by Amelia Jade
Andria shook one hand free, placing it on his chest. “Is this okay?”
Cowl nodded, his eyes wide, unblinking as they stared at her hand. “It would be warmer if you put it directly on my skin.”
Her eyelids flickered in time with the nerves pounding through her body. Touch him…under his shirt? Mouth hanging open, she nodded. Cowl reached up and ripped his shirt off with one hand, pulling it over his head in a move that was sexy in its simplicity.
He took her hand in his once more, pulling it back toward him. “Now try.”
“Oh my.” Her lower lip was trembling, but the wave of heat that poured into her body from her hand stopped that in its tracks, amazement filling her instead. “How is that possible?”
“Many things are possible with me.” His reply was cryptic, the sense of mystery around just who Cowl was deepening.
Her hand was moving now, sliding across his pecs. She was touching him. Without his shirt on. It was hot. Everything was hot. Even her own body was growing warm, urging her to shed her clothes, to join him in the sinful heat. If she felt this good with just her fingers touching him, imagine how aroused she would be with his body pressed to her.
Andria swallowed, her throat dry as she reached up with her other hand and pulled Cowl closer. He didn’t resist, moving with the slightest touch of her hand until his face was an inch from hers. Big eyes drank in the sight in front of him, the sheer intensity contained in them nearly enough to make her melt.
“Cowl.” The word was a barely audible whisper.
“Yes?”
“Kiss me.”
And just like that, Cowl was there. Against her. His lips mashed against hers, even as he laid her back onto the square stack of boxes filled with beer. Glass rattled as he climbed on top.
She gasped as his mouth found her neck, her spine arching and pressing her breasts up into him. One of his hands grasped her side, sliding up it with painstaking slowness. Why was he taking his sweet time?
Because he’s making sure you’re ready for it. He doesn’t want to do something you aren’t okay with.
Andria took his hand and let him skip ahead, placing it squarely on her bra. She had no idea if she was ready or not, but it was happening anyway.
The growl that answered her actions only heightened her arousal, and she moaned as he licked and tasted her neck and upper chest some more, tracing the outline of her collarbone as he switched from one side to the other. Every inch of her skin burned with heat as he covered her with his body. It had been so long since anyone had touched her like this. Andria had missed it, and right now, it was what she needed.
Her heart nearly stopped when his hand slid from her breast and over her ribcage. He caressed her soft stomach, the lack of muscle definition over her belly not seeming to stop him. Cowl paid equal attention to every part of her, as if they were all equally attractive to him. It was that singular thought that prevented her from stopping him as he moved below her waist.
Fingers stayed above her clothes, but nonetheless Cowl knew exactly what he was doing. Even through her jeans and her underwear he swiftly found her center, stroking it through the dual layers of material, guided by her moans, sounds she hadn’t thought she would ever hear again.
He groaned as she dug her fingers into his back at one point. Was this really happening? Was Cowl really about to make her come? A few minutes ago she’d been sitting by herself. Now he was touching her in her most intimate spot. Clothes or no clothes, that was a big jump. Andria thought about stopping it.
“It’s okay,” he whispered into her ear, as if sensing her sudden doubt. “I’m here. You will always be safe with me.”
Right then and there that was all she needed to hear. Andria relaxed just a little, and the swirling of his finger between her legs intensified, the pressure increasing just as the speed did. By then she was so horny, her body ready to explode after months upon months of neglect.
“Come,” he urged. “I want you to come.”
She moaned, nodding furiously, her hands tightening around his neck, pulling him down to her. His kiss was hard, frenetic, and full of lust. His breath was like hot steam, opening her skin and helping her relax into the moment. She sensed it was going to happen. There was no stopping it now.
Seconds later, under Cowl’s watchful eyes, she had her first orgasm in over a year, splayed out across stacks of beer bottles and fully clothed. Something about the moment lent it an undeniable strength, one of the hardest climaxes she’d ever experienced. It seemed to go on and on, her brain’s receptors overwhelmed by what Cowl was doing to her body. And she was still wearing all her clothes.
Andria wondered what it would be like if she weren’t. If he had full access to her body, with nothing between them. If she were naked.
Abruptly she sat up, the raw passion and lust of the moment fading away. Naked. Cowl was going to want to see her naked. If he did that, he would never see her the same way again. He would look at her differently.
The way everyone else did.
“Cowl, I’m sorry.”
He pulled back, worry filling his eyes. “Are you okay? I didn’t hurt you, did I?”
“No. Not at all. It felt good. Really good. But I can’t. Not anymore. Not tonight.”
The big man smiled. “I understand. This was big. I will wait for you. As long as it takes.”
She got to her feet, adjusting her clothing as he backed away, giving her space. “You promise you aren’t mad at me that we didn’t go all the way?”
Cowl snagged one of her hands and kissed the back of it, looking past it, his attention focused entirely on her. “I promise. I’m not mad.”
“Okay. It’s just, I…” She fell silent. How could she tell him what had happened to her? It was too embarrassing, too shameful. Instead she would do what she’d done all along. Remain silent.
Above them the door chimed. Someone had come into the bar.
Andria got onto her tiptoes and kissed Cowl on the cheek. “Thank you.”
Then she swept by him and up the stairs, hoping nobody would be able to tell what had just gone on.
That was the last thing she needed.
Chapter Twelve
Cowl
He decided to remain in the basement.
Andria needed some space to breathe, recover, and probably overthink what had just happened between them. To him it was simple. As mates they had taken the next step toward being bound to one another for the rest of their long lives. While he wished that they could move faster, there was something powerful about helping Andria rediscover this side of herself.
Cowl was starting to figure out what was going on, more so via process of elimination than anything else, but he believed it to be something to do with her previous relationship and their sex life. It angered him to think of others touching his mate, and the fact that she had had relations with others.
You aren’t a virgin yourself.
It was just one of those facts of life that he knew he had to accept. Truthfully he didn’t expect this mate to be celibate until he found her. That was unreasonable. He did however, expect any lovers she took to be respectful and chivalrous. If Cowl ever found out who had done this to her, they were going to learn an entirely new definition of the words pain and agony before he was through with them. Rarely had something made him so furious.
Unfortunately, he still didn’t know what had happened, or even who had done it. His first guess was Jake, but that just didn’t sit right. Andria was scared of him, terrified even, but that was because of what she knew he might do. Not what he had done. It was a subtle difference, but Cowl had seen a lot of scenarios play out before he and his brothers had been buried in the avalanche. He’d learned to know the difference.
There was no doubt Jake was involved though. Jake knew who it was, and he knew what had happened. The easiest scenario seemed to be waiting until he showed his scruffy, drug-addicted face again, and beat the answers out of him. Not only would Cowl get the knowl
edge he sought, but the image of his fist connecting with Jake’s face was a pleasant one. Very pleasant. So pleasant that he rather wanted to see it happen more than once. Like, half a dozen times. Maybe ten. Better yet, why put a limit on it?
If he thought that plan would work, he would have tracked the asshole down already and delivered the beating. The downside, however, was that it would put him at odds with Andria. She wasn’t ready to tell him, and no matter how much he wanted to know, going elsewhere for the information just wasn’t an option. Not if he wanted to respect her privacy.
Cowl wished he could tell her that no matter what it was, it wasn’t going to change his perspective of her. That as his mate he would always look at her the same way. That would never change. He had eyes only for her, and her gorgeous, soft body. The largess of her breasts and the curve of her rear drew him in, wishing he could spend all day luxuriating in the deliciousness that was her body.
Upstairs he heard footsteps moving around as Andria helped whoever had come in. Judging by their location, whoever it was had chosen to sit at the bar, meaning it wasn’t a large party.
He occupied himself with organizing the increasing boxes of empty bottles by color and even brand. It was amazing; for a bar that never seemed to get all that busy, they certainly went through a lot of beer.
This didn’t take nearly as much time as he’d hoped, and in a few minutes he was once again finished and looking for another task. The only thing that came to mind was sweeping the floor, and he really didn’t feel like doing that right then. He glanced at the stairs. Had enough time passed for him to head on up?
He decided it had. Besides, there was a customer up there, and Andria could distract herself by chatting with them if she so wished. He would start cleaning the tables and putting the chairs up. They did close in an hour. It was a bit premature, but not that much, and it would allow him to stay in close proximity to Andria without being on top of her.
Satisfied that he’d thought it all through and that his reasons were valid, he clomped up the stairs, making a little extra noise so that she would know he was coming. His eyes flicked over the bar as he ducked his head to avoid the lower-than-average door frame. There was only one person in the place, an old man at the bar, talking to Andria in hushed tones. He was older, with white hair and glasses. Not a threat.
Her back was to him, but he thought she looked a little tense. Perhaps he’d pushed it by coming up so early. Maybe she needed more time. He quickly grabbed a broom and headed out into the bar, giving her some space, hoping that would calm her down. Was he really that intimidating to her? He didn’t want to be. Cowl wanted nothing more than to have Andria feel safe with him around, confident that with him by her side, things would always be okay in the end.
Making his way around the tables and tossing chairs up onto them, he eventually finished half the bar, pausing at the main entrance/exit. With time still to go he wasn’t about to put the rest of the chairs up. Who knew when a larger group might enter and need them. They wanted the business, so they would have to appear at least somewhat inviting.
Movement outside the window caught his attention.
A silver four-door sedan with sleek lines was parked out front on the side of the street. It wasn’t the car that caught his attention however, but the two men in leather jackets and dark clothing lounging on either side of it.
Cowl looked back at the bar and the old man. Then at the obvious bodyguards, waiting outside for their boss. Who the hell was the old man? Focusing on the mirror behind the bar he tried to get a better glimpse of the man’s features, but he stopped when he realized he was staring right into a pair of eyes made hard by a life of struggling for power. The old man was looking at him, even as he talked to Andria.
Trying not to frown, Cowl let his gaze move on, but he opened his senses to let his dragon hearing bring the words to him. He wanted to know what was going on.
“I know Jake’s methods can be a bit rough, Miss Chalmers. But trust me when I say it’s best for you if you stay away. We wouldn’t want any…unpleasantness to occur.”
“Are you threatening me?” Andria’s voice quavered.
Cowl went into high alert, the hackles on the back of his neck rising. What the fuck was it with people and threatening his mate? Broom still in hand, he casually walked back over to the bar until he was standing right behind the stranger.
“How’s everything going here?” His voice was cold and as hard as the old man’s eyes.
“Just fine, thank you, young man.” The voice that came back was fragile, pleasant, like an elderly grandfather almost, and completely at odds with the look he’d seen a moment before. Even the man’s features softened until Cowl barely recognized him as the same person. “We’re all right though, I promise you.” He smiled up at the much taller dragon shifter.
“Good. I wouldn’t any unpleasantness.” He put emphasis on the final word, making it clear he wasn’t about to get played like a fool.
Something…respect, perhaps, flickered deep in the recesses of the brown eyes. “Oh of course not. Wouldn’t dream of it, would we, Andria?”
Cowl’s fingers gripped the broom tighter, the wooden shaft shaking. How dare he talk to Andria like this, to his mate? The disrespect being shown was staggering. Who did this man think he was?
“Of course not, Richard.” Her voice was stronger, more confident with Cowl around. But she was still saying exactly what he wanted to hear.
“Now that we’ve got that settled, why don’t you go back to doing something more important? I think you were cleaning, weren’t you? Let us continue our chat in private. It really doesn’t concern you, I promise.”
Cowl recognized a dismissal when he heard one. What galled him was that the old man was so used to being obeyed that he actually turned his back on him. If he knew what Cowl really was, he wouldn’t have done that. The insults just kept coming. The broom handle finally shattered in his hand, bits of it flying everywhere as the two pieces clattered to the ground.
Did he really think Cowl was little more than a glorified janitor? A garbage boy? Frost started to form over his knuckles as he shook with rage.
Behind him the door opened. In the mirror behind the bar he saw the two flunkies come in. Both of them had their hands in their jackets, as if ready to pull something out. Andria backed away from the bar, her eyes wide, filled with more fear than he’d seen yet.
“I think you need to leave,” Cowl growled, reining in his temper, but barely. Only the presence of Andria kept him from dealing with the situation in his own, much more unique—and violent—way.
“You do?”
The bar was still, everyone holding their breath it seemed, waiting for the outcome.
Cowl nodded, calling his power, letting it lie just below the surface of his back. He could summon his armor in a heartbeat, protecting him from whatever the two men had within their jackets. “I don’t like the way you’re talking to Andria.”
The old man glanced over his shoulder as he regarded the bartender, then back at Cowl. “And what’s it to you?”
“She’s with me, and you need to leave her alone.”
The old man’s eyes narrowed, suspicion filling them in a way that made Cowl wonder if he’d just made a mistake. Why did this old has-been suddenly seem like he’d just gleaned an important bit of information from that statement? What was Cowl missing?
Abruptly the old man rose, moving with a swiftness that didn’t quite fit. To Cowl’s surprise he was a good bit taller than expected, falling only an inch or two shorter than his own height.
“Well, I suppose I shall respect that claim. After all, as we stated, we don’t want unpleasantness. To achieve that, one must respect another. Agreed?” He looked between Cowl and Andria.
Cowl just growled. In the mirror the two men tightened their grips on whatever they were hiding. “Get out.”
The standoff continued for several more heartbeats, each man evaluating the other, seeing who would
blink first. Cowl won.
Moving with a surety of his stride, the elderly male exited the bar, taking his two glaring thugs with him. Cowl just smiled at them. They weren’t the threat. Their boss was.
The door closed and he walked over to it, throwing the latch and turning off the “Open” sign. He didn’t care that there was still most of an hour left. They were closed for the night.
“Who the hell was that?”
Andria was already scrubbing the bar furiously, pretending like she’d not heard him.
He walked over to her, reaching out to take her hand, but she snatched it away. Cowl was stunned to see tears running down her face.
“Andria.” He was pleading now. “Let me in. Please. Tell me what is going on so that I can help.”
She shook her head, teardrops falling free from her cheeks at the motion.
Frustration finally boiled over in Cowl. “Tell me what’s going on! I know something is, it’s obvious. But I can’t protect you from it if you don’t tell me!” He slammed his hands onto the bar, irritated by her refusal.
Andria looked up at that, fire in her eyes. Cowl knew right away he’d made a mistake in losing his temper. “I was handling it just fine before you arrived. It’s none. Of. Your. Business. I don’t need a protector.”
Gritting his teeth, he swallowed his instinctive response. It was obvious that she was in some sort of trouble. Multiple people had come to the bar to threaten her. How could she not realize this? Why was she so adamant about keeping him in the dark?
“Fine. If you don’t need a protector, how about a friend?”
Chapter Thirteen
Andria
Andria tossed the rag down on the table and turned her back on him, crossing her arms.
“You can’t even be that,” she said bitterly, unable to face him.
“How do you know?”
Eyes rolling, she looked up at the ceiling. “Have you already forgotten earlier? You just want in my pants, Cowl.”
The entire building tremored at the angry sound her accusation ripped from his throat. Andria watched the bottles of liquor behind the bar rattle slightly against one another. Was he about to attack her?
