Seduced by a Shifter (15 page)

If he felt anything like she did right now, she understood. She didn’t even have the strength to open her eyes.

A million years later she felt his lips at her ear. “You okay?”

She stretched, as much as she could with a two-hundred-plus-pound naked man on top of her. “Oh yeah.” She let out a happy sigh. “Now I know what all the fuss is about.”

Every one of Ben’s formerly relaxed muscled went rigid. Still comfortably clasped inside her body, he leaned up on his forearms. “Will.” He pressed a kiss to her nose. “When you said it’d been awhile, just what did you mean?”

She opened her eyes into slits, not liking the suspicion that glinted in his. “Uh. Long time?”

He moved onto his hands and she felt the shift inside. Such a weird and wonderful feeling.

“Try again.”

She licked dry lips. “Never?”

Ben’s eyes closed and he groaned. Easing out carefully from her, he rose to his feet. He turned in an agitated circle until he faced her once again. “Why the hell didn’t you tell me?”

“Jeez, Ben. Being a virgin isn’t a disease. You won’t catch it from me.”

He made an exasperated sound and performed another circle, hands scrubbing over his face. “I took you in a damn locker room, Will. Your first time. In. A. Fucking. Locker. Room.”

What was his point?
She eyed him warily. “I don’t need romantic music and rose petals strewn all over a bed, Ben.”

“But you deserve that.” His hands fisted at his side, his head flung back as he stared at the ceiling.

Slowly Willow moved into a sitting position. “Listen. How about we forget the all virgin thing and move onto the Jacuzzi thing? I have a cramp in my hip that I would really like to get rid of.”

He muttered something to himself before saying with reluctance, “All right. Get your suit on. I gotta take care of the condom.”

“Yeah, about that suit thing. I seem to have lost my bottoms.”

Ben eyed her bare bottom half as she stood, his features shifting into a wolfish appraisal. “Guess we’re going skinny dipping, then.”

Ben figured he was the world’s most unobservant shifter on the face of the planet, not to mention the biggest asshole of all time. He’d taken his mate
—a
virgin,
for Christ’s sake—for the first time in a fucking locker room.

Part of him couldn’t understand what was wrong with the men in New York. The other part was supremely pleased they’d kept their grubby paws off. Maybe it was her upbringing, her hectic career, or possibly no man had sparked her interest. Whatever the cause, Ben would die treasuring her gift. Yeah, the mating heat made it near impossible to deny their physical attraction, but that didn’t diminish a damn thing.

Now he only had to get over his regret at the location.

Toweling off, he eyed the bench in question, knowing he’d never look at it the same way again.

Ben had come back from disposing of the condom to find Willow dressed in her sweats and ready for the Jacuzzi. Ben, knowing it would help ease the soreness of her muscles, tugged his trunks on and they walked barefoot to the next room, where she stripped and slipped beneath the water, naked.

Keeping his hands to himself proved difficult, especially when she settled next to him, placing her head trustingly on his shoulder.

Cuddling.
His heart had done a slow flip-flop in his chest. Mentally berating his rigid cock that seemed to have no pause button where Willow was concerned, he placed his arms around her, holding her possessively at his side, and cuddled his mate.

When he brought up the subject of her innocence once again, she’d peeked up at him in clear annoyance, informing Ben he’d better not make her regret giving him her virginity. That, of course, snapped his mouth shut for good and they sat in a sort of lazy silence until Ben noticed Willow falling asleep.

He’d roused her and then given her privacy to shower in the bath adjacent to Dean’s office and dress. He did the same, only in the locker room, which was why the bench was now mutely glaring up at him in disappointment.

Great
. Torn between laughter and wanting to beat his own ass, or maybe throttle Willow for keeping something so important a secret from him, he stared at the ceiling.
I’m being chastised by an inanimate object.

There was also that pesky little niggle of unease twisting his gut. The irony wasn’t lost on him. If he was upset at Willow keeping her virginity a secret from him, how upset was she going to be when he told her he could shift into a wolf?

The rueful chuckle finally broke through and he dressed. Five minutes later they were in his truck, heading back to the cabin.

Tomorrow might be the full moon, but Ben was stronger than his beast. He could control the change and, mulling that over, realized that, theoretically, he didn’t
have
to tell Willow his secret just yet.

Chicken
.

Ignoring his wolf’s growl, he glanced over at Willow. She’d been quiet on the drive and now he knew why. She was nodding off, her head against the cold glass window, arms curled around her torso, breathing deep and even.

Silently, he pulled out his phone and made a call.

When he shut the engine off at the bottom of the cabin’s front steps, the door opened and Joe stood framed in the doorway. Ben grabbed his gear and rounded the truck to pick Willow up. Carrying her inside, he nodded his thanks to Joe and headed to her room. He laid her on the bed and slipped off her shoes. Debating only a moment, he moved to shuck off her jeans when she abruptly sat up. Eyes closed, she struggled with her sweater a moment before Ben stripped it, and the shirt she had on underneath, off. Then she flopped back on the bed. After an amused pause, Ben finished divesting her of her jeans with her sleepy help. Of course her bra and panties had to follow. It’s not like she needed the clothes for warmth. He was just going to speak with the boys before cuddling—there was that word again—with her the rest of the night.

“You haven’t claimed her yet.” Joe commented when Ben joined them on the front porch.

“And tomorrow’s the full moon,” Scott added, ever so helpful.

Ben jutted his chin. “Your point?”

“You know how wacky shifters get if they scent an unclaimed female in heat on the full moon.”

Spreading his shoulders wide, Ben stared them down. “So I should kill you both now.”

Scott took a step back at the look on Ben’s face and held out his hands. “That’s not what I’m saying and you know it.”

“So? What? You suggesting I keep her locked inside tomorrow all day and night?” Because Ben could see
that
going over well.

Joe tugged on his ear, his expression sheepish. “Might not be a bad idea.”

“Shit.” Ben scrubbed a hand over his face. “How am I supposed to do that?”

“If you’d claim her, you wouldn’t have to. Otherwise, I’d suggest sex, and lots of it.” Scott dared to slap a hand on Ben’s shoulder. “Lucky fucker.”

Grimacing, Ben knew the marathon sex session wasn’t in the cards. While his libido was ready to do a high-five, he knew Willow would be too sore, no matter what the mating heat demanded. Which was why he left his condoms in his locker.

“Got enough condoms?”

Ben glared at Scott for a long span of time before admitting, “No.”

Scott’s grin split his face. “Luckily I brought extras.” Reaching inside his jacket, he pulled out a strip of condoms, dangling them in the air.

Ben didn’t move, other than to crack his neck, trying to resist the temptation. His wolf wanted him to claim his mate, and both man and beast wanted to do the horizontal mambo. Or vertical polka. Didn’t matter which. The night was still young, looming ahead of him like an endless abyss. Willow might be exhausted but Ben, and most shifters, were creatures of the night.

Then he had to contend with the next thirty-six hours. If sex was on the table, it would be bliss. If not, it was going to be hell.

Unless he bit her, marking her as his for all shifters to scent. Then it would be heaven.

Except for one small detail: Ben still had to tell Willow about his kind.

Snatching the condoms, Ben stalked back in the cabin, shutting the door on Scott’s smirking face and Joe’s confused one. He undressed, dropping his clothes over a chair in Willow’s room, next to where he had placed hers, and climbed in under the covers next to his as-of-yet unclaimed mate.

As if sensing him, she turned on her side away from him, so he curled up close, drawing her smaller body against his, insinuating one of his legs between hers. One arm was bent under his pillow, the other wrapped around his little redhead. He told himself to behave and mentally argued with his wolf who growled that now was the perfect time to take a little bite.

Wanting to snarl at his indecisiveness, he snuggled closer, breathing in Willow’s scent, letting her soft warmth seep into his chest. He trailed a finger over her temple, the gentle curve of her cheek. Not touching her when she was close was not an option, which made him think about his desire for an independent mate. Willow was independent. Strong yet soft. A perfect mate.

It was him that needed to re-evaluate. When he’d found out she’d gone to Togan without telling him, he’d almost chased her down, demanding an explanation. Which meant maybe he was the one with the dependency issue. But he’d never before felt the overwhelming need to
just be
with someone.

Reluctantly, he agreed Dean might be on to something. Maybe it was just the nature of the beast to want its mate close where it knew she was safe, protected. He’d need to mull that over.

Much sooner than he expected, he felt the gentle tug of sleep pull him under.

It might have been minutes or hours later when Ben’s eyes snapped open. Willow was moaning in her sleep, her breath ragged and face wet with tears. “Nooo.” The soft wail of distress broke his heart. “Don’t shoot. Oh God. Ben.” She clawed at his arm, her head thrashing on the pillow as if frantically fighting off an attacker.

“Sweetheart. Willow, honey. I’m right here.” He ran his hand soothingly up and down her flank, pressing kisses to her neck, shoulder. “You’re safe with me. It’s just a nightmare, Will. You’re safe.”

Her choked sobs undid him. Fighting the savage need to rip someone’s throat out, he gentled her body with long, smooth strokes, whispering words of affection and his unwavering presence.

“Ben?” She whispered his name in disbelief, her hand coming around to rest on his hip.

He licked the tender skin just below her ear. “See? I’m right here.”

Her fingers squeezed as if in reassurance. “I thought you were dead.”

Brushing her hair, her cheek, he kissed her temple. “As you can feel, I’m not. It was just a nightmare, sweetheart. It’s all gone now.”

Her hand moved down between their bodies, curled around the erection that didn’t understand now was not the time, and he went very, very still. “I need you.”

Pleasure warred with pain. He grabbed her wrist to still the awkward short pumps of her fist that were driving him crazy. “You’re too sore.” And hurting her to soothe his raging lust was not an option.

“Not that sore.” She wiggled, her ass rubbing against his cock, causing his eyes to nearly roll back in his head. Her head angled to look in his eyes. “Kiss me.”

He hesitated for a moment, knowing full well that if he kissed her, he’d lose control. Hell, who was he kidding? His mate was warm and naked in his arms, her arousal perfuming the air like the most seductive of elixirs. Her lips were parted and wet and he did the only thing he could. He bent his head to claim them.

One hand slid under her neck, holding her as he devoured her mouth, seeking and taking everything she was giving. He ran his other hand along the side of her body, from her knee, over her hip, up the smooth skin of her belly to brush the underside of her breast. Repeating the journey, he kept his mouth fastened on hers, his tongue plunging deep with possessive dominance.

Moving over her thigh, he dipped his hand between her legs, finding the folds of her pussy slick and soft. He had to grit his teeth to hold back the groan rumbling in his chest. “I love the feel of you against my fingers.” He plumped her clit between two fingers, stroking the swelling knot with his middle.

Her legs shifted, parting, her little whimper igniting his rising hunger, making his words thick and raspy. “I loved how you felt against my tongue, too,” he said. “So creamy and sweet.”

“Naughty. You’re so naughty, Ben.”

His fingers slipped lower and he eased one inside her liquid-hot flesh. She was tight, so damn tight. “Nothing between us is naughty, sweetheart.” He added a second finger, her silky juices gathering to aid his penetration, stretching her for his throbbing cock. “It’s sensual.” He nuzzled her neck. “Erotic.”

Her hips churned against his hand in jerky movements, the ripple of tiny muscles around each thrust making the clawing need in his cock almost more than he could handle. Already his gums burned from descending fangs as he fought the instinctual need of his wolf to claim its mate. Before he lost all reason he eased his hand from her body, calming her protests with a soft kisses as he reached for the strip of condoms he’d tossed on the nightstand.

“I need to put this on, baby.” Once he had the latex in place, he kicked back the covers, lifting her leg high. He rubbed his engorged shaft along her swollen folds, coating himself in her slick cream before angling his hips.

Easy
, he reminded himself.
So fucking easy
. Sweat beaded at his temples as he guided himself to paradise. As if aching to be filled, her body sucked at the crown of his dick, milking his throbbing flesh. He pulled back, thrust in slowly, stretching her tender flesh carefully until he was buried as far as possible from this position.

Tilting her body, he latched on to one smooth breast with his mouth as he rocked his hips against her ass. Alternately, he flicked her pebbled nipple with his tongue, then suckled the creamy mound, keeping her senses on edge.

“That feels good. So good.” Her words told him she was losing herself to the pleasure he was giving her. Pleasure he needed to give her. It was a driving force, stronger than his own grating need to plunge hard and deep and take his release.

But he was too damn close. With every stroke, her tight little pussy milked his cock, causing his body to shake as he fought the building orgasm. He rested her thigh against his forearm, twisting his wrist so he could strum his finger over the super-sensitive knot of nerves that would shoot Willow into ecstasy. Her soft cry at the intimate contact coincided with an internal grip of his cock that had him seeing stars.

His voice was unsteady, his breath growing ever harsher with each plunge into the sweetest pleasure he had ever known. “That’s it, sweetheart. Milk my cock. Feel me filling you, loving you.”

She made some humming sound, twisting and pushing back, impaling herself and thrusting him deeper into the fiery depths of her ultra-tight body.

Too far gone, too enmeshed with the hunger and the violent demand from his beast that he claim her now, Ben opened his mouth over the bared soft skin where her slim shoulder met her neck. Without thought he struck, his fangs sinking deep as he thrust mindlessly into her sheath.

At the same moment she tensed, a long, ragged wail barely audible even to his wolf ears slipping past her lips. Then she shuddered violently, coming apart in his arms.

With a hoarse roar that shredded his throat, the orgasm he’d struggled to contain exploded in a hailstorm of fire and pleasure so deep, he tumbled headlong into the agonizing rapture of darkness.