Chapter Eighteen

Someone knocked on the bathroom door and it startled Lauren. Wrath stood, grabbed Lauren and spun her around to face the tile before she could do it on her own. His body pressed against hers, pinned her there, and he turned enough to hide her behind his body from anyone who entered the room. She couldn’t miss the hard length of his c**k trapped between her lower back and his hips.

“Come in.”

Lauren jerked her head up and gawked at Wrath over her shoulder. They were na**d in the shower and he’d just invited someone to come in.

“Relax,” he urged. “It’s Shadow. He’s taking your clothes away.”

She had to wiggle enough to see the door. Shadow didn’t even glance toward the shower when he picked up all their clothing off the floor. He turned away, closed them inside once more, and Wrath backed off her. Lauren turned to face him and Wrath shrugged.

“Sorry. I forgot to take them out to the hallway. He knows I’ll want that male’s scent removed and it lingers on our clothing—yours from being with him and mine from holding you.”

Lauren remembered the advice Shadow had given her in the SUV about improving Wrath’s mood and inched closer to him. She was all for sex and so was he, judging from the condition of his body. Her hand reached for his c**k but his fingers gripped her wrist before she could caress him there. He spun her back around, pinned her facing the wall again and she gasped when his free hand fisted in her hair.

He didn’t hurt her but he gently forced her head back. She stared into his eyes but he looked away and released her wrist. He yanked the detachable showerhead from its holder and water soaked her hair as he aimed it there. She closed her eyes to keep out the water.

“I need to wash your hair. I can smell him still,” Wrath growled.

“Is it that difficult for you?” It amazed her that he could still detect any traces of 140 on her.

He released her hair and the water stopped pouring down the back of her head. “Yes,” he admitted gruffly. “I can’t stand smelling another male when I breathe in your scent.” The shampoo was cold as he poured a generous amount on her hair and worked it in with both hands, from her scalp to the ends, lathering it well. “My scent and only mine should be on your body.”

It felt good as he rinsed out the soap. He worked in conditioner next and massaged her head while doing it. He made sure he rinsed it all out before he suddenly gripped her h*ps from behind and his body pressed against hers. His head lowered and he growled.

“You keep telling me that you’re mine. I told you not to do that but you didn’t heed my warning. I believe you.”

Lauren opened her eyes and peered up at him over her shoulder. His gaze held hers and the intensity she saw there made her heart race again. So did the feel of his c**k pressed against her lower back. Her lips parted and she blurted out the one thing that she wanted to say most.

“I love you, Wrath.”

He growled low, inched back and suddenly turned her in his hands. He pushed her against the tile when they were facing each other, pinned her there and stepped into her again. She tilted her chin up and his mouth tried to take possession of hers. She twisted away before he could kiss her.

“I need to brush my teeth first. I ate bloody meat. Kind of gross. Hold that thought and give me a minute.” She tried to wiggle away to go do that but he held her against the wall.

“I don’t care. I want you.”

“I want you too, baby. I just want to brush my teeth first.”

Amusement lifted the corners of his mouth. “I’m too big to be a baby.”

“It’s an endearment, remember?” She smiled.

A serious look suddenly wiped away his good mood. “I could have lost you. I won’t allow that to happen. Do you really feel love for me?”

She tensed a little and prayed he wouldn’t lecture her about how they hadn’t known each other long enough for her to confess those kinds of feelings. Most guys would run, commitment wary, but she didn’t regret telling him.

“I do. I know what you’re probably thinking but I—”

He pulled away and released her. “Let’s get dried off and you can brush your teeth.”

Shot down. Damn. She nodded. Wrath faced away, turned off the water and opened the shower door. He handed her a towel, stepped out of the stall to dry off out there and the silence became slightly uncomfortable.

Wrath opened the bedroom door, sniffed and exited, leaving it open. “Shadow has come and gone. There is food here for you on the nightstand.”

Wrath tried hard to calm his racing heart and the urge to grab Lauren, take her to his bed and claim her. The wild side of him wanted to do just that. He just figured it might scare her if he threw her over his shoulder, carried her to his bed and showed her why he was the right male for her. He’d f**k her until neither of them could move.

It wouldn’t just be sex. With Lauren it was so much more. She claimed to feel love for him and he wanted to throw back his head and howl out his joy. She kept saying she was his. His hands clenched at his sides to keep him grounded in reality. Lauren was human, not Species, and they were different. He needed to remember that. She hadn’t offered him forever, probably wasn’t even aware that’s what he wanted and he wasn’t certain what to do about it. He was still a mess, too newly free, and logic stated he wasn’t ready to take a mate. He wanted her though.

The desire was so strong his body shook. She’s mine. She said she feels love for me. Take her. Keep her. Mine! He wanted to roar out his frustration as he battled with his urges. He knew she’d need more time to make that kind of commitment to him. He was ready to make it to her.