by L. P. Dover
Faith hasn’t been able to stop looking out the window since we left the mainland for the Keys. “I have never seen so much water in my life. It’s absolutely breathtaking.”
Sometimes I forget she hasn’t been able to travel the world and see things like the ocean or tropical islands. I love that I get to experience her firsts with her. “I was five years old the first time I saw the ocean. My parents couldn’t get me out of the water.”
Faith giggles. “Yeah, I figured you liked being in the water. You tossed me into your pool and tackled me into the lake.”
I wink at her. “And when we get to the house, we’ll swim in the ocean and watch the sunset.”
She grins. “I like that idea.”
Reaching over, I grab her hand and bring it to my lips. She welcomes every touch, and I can feel how happy it makes her to be close to me. If only the full moon were tonight. I’ve always been a patient man, but having to wait two weeks for her to be entirely mine is fucking torture.
We drive across another long bridge from Long Key to Duck Key. Faith stares out the window in awe. “There are so many bridges.”
I snort. “Just wait until I drive you across the seven-mile bridge. It’s coming up shortly.”
Her mouth gapes. “Wow. Seven miles? That’s a long bridge.”
“It is,” I agree. “You’re not scared to go across it, are you?”
She sticks her chin out. “I’m not afraid of anything.” I love how strong and determined she is. She’ll make a great female alpha for our pack. When we get to the seven-mile bridge, Faith takes out her phone to video it. Seeing how excited she is to see the Florida Keys, I can only imagine how she’ll feel when I take her all over the world.
Once we arrive at Sugarloaf Key, it doesn’t take long to get to the beach house. It’s a three-story light blue estate on a secluded stretch of the Atlantic Ocean. I grab our bags out of the trunk while Faith enters the passcode to get the key out of the lockbox. After we walk in, I set the bags on the living room floor, and we tour all of the rooms.
“Which bedroom do you want?” I ask, picking our bags back up.
Faith’s eyes twinkle. “Will you be staying in there with me?”
I’ve been trying not to overwhelm her with my need, but when she says stuff like that it’s hard to keep control. “If that’s what you want.”
She strolls up to me and presses her lips to mine. “It is.”
“Then I guess we’ll both take the master suite.” I carry our bags to the bedroom, and she follows me. “The sun will be set within the hour. Do you want to go for that swim?”
I set our bags down on the bed, and she opens hers up, pulling out a skimpy bikini with a mischievous grin on her face. She knows what she’s doing to me. “I do. It won’t take me long to get ready.”
She reaches for the hem of her shirt and starts to lift, but then my damn phone rings. I reach into my pocket for my phone where Cedric’s name is displayed on the screen. “It’s Cedric.”
Faith smiles. “Go. I’ll change and see you out there on the beach.”
“Okay,” I say, cursing Cedric under my breath as I walk out of the room. “What’s up, brother,” I answer.
“I should be asking you the same question. What’s going on? Micah tells me you and Faith ran away together.”
A chuckle escapes my lips. “You make it sound like we eloped.” Having a wedding isn’t something shifters do. When we bond on the full moon, that’s our ceremony.
“Seriously, Grayson. Was there any indication that Killian and his men found you? I think he’s moved on from here.”
“No. There’s been no sign of him.”
“Is Faith okay?”
“She’s fine,” I assure him. “She came here willingly with me. You know I would never force her to do anything she didn’t want to do.”
Cedric sighs. “I know. I trust you. I also know we’re friends, and you’ve never kept anything like this from me before. It has me wondering what’s truly going on.”
I can’t help but laugh. “You really are a nosy son of a bitch.”
“Well, it got me thinking. Either Faith was in danger, and you had to get out fast, or something else happened. Maybe you didn’t want to share her with the other wolves.”
“No, I didn’t,” I admit, my voice darker than I wanted. “I hated the thought.”
Cedric chuckles once. “That’s all I needed to hear. I think I know now.”
“Know what?”
“That she’s your mate.”
I should’ve known that out of everyone in my life, Cedric would be the one to figure it out. “Nothing ever gets by you.”
“Nope,” he laughs. “After Micah called, Laila and I put two and two together. She said it’s probably best you did disappear, and you most likely have a price on your head right now.”
“That’s what Faith said.”
“Well, I’m happy for you. Your life will never be the same. When you get back in town, we’ll celebrate.”
“Sounds good.” Faith turns the corner into the living room, dressed in her sexy black bikini. She struts past me to the patio door and smiles as she walks out. “Convel, I gotta go.”
We say our goodbyes, and I hurry into the bedroom to change out of my clothes. When I get out onto the beach, Faith is already swimming around in the water.
“The water is so warm.” She floats on her back with the mounds of her breasts sticking out of the water. My cock twitches and I groan.
“Where’s the stone?” I ask, hoping she has it on her body somewhere. I swim over to her, and she latches her arms around my neck and her legs around my waist.
Her smile widens when she feels how hard she’s made me. “It’s in my hand. There was nowhere else to put it.”
“As long as you have it on you.” There’s one question that’s been on my mind ever since Faith and I started to get close, but I’ve never asked her. I circle my arms around her and pull her in tight. “Have you ever been with a man before?”
She bites her lip. “No, but I’ve been ready for a long time.” Her legs grip me harder, and she gently thrusts her hips against me.
My hands slide down to her ass, loving the way her skin feels. “I don’t want to rush you.”
“You don’t have to worry about that. I’m ready for you to claim me.”
Hearing those words lights my body up like fire. The need to plunge into her and take her right there is so great I don’t even know if I can control myself. Faith’s eyes start to glow, and I know mine does the same.
“Faith,” I growl.
She digs her fingernails into my back. “Just kiss me.”
I kiss her hard, squeezing her ass and moving her up and down my cock. I may not be inside of her, but I know she’s close to a release. I can smell how turned on she is, and I fucking love it. Deepening the kiss, I slide my tongue against hers, savoring the taste of her lips. I move down to her neck, nipping her with my teeth, but not hard enough to draw blood. That’s what I want, though—her blood. I want to be able to see inside of her head and her into mine. It’s a connection so many of our kind dream of. There’s also another effect of sharing blood. When true mates drink the other's blood, they get thrust into a vision of their future. It’s one way they get to see what awaits them.
“Can I taste you, Faith? I want to be inside of you, to see our future.”
I nip the tender spot behind her ear, and she moans. “Yes. I want to taste you too.”
Pulling back, I stare into her glowing, heat-filled blue eyes. Every time I touch her, the fire grows between us. “Then do it,” I growl, pressing my lips roughly to hers. “Take what you want.”
She sinks her teeth into my lip and sucks it greedily. The second she tastes the first drop of my blood, the connection opens in our minds. “Oh, my God,” she breathes, tilting her head back. I slide my lips down her neck and sink my teeth into her skin. She tastes like berries and sunshine. I don’t know how else to describe it ot
her than euphoric.
The world begins to fade away, and another scene takes place. Faith and I are in bed, making love. It feels as if I’m really there. With her legs spread wide, I’m pushing into her as I suck her nipples. Her screams of enjoyment spur me on even more. She orgasms and holds me tight, just as I release into her. We kiss and then I’m thrown out of the vision with my cock feeling as if it’s getting ready to explode.
“Tate?” Faith whispers in my mind.
“I’m here. The link is open.” We can now hear each other’s thoughts and communicate silently. We can also block the other out if we want.
Breathing hard, I hold onto Faith and she’s gasping for air. “Holy shit, that was intense.”
“Yes, it was.”
She pulls back and stares into my eyes. “It reminds me of the dream I had of us the other night.”
This is news to me. “Oh yeah? Just like that?”
“Yes,” she murmurs, kissing me gently. “It was a good dream.”
“I tell you what. We have a lot going on right now. As much as I want to carry you inside and make love to you all night, I don’t want to rush things with you.”
Her smile widens. “Such a gentleman. Okay, I agree. You’ll still sleep in the bed with me, right?”
I snort. “You know it. I’m not letting you out of my arms.”
“Good,” she says. “Then after tonight, I can’t promise I’ll be able to keep my hands to myself.”
I can’t promise I’ll be able to do the same either.
Chapter 18
Faith
I’ve always wondered what it’d feel like to find your mate. Hearing stories about it is one thing, but experiencing it is another. I crave Tate’s touch like I can’t get enough of him. Even holding his hand as we walk down the beach feels fantastic. There’s a burning feeling inside my gut that aches for more. Last night, Tate did what he said and held me in his arms all night. It’s the best sleep I’ve had in a long time.
“Happy to help,” Tate says in my mind.
I smack his arm. “Nosy, much?”
“Hey, you’re the one thinking it.”
We can laugh and banter back and forth with each other, which I’ve always thought would be important when finding a mate. I look over at Tate and smile. I have to believe the goddess of the moon listened to my prayers. Maybe we do get the choice on who our mates are.
Tate meets my gaze and grins back. The sand feels amazing on my feet, and the hot summer weather is perfect. It almost makes me feel as if our troubles are far behind us, but in all reality, we’re in more danger than I could ever imagine.
“Not that I don’t love spending time with you, but I have a feeling these next two weeks are going to move like molasses,” I say.
Tate’s grin fades. “Yeah, you’re probably right. Would you still agree to complete the bond so quickly if you didn’t have others hunting you down?”
“I would seal the deal tonight if it was the full moon.” The words play out in my mind before I can even say them.
Tate squeezes my hand and pulls me to him. “That’s all I needed to hear.” It’s going to take some getting used to with him in my head.
He kisses me, and I wrap my arms around his neck. “I’m ready to be yours, Tate. Nothing is going to change that.” His cock twitches, and I bite my lip, wishing like hell I could control myself. I’m ready to feel him inside of me like I saw in the vision.
“Should we head back?” Tate asks, trying to hold back a smile. I know he heard what I just thought in my mind.
“Sure,” I reply, feeling my cheeks burn.
He squeezes my hand, and we slowly walk down the beach toward the house. The crystal blue water is calm because of the barrier reef, so no waves are crashing against the shore. It’s very calming and serene.
“There’s something we need to talk about, Faith.”
Brows furrowed, I look into his eyes. “What’s wrong?”
He shrugs. “Nothing’s wrong. It’s just we haven’t talked about what’s going to happen after the full moon.”
“What do you mean?”
Sighing, he peers out at the ocean and then back to me. “I don’t want to take you away from your family and friends. I know you just got your sister and brother back.” He stands in front of me and takes both of my hands in his. “What I want to know is if you’ll be happy with my pack.”
His concern is endearing, and it’s one of the things I admire about him. How did I ever get so lucky? Tears burn my eyes, and my heart swells with more love for him. “By your side is where I belong, Tate. Will I miss my family? Of course, but I’m happy to know I’ll soon be a part of your pack.” I can feel his relief, and it makes me smile. “Besides, you need me in Montana. Someone has to make that yard of yours look decent.”
He tilts his head back and laughs. “Hey, I think it looks pretty amazing right now.” It does, but I have to give him hell. “What about your teaching job? You’re supposed to start in the Fall.”
I was looking forward to the position, but I have to believe there’ll be other opportunities in Montana. “It’s okay. I can find something else to do.”
His grin widens. “I think I have an idea.”
“Do tell,” I reply.
“What would you say about working for me? Anna said she knows a ton of people who’ll pay big money to have you paint for them.”
This makes me smile. “I’d be happy to. I want to share my art with the world in any way I can.”
He brings my hand up to his lips and kisses it gently. “I know you want to see the world, Faith. I’m going to do everything I can to make sure that happens.”
I step closer to him. Yes, traveling the world was the only thing I wanted once I got my freedom, but it’s not as important now. “I’m not in a hurry. Having you is all I need.”
His eyes flash, and I can feel his desire to claim me. “How did I get so lucky?”
A chuckle escapes my lips. “I asked myself the same question earlier.”
After we got back to the house, we drove to the market on Cudjoe Key since it was the closest. Our dinner consisted of grilled chicken, roasted potatoes, and green beans. Tate grilled the chicken while I did the rest. He’s determined to catch our dinner one night by reeling in some snapper. He says he catches fish all the time in the lake by his Montana house. Luckily, the place we’re renting has a utility room full of heavy-duty fishing rods.
Time started ticking by, and I didn’t realize how nervous I was for the night to come. I know what I want. My body yearns for Tate’s touch, my wolf is dying to claim him, and my heart is so full I feel as if it’s going to explode. My whole life I’ve had to be strong, to show no weakness. Feeling nervous is not something I’m used to. Tate didn’t say a word when I told him I wanted to take a shower. I’m pretty sure he could tell I was tense, but at least, it’s in a good way. Standing in the hot running water and listening to it rush down the drain helped clear my mind. I’m ready to give myself to him in every way.
I turn off the water and open the shower door to grab my towel. Closing my eyes, I listen to the sounds around me. Tate’s in the bedroom, which is just on the other side of the bathroom door. The TV is on, but I know it’s not loud enough to drown out the sound of my rapidly beating heart.
Wrapping the towel around my body, I stop at the door and release my breath. When I open the door, I look at Tate lying on the bed, and all the nervousness disappears. He has one arm behind his head, still dressed in his gray T-shirt and jeans. He turns off the television and looks over at me, his lips parting into a seductive smirk.
“There’s no rush, Faith.”
“I know,” I whisper, letting the towel drop to the floor. His eyes flash as he takes in my bare body, and I know he’s holding back the urge to ravish me. “But I’m ready for this.” I stalk closer to the bed. “I’m ready for you to make love to me.” Those words are all it takes for the fire to consume him. Hell, I can feel the burn too.
>
In one quick motion, Tate is off the bed and picking me up in his arms. I wrap my legs around his waist, loving the feel of his hardness against me. A low growl escapes his lips as he places me on the bed, his body covering mine.
“I don’t want to hurt you.”
I look up into his glowing blue eyes. “You’re not going to.”
He lowers his lips to my neck, up to my cheek, and across my lips. I devour him, tasting him greedily. I don’t think I can get enough. Tate’s soft, warm lips trail across my breasts, and he sucks my nipple like a ravenous wolf. I arch my back, wanting him to suck harder. My insides tighten and clench with need. He separates my legs with his knee and thrusts his hips against me. The movement alone has me close to orgasm.
“Please, Tate. Make love to me,” I say, voice husky and breathless.
Smirking seductively, he takes my bottom lip between his teeth. “I have to make sure you’re ready.”
Taking his hand, I slide it between my legs so he can feel how wet I am. “I’m way past ready.”
A deep, satisfied growl rumbles in his chest. “Yes, you are.” He rubs my clit gently before slowly entering me with his long, warm fingers, thrusting them inside of me. I move my hips along with his strokes, and the orgasm builds until there’s no way I can stop it from coming.
“Tate,” I cry out, closing my eyes as the force of my release has me exploding from the inside out.
When I open my eyes, Tate’s heated gaze is on mine. “You are so fucking sexy.”
I grab the waistband of his jeans. “I need more. And I know you do too.”
His eyes flash to his wolf’s, and his need overcomes me. He slides off the bed and removes his shirt and jeans within seconds. My body trembles at the sight of his naked body. Biting my lip, I spread my legs wide, inviting him in. He climbs on top of me, holding my face in his hands as he gets into position. Without wasting any time, he enters me deeply, and I hold my breath. The sensation of him filling me is euphoric.
