The moment his mouth had taken possession of hers, her brain stopped functioning and her body came alive. She still tingled all over at the memory of his touch. If she closed her eyes, she could feel his hands roaming up and down her back, pressing her against his rock-hard chest.
When was the last time a man had made her weak in the knees with longing? Her celibacy of two years could be the reason for her reaction to Milan. Even during the honeymoon phase with Royce, when he was still behaving like a caring boyfriend, sex had never been as exciting as that single kiss with Milan. If it weren’t for Kurosawa’s timely bark, she would have pushed Milan behind a bush and forgotten all about being a sensible woman with a hard past who would never do anything reckless. Like having sex with a perfect stranger, moments after meeting him.
Her cell phone rang, shaking on the round table that only sat two people. Celeste grabbed the phone with one hand as she filled a tall mug with coffee with the other.
“Hi, Julia,” she answered her friend, perching on the plush sofa that overlooked the bay window.
Tourists and villagers leisurely strolled through Angel’s Pass or ate breakfast al fresco, taking full advantage of the clement weather.
“Hi, Celeste,” Julia whispered. “So, have you found him yet?”
“Are you at Mark’s?” Celeste couldn’t keep the judgmental tone from her question only to feel like the worst of people a moment later. She shouldn’t be so hard on Julia. After all, if Milan had chased her yesterday, Celeste would have slept with him, no questions asked.
“I am,” Julia confessed. “But that’s not important,” she paused, and steps could be heard on the other end as if she was walking. “Did you meet him or not?”
“I met someone,” Celeste tentatively started.
“I knew it! Gerri Wilder never fails!”
“Don’t get too excited. I said I met someone, but there’s nothing else to it.” Celeste felt her cheeks warm at the lie.
A torrid kiss was definitely something worth revealing, but she couldn’t bring herself to say anything. She didn’t want Julia to run to the nearest bridal shop, looking for maid-of-honor dresses, because her friend was impulsive and would do exactly that if left to her own devices. Been there done that, several times over.
“You are holding back on me,” Julia accused her, raising her voice. “What is it? How is he?” she asked the last part with the suspicious tone she used when she thought she was onto something.
They had been friends since middle school, and Julia knew Celeste too well. Usually, being so close was an asset. Today, Celeste wished Julia weren’t so good at reading her. Still, she wasn’t ready to confide in her friend yet, afraid to get her hopes up. It felt as if by telling Julia about Milan, he would disappear. Like one of those fairy wishes that turned out the opposite of what you desired, or something equally twisted. Her grandmother used to tell her fairy stories and they all had tragic endings. Somehow those stories had stuck whereas math and trigonometry had not.
When all hell broke loose with Royce, Celeste had wondered if she might have confided her dreams and hopes to a cruel fairy. If she had, she couldn’t remember.
“He’s okay,” Celeste answered Julia’s question. She sipped the scalding coffee and burnt the tip of her tongue. The curses that followed were unladylike to say the least.
“What was that?”
“Nothing, the coffee is still too hot.” A fast shadow running on the other side of the street caught her attention. She jumped up, sloshing the content of her mug all over her hand. The litany of curses resumed.
“That’s instant karma because you’re bullshitting me,” Julia smugly said.
“I am not!” She tilted her head, recognizing the big dog wreaking havoc outside. Her heart missed a beat.
“You definitely are!” Julia chuckled.
“Julia, I’ve got to go. Call you later.” Celeste hung up and ran outside before she could think better of it.
The moment she stepped out of her cottage, she found herself face to face with Mrs. Grange.
“Good morning, dear,” the landlady said, raising a tray filled with pastries. “Danish, fresh from the oven.”
“Thank you so much,” Celeste said, her eyes darting to the street corner where Kurosawa was wrestling with a bike chain.
“Is there something amiss, dear?” Mrs. Grange followed Celeste’s gaze. When she saw the big dog, the woman’s lips curled up into an amused smile. “Do you know that German Shepherd?”
Celeste blushed and shook her head. “No,” she said, then amended, “I might have seen him around.”
Kurosawa disappeared behind the corner.
“He’s just arrived with Alpha Durango. They are staying at Pioneer Lodge on the northern edge of Lake Placid.” Mrs. Grange’s eyes shone with a mischievous light when she asked, “Were you going out for a walk?”
Celeste nodded.
“Good,” Mrs. Grange said. “If you take the northern trail, you can jog all around the lake. It’s very pretty this time of the year.” She handed the tray to Celeste and turned. “Have a wonderful day, dear,” she said from over her shoulder.
Celeste stuffed her mouth with a miniature Danish Kringle that was to die for and hastily went back into the house to store the pastries. She went out again a moment later and walked straight around the corner to see if the big puppy was still around, but he wasn’t. Before she could think better of it, she was jogging all the way to the park.
9
“There you go,” Milan said, reaching for Kurosawa’s collar and locking the leash to the hook. “And stop running away.”
He had left his cottage, intentioned to chase down Celeste and talk to her, but the dog had decided he had other plans. The moment Milan opened the door, Kurosawa ran away as if a herd of squirrels had crossed the road. After running circles for more than twenty precious minutes, Milan finally managed to catch up with Kurosawa and put an end to the overgrown puppy’s merriment.
Coincidentally, the German Shepherd had slowed near the Granges’ rented cottage.
“Did you want to lead me here all along?” Milan asked Kurosawa.
The dog’s tail wagged like helicopter blades.
“I take that as a yes.” Milan could’ve done without the high-speed chase across Angel’s Pass but couldn’t help but feel his mood lighten at the prospect of seeing Celeste again.
Mrs. Grange, the baker’s wife, stood at the base of the staircase and waved her hand at him enthusiastically.
Throwing caution to the wind, Milan walked to the cottage’s porch steps. “Let the neighborhood talk,” he whispered under his breath.
As he was crossing the street, a pickup truck stopped to let him pass. The moment Milan saw who was at the wheel, his fists clenched. He wasn’t a man to shy away from conflict, but he would’ve gladly skipped this encounter if he could have.
The driver window rolled down, and his cousin leaned out. “Milan,” he said.
“Malcolm.” Milan brought his finger to his temple.
“It’s nice to see you, cousin.” Malcolm looked older.
In the last ten years, they had only talked on the phone, and only because his cousin kept calling Milan every holiday. Invitations to join the Sunrise Clan’s celebrations were always politely declined.
Milan’s eyes went to the passenger who kept her back straight against the seat, trying to hide from him.
“Hi, Jean,” Milan said. He never had any patience for cowards and wouldn’t let her get away easily.
“Hi, Milan.” Jean leaned forward to give him a strained smile.
When her eyes met his, though, her demeanor changed. Licking her bottom lip, she gave him a once over, and her gaze became predatory. There she was, the woman he’d barely escaped from with his sanity intact, still chasing after what wasn’t hers. Certain people never changed. Once a cheater, always a cheater. Only this time, his cousin was the poor sod stuck with her.
Milan had kept out of Angel�
�s Pass for a long time, dreading meeting the happy couple. Now, he couldn’t be happier for the encounter to have finally happened. Had he known that one single look from Jean would cure his heartache, he would’ve come back earlier.
Funny how the grudge of a lifetime could be erased in a moment. After despising Malcolm for almost a decade, now Milan pitied his cousin.
“It was nice to see you,” Milan said, patting his cousin shoulder before lowering his eyes to the she-wolf who was still shamelessly devouring him with her dirty gaze. “Jean.”
He tapped the car twice, letting Malcolm drive away. As if a heavy weight had been lifted from his shoulders, he crossed the street in a few steps, reaching the cottage where Celeste was staying, his cousin and his wife already forgotten.
To Milan’s slight disappointment, Mrs. Grange stood at the cottage’s entrance, looking at him with an unreadable expression as he drew closer. She had witnessed the entire scene with Malcolm and Jean, and who knew what she was thinking. He held the Granges in great esteem, but right now, he wanted to see Celeste and find out what this madness was that was raging inside him. Spending time playing twenty questions with Mrs. Grange wasn’t in Milan’s agenda.
“Hi, Milan,” Mrs. Grange greeted him.
Milan braced for the incoming interrogation and thought of a polite way to deflect the questions. “Hi, Mrs. Grange—”
She continued talking, cutting him off. “Would you like some pastries? I have a fresh batch in the trunk.” She pointed at her pink Cadillac parked in front of the house.
Surprised by the direction the conversation had taken, Milan stared at her for a long moment before saying, “Thank you, Mrs. Grange, but I thought to invite your guest to breakfast.”
The smile Mrs. Grange gave him would have blinded him if he weren’t wearing sunglasses. “Miss Celeste will be thrilled, I’m sure.”
Milan started to climb the porch steps, but Mrs. Grange stopped him.
“She went for a walk around the lake,” the lady said. “If you hurry, you can catch up with her.”
Milan didn’t need to be told twice. He thanked Mrs. Grange, wished her a wonderful day, and sprinted toward the park, Kurosawa happily barking at his side.
The morning air was crisp, the sun shone bright, and the colors looked shinier. Birds chirped, and the scent of honeysuckles permeated the surroundings with a sweet aroma. Milan felt lighter, as if with every step he took in Celeste’s direction all the problems in the world receded to a distant corner. Happiness enveloped him like a warm blanket.
Joggers and couples with strollers occupied the main track. Despite prints and scents covering Celeste’s passage, Milan still saw the traces she left behind and followed her steps, basking in the faint trail of her distinctive perfume.
Soon, he was running after her, eating the ground with his long stride.
A glimpse of brown hair sent Milan’s heart into a mad gallop. He ran faster, taking the trail that meandered along the edge of the lake. Celeste jogged, her curvaceous body exposed in her tight yoga pants and tank top.
Mine, Milan’s wolf roared in his head, echoing his sentiment.
Kurosawa barked.
Celeste stopped and turned. Her smile hit Milan like a sledgehammer to the chest while he grew hard at the mere sight of her.
He ran toward her at the same time she sprinted to reach him. The moment they met, she launched herself at him and he took her in his arms, his mouth searching for hers.
Mine, he said under his breath as his lips crushed hers.
Celeste didn’t hesitate but kissed him back, melting her gorgeous body against his. She was supple and warm, and soft where he was hard.
He drew her closer, pressing against her as his tongue forcefully demanded entrance she immediately granted. Their kiss grew heated, his hands roaming everywhere. Celeste’s moans spurred his senses into a frenzy. He cupped her full breast with one hand while the other traveled down to her round bottom he kneaded and pushed against his hardness.
Running steps came from around the corner, making Celeste jump away from him.
Moving his hands to her waist, Milan swore and leaned his forehead against hers. “Come to my place,” he panted, barely able to string the words together as he tried to breathe again.
“This is madness,” Celeste murmured. Then she said, “Yes.”
He didn’t give her time to change her mind, taking her hand in his and leading her to Pioneer Lodge. He started walking but was soon running. His body was on fire and only sinking into Celeste would douse the flames burning him.
10
Celeste’s brain wasn’t working, of that she was absolutely sure. Otherwise, she would have never thrown herself at a stranger, for the second time in less than two days.
Something must have been wrong with her. Something was also absolutely right with her. She could feel it. Her wolf could feel it. In fact, she felt as if this moment would determine her future, and for once, she wasn’t scared of what would happen. She was looking forward to it.
“Yes,” she said to Milan after he had kissed her within an inch of her life. Yes to mind-blowing sex with you.
Her body screamed for a release she desperately needed. After years of tending to her needs with toys, she was ready to feel this man inside her. But it wasn’t just sexual anticipation coursing through her. It was something more. Something she didn’t have a name for because, until now, she had never met a man who had made her forget herself. Royce had never even come close to stealing her breath like Milan had.
Milan’s hand squeezed hers softly as they reached a path that branched away from the main one bordering the lake. A cottage stood at the end of the narrow trail. His eyes darted toward the building, then back to her, his gaze darkening into pools of desire. His silent question echoed loud between them.
This is where, any other time, she would’ve said no and turned around. Back to the past.
She nodded her assent instead, saying yes to a future she would shape any way she liked.
“Thank the Goddess.” Milan exhaled a hard breath, and his hold on her hand became tighter as her wolf roared in her head.
Mine, her wolf growled, sending a jolt of recognition straight to her heart.
Could it be? she thought, but Milan’s fingers grazed the inside of her wrist in small circles, and Celeste stopped thinking.
They ran all the way to his cottage, but she didn’t feel any strain. She only wanted to run faster.
Milan burst into the house, slamming the door open with his shoulder. Once inside, he pressed her against the wall and kicked the panel closed. Celeste was vaguely aware that Kurosawa’s shadow sprinted across the room and disappeared somewhere.
“I need you,” Milan said against her throat.
His mouth frantically moved along her body while his hands removed her clothes as she did the same, peeling off his black tee shirt and unbuttoning his faded jeans in record time. Her tank top and bra ended up on the floor alongside his shirt that had stretched in the most tantalizing way over his large chest. She pushed his open jeans down and found him bare underneath. One glance at his hardness made her gulp, but his wandering mouth stole her senses anew.
His lips closed around her nipple, tongue swirling and teeth teasing the bud until it peaked, and he started suckling it. Pleasure mounted between her legs she closed tight, needing him to fill her. Milan’s hand moved down, lowering her yoga pants and panties to her hips as his fingers reached her wet curls. She took him in her hand, wondering at the velvety feel under her fingers.
As his hardness grew bigger under her touch, she went dizzy with want. His fingers caressed and stroked her for a long time, drawing from her moans that became whimpers. Her back against the wall, she surrendered body and soul to Milan’s onslaught. His thick finger entered her, and she threw her head backward, riding his hand with wanton abandon. He coaxed a cry from her swollen mouth when the combined action of his mouth on her breast and his hands between her legs brough
t her to the brink of release.
“Please,” she begged. “I need more.”
Her hold on his hardness tightened. She wanted desperately to come but wanted him inside her, thrusting into her depth until she fainted from sheer pleasure. Pushing him away, she turned to face the wall, leaning forward and raising her butt to him in a most blatant offer.
“Let me grab a condom,” he said.
“I’m on the pill.” She wiggled her rump against him.
His arm snuck around her waist and he bent her lower, opening her legs wider with his thighs. Positioned at her entrance, Milan grunted, “Mine.” With one single, powerful thrust, he united them.
Celeste cried in surprise. He was big, much bigger than any of her previous partners, but it wasn’t pain that made her gasp, it was pure physical pleasure. The kind of pleasure she read about in novels but never experienced in real life. Until now.
“Mine,” Milan repeated, pumping into her harder and faster.
Her body took him completely, eagerly welcoming every thrust. Every time he pulled away, she felt temporarily bereft until he filled her again and again. His fingers splayed against her belly inched lower, reaching her bud. His other hand went to her breast, kneading the soft mound.
The tide of a violent release mounted between her legs, spreading shivers throughout the rest of her body. When his finger stroked her wet bud, she felt an electric tingle at the base of her neck.
“Mine,” Milan groaned against her ear, slamming into her and sending her over the edge. His hard thrust initiated a wave of pleasure that propagated from her core to her nipples and made her shout his name in a long cry.
Her wolf roared, “Mine,” in time with Milan’s grunts of pleasure.
He prolonged her pleasure with expert strokes, mixing soft and hard, slow and fast. The sound of flesh slapping against flesh and the scent of sex filled Celeste’s senses as much as his hardness did, feeding her orgasm with new and arousing sensations. Her core throbbed, squeezing him deeper inside her. Milan grabbed her chin and turned her face over her shoulder for a feverish kiss. His tongue entered her mouth, mirroring the forcefulness of his loins, seeking her depth in a fight to reach the ultimate release.
Paranormal Dating Agency: Her Dream Alpha (Kindle Worlds Novella) (Angel's Pass Wolves Book 1) Page 4
