by Kasey Belle
“That’s it?” he asked with incredulous shock.
“What were you expecting? Shock?” Mirth danced in her eyes.
Koda fought his grin when Ella placed her palms to her cheeks and donned a wide-eyed shocked expression as if her parents had accidentally left her home alone. He narrowed his eyes and scowled because he could.
“No?” She tapped her lips with an index finger. “Hmm. Then perhaps you expected… pity?”
He couldn’t hold in his laughter at her over exaggerated soap opera-esque expression. That shit was at the very least Emmy worthy. “Brat.”
Chapter 12
Koda sat and reattached his prosthetic before asking if she was finished eating. He took away her tray stating he was going to check in with Hal. Then, ordered her not to move, because he was coming right back.
Not ten minutes later, Koda walked back into the room. His eyes shone with satisfaction when he found her still in bed.
She smiled up at him. There would be no preamble. Ella knew who and what she wanted. “We can have that sex now, if you―.” Ella’s offer didn’t completely make it past her lips before Koda was pressing his lips to hers. She’d never seen anyone move that fast. He took her mouth demanding entry which she gladly gave. Damn he tasted good.
He grasped the hem of her sweatshirt removing his mouth from her lips long enough to tug it over her head. He explored bare torso while he did the same to her mouth. He cupped her breast circling her nipples with his thumbs until they were tight peaks. He leaned back and studied her breasts.
“Dusky pink. Beautiful,” he proclaimed with awe. He glanced up at her. “I wondered what color your nipples were.”
“Oh.” Good to know.
He kissed her again making his way to her jaw and down her neck to her sternum. He dropped to his knees and planted open mouth kisses to her abdomen then teased her belly button with his tongue. She giggled making him smile. He tugged her yoga pants over her hips and down her thighs. Koda tapped her left calf urging her to step out of her pants. He ran his large rough hands up her legs, leaving goosebumps in their wake. He settled his hands on her hips before leaning in and placing a soft lingering kiss above the perfectly trimmed triangle at her sex.
“You’re so damn beautiful,” he murmured against her skin then pushed to his feet.
She grinned, allowing her hands to wander over the cotton fabric that covered his chest. “I happen to think you’re pretty hot yourself.” Ella glanced up at him through her lashes. “It’s unfair that I’m the only one who’s naked. Take off your clothes.”
He took a step back, reached up, grabbed the back of his shirt, and tugged it over his head in typical male fashion. There was something so sexy about that maneuver. Good lord. The man was beautiful. He only had a slight dusting of hair on his chiseled chest and a faint line between his abdominal muscles to his belly button. It was an extremely happy trail as far as Ella was concerned.
Glancing down at himself, Koda shrugged. “I couldn’t shift. Even though, I have enhanced healing abilities I was left with scarring.”
“You’re beautiful Koda.” The way his muscles bunched and flexed as he moved. There wasn’t a part of him that didn’t scream strength.
He looked skeptical. “If you say so.”
“I do say so. You own a fucking mirror and you’re not blind, so don’t argue with me. Women don’t like that, especially this one.”
“I never would have guessed,” he responded dryly. He pushed his jeans and black boxer briefs down his hips to his knees. His hard cock nestled in trimmed dark hair curved toward his belly button and his balls hung heavily between his legs. He was the poster boy of masculinity. Ella instinctively licked her lips.
Koda growled. “Stop that or this will be over before it starts. Lay back on the bed, feet on the mattress, legs spread.” He tapped her ass to get her moving.
Ella crawled to the middle of the bed. She could feel his eyes on her. Koda’s needy groan told her he liked the view. She assumed the ordered position.
Koda sat and pulled his jeans and boxers the rest of the way, then removed his prosthetic. He climbed onto the foot of the bed. Kneeling in front of her, he stared down at her. His heated gaze raked over her like a physical touch. She was wet for him already. Her juices leaked from her pussy and he hadn’t even touched her yet. He licked his lips.
Stretching out on the mattress, Koda wedged himself between her knees She looked down the length of her body as anticipation darted through her. Koda looked up at her with hooded eyes and pressed his nose to her and inhaled.
“Fuck, you smell delicious.” He kissed and nibbled the inside of each thigh driving her insane.
Koda definitely knew what he was doing. She suppressed the surge of jealousy at the thought of how he obtained his mad skills. The feeling was completely irrational. Both of them, were almost thirty. He wasn’t a virgin, and neither was she. Still the thought of him with other women irked her.
He smirked as if reading her mind. His broad hands slid under her and cupped her ass. He tilted her making her legs fall open. Koda ran his tongue from bottom of her slit to her clit. He circled her bundle of nerves with the tip of his tongue before starting over.
Ella tried to roll her hips, but his unyielding grip held her immobile. She had no choice but to accept what he gave her. He took her to the edge twice before taking pity on her. Koda latched on to her clit sending her over. She screamed his name and her orgasm crashed over her. He continued to manipulate her drawing out the moment until she begged him to stop. Her body shuddered and spasmed as he eased her down with open mouthed kisses to her body.
He finally pulled away from her body. Her eyes fluttered open. Koda licked his lips as if he’d just had the most delicious treat. He looked as satisfied as she felt which didn’t make sense considering the straining erection that curved toward his navel.
“Just so you know, now that I’ve had my mouth on you, I plan to do that all the time.”
“Okay,” she sighed making him snicker.
Ella was still catching her breath when Koda climbed over her and flipped onto his back. Surely they weren’t done. She turned her head to look at him and he smiled at the silent question in her eyes.
He cupped the back of her head and pulled her in for a lingering kiss. “I’m going to make you mine, Ella Quinn. If you object, do so now.”
The feral glint in his eyes and the promises it held made her giddy. She had no plans to deny him. “I can’t wait.”
“Cowgirl up, baby.” He wagged his eyebrows. “I need my hands free.”
He grasped his erection and angling it towards the ceiling as she pushed to her knees. She threw a leg over his lean hips and lowered herself until the tip of his cock kissed her pussy. Her body opened to him and she slowly sank do until Koda was seated as deeply as he could go.
Strong, calloused fingers gripped her hips and Ella hoped they left bruises. Marks she could admire in the mirror for days. Koda remained still, giving her body time to adjust. His shaft pulsed inside her with every beat of his heart. Ella braced her hand against his chest and lifted her hips until only the tip of his cock remained inside her then slammed back down until her body was once again flush with his. Fuck. That felt sublime. She repeated the maneuver a few more times, then began riding him in earnest.
She sped up, losing focus of everything around her except her building need. The orgasm he’d given her using his mouth had been amazing. This one would probably kill her, but oh what a way to go.
Koda gasped and grunted beneath her fueling her desire. His hands moved up her body to cup her breasts before pinching her nipples. Ella moaned and muscles tightened in her core. The raw, carnal sound of their skin slapping together heightened her desire. She lost her rhythm. Koda pulled her towards his body, wrapped his arms around her flipping their position so he was on top.
Ella curled her legs around his hips, locking her ankles at the small of his back. Koda’s hand grabbed her thigh
while he propped himself up with the other. He thrust his hips pounding into her. Ella’s orgasm remained out of reach. She needed… something.
Koda pressed his face in the crook of her neck. She felt a sharp pain then a sensation washed over making her cry out. Her body bowed beneath his as an orgasm slammed through until she thought she would splinter apart.
Koda groaned against her skin as he thrust one last time. Her name fell from his lips as he came bathing her womb with his seed.
Koda’s heavy, quivery body pressed her into the mattress. He made a move to pull away but Ella held on tight. She loved his weight on top of her.
“I’m too heavy, Ella.”
“Just a few more minutes.”
She felt him grin. “Okay.” He licked a sore spot at the juncture between her neck and shoulder.
Now that her mind wasn’t clouded with sex haze, she realized the sharp pain had been him biting her. “So we’re mated now?”
“Yes, spitfire.” He pressed back on his elbows and gazed down at her. His content smile and peaceful expression brought tears to her eyes.
“Baby?” Worry clouded his eyes. He cupped her cheek brushing a tear away with his thumb. “Did I do something to hurt you? Are you in pain?”
Ella shook her head. “You’re happy.”
He jerked back in surprise then grinned as if he just realized it himself. “How could I not be? You’re finally mine.”
Cupping his face in her hands, she was overcome with such a sense of rightness that now made up her world. “I can feel you. It’s like we’re one.”
“That’s the mating bond.” He leaned in and kissed her long and slow. “I love you, Ella.”
His declaration made fresh tears leak from her eyes. “I love you, too.”
Koda held her hips to him so he wouldn’t slip out of her body and rolled over. She snuggled against his chest tucking her head under his chin. He fumbled for the bedding and cursed when he couldn’t reach it. Ella giggled causing his softening cock to slip from her. They both moaned at the loss. She reached for the sheets and covered cooling bodies. Koda wrapped his arms protectively around her and they fell asleep.
Chapter 13
They hadn’t gotten much sleep. Koda woke her several times during the night, not that Ella was complaining. Especially after he woke her from a sound sleep already moving inside her. It was by far the best morning wake up she’d ever had.
Ella laid her head on Koda’s chest still attempting to catch her breath. His heart beating a rapid tattoo in her ear reminding her once again how lucky she was Koda had survived that fateful day. She rubbed her foot along Koda’s damaged leg ignoring his instinctive flinch. She wanted him to know that she wasn’t bothered in the least bit, not by his scars or his leg. His injuries were a part of him, like his wolf. To her they represented life. The damage the IED caused could have been so much worse. He could have died.
“I guess now I know why you were so upset and worried about Vinny being accepted by the pack when I told you I would have to amputate his foot.” She tilted her head up from where it lay on his chest to look at his face. “Is that what your pack did to you?”
Dakoda’s expression turned sheepish. “Um, well―”
“Wait. Hold up.” Ella raised her hand and silenced Koda. She sat up his eyes immediately focused on her bare breasts. “Eyes up here, buddy,” she scolded then covered herself with the sheet.
He frowned. “Hey, I was looking at those.”
“Really? You were so covert about it I didn’t notice.” She shot him a sarcastic smirk. “Ogle later. We need to discuss this now.”
He pressed his head into the pillow and groaned. “I don’t want to discuss anything. I want you to lay back down here with me and feel your skin on mine.”
If the situation wasn’t so serious she would have laughed at his petulance. For such a strong, masculine man Koda sure did an excellent impression of a sulking child.
“Your family never actually said you weren’t welcome, did they?” Koda’s expression told her the answer was a big, fat no. “Oh my god. Wow. You didn’t just climb up on that cross, you nailed yourself to it.”
“What the hell is that supposed mean? Are suggesting I’m a martyr?”
“I’m not sure what you are, other than a stubborn ass.”
Koda sat up and growled. “You didn’t see the way they looked at me or the way they acted.”
“Explain it to me then.” Maybe she was wrong and his family and pack were a bunch of assholes. If that was the case than fuck them and good riddance. However, Ella had a sneaky suspicion this situation was all on Koda.
“They avoided me, mostly. When they didn’t, they pitied me.”
“Did you act towards them the way you did with me before you pulled your head out of your butt?”
He shrugged a shoulder.
“Right. I would have avoided you, too, if I was them. I’m going to go out on a limb here and say you didn’t act like a complete ass before you were injured.”
He shot her a frown. “Quit calling me an ass.”
“If the cheeks fit. I noticed you didn’t deny you were one.”
The muscles in his jaw pulsed then in a quiet voice he said, “They wouldn’t shift in front of me.” The pain in his expression was almost too much for her to bear. “They felt sorry for me because I couldn’t run with them.”
She instinctively knew that wasn’t the reason his pack shifted in secret. They were afraid it would make Koda feel bad. It was misguided, but people often did the wrong thing with good intentions, because they thought they helping when in fact, unbeknownst to them, they were making matters worse.
She smacked his chest. He grabbed her wrist, drew her hand to his mouth, and kissed her palm. “That wasn’t pity, Koda. It was concern and most likely also sadness.” Ella placed a finger over his lips when he started to speak. “For you. They were worried about you. Have you spoken to your family at all since you left home?”
He shook his head.
“Have they bothered to reach out?” If they hadn’t she wouldn’t suggest he do so either. If they cared at all, they wouldn’t have left him to wallow in self-pity.
Koda chewed his lip and nodded. “My mom calls once a week, to check on me,” he muttered.
“Once a week?” Oh, this just kept getting better and better. Ella needed a thesaurus so she could find a better word than stubborn to describe her mate. It was too tame a word.
He nodded. His eyes shifted to the right avoiding her gaze. “She also invites me to family dinners and stuff.”
“Your mom invites you to dinner every week?”
He shook his head. “Dinner is once a month.”
“Right. So what? You don’t answer the phone?”
He shrugged then shook his head. “She always leaves a message though.”
Ella was speechless. She pushed out of his arms and climbed off the bed. Feeling his eyes on her naked body, she grabbed his t-shirt off the floor and pulled it on over her head then began pacing. She raised her eyes to the heavens. “Why? What did I ever do to you? I wasn’t a horrible child. Ask my father. Yes, I did some bad stuff, but it wasn’t like I kicked puppies or beat up old ladies.” She stopped and tilted her head back. “The punishment does not fit the crime. This curse is ridiculous. Am I paying for transgressions from a former life?”
“Um, babe? Who are talking to?” Concern marred Koda’s voice.
She turned to him planting her hands on her hips. “Whatever deity is listening and may feel generous enough to explain why they stuck me with your stubborn ass.” She glanced around the floor. “Where the hell is my phone? I need a thesaurus,” she muttered to herself.
Koda rolled to the side of the bed, reached out and snagged her hand. He tugged on it making her fall against his chest. “You weren’t complaining last night or this morning.”
“Orgasms will do that to a girl.” She pushed against his chest. “Stop trying to distract me from the fact that
your family obviously loves you. Oh, I also surmised―because I’m not a moron―they live a hell of a lot closer than you let on.”
Koda sighed and pressed his forehead to her sternum. “Why do you have to be so smart?”
The pout in his tone made her smile. “Because the universe knew you’d walk all over a dumb woman?” She teased. “It’ll take every brain cell I have to keep you in line.”
He peered up at her wearing a wry grin. “That’s sounds about right.”
Elle ran her fingers through his silky hair. “Where do they live, Koda?” she prompted.
“My land butts up to pack land,” he answered reluctantly.
“So their house is what? On the other side of the county?”
He nodded.
“When is the next family dinner?”
“A month from yesterday. Falls on my mother’s birthday.”
“We’re going.”
His eyes went wide, and he peered up at her with a wary expression. “Baby, I haven’t been home in over four years. Maybe we should wait to decide until my mother calls next week and I discuss it with her.”
“No. You obviously have a standing invitation. When she calls you again, you won’t answer her call either just like all the others. We’re going to surprise your mother with the best birthday present ever―” Ella tapped the tip of his nose. “―the return of her prodigal son.”
“Are you sure this is a good idea?”
Ella climbed onto his lap and placed her knees on either side of his hips straddling his thighs. Koda’s large hands palmed her ass as he held her tight against his groin. His hard length nestled at her apex. “Yes. I promise it is. Trust me, please.”
Koda nuzzled her neck before placing a kiss to her mating mark. “I do. I trust you with my life.”
Koda tugged on the hem of his t-shirt. “As sexy as you look in my clothes, you need to take this off. I’m not done with you yet.”
“Yet, implies that you will be one day.”
He growled and fisted the neck of the shirt ripping it down the middle. “Never. Not in this lifetime or the next. You saved me Ella.” He gripped her hips and lifted her until the head of his cock kissed her opening. “So wet already.” He pushed her down and slowly pressed up, filling her. “I have a life because of you.”
