Broomstick Breakdown

Aidan rounded the truck and helped her out, standing her on her two feet. Only when she put pressure on her ankle did she remember her earlier injury, but to her surprise she felt not a twinge. To test it, she walked around a few paces before whirling to eye him questioningly.

“Dracin healed you after he put you to sleep. He claimed a wounded witch would be harder to convince.”

Sophia snorted and turned back to face the cabin. She marveled at the actually quite large cabin. It had big, modern windows that faced out into the yard. A screen door hid the solid wood front door, which was unlocked. Aidan carried in the cooler, among other things, after just opening it and walking in. She was left alone outside.

She twirled to look for an escape and ended up sighing. Welcome to the boonies. Maybe I can hitch a ride with a moose. There would be no escape on foot, and judging by how long they’d driven on the dirt path with no other signs of habitation, she doubted he had any neighbors in proximity she could turn to.

“The nearest house is about a five-mile hike east, and if you’re looking for the main road, it’s southwest about seventeen clicks.”

“I hate you.”

“You just think you do because you’re horny.”

Sophia gaped at him. “I! Of all… I am not!”

“Don’t worry, sweetheart, as soon as I get the woodstove ready for the night and the food put away, I’m going to take care of you.”

Sophia shivered involuntarily at his words, and all her hormones screamed yes as they flooded her pussy with moisture. “You’ll have to force me, because I will not bed you willingly.”

Aidan’s face tightened, and his words emerged clipped. “I won’t need to force you. You’re going to beg me to take you. Hell, I can smell your body’s desire from here already. So, anytime you’re ready, just say please.”

“I hate you!” she yelled at his retreating back as he took another load of stuff into the cabin.

“Love you, too, witchy.”

Sophia stamped her foot, her frustration over the situation nothing compared with her annoyance at the warmth his words created. She didn’t want his love. She wanted to go home and forget she had ever met him, even if he was more exciting than anyone else she’d ever met. If only he were a warlock, she would have jumped all over him. Heck, if he hadn’t stated his intention to bite her, she would have bedded him. More than once too.

But forever with a wolf? It would never work. Right?

Chapter Seven

To drive her absolutely nuts and heighten the sexual tension he sensed building in her, Aidan ignored her. Not as easy as it sounded since the only thing he wanted to do was tear her robe off, bury his prick into her velvety wetness, and bite her as he pumped her fast and hard. It didn’t help that his wolf refused to go to sleep, his furry presence growling and yipping demands in his mind.

Aidan was determined, though, to make her ask for it. Call it pride, call it preserving his skin, either way he was determined to make her admit she wanted him no matter what she said. He could smell her desire, and while he knew he could seduce her and give her the mark without her willingness, he knew the method of his taking would always be a bone of contention. Not the most auspicious way to start their new life.

Hence, the plan he hatched on the drive in to his remote cabin where he escaped to when he wanted a place where he could be his furry self. He could smell her desire for him, see it in the way she watched him. If he turned it up a notch, he figured he could get her to cave into her desires. And by not mauling her right away, he’d give her a chance to get to know him, to ask questions, and to realize that her impression of shifter mating wasn’t entirely accurate. She’d equated it with being a slave, and yet like any species, relationships differed from couple to couple. In all races, some men treated their women like chattel whose only purpose was to serve and breed. Others, however, treated them as equal partners and friends. Aidan belonged to the latter half, but convincing her of that would prove interesting.

For the moment, until she gave him a chance to show his true character, he’d play dirty. Food put away and the windows opened to air the place as he hadn’t been up in a few weeks, he prepared for round one in the seduction plan.He stripped off his shirt and walked out of the cabin, headed for the wood pile. Her gasp and heightened scent of arousal as he walked by her without acknowledging her wasn’t lost on him, and his cock throbbed painfully behind the zipper of his jeans. He’d need a long, cold shower before the day was through unless he managed to drive her mindless with arousal to the point that she jumped him. Please.

He picked up the ax and started to chop wood he didn’t need, enjoying the pain and pleasure of the task. Pleasurable because with every swing that sent his muscles rippling, her desire ramped up a notch and her pheromones drifted to him in the air, but painful because, much as he wanted to fuck her, he knew she wouldn’t give in to bliss so easily.

* * * *

Sophia’s mouth went dry even as her cleft became soaked. Aidan didn’t seem to notice her as he chopped wood, shirtless. But, oh, how she noticed him. How could she not with his muscular torso rippling with effort? His naked skin glistening with sweat? Her eyes were riveted on the light trail of chest hair that led down in a V to his…

With a curse, she turned away, her breath short. Madness! How could just simply looking at him make her want to throw caution to the wind and dive on him to molest his deliciously sinful body? Even now, facing away from him, her channel throbbed, aching for something thick and long and…

Cursing again, she strode into the cabin, the faint sound of a chuckle following her. Jerk. He knew she wanted him, which frustrated her to no end. If only she could get his promise to not bite her, then maybe they could assuage their lust-several times-and then maybe he’d see they weren’t meant for forever-after.

The direction of her thoughts made her freeze as she paced inside. She’d not even been in the cabin an hour yet, but already she looked for ways to seduce him with no strings. He’d made it clear he could be ruthless in the pursuit of what he wanted. Look at his abduction of her. Who was to say a promise he wouldn’t bite wouldn’t be broken in the heat of the moment or when she was so consumed with passion she’d agree to anything? No, she needed to fight this attraction she had for him and, even more importantly, find a way to escape. Soon, because I don’t how long I can fight my own body. Even my heart sings when he’s around.

It was while she roamed his cabin restlessly that she came across her purse. How the heck did he get his hands on it? She’d left it locked in her room back at the inn. Puzzled by its presence but glad she could change out of the ceremonial robe, she armed herself in jeans and a shapeless sweatshirt.

Eventually he came inside, and with great force of will, she steadfastly refused to look at him. She only trembled slightly when she heard the sound of running water as he showered-don’t think of him standing under the sluicing water, naked. She bit her nails right down for the first time since her teens, when she’d kicked the nervous habit.

When he finally appeared, fully clothed-unfortunately-he still didn’t speak to her, but he did throw her a grin, which made her scowl. His cabin didn’t seem so roomy with him inside, and she wore a tread in his floor staying out of his reach, warily tracking him as he moved around with ease in the kitchen area.

Even fully clothed and hiding the too-tempting sight of his upper body, he still caused a mounting arousal in her. She couldn’t help but notice as the material stretched and hugged his hidden muscles, which just served to act as erotic enticement. Now she simply wanted to strip the shirt from him-with her teeth.

She didn’t understand what game he played. When he’d told her she was his mate and he intended to claim her, she’d expected him to ravish her at the first moment. He hadn’t-the jerk. Instead, he barely paid her any mind, going about his chores and not making any attempts to seduce her at all. It made a girl want to throw a temper tantrum, starting with taking off all her clothes. A naked witch in his living room would probably wipe that serene look off his face and get her the action she craved.

What the hell is wrong with me? I don’t want to be claimed by a