Robbie didn’t know what had come over her. She was hungrier than ever before, unable to hold back as she ravished Citrine, his mouth, his neck, kissing him incessantly as she pressed her body to his, taking in every inch of his muscular body, crushing her hips against the hard length pressing on his zipper.

She wanted it, wanted all of him. Knew they had to use protection or else she’d be claimed, and that would be a violation of tradition, of honor, of everything she believed in.

But there was nothing saying she couldn’t enjoy herself, and she intended to.

Perhaps something had snapped in her when she’d jumped off the tower and into his arms. Perhaps she’d decided to finally live fully, damn the consequences. Perhaps she’d finally felt like herself again, adventurous and free and demanding.

She wanted things. She had feelings and dreams and needs, and she was going to see to one of them right now.

How many times had he haunted her fantasies, no matter how she tried to control her thoughts?

Something about him drove the wolf in her insane. She just had to hope he had the strength within him to match the alpha he would be facing.

Her wolf had never responded to Bryson with this kind of excitement, but she wasn’t sure if it was because of Citrine’s strength or his kindness or his sheer beauty and irresistible tan, muscular body.

Or the fact that he kept inviting her to come out and play, to take risks, enjoy the rain, and really live.

The wolf in her probably loved that as well.

She left off kissing him to get a good look at his handsome face. His dark hair was mussed from where she’d been running her hands through it.

“You’re gorgeous,” she said.

“That’s my line,” he said, rolling her over and climbing on top.

It was his turn to drive her wild with little nips on her shoulder and neck as he pulled down her sweatshirt. With a little growl, he pulled it over her shoulders and continued to kiss her, running his strong hands down the sides of her thin tee shirt and cupping her generous hips.

She flushed, wondering what he was thinking, but when his eyes met hers, she knew.

A hunger answering hers was there, and she almost believed him for a moment that all of this was fated.

He closed his lips over hers, bringing his body close, protecting her from the world, and his kiss grew softer for a moment, gentler and full of quiet promise, as he kept himself pressed against her.

She pressed back, loving the way they fit, and then he pulled back and came forward again, parting her lips with his tongue and delving inside as his hand moved down to her jeans, flicking open the button and sliding inside.

She was already wet, but she didn’t have time to be embarrassed as his hand found her center and moved against her. He held himself slightly away from her, pressing kisses over her ear and neck as he moved against her, his hand sliding erotically, intensely over her most sensitive area, creating a wild, twisting heat inside her.

She gasped as she bit against his neck at the sensation of it all. Her mouth still on fire from his kiss. Her thighs tense and ready. Her neck and ear, tingling from rapid, heated kisses, left bare to the air as he came back to claim her mouth again.

How did he know just how to touch her? How was she already getting so close to release? She moved against him, thrusting up against his hand as he moved in little circles, making her feel ready to scream with the tension inside her.

She was so close to something delicious, something amazing, and she growled and bit on his lower lip as she felt it was impossible to wait any longer.

With a smile against her lips, he twisted slightly and pressed down, and she let out a scream stifled by his mouth as exquisite pleasure burst through her in waves, making her want to shout his name to the heavens.

There was something so intimate about being out here alone, outside, and she would hear or scent if someone came by, yet she still didn’t feel it was safe to cry out.

She wanted to keep all of this just between them.

So she bit down on his lip, sucking it, as the last few waves of intense pleasure tightened her whole body, making her legs shake under his automatically.

When she finished, she relaxed beneath him and looked into his smug, pleased, satisfied male eyes. Then she reached for his belt buckle, surprising him.

“Wait,” he said, putting a hand over hers. “We can’t mate, right?”

“As long as we use protection, we won’t be mated,” she said. “My body is mine, and I can choose what I do with it. I need you.”

He let out a sigh. “If you’re certain.” He leaned forward to kiss her forehead, letting her fumble with his jeans. With a little growl, she got his belt open, then his button and zipper, and began hastily shoving them down.

The wolf in her was practically rabid, and there was only one thing that could calm her. Him, inside her, making her feel safe and complete and at home.

Somehow she just knew that was how it would feel as she ran her hand over the long length of him.

He shrugged out of his flannel shirt and lifted her easily up, spreading his shirt like a blanket beneath her. “You deserve better than this, but it will have to do. I wish I could make this more romantic.”

“As long as it’s with you, it’s fine,” she said, undoing her jeans and pushing them down.

He stopped her, looking around. Then he looked down, and with a little tearing noise, he ripped her panties down the center, positioning himself at the opening. “I wish I could bare you, but this will have to do. My animal couldn’t forgive me if I let you be more naked than possible out here in the open air, even if we’re alone.”

She felt his warm, silky hardness press against her smooth, wet center and braced for impact.

Her whole body felt hot and aroused, feverish with excitement. She just wanted to rush this, to push forward and take him inside her and know how he felt, know that both of them were one, but he blinked and froze, remembering something.

“What is it?”

He reached in his pocket and pulled out a condom. “I’d heard these were necessary. I’m glad I brought one.”

She gulped, heart pounding nervously. She’d been so into this she’d totally forgotten. She’d almost let them ruin everything, all for her own lust. But her feelings were unstoppable now. She was almost ready to howl if she didn’t feel him inside her soon, and as he slipped on the condom, she wriggled invitingly against him.

“Patience,” he said.

“I’ve been patient my whole life,” she snapped. “I don’t have to be patient for another single second.”

He looked at her fondly, and then his eyes heated and he pushed inside her in one smooth stroke, and it felt so good that she instantly forgave him for making her wait.

He was filling her, setting all her nerve endings on fire, making her feel as if she were floating yet here, grounded and safe with him.

She curved her hands up around his neck and sighed, releasing some of the tension already building in her body.

Then he began to move, falling into a rhythm, as she gasped at the sparks every movement set off inside her. Whatever she’d imagined in her fantasies, it couldn’t live up to this, the feeling of Citrine in her arms, Citrine between her thighs, Citrine looking down with eyes like flames as his hard, thick length brought her to heights she’d never expected.

She exploded quickly, body flailing around him as she cried out in the darkness, shocked by the strength of the passion moving through her, shocked by the way he seemed to lose control as well, jerking against her, going still, then murmuring her name in a husky voice against her shoulder, over and over, like a poem that was written just for her.

Her whole body was still on fire, and as they were still joined together, she felt his hand move between them, and he held her up as he stroked over her clit.

She’d been about to relax, assuming it was all over because he’d come, but she was more than willing to accept this change in direction.

She jerked as he stroked, so sensitive now after coming twice already, and she gasped and cried out as he increased his rhythm, moving expertly, his eyes on her as he watched her every movement, absorbed her every sound.

She’d never felt so listened to, so accepted, and it made her come that much harder as he took her over the edge, grabbing her in his arms and holding her close as she came for the final time, gasping against his shoulder.

He kissed her, catching the last helpless cries of her arousal, and then she went limp against him, utterly exhausted by the intensity of their coming together, despite the short duration of it.

“I’ll make it longer next time,” he said, pulling her into his lap and putting his shirt over her. “I promise. I was unprepared for what it would be like. How it would feel to be almost one.” He kissed the side of her head, her hair, and her hand as he lifted it. “I promise next time we’ll go slow.”

“Slow, fast, I don’t care,” she said, putting a hand through his hair as she relaxed in his arms, wondering if there was anything more wonderful in the world than the look of his eyes in the moonlight, anything more wonderful than the feel of his arms.

After a long while together in the field, talking, they both stood awkwardly, knowing it was time to go home.

They buttoned up their jeans, and Citrine insisted on wrapping Robbie in his flannel shirt even though she was already covered. If possible, he was acting even more possessive than usual, but she couldn’t bring herself to mind it.

He was just so perfect. She really was starting to allow herself to hope. Starting to believe this was really happening and wanting to accept all that Citrine could give her.

He crouched down, grinning at her over his shoulder, and she realized he was expecting her to get on his back.

She hesitated, knowing she wasn’t a light woman, but when he insisted, she climbed on, feeling awkward. But that awkwardness only lasted a moment before Citrine stood, easily catching her legs with his arms, and began a brisk pace back to the house as though she weighed nothing.

She sighed and relaxed, letting her hands hang loose around his neck, loving the feel of his back against her breasts.

Everything with him was so amazing. She was done holding back, regardless of what the future held. Citrine was here beside her, and since the world had never seemed to good, she was just going to let go and enjoy it.

For as long as she could.