by Julia Mills
Walking forward until her back touched the wall, the need to be buried deep inside his mate drove his every move. Rory put one hand on the wall by Claire’s head for balance and the other under her bum. Leaning his head back, he looked into her heavily lidded eyes, seeing the same incredible love and desire he felt reflected in their dreamy grey depths. They were in this together, all the way, for all times.
“Claire, mo ghra’, I love you with all that I am,” he struggled to speak but needed to tell her how he felt and hear the same from her. He had to know she wanted him as much as he wanted her.
“And I love you, you crazy dragon. Please, by all that is holy make love...”
She never got to finish her plea as the sound of his front door opening was immediately followed by, “Hey y’all! Anybody home?”
Then, “You better be decent cause if not you’re gonna be embarrassed.”
Royce and Kyra had arrived.
Groaning his misery at their situation, Rory let his forehead fall forward, landing on her shoulder. Thankfully, Claire saw the humor in the situation and chuckled as she kissed the top of his head.
“Ain’t family great? Just remember this when the girls come calling. Trust me, my cousins are not ones to worry about boundaries. Nothing is off limits with that lot.” She ruffled his curls, something he’d hated as a kid but seriously enjoyed when she did it. “You better let me down, dragon man, so I can throw some clothes on before that brother of yours knocks on the door.”
Sighing a long suffering sigh, he kissed her one more time for good measure before removing his hand from her bum and stepping back as she slid down his body until her toes were on the floor. He watched the tantalizing sway of her hips as she disappeared into his walk-in closet to get dressed. Holding the wall to keep from falling over at just the sight, it was all he could do to not run after her, barricade the door, and make love to her until neither one of them could stand up. However, he knew if he even tried, Royce would just knock the door down and probably have an audience with him to boot.
Jerk would probably plaster pictures of my bare ass on the internet. Worse yet, put videos on YouTube.
Rory was laughing at his own thoughts when Claire emerged dressed in another of his T-shirts, but this time she had on his flannel pajama pants. Both man and dragon growled their approval and vowed to hide the clothes her cousins had promised to bring for her. There was something wonderfully primal about seeing her dressed in his clothes, showing the whole world she was his. It didn’t matter that the shirt almost touched her knees and the hem of the pant legs were rolled up four or five times. It only mattered that she was his...forever.
She smiled and chuckled as she looked him over from head to toe. “You do know you’re still naked, right?”
“Oh, I know.” He waggled his eyebrows while walking toward her. Just as he would’ve walked past, he grabbed her hand, pulled Claire to his chest, and growled, “You look good enough to eat,” then nibbled up her neck.
Claire softly moaned and relaxed against him. It was the only invitation Rory needed. To hell with his brother. To hell with waiting. He needed his mate and he needed her now. Just about to drag her to bed, the youngest O’Reilly brother nearly lost his mind when, for the second time, the front door opened with a bang and Rian yelled, “You better get your ass down here or I’m coming to get you and I don’t have a problem dragging your bare ass down the stairs kicking and screaming.”
“Rian!” Audrey scolded, which would’ve been funny had Rory not wished they were anywhere else in the whole world at that moment other than in his home.
“Son of a...” Claire’s fingers on his lips stopped Rory’s curse.
“There’ll be plenty of time later. Your family just got you back from near death, not once but twice. Cut ‘em a little slack.” Her cheeky grin, along with her ability to take his crazy brothers antics in stride, only made him love her more. Then she added, “Besides, I’m pretty sure you’re very deserving of everything they’re dishing out.”
“Well...” he winked before kissing the tip of her nose, stepping around her, and heading for the closet to grab some clothes. Looking over his shoulder, he saw Claire eyeing his backside and couldn’t help but give a little wiggle. As she laughed out loud, Rory knew he would do whatever he needed to do to hear that amazing sound every day of his life.
By the time they got downstairs the rest of his Force had arrived and the party was in full swing. Rian had given Claire’s cousins the keys to the newly renovated house at the end of the street so they could stay until after the mating ceremony, which he spent the whole evening trying to convince his lovely mate should be the next day. She, however, had other plans, and to the youngest O’Reilly brother’s chagrin, everyone took her side.
“Now, that’s just not fair y’all.” He turned to Kellan. “Come on, buddy. You’re supposed to have my back.”
“Oh, I’ve got your back but Claire’s prettier. Sorry, dude. There’s just something about a good-looking woman that I can’t say no to.”
Rory feigned a pout then laughed out loud when Kellan snickered and shook his head. He really didn’t care what side his scarred friend took, it was just good to see his oldest friend getting comfortable with Claire and her family. Kell had been through enough. It was time he got back to the fun-loving guy he had been before the accident.
Pulling him from his thoughts, Maddox asked, “So what the hell are we gonna do about finding the griffins? I don’t like that they’re still out there planning only the Heavens know what.”
The words were barely out of his mouth when the doorbell rang, and before Rory could yell ‘Come in’, the door opened and in walked Max and Juan Carlos. As if he’d been there all along, the King answered Maddox’s question.
“I don’t like it either. That’s why I’ve instructed my trackers to run eight hour shifts until the griffins,” Max wrinkled his nose and muttered something in Spanish that Rory was sure was supremely offensive but appropriate, “are found and dealt with.”
Looking at Rian, who nodded, the King then added, “They will, of course, be brought to your clan to be held accountable for their crimes if we apprehend them first.”
It was obvious Rian and Max had already devised a plan. Rory was glad they weren’t wasting any time but had to make sure he wasn’t being excluded. “Are we sending anyone out to help?” he asked, looking first at his oldest brother and then the King of the Big Cats.
“Absolutely,” Rian quickly answered. “Max offered to let us come home to rest and refuel while they got things started. As we all know, there are things the werepanthers can do that we simply cannot and conversely, things we’re better at. And, we now have these lovely ladies and their extraordinary skills which are so needed and very welcome.
“It’s gonna take us all working together to catch these bastards. The griffins are sneaky. They’re not afraid to play dirty. The few dealings I’ve had with Malick always included his mother. It was obvious then, and from what Claire has said is still the case, that Sylvia runs the show. There’s no doubt about it. She only uses her sons because their clan has always been run by a man, but she’s the real leader.”
“And wasn’t Rory supposed to let Niall and I check him out after his second brush with death?” Calysta asked, looking over her tea cup just like Riona used to do when Rory was a child and had disobeyed.
“I got...”
“Leave the boy alone. He’s a grown man. Doesn’t need you telling him what he can and can’t do,” Maddox’s rant interrupted Rory’s reply and ended with the mad dragon throwing his hands in the air, muttering something about crazy old witches, and storming out the back door, which he slammed as he left.
“Stupid idiot,” Calysta muttered under her breath then acted as if she hadn’t said anything when Rory grinned at her.
“What in the hell was that all about?” Lennox asked, tipping back in his chair and looking out the window over the sink to watch Maddox stomp toward the
house he used while staying at the lair.
“I have no clue. He’s been nastier than usual since we came back from hell,” Kellan snorted. “If that’s possible.”
“Perhaps he was infected with something while we were there,” Pearce added, always the caring, calm voice of reason.
“Maddox just needs to get back to his cave. He’s been in civilization too long for his liking,” Kayne explained, but Rory could tell that was only the half of it. Not to mention the looks the demi god and Calysta kept throwing at one another. There was more going on with Maddox than both of them were saying, but the youngest O’Reilly brother didn’t have the time or the inclination to figure it out at that moment.
These things always have a way of working themselves out.
Speaking of looks, he’d caught Kellan stealing looks at Claire’s cousins when he thought they weren’t looking. The old boy really was breaking out of his shell after all these years. Rory would have to get his best friend away from the crowd later and ask which of the aviary shifters Kell was interested in.
When the clock in the hall struck nine, Rory was officially over the crowd. He wanted, no, needed to be alone with his mate. He knew from the smirks on Rian and Royce’s faces that they were doing anything and everything to make the night drag on. Rory thought about shooing them out with a swift kick in the ass but decided that would only make them stay longer. Suffering through the hundredth story about his childhood, this one from Brannoc and definitely not something he wanted Claire to hear about since it involved his abysmal failure at picking up a girl in a bar, Rory was just about to start singing The Party’s Over when Ettie stood and winked at him.
It appeared that Claire had been communicating with her cousins and wanted to be alone with Rory as much as he wanted her all to himself. The eagle shifter faked a huge yawn, complete with a stretch and droopy eyes, before saying, “You guys are too much. This has been a blast but my feathers are drooping. I need my beauty sleep. Whatcha say ladies? How about we head out?”
Nodding in unison, Gabby, Olive, Karleigh, Delilah, and Tilly followed Ettie’s lead. They stood, thanked everyone for the wonderful food and great conversation, and headed toward the door. Pulling the door close to her, Olive turned back and added, “Holler at us before you head out tomorrow.”
“Sure thing,” Rian answered as Audrey crawled off his lap and he stood. Looking at Rory, his oldest brother chuckled, “Guess we better be going too. Unless...”
“Unless nothing!” Rory stood, holding back his laughter while blustering, “Get the hell outta here, the lot of you. What’s a guy gotta do to get some peace in his own home?”
The room erupted in laughter as Kell hollered, “I win! You each owe me twenty dollars.”
“You assholes were betting on this?” Rory couldn’t help but laugh.
“Damn straight! I was sure you wouldn’t even make it an hour before you threw us out,” Lenn teased.
“I had you down for two hours,” Brann added.
“I was sure you wouldn’t even let us in,” Dec added, surprising Rory with a half-grin.
“I refused to participate,” Pearce kept a straight face for almost a whole minute before busting out laughing and admitting, “Okay, okay, I said three hours.”
“And you?” Rory asked Kellan.
“Well, I gave you four hours, didn’t I?” His old friend’s brogue was so pronounced Rory knew the old Kell was definitely fighting his way back.
“But I lasted longer so shouldn’t I get the money?” Rory asked innocently.
“No way in hell. I was the closest. It’s my money,” Kell barked out a laugh while holding out his hand for their other brethren to pay up.
It was then Rory realized his brothers were being uncharacteristically quiet. Looking around the room, he saw them with their arms around their mates trying to sneak out.
“Hey, you two, hold it right there.”
Rian and Royce looked over their shoulders, both at least having the decency to look guilty. Rory would’ve laughed but had to keep a straight face as he asked, “And you want me to believe neither of you placed a bet?”
They looked at each other, then at their mates before looking back to Rory, but still not saying a word.
“So?” Rory pushed.
When his brothers didn’t answer, the youngest O’Reilly brother looked around the room. His brethren all had the exact same guilty looks on their faces as his brothers, and no one was talking. Looking to Claire to see if she knew what was going on, she only snickered and said, “Don’t ask me. They’re your family.”
Deciding it wasn’t worth waiting any longer, Rory shook his head and opened his mouth to speak but never got a word out as Kyra and Audrey burst out laughing. Slowly turning around, the ladies started to speak but couldn’t stop laughing which, of course, made everyone else laugh along. Finally, almost a full minute later, Audrey calmed down enough to say, “It wasn’t Ri and Roy, it was us.” She motioned with her index finger between herself and the little witch.
Still laughing but able to speak, Kyra nodded her head, “Yep! It was us and I gave you fifteen minutes.” Looking at Audrey, the little witch added, “She gave you an hour and fifteen minutes.”
“I see which sister-in-law has my back,” Rory barked with laughter.
“You know it,” Audrey winked then said, “Now, I’m gonna take your pain in the ass oldest brother outta here. It’s not only you two who want to be alone. We’re still on our honeymoon, after all.”
“Yes, we are,” Rian agreed, picking Audrey up, throwing her over his shoulder, and heading out the door. The last Rory saw of them they were both laughing as his oldest brother took off at high speed across the lawn.
“And that’s our cue,” Kyra said, quickly turning to Royce and pointing her finger up at him, “But you pick me up and throw me over your shoulder and I’ll turn you into a toad.”
“Whatever you say, mo ghra’,” Royce chuckled.
“Night y’all,” Kyra called over her shoulder as the couple left hand in hand.
“We’re outta here, too,” Kell slapped Rory on the back.
“Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do,” Lenn laughed.
“Talk to you tomorrow,” Brann shook Rory’s hand.
“Later,” was all Declan said as he opened the front door, leading the way out.
“Take care, you two. See you tomorrow,” Pearce said, closing the door on his way out.
It was then Rory realized Calysta and Kayne had left during all the commotion. There was definitely something up with those two and as soon as he’d spent a month or six with his mate, he’d figure it out. Until then, he had other plans.
Pulling Claire closer, he took the first moment of peace and quiet they’d had since officially meeting less than twenty-four hours before and just looked at her. He touched her cheek with the back of his hand. Ran the tips of his index finger long her soft, kissable lips. Kissed the tip of her nose and most importantly, looked deep into her eyes.
He could feel her heart beating in time with his. Could see the love she already felt for him shining in her eyes. Felt that same all encompassing, life-defining love flowing through their mating bond.
How could I ever have thought I could live without this? Without her?
Needing to kiss his mate more than he needed his next breath, Rory slowly leaned forward, gently laying his lips to her. Their other kisses had been fast and hard and although that was what his dragon was pushing to do, Rory wanted to take it slow. He wanted to savor his mate. It was important to him and from what he could feel from Claire, also important to her, and that mattered more than anything.
Lightly kissing from one corner of her delectable lips to the other, teasing and tasting until he thought he might explode, Rory committed every inch to memory, just as he planned to do with her entire body. He captured every sigh and each tiny moan. They were all for him and he would cherish them forever.
Claire’s hands at his waist fl
exed; her fingers gripping his T-shirt held him in place, spurred him on. Her lips moved under his. Her sweet moans begged him to deepen their kiss, but Rory held back. He wanted her blind with need. He needed her as crazy with love and lust as he was. He wanted to drive them both to the brink of ecstasy and then and only then, have them fall apart together.
Moving to her neck, Rory smiled against her skin as Claire whined at the loss of his lips then moaned as he kissed the tiny spot just behind her ear. Nibbling and kissing his way down her neck, he gently bit the tendon at the base of her neck. Claire gasped. Her fingers untangled from his shirt and pushed through his hair as he licked away the sting of his bite.
She’d apparently had enough of his seduction as she pulled at his curls, forcing his mouth back to hers and immediately taking control of their kiss. Both lost to their desire, they delved into one another. Mates tasting one another with all the passion they could share just as the Universe intended. Desire exploded between them unlike anything he’d ever felt at the first touch of their tongues. Each meeting driving their hunger to heights yet unknown. Filling each other with such intimacy, becoming one through only their kiss. Chest to chest, hip to hip, their bodies mimicked their lips, moving as one in an intimate dance of love and commitment.
Gasping as they separated for air, neither could stand a second apart. Their lips met again. Sparks flew between them. Rory nibbled her bottom lip, sucking it into his mouth, running just the tip of his tongue along her soft, irresistible flesh. Letting go, their tongues once again intermingled, this time more deeply, more passionately, simply more of everything. His tongue glided along her teeth, over the roof of her mouth. He tasted every inch, savored every nuance, memorized every sensation that was his phoenix. Claire’s taste, her essence filled him, claimed him, made him hers...forever... just as she was his.
His hands roamed all over her body. He reveled in her generous curves. His mouth watered with the anticipation of tasting all that was his mate. Kneading her bum, he moaned low in his throat, loving the feel of the firm round globes against the palms of his hands. She leaned even more against him as her hands left his hair and rubbed across his shoulders then down his back. Her nails scored his skin through the fabric of his T-shirt, setting him on fire. The time had come. He could wait no longer. She would be his and that was all there was to it.
