A Mate's Sacrifice: (Hot Paranormal Romance) (Ozark Mountain Shifters Book 2) (10 page)

She brought her hands up between them and covered her breasts. Vesh eased back, but he wasn’t ready to completely break contact. Touching her anchored him, and right now, all he wanted was to fix whatever was wrong.

She plastered a fake smile on her face. “It’s been a long day. I need to shower. You need to eat. Your food is getting cold.”

“I don’t care about that. What’s wrong?”

She laughed but it was sad. Not even a drop of amusement in it. “Nothing.”

“Bullshit. You’re crying.”

Her face turned hard. “I don’t cry. My eyes are watering from all the… fertilizer. From the garden.”

She was lying. The knowledge infuriated him.

Swiftly, Vesh reached down and popped the button on her jeans. The zipper came down in the next second.

“What are you doing?”

“What does it look like?” He yanked her pants down her legs until they were piled around her feet.

“But—“

“You said you needed a shower. You’re going to get one.” Bending, he removed her shoes, followed by her jeans. It left her in only her black lace panties.

“I didn’t mean with you.”

“Why not with me? We’re here. Might as well get it over with so we can go eat our cold food.”

Braeh’s mouth opened and closed, no words forming.

Tucking his fingers into the waistband of her panties, he slid them over the curve of her ass and down her thighs, letting them drop around her ankles.

There. His mate was as bare as he was. Physically, anyway. But even with all her clothes off, she hid her body from him. His wolf didn’t like that. At. All.

“I want to see all of you,” Vesh snapped. “Move your hands.”

She bit her lower lip, staring at the wall past Vesh’s head.

He was baffled. What was wrong with his mate? She’d been totally into everything he was doing until he’d removed her shirt, unveiling her body. Maybe…

He tempered his voice. Being frustrated with her wasn’t going to fix anything. “Are you… shy?” It seemed like a long shot, but he had nothing else.

She frowned. “No. I mean, not really. I… wouldn’t say I was shy…”

“Modest then?” That also seemed far-fetched.

She shook her head.

There was only one other thing it could be, and it was so horrible he didn’t even want to think about it. There were instances where a wolf’s mate simply wasn’t attracted to them. It happened more than his people ever wanted to admit. Trager had the misfortune of the Elders prophesying about his relationship. But truth was, the same thing had happened with Besh and Jax. It wasn’t a rare thing by any means.

Vesh swallowed the knot in his throat, reminding himself he never planned on mating her anyway.

But no, it couldn’t be that. In the truck, with the blindfold. There had been no mistake, Braeh was aroused. But maybe that was
because
she was blindfolded. Had she been thinking of another? It would serve him right for how he’d acted when they arrived at the Ravendale camp.

His mind reeled with the possibilities.

“I…” The single syllable came out strained. She cleared her throat and tried again. “I’m not like the women I’ve seen you look at.” She straightened her back and held her head high, jutting her chin just enough to look brave. “You don’t have to like what you see, but I have standards. And although it’s been… a while… since I’ve been with a man, I’m not desperate enough to let you do things with me when you prefer someone else. I want my next lover to desire me. Not just make do with me.”

“That’s what you think?” His tone was disbelieving. “That I don’t want you?” He gestured to his cock which stood erect, as if it was reaching for her. “Look. Does this look like I don’t want you?”

Her eyes drifted downward, touching on him before she squeezed them shut. “No. I mean, yes. I mean… I know you’re aroused. I can see that. And I know that you are supposed to mate me or whatever, but I don’t want you to feel like you’re settling. I saw how you were drawn to my sister. And to the redhead. You had to fight your nature to honor whatever this mate thing is.”

“I chose you.”

“Last night you did, yes. But… why? When I’m not what you want.”

Vesh frowned so deep he feared his face would stay that way. “I don’t understand,” he muttered, mostly to himself. “Didn’t you hear what I said? I thought about you all day. About this. About touching you and kissing you and…”

“Look,” she said, frustrated. “When you took my bra off, I could tell you were disappointed.” Her tone was so matter-of-fact it sent a chill down his spine.

“You have no idea how wrong you are. Now, move your hands and let me see what’s mine.”

Her jaw dropped at the dominance in his voice. He would see his mate’s body. Her insecurities wouldn’t stand in his way.

Slowly, she dropped her arms and stood tall. His eyes scoured her from head to toe, his eyes touching on each feature in an attempt to memorize her. The rosy color of her nipples, the soft dip of her belly button, the strip of pale hair at the apex of her legs. His wolf growled in appreciation.

“I’m so very far from disappointed, Braeh.”

Vesh crowded her against the wall, his body brushing hers, skin on skin, for the first time. She was velvety and slick from the water. He hissed with pleasure.

His wolf wanted to claim, and he couldn’t even promise himself they’d do it eventually because it wasn’t in the cards. The thought made him sad, so he pushed it aside.

“So,” he said zeroing in on her heaving breasts. “Where were we? Oh yes. I was about to lick… right here.”

Slowly, he circled a taught peak with his tongue, before pulling it into his mouth. Vesh moaned this time. She tasted heavenly here. It made him wonder what she tasted like down lower.

Braeh threaded her fingers through his hair, pulling slightly. He met her eyes while he moved over to give her other breast some attention. She seemed confused. By her reaction or by his, he wasn’t sure.

“These,” he said, palming one and nuzzling the other with his lips, “Are perfection.
That
was my first thought. My next thought was of how I wanted to make you come just by touching you here.” He rubbed his thumb in a circle over one pebbled tip, drawing a whimper from her.

Even with the water bearing down around them, the sweet scent of her arousal was nearly suffocating. He took in a deep breath. Who the hell needed fresh air.

Vesh kissed her mouth again, his tongue lapping at hers before he broke away to stare into her blue eyes. “Everything before you, before last night, it doesn’t matter.” He swallowed, trying to make room in his throat to get the words he needed to out. “My wolf craves you.”

It wasn’t what he’d meant to say. He’d wanted to tell her she was all that mattered now. That he needed her more than he could ever imagine needing anyone else. That every other experience had been hollow and empty. That being with her had given him a purpose, if only for a while.

But somehow, a different truth came out. His wolf
did
crave her. Vesh was still a man divided. Deep down he knew he couldn’t give her all, and it kept him from saying what he really wanted to say.

But maybe he could show her.

Threading his fingers in her hair, he tipped her head back and kissed her fully on the mouth, his tongue plowing in to dance with hers. It wasn’t a gentle kiss; it was hard, desperate, needy. And she responded perfectly, pressing her body against him, her lips mashing and moving with his.

Vesh trailed his hands down her neck, over her shoulders, along the length of her slender arms until he found her hands. Never breaking their kiss, he brought her arms high above her head, taking both wrists in one of his hands. He ground his hard shaft into her toned belly, loving that it didn’t give much. Again. And again, realizing he could come just from this feeling alone. The whole experience, the fact that she
wasn’t
soft like he once preferred… it was
thrilling
.

Breaking the kiss, he husked, “Keep your hands above your head.”

Her tongue darted out to lick her bottom lip, but she didn’t nod.

Vesh kissed a path down her body, stopping at her breasts to suck and tease each nipple. But that wasn’t his intended destination. Brushing his lips across her belly, sampling every inch of skin, edging closer and closer to where he wanted to be, he noticed his wolf growing stronger by the second.

It was such a wonderful feeling. To feel well. Like his body was being rid of a nasty flu, except deeper. A sickness of the soul.

Braeh breathed heavily, squirming as his lips teased the skin below her belly button. He looked up. She was a sight, her breasts swollen and pushed out, her eyes closed to absorb every sensation. She writhed so beautifully.

Vesh growled in the back of his throat.

He was going to lick her to orgasm. Make her knees so weak, she couldn’t stand.

From his knees, he ran his hands slowly along the inside of her thighs. She opened her eyes, finding him watching her, and a pink blush flooded her cheeks. She started to cover her face.

“Hands,” he warned. “Above your head.”

He was filled with satisfaction when she instantly complied.

“That’s my girl,” he murmured. “Spread your legs for me, mate.”

She did, but not nearly enough. He wanted her completely open to him. He wanted to see every inch of her sweetest spot before he licked her like candy.

He nudged her open farther, and then just stared. “Fuck, Braeh,” he murmured. She was drenched for him, and smelled so intoxicating, he thought he’d lose his mind. Wolf wanted a taste.

He looked up for a split second so she could see the blatant hunger in his eyes. Then he put his tongue to her soft, slick skin, tasting her arousal for the first time. She gasped, throwing her head back.

“So sweet,” he hissed. “
Mine
.”

Gripping her ass and squeezing to pull her closer, he lost himself between her legs. Licking and lapping and swirling. It was his own personal heaven. He could stay there for eternity and never have enough. The sounds he was wringing from her were incredible. Her frenzied moans echoed off the shower walls and he reveled in each one.

Braeh brought her hands down and tunneled through his hair, but he couldn’t fault her for it. He’d let the disobedience go this time.

When her thighs began to shake, Vesh eased up on his efforts. He didn’t want her coming so quickly. He wanted to show his mate what a wolf could do for her.

He kissed gently, and nuzzled the crease of her thigh.

“Vesh?” Her tone was helpless, vulnerable.

“Don’t worry, my sugar. I’m not finished with you.” His tongue darted between her legs once again. One quick, soft lick. “I may never be finished with you.”

He moved her body so it was under the warm spray of water, and felt himself grow harder when her skin broke out in chill bumps. Running his hands up and down her legs and pressing his face into her sweetness, he brought her to the edge again and then retreated.

“Wait, wait… I was so close,” she whimpered, her hips bucking to meet his mouth once again.

“Shh. I
know
.” Holding her still, he blew on her swollen flesh, making her sag against the wall. Not much longer and her legs wouldn’t hold. This time, he’d push her over the edge. Make her fly so high.

He latched onto her again, not bothering to be gentle now. She yelped and his wolf delighted in the sound, puffing his chest out with pride.

Spreading her as wide as he could, his tongue delved inside, over and over while he rubbed her sensitive spot with his thumb.

“Oh, god…” she moaned. “Oh,
god
.”

She tensed, and in the next plunge, she convulsed against him. Fuck. He’d never felt anything better. The only thing that could even come close would be if he was buried inside her, balls deep, while she came.

Her orgasm seemed to last forever and when it was over, she was limp and shaking, gripping his shoulders for support.

Vesh continued licking, softly now, bringing her down.

“That was beautiful, mate,” he said, his voice barely more than a whisper.

He kissed his way back up her shaking body, careful to support her weight. He took her mouth gently this time, his teeth tugging at her bottom lip.

Braeh’s eyes were dazed with pleasure, but her hand traveled down his chest searching for his erection.

Yes
.

He wanted her touch so badly. Needed it. He gasped when she took him in her hand, stroking once, twice, and running her thumb over the tip. She bit her lip as he thrust into her hand. If he didn’t come soon, he’d be in pain. Nothing his wolf couldn’t handle though.

Vesh closed his eyes and threw his head back focusing on the pleasure of his mate’s touch. He’d had no way of knowing it would be like this with her. It was a welcome surprise.

But then his mind played tricks on him. Between one thrust and the next, his shitty memories came flooding back. Things that had been done to him. Things he’d done to others. Things that had no business being in his mind while he took pleasure in his mate. Why couldn’t he just move on? It was in the past. Why couldn’t it stay there? How would he ever get away from it, when not even his intended could fix it?