“Don’t worry, baby, I’m not finished with this pu**y yet.” Dante gripped her hands and placed them at the edges of the desk. “Keep them there.”

“This position stinks a little bit too much of complete submission for my liking,” she snapped indignantly.

“Really?”

She gasped again at the hard slap to her ass. “What the—?! Did you just spank me again?”

“Yep.”

She didn’t care for his blasé attitude. “Why?”

“I felt like it.”

Another sharp slap to her ass. Jaime growled her irritation. She wasn’t sure what irritated her more, that he was spanking her, or that she liked it. “Bending me over is one thing, Popeye. But smacking my ass is—”

“Not your ass, baby. My ass. I love the look of my handprints on it.” His wolf growled his approval at the sight of the handprints; he saw them as brands. “Whine all you want, but you like it, and you know you do.”

Jaime would have growled at his self-assured tone if at the same moment he wasn’t prying her feet apart with his and the head of his c*ck wasn’t thrusting against her clit. Thank God. She needed to come so badly—so much so that she was pushing back to take him inside her. Okay, she was trying to push back, but his big freaking body was as unmovable as a building.

“Want me to make you come?”

“Well, duh.”

“Then you know what to do.”

“Please.”

“Good girl.” With that, he slammed into her in a smooth, hard stroke. Then he was hammering into her so mercilessly it was animalistic.

Jaime was in absolute heaven. She had been lucky in that all her sexual partners had known exactly what they were doing in the bedroom. But Dante…Not one of them even came close, and not just because he was her mate. Everything about the way he f**ked her—his pace, his intensity, his rough touch, his words, his dominant tone, the way he felt inside her—answered to every hunger and craving she had, driving her closer and closer to cl**axing. “Dante, I need to come.” Dante tangled a hand in her hair and snatched her head back. “Come all over me, Jaime.” As if his harsh command acted as a trigger, a scream erupted from her throat as her body began to convulse and her muscles clamped around his cock. Unable to hold back, Dante growled her name as jets of come burst out of him and into his mate, filling her. Then it was as though every bit of energy he had abruptly vanished, and he sagged.

Burying his face into the crook of her neck, he inhaled deeply. His wolf growled, immediately noting something that took Dante’s fried brain a few more seconds to realize. “Your scent’s changed.”

“Huh?”

“So has mine. Our scents have mixed.”

Knowing he was wondering what had brought on the sudden development in their bond, she told him, “I decided that you were right.”

“I’m always right, baby. What am I right about this time?” He grunted when her elbow jabbed his chest.

“I decided it was time to drop the walls,” she said simply.

Surprised and relieved, Dante slid both arms underneath her and hugged her tight. Satisfaction roared through him with the knowledge that everyone would know from her scent that she was taken, was his. He knew she liked that it worked both ways. “No more keeping parts of yourself from me. I want all of you.” That reminded him of something.

When Jaime felt Dante sliding out of her body, a moan of complaint involuntarily left her. As she went to stand, a hand on her back stayed her.

“Don’t move.”

Whatever. It wasn’t like she’d be able to stand on her own steam yet anyway. That relaxed attitude changed somewhat when she felt a wet finger probing her ass. “What the—”

“Shh. Stay nice and still for me.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me.”

“Don’t tell me you didn’t see this coming, Jaime. You knew when I bent you over this desk what would happen next.”

She had known. In a state of extreme arousal, where her inhibitions weren’t important, she hadn’t wanted to fight it. Even now she didn’t want to, but she felt like she had to. She was a dominant female. Bending over so someone could ream her ass felt kind of weak.

But it wasn’t just someone, was it? It was her mate. He was the person who—though she very rarely admitted it—she belonged to in every sense. Naturally, he would want to claim every part of her, and she had to admit that she wanted him to. Throughout most of their relationship, she had fought him on one thing or another, had persistently held back from him. She’d told herself she wouldn’t any longer, and she’d meant it.

When Jaime went slack against the desk, Dante groaned. Christ, she was submitting. The sight made his wolf growl in approval. Leaning over, Dante kissed her shoulder and licked over one of the marks he’d left there. “That’s my good girl. It’ll feel so good, baby, I promise.” Jaime found herself moaning as, lubricated with what was presumably both his come and hers, a finger repeatedly thrust in and out of her ass. Soon there was another one. But it was when he slid in a third finger that it stung. If she was honest, though, she really couldn’t give a crap. The pleasure very much outweighed the dim pain that quickly became pure pleasure. The entire time, he whispered words of encouragement, told her how amazing she was and how hot it was that she’d submitted to him.

Dante loved those throaty moans she made. God, she was tight, and if she wasn’t his mate—the female made to take him—he’d think he’d never fit in there. When she was writhing and pushing back to counter his thrusts, he decided she was ready. Slowly he withdrew his fingers and replaced them with the head of his cock. As he’d expected, she tensed. “It’s okay, baby. Relax for me.” Jaime couldn’t help hissing as he began to push into her. She wasn’t so sure about this now.

“Dante—”

Feeling her anxiety, he smoothed a hand up and down her spine. “Shh. Remember, you were made to take me, Jaime—anywhere and everywhere. This ass is mine; let me have it, baby. Push out as I push in.” Dante was pretty sure that nothing could have made him look away from the sight of his c*ck sinking into her. He was surprised he didn’t come just watching it. “So f**king hot.” Finally, he was fully sheathed. “Baby, that feels amazing.”

Jaime had to agree with that. Once she’d begun to relax, her body had quickly adjusted and accommodated him. Now if only he would move a little…

“Ready, baby?”

“Uh-huh.” When he withdrew with a slow, smooth slide and then thrust forward, Jaime groaned. Again and again he did that, pulling more groans from her. Why had she been fighting him on this? Damn, she’d been missing out big time.

“God, baby, your ass is so tight. It looks like you shouldn’t be able to take me. But you can, because you were made for me. All for me.” He thrust forward, and she groaned again. “You like that, huh? What about this?” He punched his h*ps abruptly, and she cried out in pure pleasure. Picking up the pace slightly, he also hardened his thrusts, giving her what she wanted.

A loud knock on the door made them both freeze. When Jaime looked over and realized it was unlocked, her eyes widened. Shit. She expected Dante to quickly move and cover her up, but instead, he laid his weight on her, caging her against the desk, and put a finger to her lips.

“Who is it?” he asked, making sure he sounded grumpy and impatient. Unless he called “Come in,” no one ever simply walked inside other than Trey. But then, Trey wouldn’t have knocked in the first place.

“Me,” called Marcus. “I just wanted to ask a few questions about that call you had earlier with Josh.”

Of course Dante could tell Marcus that he’d answer his questions later. But this was kind of like a carnal dare. He had the urge to piston into Jaime and test whether she could remain silent. “Ask away.” Pinning her still by her hips, Dante gave her one hard thrust before speaking quietly into her ear. “You’ll have to be quiet, Jaime. If Marcus thinks anything sexual is going on in here, he’ll walk right in. Walk right in and see me claiming your ass.”

He was taunting her, Jaime knew. But he was also right. All shifters liked a little voyeurism, and there was no way Marcus would miss out on the chance to have a peek. She swallowed a gasp as Dante again drove his c*ck into her. Then he was pumping his h*ps and she was biting into her arm to muffle the cries she couldn’t hold back.

Meanwhile, he answered each of Marcus’s questions in a clear voice that didn’t hint at what he was doing to her. That pissed her off. Here she was striving to keep quiet, and he sounded about as animated as a broomstick. Hoping to even the playing field a little, Jaime clenched around his cock.

His words faded into a low growl, but he quickly recovered and continued his conversation. Oh yeah? Now she was absolutely determined to unsteady him—and irritate the cheeky f**ker for starting this game.

Giving him a sideways glance, she whispered, “I’ll tell you who I’m fantasizing about if you tell me who you’re fantasizing about.” He stopped midsentence and dug his claws into her h*ps before speaking again. It was a warning she intended to ignore. “I have to take a shit.” His claws dug harder, breaking the skin, and the scent of blood drifted to her. Ha—like a little blood would stop her. “How about some role play? You can be Fred, I’ll be Daphne, and we’ll pretend Marcus is the Lake Monster coming to get us. What, too soon?” He growled low in his throat. Still the epitome of self-control, he continued talking. Fine. There was only one thing for it. She threw her head back and howled, “Scooby Dooby Doo!”

The crazy bitch, Dante thought as he stilled. Part of him wanted to laugh and part of him wanted to spank the life out of her.

“I didn’t realize Jaime was in there with you,” said Marcus.

“Well, yeah, I am,” she said. “Listen, is there any way you could wrap this up, because Dante’s got a big job to finish and he’s getting very anal about the details.”

“Sure. I’ll talk to you guys later.”

The second he was certain that Marcus was out of earshot, Dante slammed his c*ck into her ass, yanking a loud cry from her and cutting off her wicked giggle. “Think you’re funny, huh? Let’s hear you laugh now.” Growling, he folded over her and began pounding into her with deep, hard thrusts. His pace was relentless, giving her no mercy, no reprieve. How could he when he’d lost all control anyway? There were no games or jokes now. Only a desperate need to come.

He relished seeing her there beneath him, accepting the rough f**king he was giving her.

Snaking one hand underneath her, he speared two fingers into her pu**y and she cried out. “I want you to come for me, Jaime. Right. Now.” He bit hard into her shoulder and groaned as her ass tightened around him. Feeling as her orgasm crashed into her and pure and utter bliss blasted through her, Dante couldn’t hold back any longer. One, twice, three times he rammed into her and came. And came. And came. And realized something that Jaime would probably never have told him, felt it.

Jaime loved him.

He realized something else, too. He loved her right back.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Jaime grumbled as she let Shaya and Taryn lead her to the oval full-length mirror. “Can I open my eyes now?” she asked when they finally halted.

“Yes, now,” urged Shaya excitedly.

Opening her eyes, Jaime couldn’t help smiling at her reflection. Lydia had been right—the dress she had designed for Jaime was amazing. Showing a hint of cl**vage, the knee-length silk dress was an unusual shade that was somewhere between ice-blue and violet; the color deepened or lightened depending on how the light captured the material. The back was V-shaped so it exposed a fair amount of skin but stopped at her lower back, hiding the tattoo she’d had done as a surprise for Dante.

The tattoo wouldn’t have been a surprise for long if they were ending their ceremony with a chase, but as there was no way Jaime could shift into her wolf form, Dante wouldn’t be able to claim her in front of the pack anyhow. Looking at the beautiful dress, she was glad of that now. It meant it wouldn’t be torn from her body and ruined.

“Well?” Lydia looked like she might combust.

“I love it.”

Lydia clapped her hands twice. “I knew you would.”

“You look beautiful, Jaime.” Grace wiped a tear from her eye.

Shaya kissed her cheek. “There’s no way Dante will be able to concentrate on a single word Trey says in the ceremony.”

Taryn chuckled. “I was like that. The ceremony was pretty much a blur. I was too busy staring at Trey and imagining getting down and dirty.”

“I was going to offer to put your hair up in some kind of fancy arrangement, but it’s too beautiful to be all scrunched up,” said Shaya. “Leave it down.” A knock on the door was soon followed by Gabe’s voice. “Are you all dressed yet?”

“Yes, come in,” called Grace.

On entering, her brother, who was planning to give her away, gasped. “Wow, sis, you look amazing.”

Lydia smiled proudly. “She does, doesn’t she.”

“I hope you’re ready,” he said, “because it’s nearly midnight.”

“She is.” Shaya placed her hands on Jaime’s shoulders and held her gaze. “Now stop being nervous and enjoy this. It’s not like there’s any chance of him not turning up.” Perhaps that was true, but every insecurity Jaime had was taunting her that just maybe he’d realize what a big risk she was and decide to call the ceremony off, even if only for a while. Those same insecurities teased her that he might even decide that he still felt a connection with Bitch Face and would rather go back to her. Speaking of Bitch Face…“Has she been to his room yet?” They had all wondered if she might.