Mated in Mist (Talon Pack #3)(29)

No. But it was what she needed.

“Yes. Kiss me.”

His thumb brushed her jaw and he nodded. “I can do that, Leah. I can do that and more.”

When he lowered his lips to hers, she slid her hands around his hips and up his back, raking her nails ever so slightly along his skin. He hadn’t put on a shirt during their short walk back from the field, and she’d never been so grateful. His skin was sweat-slick, and yet all she wanted to do was lick up his body and taste every curve. There had to be something wrong with her if she had that thought on her brain.

Ryder’s mouth devoured hers, his tongue taking over, and she melted into him. When his hands went to her ass, she rocked against him and moaned. He cupped her, lifting her off the ground in a show of strength that shouldn’t have surprised her, but did.

“I love your muscles,” she blurted.

Ryder grinned, his eyes gold and sparkling. “I’ll make sure to put them to work, then.” He carried her to the bedroom as she wrapped her legs around his waist, his cock sitting perfectly against her clit. All she had to do was rock against him and maybe she’d come. But from the look in Ryder’s eyes, if she did that, he might punish her.

Of course, she might like that just as much.

She slid down his front when they entered the bedroom and kissed his chest as she put her feet firmly on the floor. Ryder tangled his fingers in her hair and forced her gaze to his.

“I’m going to taste you, every inch of you, then I’m going to f*ck you hard. So hard we’re both spent and panting.” He met her gaze and an odd look passed across his face. “We’re going to use condoms, Leah. Be sure.”

She knew what he meant. There were two steps to every mating. The first was sex where the man would come within their mate, cementing their bond on the human end. The second was a mating mark where the wolf in human form would bite into the other’s shoulder. In a case of two wolves mating, each would do it, but she’d heard that even humans and witches who mated into the Pack bit down because of the emotional connections. That mark signified the mating between the wolf and the other in a way that spoke of magic and the goddess.

A condom would prevent the first step, and he’d made no mention of the mating mark since it wouldn’t be a problem. It was a reminder that he would not mate her, but would take her. But she was giving herself freely, so was he really taking? She was going into this with eyes wide open, knowing even if he’d wanted to mate with her, she didn’t want to tie her life to his.

Instead of answering, she reached around him and gripped his ass before kissing down his chest. He seemed to take that in stride and ran his hands down her back and then around her hips and back up again so he could cup her breasts. He’d made her come before, but she’d never seen him naked, and she’d never been fully bare in front of him.

They were taking the next step—maybe not the step they should have been taking—but it was step they understood.

He went to his knees in front of her and tugged on the bottom of her shirt. She helped him lift it over her head, then sucked in her lip as he licked and nibbled up her belly and toward her breasts. She wasn’t that tall, and he was damn big, so she only had to lean over for him to be able to bite at her breasts through her bra. When she reached around and undid the clasp, he let out an approving growl. At least, she hoped it was approving because it made her wet just thinking about it.

He lifted the cups from her breasts then let out another growl. “Holy goddess, your nipples are f*cking perfect. Like little ripe berries begging for my tongue.”

She usually wasn’t a fan of dirty talk, but if he were going to talk like that to her while licking at her nipples, then she’d take it. His other hand worked on the button of her jeans as he sucked her nipple into his mouth and she ran her hand through his hair, wanting more.

He pulled away then tugged on her jeans. “Off.” His voice was more wolf than man.

She helped him take off her pants, then gasped as he nuzzled her * through her panties.

“You smell so f*cking delicious. I’m going to eat your cunt, Leah. You ready for that? You ready for my tongue inside you and on your clit? I want you to come on my face until you can’t breathe, and then I’m going to f*ck you hard into the bed.”

Holy hell. She almost came at his words alone.

“Get on the edge of the bed and take off your panties. Slowly.”

He stood up as he spoke and worked on his pants.

“And what are you going to do when I take off my panties?” Even as she said it, she went to sit on the edge of the bed. She slowly slid her hands along her hips and around the edges of the lace, then even slower, slid them down her thighs, lifting her ass slightly so she could take them off.

His gaze was on her *, not her face, and she couldn’t help but feel empowered that she’d done that to him, this strong, quiet wolf.

Ryder shucked off his jeans and boxer briefs, leaving him naked and hard. His cock stood at attention, thick and long and so rigid that she was afraid he might come right then. Instead, he fisted himself, giving his dick a few quick thrusts as he licked his lips.

“All the way off, Leah. Now.”

She tossed her panties to the side, and feeling powerful, spread herself for him. He let out a groan and she slid her hand down her belly and over her clit.

“Like this?”