She caught her lip between her teeth and tangled her hands in the blankets under her. “Yes,” she nodded fiercely. “More.”
More. Fucking hell. He’d give her anything she asked.
He eased into her again. Another inch, then pulled away, two more, then a retreat. Slowly, so slowly, he worked his way into her, trailing kisses down her neck, over her lips, and across her shoulder the entire time. She wrapped around him so tightly, caressed his hard length with silky, fluttering muscles. He was so amazed when he slid home that final inch that he just stared down into her gorgeous green eyes.
Sage ran her fingertips over his cheeks, a slow smile spreading over her face. “This feels amazing.”
One corner of his mouth hitched up in a cocky smirk. “This?” he chuckled, leaning down to take her earlobe between his teeth. “We’re just getting started.”
The gasp that rocked out of her lung on the first pull of his hips would forever be engraved in his memory. That sound alone was almost enough to push him over the edge.
It was all like that with her. Every sound, every blush, every damn tightening of her thighs worked against him. With him. He didn’t even know. He just needed more.
Slow strokes turned faster. Harder. Her pants in his ears and her fingernails dragging along his skin spun him out. He wanted more of her, dreading those heartbeats of his withdrawals and loving the feel of her body taking every inch on his thrusts.
Rhys flipped them over with a quick twist of his hips. He slid his hands up her back, holding her close. Dipping his head at the same time, he mouthed a path of fire over her shoulder and down her chest. Every inch of her called to him. He’d need all the time in the world to memorize the dips and flares of her body, but he started with swirling his tongue around her nipple and taking it between his lips.
Sage arched into him, giving more of herself, never once stopping the rise and fall of her hips.
“So good,” she gasped.
Rhys only growled in answer. What could he say that even came close to the ecstasy rolling through his head and spreading through his body? Heat shot down his spine.
“Rhys,” she moaned. “Rhys. Gonna… I’m gonna…”
“Do it,” he growled into the crook of her neck. He nipped her, keeping himself in check enough to not break her skin. His lion roared in his head, wanting to bite her, claim her, make her theirs, but he held back. Not until she said the words. And then… No one would stand in the way of putting his mark on his mate.
She threw her head back with a harsh cry, his name lost somewhere in the sound. That uncontrolled noise was his undoing, and he dragged her roughly up and down his length as his own release slammed into him. White-hot pleasure scorched up his cock to spill inside her.
His heart, her heart, he didn’t know where one sound ended and the other began. Both beats pounded in his ears, slowing as he carried them both through their aftershocks.
He smoothed his hands over her face, then fluttered a gentle kiss over her lips. It wasn’t enough, but it was a good damn start.
Hers. He was all hers.
Chapter 24
Sage woke with a finger to her lips. Her eyes snapped open as she slammed down the rising panic. Rhys’s scent filled her lungs, not Jasper’s.
“Talk to me,” he said in a hiss next to her ear. Louder, he added, “We never finished that conversation about what you wanted in the future.”
Before she could ask him what was going on, he edged off the bed. Silent feet carried him across the living room and toward the front door where he pressed his back to the wall.
He rolled his hand through the air in a sign for her to start talking.
“That’s on you. You can be very distracting when you want,” she said as lightly as she could manage. Sage sat up, drawing the blanket to her chest. She could hardly hear her words over the pounding of her heart. “I guess I want what anyone wants. Someone who loves them and will make midnight snacks whenever they want.”
Rhys rolled his eyes, but gave another wave of his hand for her to keep going.
She caught her lip between her teeth, then drew in a steadying breath. “Oh, you don’t think that’s funny? I guess I won’t need to share my stovetop s’mores with you. More for me.
“I’m so proud of Kyla for jumping right into a normal life. That used to feel like an impossible dream, but I’m not so sure anymore. Hard? Yes. But not impossible. I miss dancing. I miss teaching. I want those back in my life.”
There. A creak on wood. Barely audible, but it was there nonetheless. So quiet and distant, if she hadn’t been straining to hear, she never would have known it was there.
Thank all the gods in the sky for her wild… mate. Her wild mate.
The butterflies in her stomach had nothing to do with whatever danger lurked outside her door.
“Let me get on those snacks,” Rhys murmured, pulling the curtain to the side just enough to peek through. Bright silver eyes flipped to her face. “What else do you want?”
“What I want…” she continued. “You know, a wedding was never my childhood dream. I wanted the scar. That mark shows that you belong. Not to someone, though I’m starting to understand that possessiveness. I wanted to know I belonged with someone.”
He was on the move again. He didn’t bother concealing his steps until he reached the kitchen, then again went light and slow to the back door. He twisted the knob and cracked it open, then slipped into the darkness.
Sage wiped her palms on the bed and swallowed the lump in her throat. Her inner lioness crouched down, tail lashing. The cat didn’t like Rhys out of
