by Rhian Cahill
For now he’d concentrate on helping Rowan gain enough control to be comfortable with returning home. She might be on the mountain but this wasn’t home. It was a safe harbor that could only last for so long. Anyone could discover she was back if they were in the forest for long. They needed to finish this so she could finally return to where she belonged. Judging by the speed with which she just shifted, it wouldn’t be long before she’d be ready.
The late afternoon sun filtered through the trees surrounding the cabin, the dappled rays bouncing off the snow and sparkling in the puddles the warmth of the day had made. They’d been out here practicing for over two hours, Rowan shifting between coyote and human with ease now. As far as Quinn was concerned there was just one test left. They had to know if she could control the shift with him in close proximity because he had every intention of being by her side every minute of every day.
No time like the present to test her but they needed to be inside before he pushed. As much as he didn’t think they were in any danger, he wanted them both safely locked indoors in case Rowan couldn’t control the shift. He wouldn’t think about his own control. The hard-on in his pants was a constant, one he’d managed to ignore for the most part. Tonight things would change. Once the sun went down he’d have her where he wanted her, under him.
He’d let her lead today, followed and allowed her to do things her way but now it was his turn. They both needed to know that she could control her coyote in any situation and seeing how he was responsible for three uncontrolled changes it would be a good test of her strength. The only problem was he was tested just as much with each minute he spent near her. Every second he didn’t claim her, his body strained against his will to give her what she wanted and not take what he craved.
Rowan moved with a sensuality that had Quinn’s insides humming. Each stretch of muscle, shift of skin to fur and back again, every smile she offered when she changed form with ease, had his coyote pulling to be let free. His nerves, as well as his control, were stretched tight. He wouldn’t last much longer without having her. It was a good thing he wouldn’t have to. If she shifted when she came tonight he’d change and claim her coyote.
Tonight would be the end of this torture he was enduring. Rowan wasn’t fairing much better. He knew by the way she looked at him her arousal was high. He didn’t need the taut nipples showing through her tank top or the way her breath hitched and she licked her lips when he caught her looking at him as confirmation. The flush on her cheeks wasn’t just from exertion either. He might not be able to see because of the shirt she wore but he’d bet anything her breasts glowed with the same rosy hue as her cheeks.
Aching with need, his cock throbbed in his pants. Eager to see Rowan’s flushed skin beneath him, Quinn jumped to his feet and stalked toward her. She froze in place, wide eyed as she watched him approach. Her sharp intake of air and labored breathing told him she knew his intentions. He stopped two feet away, afraid to get any closer for fear he’d take her here and now.
“Enough for today,” he growled, his voice gravelly with the lust riding his back. “We’re moving inside. It’s time to take this one step further.”
Rowan’s eyes widened farther and her nostrils flared as she sucked in a breath. With only a nod, she stepped around him and raced toward the house. Quinn closed his eyes and took a deep breath, giving her time to lock him out if she wanted. He knew she wouldn’t but he’d give her that option anyway. It also gave him a moment to regain control of the beast currently howling to take what was his. If they came together right now he wouldn’t be gentle and he wanted their first time after so long to be about their love, not their animal need to mate.
He sighed. Was there even a difference? He didn’t know if he could separate the two but he’d be damned if he’d take her like an animal this first time.
Rowan closed the bathroom door but didn’t turn the lock. Shutting it would keep Quinn out. She trusted him to respect her need for privacy. Not that she wanted to stay away from him. A few minutes to freshen up and calm down were all she sought. Her nerves tingled with expectation and her coyote howled with excitement. To finally be in Quinn’s arms after all this time seemed surreal. On the one hand, it was as natural as breathing, but on the other, she was terrified.
Terrified of all he made her feel, all they were to each other. Time and distance hadn’t dulled what was between them and she hoped she’d managed to master her coyote and merged her two sides completely. Relief at reaching this point flowed through her. Tense shoulders relaxed and the ache in her heart eased. That told her how much being with him but not being with him affected her. The strain of holding back, of not touching even when all she wanted was to brush her fingers along his arm in passing. The fear of hurting him if her coyote broke free was enough to have her taking a wide berth around him at all times. After tonight there would be no need for such care.
Today had proven she had the ability to control her coyote with ease now they’d gotten reacquainted. While she’d concentrated on perfecting her shift, Quinn had sat and watched. Never once did he interfere or approach her. She knew what he planned now that she’d gained confidence and she anticipated it with an eagerness that thrummed through her. The sooner they got started the better. But first she wanted a shower. Shifting back and forth had worked up a sweat that clung to her skin.
She stripped off her clothes and stepped into the shower cubicle. The large space allowed her room to stand back out of the water as she waited for the hot to come through. Goose bumps covered her flesh but quickly vanished as the steam rose and she slipped beneath the showerhead. Her shoulder-length hair stuck to her neck in strands, rivulets of water trailing from each end. Eyes closed tight, she turned her face under the spray and allowed the warmth to cascade over her.
Not wanting to take too long, she shampooed her hair and washed her body in record time. Showering had always been an indulgence but now she had other decadent treats to pursue. Or treat. The giggle that bubbled up her throat both surprised and thrilled her. Pleasure had been a rare event in the past few years. Always the nagging fact that she couldn’t return home weighed on her mind and stopped her from enjoying the simplest of things.
She had stayed away not only to protect herself but Quinn. Rowan worried not enough time had passed for Marcus to have moved on. Still, she refused to remain apart from Quinn any longer. Doing so had worn her down, torn her apart. Marcus had stolen so much from them. No more would she allow her sorrow to cloud her days—or nights. Now she would embrace all that life had to offer with an open heart and mind.
Starting with Quinn.
Rowan shut off the water and reached for a towel. Brisk movements had her body dry so she wouldn’t drip all over the floor. She used a second towel to wrap around her head, squeezing hard to soak up the excess water from her hair. Satisfied, she removed the towel and slid it over the hanging rail. It was then Rowan realized she hadn’t brought clean clothes in with her. There were two options. Use a towel to cover herself or walk out naked and hope Quinn wasn’t waiting on the other side of the bathroom door. It wasn’t like he hadn’t seen her naked before anyway.
She took a deep breath and cracked open the door to peer through the gap. There was no sign of Quinn but she could hear him in the kitchen. Flinging the door wide, she raced across the small hall to the bedroom. About four feet by four feet square, the hall basically comprised of three doors and an opening that led to the living area. The bathroom door stood between the two bedrooms so she only had to dash half the distance before making it to the relative safety of the bedroom.
The curse that met her ears as she crossed the threshold told her she hadn’t been quick enough. Heavy footsteps and a growl followed her into the room. With a lightness she hadn’t felt in far too long, she darted to the far side of the bed and turned to face her mate. Quinn’s chest rose and fell in sharp, ragged breaths, his nostrils flared and his eyes blazed with desire. A shiver traveled the length of her spine and
ripples of pleasure skittered over her skin.
He looked at her with such need it took her breath and tightened her insides. Her instincts made her yearn to lie on the bed and give him whatever he wanted, but it warred with her own needs and wants. Nerve endings pulsed, sending sensation throughout her body, no part of her left unaffected. Her breasts grew heavy and the nipples puckered into hard nubs. The heat building between her legs beat with the rhythm pounding in her ears. Liquid arousal pooled in her pussy, coating her slit and inner thighs.
Quinn moved and her heart jumped. Like earlier in the yard, he stalked her, hunted her down like prey. Far from being scared, Rowan reveled in the excitement his actions brought. Held in place by his hypnotizing stare, she waited. He reached her before her next breath and the thrill of standing before him naked while he remained fully clothed shot aching need into her core. A stuttered breath caught in her chest and left her breathless.
Caught between the urge to act and the wish to submit to his every whim, Rowan stood transfixed, mesmerized. Her body trembled with longing when Quinn raised one hand to trail his fingertips lightly over her stomach, up between her breasts and under her chin. Tilting her face until their gazes met, he studied her with such intent that her insides quaked. His head lowered, bringing his mouth to hers. Lips brushed, pulled back, moved forward. Her eyes fluttered closed.
“Are you ready for me, Rowan?” Quinn spoke against her mouth.
Her eyes popped open and staring into his, she gave the slightest of nods.
Her world spun as Quinn lifted her from the floor and turned. Her stomach dropped as he threw them both on the bed. His weight pressed into her, trapping her between his hard body and the soft bedding. Rowan didn’t get a chance to catch the breath that flew from her lungs. Quinn’s mouth took hers in a savage kiss that burned all thought of breathing away.
Their tongues dueled, each forcing their way inside the other to taste and take. Yielding, she allowed him to control the kiss. Aching with want, her hands began to roam his body. Frustration at finding the barrier between his skin and her fingers brought a growl to her throat. She tugged at his clothes, bit his lip to get his attention. Quinn surged back, separating their mouths, each of them left gasping for breath.
“Clothes. Off. Now.” Each word was spoken on a ragged puff of air.
He pushed to his knees, straddling her hips. As she shoved his shirt up, he gripped the hem and yanked it over his head, tossing it aside. Her hands were already working on removing his pants without much luck. Another frustrated growl rent the air but this time it was Quinn’s. A quick roll to the side and he had his pants past his hips and off. Before she could take advantage of his exposed position, he flipped back over on top of her.
Hot skin met hot skin. Rowan moaned in delight. Quinn’s answering groan filled her mouth as he thrust his tongue between her lips. Taking the kiss deep, he took her on a carnal ride that ignited fire in her veins. Lust exploded between them. Hands searched and found sensitive flesh, delivering spikes of pleasure throughout her body. Mouths meshed, tongues stroked and teeth nipped. Cream flowed from her core, spreading slick heat between her legs.
She parted her thighs allowing Quinn’s hips to slip between them. His erection nestled along her sex and ground against her clit. Her pussy clenched. Rowan bent her knees and wrapped her legs around his waist. Heals digging into his ass, she pulled him down as she surged up, their pelvises locked together. Ecstasy burst through her and she began to rock against him. Coated in her juices, his cock slid across her swollen folds and pushed her closer to the orgasm just out of reach.
Quinn’s lips left hers to trace a line of kisses over her jaw and down her neck. He licked and nibbled his way toward her breasts. His tongue swirled around one sensitive nub before sucking it between his lips. Drawing hard, he pressed the taut peak to the roof of his mouth. Her hips rocked faster and more fluid seeped from her convulsing channel. It wasn’t enough. The climax she needed taunted her with its closeness. Her head thrashed on the bed and her body undulated beneath his, trying to grab hold of what she craved.
Raw desire flooded her body, made her frantic to get what she wanted. Quinn continued to work her breasts, feasting on each nipple in turn. His teeth scraped the inflamed points. Electric darts exploded from the slight pain, delivering yet more fragmented need to the tender tissues lining her pussy. Rowan grabbed Quinn’s hips, tilted her own until the head of his cock was lined up with her opening, arching up she forced his flesh into hers. His mouth left her breast and she cried out at the loss.
“God, Rowan, stop,” he panted.
Her answer was to push higher, take a little more of him inside.
“Slow down.” His words were harsh on each jagged breath. “Want it to last.”
Slow? Was he insane? She’d die if she didn’t feel him embedded in her fully. Rowan rolled her hips, slid her slick heat farther onto his shaft. His cock jerked against her as the tight fit gave them both immense pleasure. Quinn growled.
“Damn it, Rowan.”
He tried to withdraw but with her hands on his hips and her legs hugging his waist she followed.
“I wanted slow and easy this first time.”
“No,” she gasped. “Hard and fast. Now.”
Using her arms and legs she thrust up, lifted from the bed and impaled herself on his cock.
Quinn’s control snapped. Like the crack of a whip, it echoed in his mind and his body moved. Thought fled and instinct took over. Arms curled under her back, he wrapped his hands around her shoulders. His fingers dug into her soft skin in a death grip that left his knuckles white. Flexing his hips he withdrew from her clasping sheath and slammed back in. Withdraw. Advance. Withdraw. Advance. The rhythm hard and fast, exactly what she’d asked for. What his body craved.
Wet slapping noises filled the air, mingled with the scent of arousal to make a potent aphrodisiac to their already over-stimulated senses. She met him thrust for thrust. Pounding in and out of the tight vise of her body, Quinn knew only one thing. Rowan. His coyote howled as he claimed his mate and Quinn grunted with every lunge forward. With each pass along her rippling channel her body jerked beneath his, restricted by his weight, her movements minimal. The hot slide of his cock on her moist flesh sent fire shooting into his balls and up his spine.
Quickening his pace, Quinn powered his hips, the soft curves of her ass cushioning each blow his thighs made when they connected. He tucked his head to latch his mouth around a nipple. Suckling the hard tip, he used his teeth to scrape the tender bud. Rowan bucked and thrashed, her pussy spasming around his cock. Her quivering walls milked him and his balls squeezed tight. He drove into her, ground his pubic bone against her clit and set off an explosion.
She erupted under him. Her vagina clamped hard, held tight to his shaft. He dragged his length out and surged back in. He rode her, pistoned in and out of her pulsing flesh until the fireball in his groin took him. Molten lava roared through him and burst free to spill in Rowan’s core. No part of him went unscorched. Every muscle rigid as he strained against her, buried to the hilt in her writhing body. Exhausted, Quinn collapsed on top of her.
Sweat dripped down his forehead, coated his skin and pooled between them. Their chests slid as they pulled in great gulps of air in an attempt to satisfy oxygen-starved lungs. He tingled from head to toe and was sure he’d see stars if he opened his eyes. Rowan squirmed beneath him and his cock twitched with renewed life. Still locked inside her depths, Quinn felt the last of her orgasm subside. Each squeeze of muscle a tantalizing reminder of the peak they’d just ascended.
With the little energy he had left, Quinn rolled to the side. He took Rowan with him until they lay in reverse. Her splayed on top of him. His erection, still semi-hard in spite of the climax he’d just had, slid to leave only the head breaching her opening. Rowan moaned and her pussy fluttered, the grip on the sensitive gland at the crown hardened his shaft further. Her nipples prodded his ribs as she rocked her hips, the ro
ll allowing his cock to slide in then out of her. He groaned. She moved again.
Hands on her hips, Quinn turned her rock into a thrust. Stroke after stroke, he bucked up into her willing body. Slow and steady, he moved within her, drawing it out, taking his time to love her. Her walls held him like a glove. Warm and wet, he slid along rippling muscles, their combined cum lubricating the way. His fingers pressed into the flesh of her ass, kneading the cheeks, he pulled her up and down his erection faster. She spread her palms on his chest and bracing her arms, sat astride him.
The angle of penetration changed, rubbing sensitive spots, eliciting moans from both of them. Rising to her knees, Rowan began to ride him. Slow slide up, fast drop down. She set a rhythm that teased. The pace remained unhurried, and Quinn enjoyed the vision before him. Back arched, head thrown back, she rode him. She took them both on a leisurely journey to paradise. Unlike the frenzied, breathless rush of their first coupling, this unhurried pace satisfied his initial intention of a slow, thorough loving.
Rowan’s breasts bounced with her movements and he couldn’t resist cupping them in his palms. He curled his fingers and molded her supple flesh, testing the weight and brushing her nipples with a sweep of his thumbs. The little cries of delight slipping from her throat spurred him on and he pinched the buds until they puckered tight. Their dark brown color looked like drops of chocolate on her creamy skin. Surging up, he sucked first one and then the other between his lips.
Coated in his saliva, they sparkled. With finger and thumb he pulled and pinched one while his mouth went to work on its twin. He opened his jaw wide, sucked in as much as he could and flicked his tongue across the peak. She thrust her chest into his face, forced more of her mound past his lips. Greedy, he took what she offered. Pulling back, he scraped his teeth gently along her skin. When he got to her nipple he bit harder and tugged. Her pussy tightened around his cock and she rode him faster.
