“Mmm. I don’t even remember falling asleep. Did I ever move?”
“Nope. Eight solid hours. You needed it.” His reached to cup her face and then his hand slid down to the spot on her neck where he’d bound them together. “I bit you deeper than necessary.” He fingered the spot lightly.
A tingling sensation gave her a shudder. “All I felt was heaven.”
“It’ll leave a scar.”
“I’ll wear it with honor.” She shot him a coy look. “Though I’ll warn you there’s a good chance I’m going to bite you too at some point today.” It wasn’t necessary to complete the binding. Only one mate needed to do so, but she felt a compulsion to release her serum into his bloodstream too.
He met her gaze. “Makes me hard just imagining it.” His gaze wandered over her body and then back to her face. “You’re mine.”
She smiled wider. Words weren’t necessary.
“I can’t believe it. I’ve been lying here staring down at you blinking to make sure you’re still here.”
“Not going anywhere.”
“I hope you can create this research of yours with only one person’s input because I’m not liable to let you leave my side for about three months.”
She giggled.
“I love that sound.”
Reaching for his face, she cupped his cheek as he turned toward her palm and kissed it. “You think there’s a need for an urban anthropologist in the sleepy town of Silvertip? I can’t imagine what I’m going to do with this degree.”
He laughed. “Sleepy? Silvertip may be small, but I’m betting most of the citizens would kill for one week of calm.” He sobered, narrowing his eyes. “I have no idea what we’ll do about your degree, but we’ll figure it out together. If you’re not in a big hurry and don’t mind hanging on to it for a while, you could take a break and relax this fall. You’ve been working your ass off for years. You don’t have to work. The brewery is thriving. I make decent money.”
She bit her lip, pondering his suggestion. She’d never envisioned herself lounging or anything of the sort. For years she’d worked toward a goal of self-sufficiency, not imagining binding to someone and relying on another being. But life had taken a sharp right turn, and she needed to adjust.
Wyatt interrupted her silence. “If it means a lot to you, we can relocate someplace where you find work.” He stroked her cheek. “All that matters is that we’re together.”
She stared at him. “You’d do that for me?”
He frowned. “I’d do anything for you. I’ve been working in the brewery for ten years, longer if you count part-time in high school and summers. I love it there. I love working with my pack. But not as much as I love you. Not even a close second.”
She ran a hand up his arm. “I’m good with low-key for a while if you think you can handle supporting me in the manner in which I’m accustomed,” she teased.
He laughed. “The woman brings two suitcases to move in with me. I’ve only seen one pair of shoes so far. And she’s worried about me supporting her expensive habits.”
She shrugged. “All I really need is yoga pants and tank tops.”
He rolled over her, supporting himself with his elbows to keep from crushing her. “If that’s all you have in your suitcases, then I suggest you get super comfortable inside the house because I’m never going to let you leave.” He kissed her gently and nibbled a path to her ear.
She sighed. “I might take you up on that. In fact, I don’t think I’ll be needing clothes at all for a while. I’m kinda liking this arrangement so far.” She slid her hands up his muscular back and gripped his shoulder blades. “I’m not sure I’m super clear on how the entire sex thing works. Can you show me again?”
The pulse of his cock as it swelled against her sex was all the answer she needed. “As often as you want.”
“Do you need to be at work today?”
“Nope. And I’m taking the next week off.”
“Without that fake reporter following me around, I think I can neglect my research for a few days.”
“Then we’re set. All we need is food, and we won’t have to leave this room for days.”
“You’re forgetting a few details. We’re going to need to leave this room at least three times.”
He groaned. “For what?”
“The police are going to want a statement this morning.”
“Shit. Right. What else?”
She smiled. “It might be nice to shift and run free in the mountains with my mate at some point. I know we’ve done that twice this week since I got here, but maybe something a bit more low-key without all the stress. Perhaps next time I could lope a bit instead of running full out in an effort to escape my problems.”
He nuzzled her neck. “I like that plan. You’re so gorgeous in your grizzly form. I’ll make sure it happens. What’s the third reason?” he asked her sweet spot.
She sighed, drawing out her last request. “I was hoping to have sex in every room, not just this one.”
He flinched, his arms tightening around her as he lifted his face. “I’ll happily move that request to the top of the list.”
“Promise?”
“Oh yeah, baby. Promise.”
Epilogue
Five months later…
Wyatt stood in the kitchen, finishing his coffee while his mate raced around the room tugging on her shoes while grabbing papers from every available surface. He had to lift his arm so she could duck under it to get by him. “Babe, slow down. You’re going to have a heart attack.”
She lowered onto a kitchen chair to finish putting on her stubborn shoe and then glanced up at him. “Statistically it’s unlikely considering how healthy I am by virtue of not only living in such a clean environment but also eating healthy. Oh, and there’s that grizzly shifter blood.” She winked at him as she jumped up from the chair.
He set his coffee on the counter and sauntered toward her to wrap his arms around her from behind as she continued to straighten papers on the kitchen table. When he set his lips down at the base of her neck, she stopped her actions, tipped her head to one side, and moaned around his distraction.
Perfect. That had been his goal. So far it always worked to calm her and slow her down. “What happened to the woman I mated last summer?” he whispered into her ear.
“She got a job,” she murmured back. “Well, two of them.” She hesitated before adding, “And a lot of counseling.”
She wasn’t kidding about that last part. She’d come a long way since she started seeing a counselor and told her parents what happened to her. Her entire family had gotten involved in helping Paige heal even though her parents had been in Australia. She had seen her brother and sister more times than he could count in the last few months.
“I think I liked it better when she was bored and…calmer,” he teased.
She spun around in his arms and set her hands on his chest, meeting his gaze. “You don’t mean that.”
“No.” He grinned.
She sighed, her shoulders relaxing. “Am I really out of control?”
“A little bit, yes.” He smiled. “But I love you anyway. Do whatever works for you.”
She bit her lower lip and then released it. “Do you think I’ve taken on too much?”
He shook his head. “No. I just think you’re an over-achiever and you haven’t found a balance yet. You’re trying to prove yourself to too many people at once.”
She nodded. “You’re probably right.”
He lowered his face until only inches separated their lips. “The principal at the high school adores you, and he was desperate to hire someone with your qualifications. I don’t think he cares if you return your students’ papers the very next day after they take a test or write a paper.”
“I know, but I’m still trying to impress everyone. I’m the outsider, and I came in mid semester. I just want to be sure everyone knows I can do the job even though I don’t have a teaching degree.”
“You have a masters in urban anthropology. You’re more than qualified.” He held her tighter, kissing her gently to soften her a bit more. “And you know you don’t have to drive like a bat out of hell to get from your morning classes to the brewery, right? Slow down. No one is judging you there, either.”
“I’m new there too, Wyatt. Most of your family is leery about me in the first place. They don’t even understand what I do.”
Wyatt kissed her again. “They’ll come around. The ones who matter most love you and totally understand the need for product development research. Without you, we have no one to help determine what the next best-selling malt beverage will be at Glacial Brewing Company.” He said those last words with flare.
She pushed on his chest. “Okay. Great. Nice chat. I gotta go. I’m going to be late.”
“You won’t be late. You have an hour. It’s a ten-minute drive to the school.”
“You never know what the traffic will be like.”
Now he laughed. “We aren’t in Calgary, babe. There aren’t enough cars in Silvertip to create a traffic jam.”
She huffed at him, rolling her eyes. “You know what I mean.”
He did. He knew everything he needed to know. His mate had been climbing the walls for weeks since she’d finished her degree. He needed to be grateful she’d found more than enough work to occupy herself because if she hadn’t landed some sort of job soon, he feared they would have needed to move to find her work and keep her sane.
He could have quit his job at the brewery, and he would have done anything for her, but it would have been tough leaving his family. They were close. It was bad enough Joselyn and Alton were still in Calgary. At least they had their new extended family, though. Paige’s brother and sister were like siblings to Wyatt’s sister and Alton. When her parents returned from their Sabbatical on Saturday, Joselyn and Alton would have even more support.
Suddenly, Paige took a deep breath and relaxed in his arms. She leaned more fully against his chest and squeezed him around the middle. “I have been a bit crazy lately, haven’t I?”
“Maybe a little,” he teased as he threaded his fingers into the hair at the back of her neck. “But I love you anyway.” He tugged her head back to meet her gaze. “I’ll support you in whatever you want to do. I just want you to be happy.”
She smiled. “I’m the happiest woman alive.” And then she lifted onto her tiptoes and claimed his lips in a kiss that was much more than a peck. When she finally released his lips to settle back on her heels, she was still grinning. “Bear with me while I settle into these two jobs. I know I’m frantic, but I just want to make good impressions.”
“You’re an amazing woman, Paige.” He meant that. And he loved her so much it hurt most days. Even watching her race around the kitchen made his heart beat faster. She had so much vitality.
She tipped her head to one side. “You want to have lunch? I could bring something when I get done teaching.”
“Sounds like a plan. Surprise me.” He stepped back, knowing he was going to drive her bonkers soon if he didn’t let her leave so she could beat all that Silvertip traffic.
As she raced for the back door with her satchel over her shoulder and her coat hanging from her arm, she stopped in the doorway. “Oh, shit, I forgot. I’m supposed to meet Gavin for lunch.”
Wyatt chuckled. “It’s okay. Pencil me in for tomorrow. How’s he doing?”
She shrugged. “He’s adjusting. It’s weird as hell, but he’s also the happiest I’ve ever seen him.”
“Good. Enjoy your lunch. I’ll see you this afternoon when you get to the brewery.”
“Okay.”
“And don’t forget your parents are returning on Saturday. We need to head to Calgary in the morning for the welcome-home party.”
“Right. Got it.” She slapped her forehead.
He chuckled. They were her parents. How had she forgotten? “Drive carefully.” Wyatt turned away to head down the hall and finish getting ready for work.
He had only made it a few steps before she called out to him. “Wyatt?”
“Yeah?” He turned around to find her staring at him. Her face was soft and filled with emotion. He thought she might cry. What the hell?
“I just wanted to say I love you. You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me, and I’m the luckiest shifter alive.”
“I love you too. Now get out of here before I decide we both need to call in sick and head back to the bedroom.”
She giggled and raced out the door.
For a long time, he stood there, listening to her car start and then watching it pull away out the front window.
She was wrong. His heart was full because it was actually he who was the luckiest shifter alive. But he wouldn’t argue with her because half of the reason he was so blessed was simply from her believing what she’d said.
Finally, he turned around, headed down the hall, and entered the bedroom. Her scent filled the space. It filled the house. His steps were light. His world was perfect.
About the Author
Becca Jameson is the best-selling author of the Wolf Masters series and The Fight Club series. She lives in Atlanta, Georgia, with her husband and two kids. With almost 50 books written, she has dabbled in a variety of genres, ranging from paranormal to BDSM. When she isn’t writing, she can be found jogging with her dog, scrapbooking, or cooking. She doesn’t sleep much, and she loves to talk to fans, so feel free to contact her through e-mail, Facebook, or her website.
…where Aphas dominate
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Other Books by this Author:
Arcadian Bears:
Grizzly Mountain (Book 1)
Grizzly Beginning (Book 2)
Grizzly Promise (Book 3)
Sleeper SEALs:
Saving Zola (Book 4) (October 17, 2017)
Spring Training:
Catching Zia (Book 1)
Catching Lily (Book 2)
Catching Ava (Book 3)
Wolf Masters series:
Kara's Wolves (Book 1)
Lindsey's Wolves (Book 2)
Jessica's Wolves (Book 3)
Alyssa's Wolves (Book 4)
Tessa's Wolf (Book 5)
Rebecca's Wolves (Book 6)
Melinda's Wolves (Book 7)
Laurie's Wolves (Book 8)
Amanda's Wolves (Book 9)
Sharon's Wolves (Book 10)
Durham Wolves series:
Rescue in the Smokies (Book 1)
Fire in the Smokies (Book 2)
Freedom in the Smokies (Book 3)
Wolf Gatherings series:
Tarnished (Book 1)
Dominated (Book 2)
Completed (Book 3)
Redeemed (Book 4)
Abandoned (Book 5)
Betrayed (Book 6)
Emergence series:
Bound to be Taken (Book 1)
Bound to be Tamed (Book 2)
Bound to be Tested (Book 3)
Bound to be Tempted (Book 4)
The Fight Club series:
Come (Book 1)
Perv (Book 2)
Need (Book 3)
Hers (Book 4)
Want (Book 5)
Lust (Book 6)
The Underground series:
Force (Book 1)
Clinch (Book 2)
Guard (Book 3)
Submit (Book 4)
Thrust (Book 5)
Torque (Book 6)
Saving Sofia (Kindle World)
The Art of Kink series:
Pose (Book 1)
Paint (Book 2)
Sculpt (Book 3)
Claiming Her series:
The Rules (Book 1)
The Game (Book 2)
The Prize (B
ook 3)
Stand Alone Books:
Abducting His Mate
Blind with Love
Guarding the Truth
Out of the Smoke
Three's a Cruise
Wolf Trinity
Frostbitten
Free Reads:
Lucky's Charms (Anthology)
Love in the Cards (Anthology)
Wrap (The Art of Kink, Book 5)
Anthologies:
2015 BDSM Writers Con Anthology (Anthology)
Royally Mine
Hartwood Publishing delights in introducing authors and stories that open eyes, encourage thought, and resonate in the hearts of our readers.
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