“God, yes.” He breathed heavily. “The proof is in your hand.”
“Tristan?” No words were necessary. Her face was an open book.
“Ride me, Nel.”
Without hesitation, she climbed onto his lap, gently pumping his cock as her hand glided up and down his length. Electricity fired through his body, every cell primed and ready. Except his head, which bumped against the pool wall as he fought closing his eyes in pure delight.
He’d promised Nel he wouldn’t take his eyes off her.
He might not be able to keep that promise, but he wouldn’t let go of her for anything in the world.
One hand clamped on her hip, he cupped the back of her head and brought her forward for a kiss. She devoured his mouth. Usually, he was the aggressor, but here and now she plunged and claimed with abandon.
She released his cock to thrust her hands through his hair.
He trailed his hand down her spine, stopping to squeeze the fullness of her ass. He reached between her thighs to stroke her sex.
“Oh, god,” she softly panted in his ear.
He slid between her folds and found her soft, satiny and clenching.
“Tristan?” she groaned, pulling back. Her scent saturated his senses.
“What, baby?” He stilled his fingers, sliding his hand back to her hip.
She leaned back, leaving enough space to slip her hand down his chest and wrap her fingers around the base of his cock.
She gave him a hot, seductive look. Her lips parted.
The tip of his cock brushed her mound and he saw stars as she took him inside her and slowly inched down his shaft until he was completely sheathed.
Chapter 28
Having Tristan inside her felt more right than anything had ever felt in Nel’s life. She moved slowly, clenching and milking him for every single delight. His hands roamed her ass as he nibbled her jaw, down her throat and along her collarbone.
He lightly kneaded her breast, strumming his thumb across her nipple at varying intervals. Each time he did, she lost track of the rhythm she was working to maintain.
She was overthinking. The times Tristan had brought her to orgasm, the only thing she’d been focused on was how good she felt when he made love to her.
“Everything okay?” He peered at her through hooded eyes. His breath came out in soft pants.
Tristan was lost in the sensory pleasure and she was the one who’d put him there. A surge of feminine power shot through her.
Slowly, she lifted herself off his lap. Tristan’s face turned upward, his glassy eyes following her ascent. She leaned closer, the tops of her breasts grazing his chin. His gaze dropped. A wicked smile danced on his lips.
His tongue teased her nipple. A lick, a swirl, a nip. Fire shot straight to her sex. She clutched his head against her chest and he sucked her breast into his mouth. Pressing into him, she wanted to feel him against every inch of her body, inside and out.
He kissed the valley between her breasts and she arched, giving him more access. With every stroke, every caress, he worshipped her, branding her skin with his decadent kisses.
Her sex ached with a hard-edged need to be filled. She clasped his face and he released her breast with a pop. She kissed him hard at first, but he gentled her, leisurely stroking his hand down her back and over her bottom.
He urged her down again, teasing her with the tip of his shaft through her folds.
She took him inside her, her body sighing at rejoining his. When he was fully seated, Tristan whispered her name like a prayer. His hands cupped her backside and he lifted his hips in a slow, easy rhythm that she continued.
She loved the way he responded to her every sigh and moan. She loved it even more when she elicited them from him.
There was comfort in the gentle, steady rhythm. This was nothing but plain, simple sex, but Tristan touched her more deeply than any other lover ever had.
He wasn’t simply making love to her body, he was making love to her soul.
She curled around him, burying her face against his neck. His arms wrapped her tight, secure. She’d never felt safer.
He protected not only her person, but her dreams. Her heart applauded him. She had to be careful, though. Careful not to fall in love. If she did, she’d end up with a broken heart.
Tristan’s hand rested at the base of her neck. Stay with me, Nel.
Clearly, she heard his voice but he couldn’t possibly have spoken since his tongue was down her throat. He completely possessed her.
Nel no longer sensed where she ended and he began.
Intense pressure converged at the crux of their joining. The pace of their rocking changed. Tristan’s grip on her hips tightened, urging her to grind against him harder, faster.
Nel closed her eyes, surrendering to the mounting waves of pleasure. Her body undulated from the climactic force. Tristan’s hold on her was likely the only thing that kept her from floating away.
* * *
Tristan’s body hummed with deep satisfaction. He buttoned his shorts and pulled on his shirt.
Nel’s hands shook as she worked the clasp on her bra. He stepped over to help and instantly felt her jumble of nerves. Standing behind her, he fastened the hooks and gave her a quick peck on the cheek. Then he picked up her blouse from the ground and helped her into it.
“What’s wrong, sweet cheeks?”
“This might’ve been a bad idea.” She turned her face away, but he hooked his thumb beneath her chin forcing her to look at him.
“I don’t see how.” Unless she had decided to end things with him.
Maybe he’d lost his touch.
“We didn’t use a condom,” she said quietly. “I didn’t even stop to think about one.”
Neither had he. He always had condoms, although, aside from Nel, he hadn’t had need of them in a while. He hadn’t brought her here for sex. He’d merely wanted to share his favorite spot with her.
And it had been spectacular.
“I’m not on the pill. I’m leery of putting artificial hormones into my body.”
“No worries, sweet cheeks.” Relief lightened the tightness in his chest. He pulled her into his arms. “There’s no risk of pregnancy with me, remember?”
A sweet sadness filled her eyes. “I’m sorry,” she said, touching his face. “You would make a great father. You handled the kids so well on the field trip. They really look up to you.”
Volunteering did fill a space in his life, but he’d never considered parenting. Until now.
Too easily, he could imagine Nel pregnant with his child. If he’d bitten her during sex, they could well be on the path to parenthood.
His throat tightened with emotion. He really was falling in love.
Nel kissed him sweetly and he found it more touching, more stimulating, than any kiss he’d ever received.
An easygoing give-and-take had developed between them. He found comfort in simply being with her and he cared, actually cared about what mattered to her. And whatever he asked of Nel, she was at least willing to try.
If he could ensure their affinity for each other wouldn’t change, he would dive headfirst into a mateship with her. No holding back.
“Hungry?”
She nodded, her smile dampened with concern.
“Nel,” he said warmly. “Don’t worry. Everything will be fine.”
He led her carefully from his little piece of paradise. Something settled in his spirit, knowing he’d always sense her here, and he was grateful for it.
The midafternoon sun dappled their picnic area. Nel sat on the blanket and unpacked the lunch basket. Tristan reclined beside her, appreciating every moment. He’d never felt so content just basking in a woman’s presence. They ate in comfortable silence, even
stealing pieces of each other’s food. He delighted in the shared playfulness.
“Any more fishing?” There was a hesitant hopefulness in her voice.
“Not today,” he answered regretfully.
They packed away the food containers. Reluctance slowed his actions. He was having a harder and harder time parting from Nel. The thought of dropping her off and going home alone sent a pang of unbearable regret through him.
A familiar scent wafted in the air and his hackles rose. “Stay here,” he warned.
Tristan only took a few steps before a large tawny wolf appeared.
“Wow, he looks a lot like your wolf.” Nel said as she came up behind him. “But yours has cuter ears.”
A bad feeling curdled the food in Tristan’s stomach. Without taking his eyes off the wolf, he leaned toward Nel and whispered. “Go back to our place behind the waterfall. Wait for me there—”
Without warning, Jaxen shifted into his human form. “Dammit, Tristan. I’m not going to hurt her.”
Nel’s horrified gasp sounded like a trumpet in Tristan’s ear. The color drained from her face, making her eyes look too large for their sockets. She stumbled backward, trembling hand to her lips. “This can’t be real.”
“Oops.” Jaxen shrugged without apology. “Guess she didn’t know.”
“Have you lost your damn mind? What were you thinking?” Tristan had no way to keep them both in view. If he turned to check on Nel, Jaxen would be on his blind side, yet it was killing him not being able to sight Nel.
But he could hear her, retching behind him.
“You shacked up with her. I figured she knew.” Jaxen stood before Tristan. “You’re in the sanctuary, man. This is your fuckup, not mine.”
“Get the hell away from us.” Something dark and primal stirred in Tristan’s consciousness.
“If I don’t—” Jaxen laughed “—are you gonna take me down?”
Tristan’s fist flew straight and true, slamming dead center into Jaxen’s face. There was a crack, followed by the scent of blood.
Jaxen staggered backward cupping his hands over his nose. “Goddammit!”
“Stay away from her, Jaxen.”
“I told you, I would never hurt a woman,” Jaxen snarled.
“Do you think she’s not hurt by what she saw you do?” Tristan pointed at Nel, on her knees, her stomach violently expelling the lunch they’d shared. “You had no right!”
Tristan should’ve been the one to reveal the truth to her, should’ve been the first to share his wolf. Because he hadn’t, Jaxen had violated Nel’s sense of reality, shredded her trust.
“Get out of here before I kick your ass out of the territory. Again.”
Jaxen’s features darkened. Icy eyes fixed on Tristan, he squatted and shifted.
The wolf launched. Tristan blocked the attack with his arm and Jaxen’s teeth sank into Tristan’s flesh. “Dammit, Jaxen!”
He punched the wolf’s ribs and slung his arm. The wolf thudded to the ground and darted away.
“You better run!”
Nel’s soft whimpers tempered Tristan’s anger. He ran to where she had huddled, hugging herself.
“Nel?” He touched her shoulder and her startled cry broke his heart.
“Nel, please.” His voice cracked from the burn rising in his throat. “I won’t hurt you.”
He slowly reached for her again. She shuddered, but didn’t cry out.
“You’ve had a terrible shock, but I need you to trust me.”
She stared at him with wide, uncertain eyes.
“What you saw really happened. It wasn’t a trick. Jaxen is Wahya, a wolf shifter. And so am I.”
Nel clamped her hand over her mouth. Already pale, her skin went ghostly white.
“This isn’t how I wanted you to find out about us,” he said.
“You were telling the truth,” she finally said. “The day we met, you really were in the woods as a wolf, weren’t you?”
“Yes, and you know my wolf, Nel. Whenever you saw him from your kitchen window, you were actually watching me. There’s no need to be afraid of me or him.”
“How is this possible?” Although a measure of distrust wavered in her gaze, her nerves seemed steadier and she no longer looked on the verge of fainting.
“Evolution. Our species developed alongside humans. We’ve always been around, and in the far distant past humans knew us. But somewhere along the line, humans began to fear us. Then hunt us. We went into hiding in plain sight as a matter of survival.”
“Is it just your family or are there others?”
“We’re all over the world.”
“Oh, boy!” Nel rubbed her temple.
“We live in packs. My pack is here at Walker’s Run.”
“The Co-op?”
“Yes, and what I said is true. We’re about family, Nel. That is what’s most important to us. We would never hurt you. I would never hurt you.”
“Would you have ever told me?”
“I don’t know.” He squeezed her hand. “I don’t want you to see me differently. And I didn’t want to burden you unnecessarily.”
“People have a right to know your species exists. You shouldn’t have to live in secrecy.”
“No one has a right to know anything, and it’s our choice to live as we do. Our lives are good and of our own choosing. We don’t want or need human bureaucracies managing our lives, especially when they have no experience to do so.”
“So you have no rules, no governance? What’s to stop one of your Wahyas from killing someone?”
“We aren’t lawless. Each pack has an Alpha who manages the welfare and well-being of the pack. All packs submit to the Woelfesenat, our overseeing wolf council. Our two most stringent laws are to never harm a human and never expose our species to humanity. Violation of either is a death sentence.”
“That’s why you won’t hurt me.”
“I won’t hurt you because—” I love you. Damn, how had he allowed himself to get so wrapped up in this human female that he’d fallen in love? And when Gavin found out what happened today, this whole mess would get a lot more convoluted. “Because you’re a friend and I care about you.”
“A friend?” She rolled her tongue against the inside of her cheek.
“More than a friend, actually,” he said. “I don’t know if there’s a word to describe what you are to me.”
Mine!
Tristan pressed his fingers against his temple. Apparently, Gavin’s interference wasn’t required to complicate the situation. Tristan and his inner wolf were doing a fine job all on their own.
Chapter 29
The awkward silence nearly drove Nel insane on the drive back to the cabin.
And she could’ve choked on the tension.
Still, when Tristan backed out of the driveway, she broke into tears.
Cassie ran out of the cabin and put her arms around Nel.
Before they left the sanctuary, Tristan had told Nel that Cassie and Grace were humans married to Wahyas. Then he’d called Cassie from the truck and asked her to meet them.
Cassie steered her inside. “I know you’ve had an awful shock.” She sat on the couch next to Nel. “But it’s survivable.”
Grace came into the living room carrying a tray with three mugs. “Here you go.” She handed Nel a steaming cup of coffee. “It’s double leaded.”
“Thanks.”
Cassie took the cup of tea and Grace claimed the second coffee mug as she sat in the sofa chair.
“How did the two of you handle it when your husbands came out with their wolves?”
“Compartmentalized,” Cassie and Grace said in unison.
“At least until our perception of reality adjusted.”
Cassie patted Nel’s leg. “It will take time, but remember that Tristan is still the same person you fell in love with.”
“I never said I fell in love.” But she had. Heart and soul.
“He loves you, if he showed you his wolf.” Grace smiled over the rim of her mug.
“He didn’t. We were on a picnic and a wolf showed up. Tristan tried to send me away. The next thing I knew, Jaxen was crouched naked where the wolf had been.”
“Oh, for Pete’s sake.” Grace gulped her drink.
“This doesn’t mean Jaxen is in love with me, does it?” Nausea rocked Nel again. After what he’d done to Tristan, she would never get involved with Jaxen.
“Jaxen probably thought Tristan had already revealed his wolf.” Cassie tucked a curl behind her ear. “When Tristan is with you, he acts like a wolfan in love. His posturing, the way he watches you, how he’s attentive to your every need and want. Everyone can see it.”
“Tristan doesn’t do relationships.”
“I didn’t, either,” Grace said. “Now, I’m happily married with twins.”
Oh, no. “Brenna and the twins? Will they be like their fathers?”
“Yes.” Cassie seemed to have no worry about raising a wolf child. “Wahya genes are dominant, to ensure the survival of their species. A child born of a Wahya–human mating will always be Wahya.”
Nel’s heart beat faster with every breath. “Tristan said he couldn’t get me pregnant, but that’s not true, is it?”
“If he hasn’t claimed you, then no. You won’t get pregnant.” Grace sipped her coffee.
“What do you mean by claimed?”
“Tristan should be the one to have this conversation with you,” Cassie said.
“He’s the one who called you, dropped me off on the doorstep and left, so, apparently, he’s not interested in having this talk with me.” Nel held her fingers to her lips and swallowed her rising emotions. “Sorry. But I deserve to know about the conspiracy I’m involved in.”
“A mate-claim happens when a wolfan male bites a woman during sex. It binds them together and triggers a biological response that allows him to father children with her.”
Charmed by the Wolf Page 20
