Redeem the Bear (Bear Valley Shifters #5)(19)

So why was she swan diving off the cliff of self-loathing into low self-esteem bay?

You shouldn’t love him. He’s cruel and empty, and you’re sensitive and good and full of joy. You don’t match. Not anymore.

Cruel and empty? But he’d cleaned her with such care. He had denied Merit, then turned around and gave Corin the exact experience she asked for. He’d asked if he had hurt her, and even now, he was betraying his people to save her. Aloof as he had to be, perhaps, but not empty. Not cruel.

He turned his head and she admired his profile. Even after what they had done, his hair seemed mussed just right. Hers probably resembled a bird’s nest. His eyes were so dark, they didn’t contrast at all with the night sky, and his mouth was set in a grim line. If he smiled deep enough, a dimple would dent his left cheek. Then she would know he was Daniel for sure. Sadly, she’d never know Brooks well enough to see a smile. He had no laugh lines. He had no frown lines. It was as if he’d been trained to have no emotion at all.

And they were out of time together.

Casting a glance somewhere behind her, his eyes narrowed and he pulled her forward and slammed her back against a tree so fast, the wind left her for a moment. “What are you—”

His mouth pressed against hers with such force, her lip tasted like iron. He ripped her jeans down and stomped on the material, then lifted her out of them and hitched her up. Pulling the backs of her knees until she was wrapped around him, he pulled down his pants. He wasn’t hard, but he lifted his cock until it rested in between her thighs. Her panties were the only barrier between them.

She hadn’t okayed this and they’d just done this dance a few minutes ago. Surely he wasn’t this needy, so what the hell was he doing?

A light flashed against her closed eyelids and she winced away from it. Oh.

Brooks disengaged from her throbbing mouth and turned his head. “Mace, turn that f*ckin’ light off. You’re going to blind us.” He cradled her head, pressing her face against his shoulder and shielding her with his body.

“Brooks? Oh, sorry man. I…” He cleared his throat. “I went to your tent to talk about the strategies we discussed earlier, but you weren’t there.”

Corin wanted to see Mace’s face so badly. He was a Long Claw, but actually sounded scared of Brooks. Which was amazing, because he was likely looking at his alpha’s bare ass right now. She couldn’t risk him seeing her face and realizing she wasn’t one of his people though, and curiosity wasn’t killing this kitty—not tonight.

“Give me twenty more minutes with this one. I want my head clear.”

She buried her face deeper against his shoulder and stifled a laugh. He must be talking about his smaller head.

“Okay.” The man didn’t move.

“Mace?” Brooks growled.

“Yes, sir?”

“I generally wouldn’t mind a female audience, but having a dude stare at my ass while I blow my load isn’t going to work for me. Leave. Now.” Dominance filled the woods, and raw power so potent it made her stomach hum brushed through her. Geez, Brooks was scary.

“Yes, sir. I’ll wait back at your tent.”

The flashlight clicked back on, then bobbed through the woods as Mace walked away. Brooks’ cock had stirred to life sometime during his exchange, and now sat rigid in between her folds.

His nostrils flared. “You know how I said it would hurt less next time?” he asked, dragging his smoldering, dark gaze back to hers.

She was nearly panting at the feel of him between her legs again. “Yes.”

“I lied. You’re still sore and it would hurt if we did this right now.”

“You could be gentle again.”

A long growl rumbled from his chest and his lips curled back over his teeth. “Not this time, and not like this. I want to take you hard and fast against this tree, Corin.”

She swallowed, stalling. If she spoke right away, her voice would come out husky and betray how badly she wanted him when he talked like this. Instead, she leaned forward and kissed him, boldly pressing her tongue past his lips and into his mouth.

“Corin,” he rasped, easing away.

“I want you.”

He cast a glance behind him and she thought he would deny her, but when he faced her again, his eyes were focused and his mouth found hers in that demanding rhythm from earlier.

He didn’t bother removing her panties, but moved them to the side and slid into her, gentle the first thrust, but punishing after that. He bucked wildly, hips crashing against hers until a rhythmic smacking echoed through the woods. She should feel embarrassed. They weren’t that far away from the tents and she didn’t even belong here, but she trusted him to protect her if they were found out.

And he felt so damned good inside of her, it was hard to think about the reasons she shouldn’t be in his arms.

“You said his name earlier,” Brooks gritted out. “When you came, you called me Daniel. Say my real name, Corin.”

Had she? She couldn’t remember, nor could she think straight right now. Words failed her as pleasure warred with pain. He was going too fast.

“Say it,” he gritted out. “Say my name and I’ll reward you.”

“Brooks,” she murmured.

He pulled out of her and she gasped at the unexpected emptiness she felt inside. That was the worst reward of all time.