guilt assailed him. He should have told her. Actually, he should have kept his fangs in his mouth. But he hadn’t done either.

  He hadn’t meant to mate with her. But when he finally had her in his arms, the need to make her his, to be as close as possible with the woman he was meant to be with, had been a pull he couldn’t resist. It wasn’t until after the fact that the gravity of what he’d done had sent him plummeting back to Earth. By then it was too late.

  But now that it had happened, he wouldn’t change it even if he could. If she left, he would follow. Because he now understood, life was meaningless without her.

  “You did tell her, didn’t you?” Ethan asked, no doubt sensing his discomfort.

  Danny shook his head.

  Silence.

  Danny hung his head. He didn’t need his family coming down on him. He knew the seriousness of what he’d done.

  “What?” Jason’s quiet tone told him just how angry he was. If he’d blustered and yelled, it wouldn’t be as bad as the quiet disbelief.

  “You didn’t tell her about us?” Ethan asked into the silence.

  Humiliation burned through him. To think he’d given Ethan such a hard time for screwing up when he first met his mate, Gwen. At least she’d known what to expect. He shook his head again.

  Mating Amber was the right decision. He felt it in his soul. But without telling her about him, his family, and his wolf…

  Shit. What a mess.

  “Do you love her?” Jason gritted out, causing Danny’s pride to rush forth.

  “Do you love Samantha?” he shot back.

  Jason growled, narrowing his eyes at Danny in challenge.

  “Well, what kind of a dumb ass question was that? Of course I love her.”

  Ethan stepped between the two. “Then we’ll figure this out. Both of you, back down.”

  Danny continued to glare, but the tension in the room dissipated. Jason was just trying to protect him. But he needed to understand, Amber was now a part of him. Insulting her meant insulting him. Worse. Whereas he’d let an insult to himself go, insulting Amber was an affront he wouldn’t let slide. If Jason pushed him, he’d fight his own brother to defend her. His wolf would accept nothing less.

  * * * *

  “You did tell her, didn’t you?”

  Amber glanced up, her toothbrush poised in front of her face, as Ethan’s voice drifted through the vent in her bathroom.

  “What?” Jason’s quiet tone sent chills spiraling down her arms.

  Her toothbrush clinked against the sink as she placed it over the rim. It was wrong to listen in, but they were so clearly talking about her. Besides, she’d spent her whole adult life snooping about. Asking her to stop now after waving such a juicy morsel in front of her face was asking for a miracle.

  Meeting her own gaze in the mirror, she saw the determination to listen, but something else. Fear
was etched into the hard line of her mouth and the wide set of her eyes. She didn’t have to guess where that fear came from. Based on the few sentences she’d heard, Danny had secrets. Secrets he’d kept hidden from her. Something big enough to cause such an extreme reaction in his brothers. Could she have been wrong about him from the start? Maybe he was involved in whatever shiftiness was going on here.

  “You didn’t tell her about us?”

  More silence. She gripped the counter until her hands hurt. What could it be? What she wouldn’t give to be able to see what was going on out there. But snooping here was safer then venturing out.

  Tears pooled in her eyes, forcing her to close them in a bid for control. Damn it. She’d trusted him. How stupid could she be?

  “Do you love her?” His brother demanded.

  Her gaze flew to the vent. No. She didn’t want to hear this. If he said no, she wouldn’t be able to face him when he came back. And if he said yes… Well, she didn’t want to hear it listening through a vent.

  Not that she thought he’d say yes. People didn’t keep secrets from the ones they loved.

  Amber quickly exited the bathroom and crossed to the other side of the room. As far away from the vent as possible. A murmur of voices still penetrated the silence, but she couldn’t distinguish actual words.

  The conversation continued. Not a simple yes or no, then. Curiosity and regret mingled inside her. Stupid. She should have listened. Then at least she’d know what she was dealing with.

  She turned back to the bathroom. If it wasn’t a simple yes, it might as well be a no in Amber’s mind. Did she really want to hear that? No, she really didn’t. She turned and paced back.

  Then again, it wasn’t a simple no either, which meant he must care for her a little, right? Not like Vasquez, who’d thought of her as little more than an ornament. She turned back toward the bathroom, determined to face her fears and hear what Danny had to say.