I slammed my bedroom door shut behind us. Aric released me slowly, letting me slide against his body, letting me feel how much he wanted me. I took a step back and batted at the light switch, surrounding us in darkness.

Aric flipped the lights back on. “No,” he muttered. “I want to see you. All of you.”

For a moment, we just stared at each other while our chests continued to rapidly rise and fall. A scraping sound from under the door forced my gaze away from his incredible eyes. Taran swore as she shoved a roll of condoms through the crack. I bent to retrieve them and held them up for Aric to see. “We’ll need these,” I whispered.

Aric grabbed them from my hand and tossed them onto the bed. “Not yet.” He slipped off my T-shirt. He stared at my chest, but wouldn’t touch me. I reached for my unsnapped bra to tempt him. Slowly, I removed each strap, letting the whole thing fall to the floor. I then grasped his trembling hands and placed them on my br**sts. My ni**les hardened as he grazed them with his thumbs. I tilted my head and rolled my shoulders to encourage him. He swallowed hard and tugged on the areolas, causing a deep whimper to break through my lips.

I couldn’t wait to return Aric’s touch. I yanked off his shirt and dragged my nails in a soft caress across his chest. He released my br**sts to unfasten my belt. I kicked off my shoes. He knelt to the floor and removed my jeans. With one finger, he hooked the crotch of my thong. I gasped when his knuckle teased the sensitive area. His eyes, heavy with want and longing, locked with mine as he tugged off my panties. I swallowed hard, shaking, unsure I’d survive the experience.

Aric remained on his knees. He placed me against the door, draping my right knee over his left shoulder. I screamed when he pushed his fingers inside me, and his tongue found the perfect spot. What had started out slow and seductive swelled into a frenzied combination of lust and eagerness. His hungry tongue circled while his fingers moved in quick ramming motions. I was helpless. All I could do was urge him on with my moans as I dug my claws deeper into the doorframe.

Aric knew when my arousal peaked and crashed in one mighty wave, but he wouldn’t slow down. He intensified his motions, prolonging the experience until I collapsed limp in his arms.

Desire sparked his irises as he carried me across the room and placed me on my king-size bed. My fingers clenched his rock-hard shoulders, pulling him aggressively to meet my lips. His taste mixed with mine drove us both insane. But when he tried to lie on top of me, I wouldn’t let him. I dragged myself away from his voracious mouth, rolling him onto his back and tugging off what remained of his clothes. He watched me intently as I stripped him down to his bare flesh. I licked my lips.

And then buried my face in his lap.

The length and girth of Aric’s virility made it hard to take him in my mouth. I’d never done this before, so I used his groans and growls of pleasure to guide me as I savored him. He repeatedly screamed my name, willing me to go farther and faster.

By accident, I grazed him with my teeth. My heart clenched, believing I’d hurt him. I hadn’t. He went wild and crawled backward up the bed. But I wasn’t done. I needed more of him, so I grabbed his h*ps and towed him back. Faster and faster I went, his pleasure driving me mad, and fueling my own.

All at once, he gripped my arms and hauled me away. I might have finished him, but we were both covered with sweat and couldn’t slow our breaths. Yet as I looked in his eyes I knew we weren’t done. No. Not yet.

Aric placed me on my back. He fumbled with a condom wrapper as we continued our deep ravenous kiss. I couldn’t believe he was ready again so soon, but then again, I was, too.

My hands fisted the comforter when Aric tried to enter me. He glanced down when he was unsuccessful and adjusted my hips. He tried again, but once more, was ineffective. He regarded me closely, confusion wrinkling his brow. I turned away, worried and frightened my lack of experience would ruin our moment.

Aric touched my chin and moved me back to face him. He smiled softly but didn’t say anything. He kissed me, gently at first, then more seductively. As I responded to him, the fire we’d had during our foreplay caught and electrified our skin once more.

I tried to relax, but it was difficult. I didn’t want to disappoint Aric. He tried once more and was able to enter. Slowly, he pushed into me, driving me over the edge with anticipation. The more he advanced, the more my body accepted his. My sharp nails pierced through the covers and into the mattress. My heart threatened to explode. My God, I needed him so much.

Aric struggled for breath once he finished filling me. As he withdrew, deep groans escaped our lips. I was already tender, but the ache mixed with bliss momentarily blinded me.

Aric gasped. “Am I hurting you?”

“No, please don’t stop,” I begged.

Aric gradually increased his rhythm. The yearning as we explored each other’s bodies became all-consuming. He moved us in countless positions. I welcomed them wholeheartedly, desperate to learn, desperate to indulge, wanting so much to enhance his revelry and mine.

Finally Aric placed me on my hands and knees. Maybe it was a wolf thing. Whatever it was, I didn’t care. I just knew it intensified the experience and made me scream. He pleased me so intensely, but I wanted to please him. I pushed my back against his chest, turning my h*ps in circles against his lap.

Aric kissed and licked my neck. His left hand reached around to play with my ni**les. His right traveled down my stomach to rub that entrancing spot. I screamed again, and clamped down. A long deep grumble vibrated hard in his throat. He liked me tightening around him. So I repeated my motions again and again.

Ecstasy had already claimed me multiple times, but I didn’t want to stop despite my exhaustion. So I forced myself to continue while Aric urged me on with his hips. And then it happened; complete and utter rapture cloaked us one last time.

Aric fell on the bed, dragging me with him. I was glad my back was still to him as stupid tears trickled down my face. I didn’t understand why I cried. I thought it was from all the pleasure we’d shared. Whatever the reason, I wished I could stop. My vulnerability completely embarrassed me. I clasped my hand over my eyes, praying our heavy breathing would be enough to distract him.

Aric swept my sweat-soaked hair behind me and kissed my shoulder. “Are you ready?” he panted.

I didn’t want him to separate us, but I nodded regardless. He withdrew, forcing our bodies to shudder. My lids closed tight. Our parting had affected him, too.

Aric lifted me and tucked me beneath the cool sheets, joining me once he put out the lights. I turned to face him when my tears finally ceased to fall. But he knew. Of course he knew. He kissed my eyelids sweetly and rubbed the last drying tear away with his thumb.

“You okay?” he whispered.

“Yes.”

“Are you sure?”

I leaned in and kissed him, then laid my face and arm across his broad chest. He held me close and stroked my back with tenderness unbefitting such a powerful male. I discovered the reason for my tears before I drifted off to sleep.

I love you, Aric.

• • •

Sunlight hit my face from the crack in the blinds. I slowly opened my eyes to meet Aric’s grin. He’d gotten his wish; he’d awoke with me na**d in his arms. I returned his smile, still amazed he lay in my bed. His messy hair hung over his light brown eyes, and his five o’clock shadow had darkened into a thin beard. He looked sleepy.

He also looked sexy as hell.

“Good morning, sweetness.”

“Hi, wolf.”

I climbed on top of Aric, our lips immediately meeting. Good heavens, he tasted so good.

The rising pressure between my legs made me jerk. I tilted my leg and peeked below our covers. Turned out, Aric was extremely happy to see me. He smiled with slight embarrassment before reaching for a condom. I took it from him and disappeared beneath the sheets.

• • •

“Sorry about last night,” I told him.

We lay facing each other as he played with our intertwined fingers. “I don’t want you to be sorry about anything you did last night. I know I’m not.”

I smiled and gave him a small kiss. My God. I really do love you.

“I don’t mean to be an a**hole,” he said after a moment, “but can I ask why you’re not on the pill?”

I hadn’t expected this talk so soon, and I supposed my rising temperature announced that loud and clear. “Aric, I’m not—well, I mean, I wasn’t sexually active. I’ve only had two lovers. There was no reason for me to be on it.”

Aric lifted his head from the pillow. “I’m only your third lover?”

I squirmed against him to hide my blush. “I meant two, counting you.”

Aric gripped my shoulders and pulled me away from him. He seemed to piece the puzzles of the night’s events together—my timidity, his difficulty penetrating, and likely my tears. Understanding spread across his face, softening his features until his brows knitted into a deep frown. “Why didn’t you tell me? We could have taken things slow.” He huffed. “And I sure as hell would have been more gentle.”

I shook my head, perspiration building between my br**sts. “You were gentle. And trust me, I didn’t want to take things slow.”

Aric’s voice deepened. “That makes two of us.”

He drew me to him. I traced a line along the ridges of his muscles, smiling diffidently when I focused on his nipple. I’d finally gotten to taste it, and more, last night. “I thought we were going to, you know, make love sooner. But things always seemed to stop before they could get going.”

“Like the first night we slept together?”

I tilted my head upward, surprised he brought it up. “Yeah. Like that night.”

Aric’s hand slipped down to my backside, sending goose bumps across the length of my back. “I was already getting a lot of shit from my Elders about associating with you. But when they scented your aroma and our passion on the night we first kissed, Martin told me to keep my distance. I didn’t like it. As my Alpha, though, I felt compelled to heed his words.” He kissed the top of my head. “Except things weren’t so simple. You got hurt and almost died. And even though Emme healed you, I couldn’t bear to leave you that night. So I stayed. I kept telling myself I’d leave when you woke. But the longer I was with you, the more I wanted you, and the more Martin’s orders haunted my thoughts.” He sighed. “My loyalties to my pack tell me I should obey my Alpha. But I can’t. You’ve been impossible to resist, Celia.”

I bit my bottom lip, trying to keep from crying. I’d finally fallen in love, but it wasn’t enough, and wasn’t so easy. “My selfless side wants to tell you to obey your Elders. But I can’t.”

Aric’s jaw tightened. “Then don’t.”

My arms slipped around his waist. “What will they do to you for being with me?”

“There’s no law saying I can’t be with you.”

But from what Bren had once explained, pack loyalties and blood bonds ran deeper than laws. I rested my head against him, and asked God to keep him safe from his kind.

Aric’s hand massaged my backside. “You know, I was starting to think you didn’t want me.”

I blinked back at him. “You can’t be serious.”

Aric tugged on my bottom lip with his teeth. “Celia, when you wouldn’t look at me yesterday after I changed back, I questioned whether you even found me attractive.”

“Mmm. You’re right. Your dreamy eyes, sexy grin, and eight-pack abs never did it for me. Neither did your rock-size muscles and long, powerful legs.” I failed to mention his fine ass, tight enough to snap twigs, but that was a given. “Are you crazy? How could you not know how bad I wanted you?”

Aric flashed his sexy grin. “Then why didn’t you ask me to spend the night sooner?”

My smile faded. “Because I didn’t know how.”

The humor dissolved from his face. He cuddled me closer. “Now you do,” he whispered.

I guess I did. But the evolution of our relationship brought up other issues. Issues I suddenly didn’t feel so bashful addressing. “I can start taking the pill if you want me to.”

Aric stilled as the aroma of his arousal claimed the air around us. “It would be nice to feel you completely when we make love. But I don’t want to pressure you. I’ll let you make that decision.” He climbed on top of me. I moaned when his lips tickled me across the jawline. “Last night was the best night of my life,” he murmured when he reached my ear.

With that, we made use of our last condom.

CHAPTER 10

My pace slowed as I reached the bottom of the stairs and approached the kitchen. Silence in a house occupied by women yappier than Shih tzus was always a bad sign. Despite the comforting smells of eggs and bacon filling the house, I knew I was doomed before I entered the kitchen.

Shayna bounced with her arms crossed, grinning ear to ear. Her long black ponytail swung behind her like a puppy dog’s tail. Taran sat at the table smiling wickedly as she stirred her tea. Emme waited next to her. I hadn’t even said anything yet, but there she sat, blushing away.

Shayna flung an arm around me and erupted into a fit of giggles. “What’s wrong, dude? Up all night?”

“Apparently he was, too,” Taran added, her siren grin exceptionally wide.

I rubbed at my crimson face. “I guess you heard us.”

“Damn, girl, of course we did.” Taran laughed. “It sounded like you were watching Animal Planet.” She leaned her chin against her palm. “Did you do it as beasts? Please tell me, I must know.”