Redeem the Bear (Bear Valley Shifters #5)(17)

He tightened his grip on her wrists, but she didn’t care. She was too far gone now. If she couldn’t have Daniel’s warm love, she’d take Brooks’ cold bed as a consolation prize. Her time had run out, and if she was going to experience the adoration of a man, it had to be now.

Releasing her hands, Brooks unbuttoned her jeans with practiced fingers and slid them down to her knees. Pulling his pants beneath his hips, he pressed the head of his cock against the wetness his touch had conjured between her legs.

“No,” she murmured against his lips. “I want more.” More than just a quickie f*ck in the tent of her enemy. More than pants-still-on-one-minute-anger-bang where she couldn’t feel all of his skin against hers.

He drew back and smoothed the hair out of her face with rhythmic, gentle strokes as he stared at her, his silvered gaze half vulnerable and half dazed with lust. He was beautiful like this, uncertain and open. “You said you haven’t been with another man. It’s your first time?”

“Yes. I want you to be gentle. Touch me. You don’t care about me, I know. Just…” She inhaled deeply and rested her hands on his heaving chest. “Pretend.”

He pulled away from her fingertips and angled his head like he wanted to look away but couldn’t. “I can’t do this. Gentle…that’s not me. This is your first time and you shouldn’t be f*cked, Corin. You should be with someone who feels something for you.”

His admission that she meant nothing was like the lash of a whip against her insides. She clenched her jaw so her lips wouldn’t tremble. “You took that away from me when you decided to follow through with this war, Brooks. If I’m not with a man now, I’ll never have the chance. I die at dawn.”

“Maybe you won’t.” His voice had a tinge of desperation.

“So you’ll allow some of Bear Valley to live? Your people will allow that?”

“No.” He slid off of her and gave her his back as he ran his hands through his dark hair. “I’ve never been with a virgin and for a reason, Corin. I’m not starting with you.”

“Because you have to be gentle?” She didn’t understand.

He stood and strode for the door of the tent.

“Coward,” she accused. Standing, she kicked out of her jeans and threw them at his back.

Turning slowly, his eyes were narrowed to dangerous looking silver slits. “Don’t call me that.”

“What, you’re afraid you’ll feel too much?” She hated him. She loved him. “Afraid if you allow yourself to touch me like you really want, you’ll be weaker for it?” She needed him. “Hurt me then.” Lifting her chin bravely, she pulled her shirt over her head. “I have no time left, and I want to be with you. If you have to hurt me to do it…”

Dropping her chin, her boldness washed right out of her. She didn’t really want him to hurt her. That sounded awful and degrading, and if he was monster enough to only have sex rough, then maybe she didn’t want this before she died. Maybe she’d be better off never knowing what she was missing.

His profile was ridged and his face immersed in shadow. The fast rise and fall of his chest spoke of his anger and she sank onto the mattress. Defeated, she murmured, “I don’t want you to do anything you don’t want to.”

Slowly, Brooks approached and crouched in front of her. His eyes had dimmed and he stared at her for a long time. Then, gently, he held her jaw and kissed her like Daniel had all those years ago. The dam of emotion broke in her as he lapped gently against her mouth and she opened for him, allowing him to run slow strokes with his tongue. If a man loved her, she could imagine this is what it would feel like.

His hand traveled up her ribs and to the curve of her bra. He reached around and unhooked it with a quiet snick. Vulnerable and completely naked, she lay down in front of him and watched his eyes rake over her skin.

“You’re beautiful,” he murmured in a reverent, gravelly voice.

Tracing his collar bone as the muscles rippled beneath it, she whispered, “So are you.” He always had been.

Reaching between her legs, he leaned down and kissed her as he pressed a finger inside of her. She sighed as she rolled her hips toward him, encouraging his touch. He dropped his forehead against her chin and groaned. “You’re so wet.”

Her cheeks burned. “Is that bad?”

With a deep chuckle, he slid out of his pants and guided her hand to his cock, which seemed even bigger and harder now. “No, it’s not bad, Corin. It’s sexy.”

What was sexy was the way her name rolled off of his sensual lips. She pulled a long stroke of the satiny skin of his shaft, and his hips jerked, then pressed against her again.

“You want me to use a condom?” he asked.

She wasn’t in heat, plus…

“I die at dawn, remember? You don’t have to worry about getting me with cub.”

“Stop saying that.” Kisses trailed down her neck, leaving a path of fire in their wake. “Tell me if I hurt you,” he whispered, hovering over her entrance.

His skin brushed hers, and she rocked her hips instinctively and spread her knees wider. “I trust you.”

Lowering down, he slid into her slowly, stretching her until he was nestled deep inside of her. Pleasure overrode the tingling sensation of pain. Brooks’ arms were shaking, as if he were holding himself in check, and he pulled almost all the way out, only to press into her again.