Rise

by Heather MacKinnon

   Abraham was stunning. So fit and big and powerful. He took my breath away. I watched through heavy-lidded eyes as he slowly pulled his pants and boxers down and kicked them aside.

   “Spread your legs,” he grunted.

   I complied immediately.

   He surged forward and reclaimed my lips as his hands positioned my hips and he sank his hard length into me.

   Damn. How did the sex keep getting better?

   I kissed him hard as he pressed into me inch by inch until he was in all the way. I felt so full, but I wanted more. We were so in sync that I didn’t have to tell him I was ready, Abraham just knew. He pulled his hips back, sliding out of my slick center before thrusting forward again.

   We built up a good tempo as I fought to keep up with him. Finally, I gave up and just leaned back, propping myself up on my hands and letting Abraham take over. He pumped into me furiously as I held on and felt my orgasm build inside me.

   Abruptly, he pulled out and took a step back.

   “Stand up and turn around.”

   When I did what he asked, he put a hand on the middle of my back and gently pushed until my chest was pressed against his desk with my butt in the air. His hands slid down my sides to wrap around my hips and then cup my bottom.

   “You’re so goddamn sexy.”

   I closed my eyes and lost myself in the anticipation.

   He stepped closer again, and I felt his tip nudge me from behind. He lined us up, and with one great thrust, slid all the way inside me. I gasped loudly, my body clenching around him.

   He pulled out and then pressed forward again, harder than before.

   “Fuck, El. What are you doing to me?”

   I couldn’t answer, could barely see as he pounded into me from behind.

   “I can’t focus. I can barely do my job. Can’t even hold a conversation because all I can think about is the next time I get to fuck you.”

   I moaned beneath him and reached up to grip the edge of the desk.

   “Knowing you’re in the same house as me, that I can have you up here, naked and spread across my desk like this whenever I want is enough to drive me out of my fuckin’ mind.”

   Somehow, his thrusts got harder and deeper, and I knew I was seconds away from detonating.

   “I need you so bad, baby. Need you every fucking second of every day. I’ll never get enough.”

   “Me too,” I gasped beneath him. “I need you too.”

   “I know what you need,” he growled. “My girl needs to come. Isn’t that right?”

   I nodded frantically. “So bad,” I said, my voice cracking.

   With renewed efforts, he slammed into me, his thighs slapping against mine and filling the room with the sound.

   His hands slid from my hips, one reaching up to cup my breast and the other wrapping around to circle my clit.

   “Oh, Abe.”

   “That’s right, baby. Are you ready to come?”

   I nodded again.

   He pulled out and rotated his hips before sliding back inside harder than ever. I could feel the coil deep in my belly tighten, threatening to snap at the slightest provocation. And then, Abraham pinched my nipple and my clit simultaneously and I exploded around him, my orgasm almost blinding me.

   I moaned and whimpered, completely at a loss for words as Abraham chased his own release. Finally, he stilled, his hands pinching harder for a second before he shuddered and spilled himself inside me.

   We stayed like that for a long time as we both fought to catch our breath and regain our equilibrium. Abraham recovered first, and he leaned down to kiss my spine before pulling me from the desk and into his arms.

   He kissed the top of my head and sighed. “Fuck, that was good.”

   I giggled and pressed my lips against his bare chest. “It always is.”

   Would things stay like this between us? Abraham said that the bond between fated mates never fades. Did that mean we’d always be this insatiable? That I’d always feel so out of control and giddy around him?

   Damn, I hoped so.

  Chapter 7

  It was a long time later, and we were still naked and cuddling on his office chair. I was so sated and comfortable, I was finding it hard to make myself move. I sighed deeply, and he smoothed some hair off my forehead and kissed my neck.

   “What’s up, baby?”

   My lips twitched at his pet name. He always talked about what it did to him when I said it, but it was the same for me when that word fell from his lips. It drove me crazy.

   “I’m just thinkin’ about all the things I need to do when all I want is to stay here with you.”

   He kissed my head. “I know what you mean. I’m supposed to be meeting with some of my enforcers soon.”

   I sighed again. “So, we can’t stay like this for the rest of the day?”

   He chuckled beneath me. “If I had it my way, we’d spend every day like this.”

   I shook my head and giggled. I knew he wasn’t lying either. Every morning, it was a struggle to tear ourselves apart. A struggle I was happy to put up with, but still a struggle.

   I took a deep breath and sat up on his lap. “I guess I should find my clothes before your enforcers walk in on us like this.”

   He growled low and his hands clenched around me. “That would not be in their best interests.”

   I peeled myself off him and went looking for my clothes. Considering the fact that I’d been barely cognizant when he’d torn them off me, it took a while to locate all the missing pieces. When I was dressed, I turned to him, still naked in his office chair, watching me

   I cocked a brow. “You know I don’t want your enforcers to see you naked either. Who knows how many of them would prefer to see you over me?”

   He laughed and shook his head. “They’ve seen it all before. And I’m pretty sure they’re all straight.”

   I shrugged. “Until they get a good look at you. Then, who knows?”

   He laughed again. “You really think that highly of me, baby?”

   I crossed the room to stand before him. Leaning over, I put my hands on the arms of his chair and waited until he was looking at me. “You’re literally the most breath-taking man I’ve ever seen in my life. I can’t imagine anyone with a pulse not having at least a little flame for you.”

   He rolled his eyes and pulled me onto his lap. “You’re crazy.”

   I wrapped my arms around his neck. “Yeah. Crazy in love with you.”

   It was a cheesy attempt at lightening the mood, but it had the opposite effect. His eyes got all soft and serious as he cupped my face in his rough hand. “I don’t think you know what hearing those words from you does to me.”

   I turned my head and kissed his palm. “It’s the same for me, baby.”

   He growled and pulled me closer on his lap. “You keep talkin’ like that and I’m gonna lock that door and blow off the rest of my afternoon.”

   I gave him a peck on the lips and hopped up. “No, sir. We’ve both got things to do and they don’t involve lustin’ and thrustin’.”

   He threw his head back and laughed loudly, the sound filling the room. “Holy shit, that was a good one.”

   I shot him a wink. “I’ve been researching.”

   A smile was still stretched across his handsome face. “I like it.”

   I rolled my eyes. “You would.”

   “So, when do we get to lust and thrust again?” he asked, his lips twitching with a grin.

   “I told you earlier, not until after dinner.”

   He raised a brow. “I know what you said, but clearly you’re bad at sticking to your guns.”

   I crossed my arms over my chest. “Or maybe you’re really persuasive.”

   He shrugged a single shoulder. “Maybe.”

   I shook my head and took a couple steps backward. “I need to look over
some documents Callie gave me, so you need to put the bedroom eyes away.”

   “You’re helping Callie again?”

   “Yeah. She’s got court coming up and wanted me to look over what her lawyer drafted.”

   “You seem to be helping her out a lot lately.”

   I shrugged and toed the carpet. “I’ve got nothing else goin’ on.”

   He rose from his chair and crossed the room to pull me into his arms. “Don’t worry about it, babe. You’ve got plenty of savings and no living expenses. You don’t need to take a position somewhere unless you really want to.”

   I arched a brow at him. “I don’t have any living expenses because you refuse to accept rent from me.”

   He was already shaking his head. “Of course I’m not accepting rent money from you.”

   I blew out a breath. “At least I still get to pay for my cell phone and credit card bills.”

   He pursed his lips. “Only because you won’t give me access to your accounts.”

   I shook my head. “I’m not letting you completely support me. Just allowing me to live here for free is more than enough.”

   He rolled his eyes. “Allowing you to live here? Baby, I had to beg you for months to move in with me.”

   I patted his bare chest, his skin warm and smooth beneath my palm. “And look. Your efforts paid off. I’m right where you want me.”

   He dipped his head to the crook of my neck and pulled me closer. “I could think of a few places I’d rather you be right now. Like on my cock.”

   I shivered in his arms and had to take a few deep breaths before I could respond without my voice cracking. “Yes, well, we’ll have time for that later.” I slid from his grasp and took a few steps back. I needed to keep my distance if I had any hope of us getting anything done the rest of the afternoon.

   He sighed and crossed his arms over his chest. “Where are you going to work on Callie’s stuff?”

   I shrugged and took another step back. He looked like he was going to let me leave, but he could also change his mind at any moment, and I had to create as much space between us as possible while he was distracted.

   “Um, the kitchen, I guess.”

   Although, if Aubrey was still down there, I’d be finding a new place to work. I’d had about enough of her for one day already.

   He frowned. “You could work in here.”

   I pursed my lips and cocked my head. “Abraham McCoy. You know damn well neither of us would get any work done if I was in here.”

   He shook his head. “I know. You’re insatiable.”

   I laughed and took another step away from him. “It’s not a big deal. I could work in the conference room, too.”

   “You need an office of your own. Maybe we could turn your old bedroom into one for you.”

   “Really?”

   “Of course, baby. This is your home now. I want you to have everything you want here.”

   My heart thumped unevenly as I crossed the space between us. I couldn’t not kiss him. With my arms around his neck, I reached up on my tiptoes and pressed my lips against his. When I finally pulled away again, we were both out of breath and his eyes were glassy. “What was that for?” he asked.

   I kissed his chin before taking another couple steps backward. “That’s for being an amazing fiancé.”

   He ran a hand across his mouth, his eyes bright. “You know, I kinda like the sound of that.”

   “Fiancé?

   He nodded.

   “Well, that’s what you are, right?”

   He shrugged. “We just don’t use that word. We don’t propose with rings either.”

   I frowned. “Then, why did you?”

   “I knew it’s what you’d want. I did it to make you happy.”

   My chest grew warm, and I covered the distance between us again to wrap my arms around his broad shoulders. Would I ever reach the bottom of my love for him? Would I ever stop being amazed by the person he was?

   When I pulled away, there was a brilliant smile on his face. “Was I right? Does it make you happy?” he asked softly.

   I shook my head. “You make me happy.”

   His smile softened as he tucked a lock of blonde hair behind my ear. “You know what I can’t wait for?”

   “What?”

   He leaned close. “I can’t wait until you call me your husband.”

   My stomach clenched. “Is that not a werewolf term either?”

   He shook his head, his soft hair brushing against me. “No. We only use the word mate.”

   “Then why would you want me to call you husband?”

   He pulled away and wrapped a hand around the back of my neck. “Because I want to be your husband.”

   My heart melted at his words. Would I ever stop being surprised by how sweet he was? I hoped not.

   I reached up and kissed him again, but when he moved to deepen it, I pulled away with a smile. “Mr. McCoy. None of that.”

   His head fell forward with a sigh. “Okay, okay. I’ll behave.”

   I laughed and turned to leave. When I made it to his door, I looked back and gave him one last perusal. He really was stunning.

   “Put some clothes on before I have to fight one of your enforcers for you.”

   He rolled his eyes. “Not funny, El.”

   “Not kidding, Abraham.”

   He huffed out a breath and shook his head. “You better get out of here before I change my mind.”

   I gave him a cheeky smile and a mock salute. “Yes, sir. See you later, sir.”

   “You drive me crazy.”

   I blew him a kiss. “But you love it.”

   “I love you.”

   I opened his door and turned to give him another smile. “I love you too.”

   Closing the door behind me, I hoped he had the sense to put on some clothes. I wasn’t kidding when I said I didn’t know how anyone could look at the man and not want him. I sure as hell could barely control myself.

   I walked over to our suite and took a quick shower. After that, I grabbed my laptop and the stack of papers Callie had given me and headed downstairs. When I made it to the kitchen, it was mercifully empty, so I took a seat and booted up my computer. As it loaded, I took another glance at the documents from her lawyer and rolled my eyes. There were more than a few mistakes in there and I was sure that meant his data wasn’t sound either.

   When my computer was ready, I hopped on to Google and began researching the Blue Ridge Parkway conservation efforts. Just as I’d suspected, some of his figures were off. I sighed and opened up a Word document. At that point, I might as well just re-write the whole thing myself. Despite what little knowledge I had of environmental law, I was sure I could do better with some research and effort.

   The hours passed as I zipped through the internet and typed up what I found. There were some things I’d need to check with Callie, but overall, I was pretty proud of what I’d accomplished so far.

   I opened up my email to send her a copy of what I’d gotten done when I took a look at my inbox. There were several unopened messages sitting at the top that looked more like neon signs than simple black letters. I took a deep breath and clicked on the first one.

  Ms. Montgomery,

   We are excited to offer you a coveted position in our law firm.

   Blah, blah, blah.

   I clicked on the one after that.

  Ms. Montgomery,

   It is with great honor that we welcome you to Jackson and Jackson Law Firm.

   I sighed and closed that email too.

   There were at least three others like it in my inbox and I hadn’t read any of them either.

   I didn’t know what my problem was, but none of those job offers appealed to me. Maybe I was being picky. Maybe I was being difficult. But the last thing I wanted to do was join another law firm like Hildebrandt &
Moore. Don’t get me wrong, I appreciated everything they did for me and I spent quite a few good years there.

  But that was the old Elizabeth. The one who put her career above everything else. The one who didn’t mind working sixty-hour weeks. The one who had nothing better to do than focus on her job.

   That wasn’t me anymore.

   Now, the most important thing in my life was Abraham, with his sisters and our pack coming in as a close second and third. I had friends, and a family, and love. Things that mattered way more to me than a spot at a prestigious law firm.

   Besides, I wasn’t sure I even wanted to still be a lawyer.

   It was all I cared about for so long, but practicing criminal law had begun to weigh on me. I didn’t care about the money or the notoriety. I cared about justice and doing what was right. I couldn’t always do that at my old job.

   I didn’t know what I wanted to do, but I knew I needed to do something. Shuffling around the lodge all day every day was getting old really fast. Despite the fun I had with Abraham every afternoon, I wanted more. I wanted to feel useful. Like I was doing something with my life.

   I also wanted the independence.

   Abraham wouldn’t let me pay to live there, but I still needed to make money of my own. I needed to rely on myself. Just the thought of asking Abraham for money to buy something made my stomach curdle.

   I knew I’d come a long way from the stubborn woman who never accepted help from anyone, but she was still in there somewhere. And it would be over her cold, dead body that she relied on a man for everything.

   I just needed to figure out what it was that I wanted.

   “Hey, Ellie! I’ve been looking all over for you.”

   I picked my head up to see Callie walking toward me. “Hey. I was just about to send you an email.”

   Her eyes widened. “What did you do?”

   I gave her a tight-lipped smile. “I might have re-written the whole document from scratch.”

   She sighed and took a seat on the bench next to me. “I didn’t ask you to do that.”

   I spun to face her with my hands in the air. “I know, and if you don’t want to use what I wrote, I totally won’t blame you. I barely know what I’m talking about, but this guy?” I picked up the papers she’d given me from her other lawyer. “Seems to know even less. All it took was one Google search to discredit half of what he has in here.”