“All right, how about this, then… were you lying last night when you told me that you wanted to fuck me?”
A thrill of nervous excitement swelled through me at his words, and I managed to say, “I think you can figure that one out for yourself.”
“Well, I believe in true mates.” Jasper pulled me tighter against his chest until my mouth was hovering only inches above his. “And from the moment you became a werewolf, I sensed that you were mine. As far as I’m concerned, the only person who can tell me that I can’t fuck my mate is my mate. Kane and I have a fight to the death that is long overdue, and nothing on this fucking earth will stop me from facing him. It’s about you, but it’s also about other crimes he’s committed, old wounds that have been ripped open. This is my fight.”
“So, you want me to stay here and simply wait for Kane to arrive?”
“What I want is for you to live your life like Kane Shipman is already dead because it’s only a matter of time before he will be. I’d love help preparing for fire season, but it’s just a job offer, you can take it or not. No one in this house is going to dominate you or take your power away, not ever. No one is going to pressure you to stay either. I just want you to know what’s on the table.”
“And what’s on the table is the fact that if I leave, you’re going to follow and put yourself in danger anyway.” I grasped my hands behind his neck. “Okay, say I did stay, what about sex?”
His gaze heated. “Yes.”
I laughed. “No… what I mean is that Lucas told me that all five of you believe I’m your true mate or something along those lines. I still don’t even know where to put that in my mind. Will there be some sort of sexpectation if I stay with you guys?”
“Sex expectation? No. Never. You don’t owe anyone here anything—that’s not how this works. I’m not asking you to commit to any relationship or job, I’m just asking you to stay in Grayhaven, taking things one day at a time.”
It was such an impossible request, and yet, I found myself closing that little bit of distance and whispering over his lips, “I’ll take that job, Jasper.”
Then, I pressed my lips to his warm mouth.
Chapter Eleven
Even though I was naked save for my lacy panties, when I leaned in to kiss Jasper, I expected a quick peck, but the alpha of Grayhaven wrapped his mouth around mine and kissed me so deeply, my toes tingled.
His tongue plunged between my lips as his hands squeezed my hips. I kissed him back hungrily. I couldn’t even remember the last time I wanted to kiss someone so much, and Jasper’s kiss undid me. Lust roared through my body like quicksilver, and I molded myself against his front.
Jasper broke off his kiss suddenly, and I immediately leaned up wanting to regain his mouth.
“Declan and Lucas are coming in, and this first time I have you, I want us to be alone.” He lifted me off the kitchen island, and I wrapped my legs and arms around him as we headed through the house.
I barely got a glimpse of a large room, full of bookcases and strange, random items, when Jasper set me down on the bed, climbed on top of me, and his mouth was again on mine. He sucked on my lips and licked in my mouth, and the passion and hunger in his kisses were enough to have the lust roaring through me spiking.
My hands went to the hem of his shirt, and he lifted his arms so I could pull it off. Long healed scars crisscrossed over his shoulder and chest, and when I ran my fingers over the ridges, Jasper pulled away and looked at me.
I snatched my hand away. “Sorry.”
“Don’t be sorry. It feels good. Do they bother you?” he asked. “I can put my shirt back on.”
Was he kidding? I would shred that shirt if he tried to put it back on.
“I think every part of you is damn sexy,” I said as I ran my hands up and down his shoulders.
Jasper lifted away, kneeling between my legs. He grabbed for his fly and zipped it down, revealing his thick erection. I wasn’t all that surprised the guy wasn’t wearing boxers.
“Holy shit, this is happening,” I breathed as I stared at his long shaft.
“Only if you want it to.”
I nodded, and Jasper grabbed a couple of thick pillows and set them at the head of the bed. His hands went under me again, and he scooted me up to the top of the bed. “Good, because I want to taste you, and then, I want to fuck you, Teagan.”
I closed my eyes as the full magnitude of our situation hit. There was no coming back from this moment. If I had sex with Jasper right here and now, either Kane or Jasper would die.
Jasper tugged at my lace panties, and I shifted so he could pull them down my legs. He spread my thighs, and his hands cradled my ass, lifting me toward his mouth. I could feel his warm breath on my heat. His gaze fixed on mine, and I knew he was waiting for my permission.
“I don’t want you to die because of me,” I said through heavy pants.
“I won’t die,” he said. “You escaped. You’re free to do whatever the fuck you want, Teagan. Do you want this?”
“I do.” I nodded. “Yes.”
“Then that’s all that matters.” Jasper’s mouth closed over my clit, and he sucked gently, sending a jolt of pleasure through my core that had my eyes snapping wide open.
