Ramsey smiled. “You know, for someone who’s only been human a few weeks, you sure are smart.”
“I’ve watched humans for centuries, and I’ve had a particular interest in courtship over the years. One thing has always been apparent. A good marriage takes work, especially once the children start arriving.”
“I think I’ll take tomorrow off to watch Rafe and book her a spa day. Lord knows she deserves it.”
“Now you’re thinking.” Adriel smiled. “May I ask you something?”
“Sure.”
“As I said, I’ve studied humans over the years, but... well, watching them is one thing, being one is another. How did you know that Harper was your mate?”
“I couldn’t stop thinking about her, and the thought of living my life without her... well, it was unspeakable. I realized that I would die a little inside every day that we were apart. When she told me she was pregnant, that was the happiest moment of my life. I hadn’t planned on having kids just yet, but just knowing that the baby was part of her, part of us, was incredible. When I thought about her swollen with my child, I realized that I wanted to forever be with her.”
Adriel nodded. “Is it like that with all shapeshifters?”
Ramsey’s eyes narrowed.. “Is there a particular shapeshifter you’re asking about? You haven’t been with us long, but I’ve heard the women have been flocking to you. Did one catch your fancy?”
“Kinley. We had a date the other night, and I haven’t been able to stop thinking about her. For that matter, I couldn’t stop thinking about her before the date. She’s been on my mind a lot lately.”
“Kinley’s a good girl. She’s young, but not too young to settle down. Did she give you any indication that she might have feelings for you?”
“She said she was almost certain I was her mate. I guess I just wondered what would make her certain.” Adriel dropped his gaze. “I already know I want to spend the rest of my life with her. I guess I’m just worried she won’t feel the same, that she’ll change her mind.”
“Adriel.” The ex-angel looked up. “If there’s one thing I’ve learned about women, particularly those of a paranormal nature, once they’ve decided someone is their mate, that’s it for them. They don’t want anyone else. Now, I don’t know much about sugar gliders, but I’d be willing to bet that she’s more than a little certain you’re her mate. Wouldn’t surprise me at all to discover that she’s in her apartment right now thinking about you.”
Adriel felt some of his tension ease, tension he didn’t even realize he was carrying around. “I really hope so.”
“Come on, let’s order a beer and see what the guys are discussing. Enough talk of women for now.”
“Yeah, a beer sounds great.”
Ramsey flagged down a waitress, and they gave their order. Although his beer still tasted a little bitter, it was growing on him. At that particular moment, he couldn’t recall the Bible saying anything about drinking beer – getting drunk was a no-no, but having one drink didn’t seem so bad.
***
Kinley turned another page in her book, not really seeing the words from her being lost in thought. . Monday night could not come soon enough. She’d made her decision and was anxious to tell Adriel. Not only was she certain she wanted to date him, but the longer she thought on it, the more she realized he was definitely her mate, her other-half,the one man destined to belong to her. They may not have known one another for very long, but she didn’t want to waste another minute apart from him.
She’d heard from Jenny that a bunch of the guys were down at Lagoona Paradise, and Adriel had been seen walking into the place. Kinley wasn’t worried though. Yes, the waitresses dressed in short skirts and tight shirts, but she knew her angel wouldn’t stray. She had faith that his feelings for her ran just as deep as hers did for him. She’d even go so far as to say she loved him. Insane, really, since they’d only had one date and very little one-on-one interaction, but there it was. No matter how she looked at it, how many ways she twisted and turned it, it was abundantly clear that she didn’t just care for the man – she loved him.
She’d mentioned her feelings to Jenny. Her friend had only responded that it must have been love at first sight. Kinley had never believed in such a thing before, but now... she had to admit that the first time she’d seen Adriel, when they’d begun training with the blessed blades, there had been something about him, something that drew her to him. She’d merely thought it was because he was an angel. Alright, so she’d thought he was incredibly good looking, but he’d also been off limits. Now that he was human, that he was here, she couldn’t deny her attraction to him. It went beyond looks. Yes, he was yummy to look at, but he had a good heart, a kind soul, and when he looked at her, she could tell that he was really listening, really seeing her for who she was.
The idea that he’d given up Heaven for her... there were no words to describe how that made her feel. She was honored, and at the same time, she knew if he’d told her of his decision before giving up his wings, she’d have talked him out of it. How could you possibly walk away from Heaven? He traded in a job as a soldier of God for construction work. A home filled with warmth and light, a home filled with love, for a small set of rooms in the wolf dorm. And at the time, he hadn’t even known he would have that! He’d given everything up without knowing for certain that she would agree to be with him. If that didn’t show the depth of his feelings for her, she didn’t know what did. She felt unworthy of him, yet in her heart, she knew he wouldn’t have chosen her if he hadn’t seen something inside of her that proved her worth. She knew she was a good person, but she never would have thought herself worthy of the love of an angel.
Giving up on her book after “reading” the same page five times, she tossed it aside. She picked up her phone and decided to see if Jenny were home and without plans. The only way she was going to keep Adriel off her mind was to have a girls’ night, complete with make-overs, sappy movies, and lots of chocolate. She only hoped he was having just as much trouble not thinking about her.
Chapter Five
Monday night arrived, and with it, a bundle of nerves that had taken up residence in Adriel’s stomach. Tonight was the night. Either Kinley would accept him, accept that he wanted to be with her, or she would turn him away. It made him ill to think of her declining his offer. . A life without Kinley would be no life at all. But if that were her decision, he would stand by it and leave her in peace. Somehow.
With a hamper full of polo shirts, he decided to opt for a navy tee and jeans. It wasn’t as nice as he’d planned to dress, but he thought it was acceptable enough. At any rate, he’d seen the other men in the dorms going out on dates in something similar. Since they’d been doing this whole dating thing far longer than him, he figured they had to know something he didn’t.
He grabbed his keys and wallet, locked up, and sprinted down the stairs. It wasn’t far to the apartments where Kinley lived, and it was a nice night for a walk. It was hot and a bit humid, but the air smelled sweet. The path was lit by lightning bugs blinking their lights like twinkling stars. He didn’t have flowers this time nor a bottle of wine. All he had was himself, and he was hoping that would be enough. When he reached her apartment, he knocked twice and waited patiently for her to answer. He didn’t have to wait long. Maybe he wasn’t the only one anxious about tonight?
“Adriel,” she said with a smile. “Come in.”
He stepped over the threshold and shoved his hands in his pockets to keep from pulling her into his arms. He watched as she locked up, then followed her into the living room. She twisted her dress in her hands, and he realized she was nervous. The way he figured it, she could either be tense because she didn’t want to break his heart, or she had decided she could not live without him. This dating thing was stressful and complicated. Maybe he should have just thrown her over his shoulder, whisked her into the bedroom, and made love to her.He’d watched a man do just that in a movie the other night. It seem
ed to have gotten the point across to the actress onscreen. It could also work that way in real life, right?
“Adriel, I’ve done a lot of thinking over the past two days.”
His heart thundered in his chest.
“I’m sure you did a lot of thinking too. If you still want me, I want to be yours.” She smiled at him. “And I want you to be mine.”
“Are you saying that I’m your mate?”
“Yes,you’re my mate.”
Relief flooded him and he pulled her into his arms, unable to hold out another moment. He wanted to feel her body next to his, needed to feel her arms around him, accepting him. When she tipped her face up, he leaned down and brushed his lips against hers. He’d intended for it to be a short kiss, a simple demonstration of his feelings for her, but he found he couldn’t pull away, didn’t want to pull away. Knowing they were moving quickly, perhaps too quickly, yet not caring, he lifted her into his arms and carried her into the bedroom.
When he set her down and broke the kiss, she looked up at him with trust—and dare he hope, love – shining in her eyes. What he was about to do might be a sin, but he’d never felt like anything was more right. In that moment, he couldn’t understand why it would be wrong to show her how much he loved her. He reached out and slowly lifted her dress over her head, dropping it on the floor at their feet.
She was beautiful. The most exquisite thing he’d ever seen. He reverently traced the edge of her pink satin bra, his fingers sliding along the material. As soft as it was, he knew her skin would be softer. He watched as she lifted her hands and popped the front clasp on her bra, letting the garment fall down her arms and tumble to the floor. His heart galloped in his chest, and his hands shook from the effort of holding himself back, of not reaching for her again.
Being now completely vulnerable, Kinley handled him lovingly, lifting his shirt over his head, unfastening his belt. Once he was divested of clothes, his body nearly trembling from his want of her, he led her to the bed and eased her down on the mattress. Her hair fanned out, forming a halo around her head. She reached for him, drawing him down to her side.
“You’re so beautiful,” he murmured, his hand caressing her belly.
“Make love to me, Adriel. I want you more than I’ve ever wanted anything.”
He bent to kiss her, his lips nibbling at her jaw, the long column of her neck. He paused. Lifting his palm, he cupped her breast, his thumb stroking her nipple. It stiffened from the attention, and he leaned down to take the peak into his mouth. He circled the bud, then flicked it with his tongue, drawing a moan from her. Encouraged, he sought the other one, licking and teasing it.
Kinley gripped his hand, slid it down her belly, and cupped her pussy with his palm.
“I want to feel your touch here,” she said, removing her hand.
Out of curiosity, Adriel had watched couples being intimate before, although he’d never been in this position. He wanted to bring her pleasure, and he was worried his lack of knowledge would ruin the moment. If the dampness greeting his fingers was any indication, though, she seemed to like what he was doing so far. She’d liked his mouth on her breasts, perhaps...
He slid further down the bed, maneuvering his body between her legs, his shoulders spreading her thighs wide. His nose might not be as refined as hers, but he could smell the musk of her arousal, and it called to him. The tip of his tongue traced the seam of her pussy, her tangy flavor making him go back for more. Adriel sought out the little bud nestled between her lips, teasing it with his tongue. He felt her legs tighten around him, and he watched as she fisted the bedding. It seemed his little sugar glider liked that.
He licked, nibbled, and sucked at the little nub until she was writhing beneath him, his name, a litany on her lips. He felt her tense, and then she was crying out as she came. When she’d settled, he kissed his way up her body and settled over her. His cock was so hard he was aching. Even though he knew the mechanics of what he was about to do, he still worried he’d disappoint her in some way.
“Please, Adriel. I need you inside of me.”
Positioning the head of his cock against her slippery folds, he pressed inside of her, her body accepting him with ease. He’d never felt anything like it before! She was so hot, wet, and silky. He’d barely gotten inside of her, and already, his balls had drawn up painfully tight, ready to explode. No matter what it cost him, he was going to make sure she found pleasure in their time together, even if it meant denying himself for a while longer. Gritting his teeth, he withdrew, then plunged back in, groaning at the most beautiful, wonderful, sublime experience he’d ever been through. He set up a steady pace, faltering for a moment when she wrapped her legs around his waist. He found his rhythm once again, his muscles tight from the strain of holding back.
As he felt her nails bite into his shoulders, watched the flush creep up her neck and settle in her cheeks, and listened to her cries of completion, he let himself go, allowing himself to come inside of her. There was a brief moment when he thought they may have forgotten something, but he shoved it aside. If anything had been wrong, she’d have told him. Right?
Adriel rolled to his side and pulled Kinley into his arms, kissing the top of her head.
“If that’s how good you are you’re first time,” she said, “you’ll kill me once you get some experience.”
He chuckled. “I’m glad you approve. I wanted to bring you pleasure.”
“You did. I came twice! I’ve never done that before.”
They basked in the afterglow, holding one another. But there were things he needed to say to her, words that were pressing on him, begging to come out. It might be too soon, but maybe it wasn’t. He wouldn’t know if he didn’t spit it out.
“Kinley, there’s something I need to tell you. While we may have only been together since Friday, I’ve watched over you since the battle with the demons. I feel like I got to know you while I was up in Heaven, and even more so since I’ve joined the pack.” He took a breath. “I guess what I’m trying to say it... I love you.”
She curled into his side tighter. “I love you, too, Adriel. You’re right, some may think it’s too soon, but I feel like I’ve known you forever. You’re my other half, my mate.”
He ran his fingertips up and down her arm. “Kinley?”
“Mm-hm?”
“Would you marry me? I don’t necessarily mean right away, but...someday?”
She lifted her head and smiled. “I’d be honored to marry you, Adriel. And not someday, unless that someday is soon. The sooner I belong to you and you belong to me, the happier I’ll be.”
He smoothed her hair back from her face. “I already belong to you,” he said quietly. “I have since the first moment I saw you.”
They kissed and cuddled, and Adriel sent up a prayer of thanks for being allowed this time with Kinley.
As they talked about the wedding and their future, it was decided that they would wait until Gabriel was doing better. Kinley couldn’t think of anyone she’d rather have give her away than her Alpha. So, they’d wait a little while and see if he improved some more. He was already doing so much better in her opinion, but then, she wasn’t with him all the time. Adriel assured her Gabriel would rejoin the pack, just maybe not as soon as she’d hoped. There were still things being set in motion, pawns being moved into place by the greatest chess player there ever was – God. The pack may have thought the demons were bringing an end to things, but really, it had only just begun.
Adriel knew now that he had played his part. It was destined for him to leave Heaven, to find Kinley...to find love. He may not understand everything that was going on, didn’t know half of what was to come, but he knew there were many more relationships in the pack destined to come about. And something told him, the next one...was right around the corner.
About the Author
Jessica lives in a world where warlocks, shapeshifters and fairies exist, and everyone deserves a happy ending—from tragic vampires finally
finding love after centuries of being alone, to super hunky womanizing werewolves finding their destined mate –- it’s all in a day’s work.
Unable to find a werewolf of her very own, she decided to marry someone who thinks he’s one -– minus howling at the full moon, fleas, and a rousing game of chase-the-mailman. Okay, so he sometimes howls at the full moon.
When she isn't writing, Jessica enjoys spending time with her family, reading (mostly romance), or going to the beach. She’s especially fond of bookstores and Starbucks!
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