by Bianca D'Arc
“You are so perfect,” he whispered, and she felt the truth of his words in her heart. He was the perfect one. Perfect for her. And together, they could move mountains.
She couldn’t speak as he began moving, pushing deep and hitting a particular spot inside her in this position that nearly sent her into orbit with every thrust. She began to whimper and then moan, unable to hold in her cries of passion as she approached a very high peak in a very short time. She’d never been so hot, even with Steve—the most talented lover she’d ever had.
Maybe the danger they’d faced had given her some kind of edge. Maybe it was the novel position. Maybe it was the idea they were having a quickie in a place they really shouldn’t—not with her friends such a short distance away. The naughtiness of it appealed to some previously unknown imp in her nature, she guessed. Whatever it was, she rode the wave into oblivion, crying out incoherently at the end as the most incredible sensations made her tingle all over.
She only barely registered that Steve came a moment after her. She was glad he’d joined her in that place that only he could take her. They were well matched in that regard and she knew it would make the rest of their relationship—the rest of their lives—easier to work out. They hadn’t talked logistics yet, but she figured they’d each have to give a little ground to smooth things out and start a life together. But those heavy thoughts were for another time. A time when her mind hadn’t just been blown to Mercury and back with a swing around the sun for good measure.
“That was incredible,” she whispered when she was finally able to speak again. They were both still breathing hard but slowly coming back to earth.
“You rock my world, babe.” Steve grinned, leaning in to kiss her sweetly even as he disengaged their bodies.
“Back at’cha, big guy.” She smiled even as a suspicious wetness made her aware they hadn’t used protection. Again. Hmm.
Well, she supposed they’d both been a little too eager to stop and think before they’d fucked like bunnies up against the door. And if she got pregnant, it wouldn’t be the end of the world. In fact, it would be a new beginning for them. One of many they would have together, she was sure.
“Back in a minute.” She scooted toward the attached bathroom, snagging the most important articles of her clothing along the way.
Only a tiny bit mortified but mostly thrilled and very, very satisfied, she spent a few minutes cleaning up. When she came back out, Steve was sitting on the bed looking at his smartphone. He had a serious expression on his face.
“Anything wrong?” she asked as she crossed the room.
He stood and his face lit with a gratifying pleasure as she walked up to him. He put his arms around her and hugged her, swaying a bit, making her feel cherished in a way she hadn’t expected but knew she would come to crave given enough time with this man. A lifetime. That’s what she wanted. A lifetime with him.
“Just checking on the interrogation. It’s going as well as can be expected. I’ll get a full report from Slade when they’re done, but for now we still need to exercise caution. Slade doesn’t think we got them all.”
“Oh, no.” Suddenly crashing back to the reality of the threat against her and her friends wasn’t pleasant.
“Don’t worry. You and your friends will be under guard twenty-four/seven. If anyone tries anything, I’ll be right there to stop it. Me and about twenty of my best people. Around the clock. We’ve got you covered.” He dropped a kiss on her forehead and set her away. “Okay?”
His words made her feel a lot better. Plus, she’d proven her own worth to herself, if not to everyone in her family and half of Steve’s Clan, earlier that night. They could handle it.
“Now, we haven’t been using protection. Are you okay with the possibility we could be starting a family before we even talked about it?” His eyes sought hers and held while he brought up the topic she’d been thinking about.
“Yeah, I’m okay with it. I’ve always wanted kids. I know it’s a big step, but I’m committed to you and I know you are to me. It’s the next logical step, though I didn’t expect it so quickly. But if fate steps in, who am I to argue?”
Steve seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. “Thank goodness. I’m sorry, honey, I just wasn’t thinking straight. I was so desperate to have you.”
“I’m both flattered and in total agreement. I wasn’t thinking either.” She put one hand on his shoulder and stroked him lightly through the fabric of his shirt. “It’s okay. We can be a little more careful, I guess, but if a baby comes of our love, I won’t be upset.”
“Good. Neither will I. In fact, I’d be pretty damn stoked.” His eyes lit with momentary joy. “But I’m not in a hurry either. Kids will come when they come. As you say, it’s up to the Mother of All ultimately. She’s in charge.”
Trisha realized another thing at that moment that she hadn’t really considered—though she probably should have. “You follow the Goddess.”
“Well, yeah. Kate’s Her priestess. All were worship Her in one form or another, I think, as do most magic folk.”
“That’s great. I mean, Dad taught us about the Goddess and Mom was just hippie enough to go along. We don’t advertise it, but we’re definitely not in the mainstream religion-wise.”
“You’re mainstream for a shifter Clan.” He chuckled and took her hand as they walked toward the door. “Don’t worry. You’ll fit right in.”
He opened the door first, peeking out to see who might be in the hall.
“The coast is clear,” he whispered as he opened the door wider so they could slip out. She loved being able to laugh with him. Everything was so easy with Steve. Like they’d been best friends forever.
They weren’t so lucky as they made their way down the stairs. Shifters had sharp senses and judging by the knowing grins of the few werewolves they passed on their way out, their little tryst hadn’t gone unnoticed. Trisha was both embarrassed and amused.
“How do they know?” she whispered to him as he escorted her to his vehicle—a low-slung sports car she hadn’t seen him drive before.
In answer, he simply tapped his nose. She cringed thinking how sensitive a werewolf’s nose must be. If their human noses were anything like their wolf counterparts…well, they could tell what she and Steve had been up to. No doubt about it.
They got to his house in under five minutes. She wasn’t really paying attention to the road. She was more interested in her chauffer. He was a natural behind the wheel and this late model Italian supercar was perfect for him. Sure, it wasn’t exactly roomy inside for his big frame, but he worked the gears and sped down the dark streets with a quiet confidence she admired.
When they got to his place, he pulled all the way down the drive beside the house and into the backyard. There was a large garage back there she hadn’t noticed before. She’d want to investigate what other little surprises he had locked away in there later, but for now, the pool was calling her name.
They took a different path to the pool area and it was clear someone had been there before them. Whoever it was had already turned on the soft lights and there was a bottle of wine in an ice bucket along with two crystal goblets on the patio table. Steve had thought of everything, apparently. And planned ahead.
She stripped as she walked toward the pool, her thoughts on feeling the invigorating, life-giving water against her skin as soon as possible. And then, as soon after that as she could manage, she wanted to feel Steve’s hard muscled body against her, both of them surrounded by the water while he took her places only he was able to take her.
Yeah, that sounded like the perfect way to spend the rest of the evening. The wine could wait.
She stripped off and dove into the deep end of the pool without waiting for him. She felt the water close around her, welcoming her, seeping into every sense and giving her new energy. After the events of the past few days, she needed all she could get of its buoyant support.
She began to swim a bit, loosening the tightness i
n her muscles and relaxing in her favorite environment. A few minutes later, she felt rather than heard Steve enter the water. The liquid communicated his presence to her, knowing her joy in welcoming her mate. She broke the surface and breathed deeply. She must’ve been under longer than she’d thought. Sometimes, it was easy to lose track of time when she was completely immersed.
Trisha saw Steve gliding under the surface, straight for her. Taking a deep breath, she sank once more to meet him.
He reached for her, encircling her with his strong arms, and she met him in kind, wrapping herself around him much as the water encircled them both. They rose together to the surface this time, kissing as they broke through from the underwater world she loved into the air-filled world in which she lived.
The kiss went on and on as the water supported them. The lower halves of their bodies slid against each other and she was gratified to learn that he too was naked. And ready for her. She smiled against his mouth. She loved how he was always ready for her, no matter what had come before.
“What’s so funny?” he asked, pulling back a little to look into her eyes.
“Not funny. Fantastic,” she corrected him. “I love how you feel against me. I love even more how you feel inside me.”
“Talk like that will get you in trouble,” he warned with a low growl and teasing smile. The sound and the expression on his handsome face turned her on like nobody’s business.
“I think I like your kind of trouble. In fact, I think I’m addicted to it.”
She dipped her head and kissed him again, taking him down with her into the deeps for a moment out of time. She was very aware he couldn’t breathe the way she could. He wouldn’t be able to stay underwater as long. But she’d look out for him. She’d have him back in the air before anything bad could happen to spoil the mood.
She released him and swam, giving him the option of rising for air. He didn’t. He followed immediately and she realized she’d underestimated him a bit. He could hold his breath a little longer than she’d thought. A little longer than most humans, but then she should have expected that. Being a shifter, he was exceptional in every way.
She swam to the shallow end and took a seat on the steps, half-in and half-out of the water. The night air on her wet body made her nipples pucker. She saw the way his gaze honed in on her breasts as he rose out of the water like some kind of sea god.
He really was amazing. Her own personal Poseidon come to give her anything she wanted.
And what she wanted most at the moment was him.
She spread her legs, inviting him to take his place between them, and he obliged. She smiled, but his face was hard as granite, his expression hard to read.
“Something wrong?”
“No, not for a shifter. But I have to be honest with you. You were raised human and you might feel differently once you know.”
“Once I know what?” She was growing concerned. He seemed so serious. Almost nervous about what he had to say to her.
“I feel it’s only right to tell you, we’re not alone.”
He pointed above her head and she craned her neck to look back, fearing his brothers or somebody else was watching, but all she saw was a big owl perched on the peak of his roof. And then she realized. The owl was, in all likelihood, a shifter.
But it looked like an owl. Her confused mind didn’t know what to make of its presence.
“Who is that?”
“One of my men. A guy I’ve known for a long time. He’s guarding us overnight, along with a few others, but he’s the only one who can see us right now.” Steve drew closer, coming down over her, shielding her with his body.
She hadn’t bothered to cover up. The owl was behind her and didn’t have a good angle to see much of her at the moment. Though she realized he’d probably gotten an eyeful when she’d walked into the backyard and stripped as she went.
“Nudity—even having sex—in front of others isn’t that big a deal for shifters. We have to strip to shift, so we get used to seeing each other in the buff in our teens when most of us begin to shift. It’s not that big a deal.”
“But if we continue…” She couldn’t quite put the scandalous thoughts she was having into words.
“If we continue, he’ll watch. And he’ll probably get off on it. Horny devil that he is,” Steve muttered, shooting the owl a disgusted, yet amused look.
It was clear to her that Steve didn’t mind the other man watching. In fact, she started to think about it and realized she wasn’t all that upset by the idea either. In fact, it was even a little…arousing.
Oh, wow. The thought of being watched made her tummy clench and sent little sparks of heat coursing through her veins. Dare she?
One more look over her shoulder and she took a leap. She was living among shifters now. She was going to be learning and trying all sorts of new things. Steve had already shown her so much. She trusted him to guide her through all the discoveries she was going to make. As she would guide him through the things he would learn about her magic and abilities. They were a team. They were in this together.
And if occasionally they had a voyeur…well, that might just add a little spice to things. She’d at least give it a chance. Her body was on board with the idea, her senses lighting up like a Christmas tree at the thought of fucking in front of a stranger.
Well, not a stranger. Somebody Steve knew. A shapeshifter. An owl. A soldier and hunter. One of Steve’s men, he’d said. So he must be a tough guy. She liked that idea.
Trisha turned back to Steve and snaked her hand up around his neck to pull him down to meet her kiss. That was all the answer he needed. Her excitement ratcheted up another notch when he lowered himself over her, gliding through the water until there was nothing between them. He slid inside easily, beginning to rock even as the water supported them both, the rhythmic waves pushing them toward completion even as her body strained toward his.
Oh, yes. This was what she’d wanted. Her man. Her mate. The moon, the stars, the night wind, the welcoming water…and a watcher adding a new spice to the mix.
She didn’t look at the owl again, but she knew he was there. Just knowing that made her senses fly higher, her body pushing toward a new pinnacle. She hadn’t thought she could get any hotter, but when Steve lowered his lips to her breasts, pushing her back to half-lie on the tile behind her, exposing her to view from above…well…she exploded.
The sensation rocketed through her, only to be replaced a moment later by another explosion. This one augmenting and surpassing the last. His lips tugged at her breasts as his cock pumped into her in strong beats, pounding now, claiming, driving her toward yet another climax.
She opened her eyes and saw the moon and stars above them. And the owl. His piercing topaz gaze met hers and held. She saw the intelligence there. Knew somehow that even in his owl form, the male behind those eyes was aroused, watching her, turned on by the passion between her and her mate.
Just knowing he was up there added a little extra edge she never would have expected. Trisha had never considered herself very adventurous sexually, but with Steve, she wanted to try it all. She wanted to do anything and everything for him…to him. He’d given her the confidence in herself to try just about anything.
“Come for me now,” he whispered urgently near her ear, and her body answered the call, meeting his passion with her own and sending her straight up to the moon with pleasure.
Her soul danced with his among the stars for a short moment…an eternity. The two of them entwined. Mated. Together forever.
And then the long fall back to earth…and water, through the air while the fire of spent passion ebbed inside them. They were elemental. They were timeless. Together.
The next morning, they woke before dawn, making love urgently, as if they hadn’t spent most of the night entwined, lost in each other. Each time was fresh and new. Vital.
They snuck out before the dawn kissed the sky, heading back toward the Pack house so they could hav
e breakfast with the girls and preserve the falsehood that they were merely interested in each other. Not already mated. Not fucking like bunnies at every opportunity.
They were in a large, dark blue SUV this morning. He’d unlocked his giant garage and given her the nickel tour in the semi-darkness. He’d pointed out the sexy Italian beast he’d driven her here in last night, as well as a souped-up muscle car straight from Detroit’s heyday. There was a giant motorcycle and a few other surprises as well, but he’d chosen the SUV for the day’s work.
“I’ve arranged for the helicopter tour today.” They chatted as he drove them competently back to the Pack house. There was a car in front and one behind, but they weren’t very obvious. The approach to guarding their route was more casual since the showdown on the Strip.
“That’s awesome. Thank you for doing it.” She knew her friends were going to love it. “To be honest, though, I’m a little nervous. I’ve never been in a helicopter before.”
He reached over and took her hand. “You’ll love it. I promise. Do you trust me?”
“Of course.” She didn’t even have to think about her answer.
“Then trust me to fly you all safely around. I’ve done it a dozen times for visiting business contacts. We’re using the big chopper today. It’s a lot like the one they ferry the president around in back east. Big and roomy inside with all the amenities. There’s even a wet bar.”
“You’re kidding.”
He looked over and winked at her. His smile was as charming as ever and it took her breath away, like always. Would she ever get used to how good looking her mate was? Maybe in a century or two.
“I never kid.” His mock seriousness made her laugh and he joined in. A moment later, he pulled up in front of the Pack house and they snuck in before the sun rose.
Chapter Eleven
She knew her friends hadn’t seen her walk of shame—sneaking back into the Pack house—when they all convened for breakfast an hour or two later. She’d taken a shower in one of the guest rooms on the floor where all the girls were housed, making it her own. Steve had left just enough of her luggage to make it look like she was sleeping there and she dutifully disarranged the sheets on the bed to continue the ruse, just in case any of her friends came knocking.
