A few minutes ago, with her father sitting comfortably beside her, Natale was ready for bed, her eyelids heavy, her movements slow, languid.

Now, held in Salvatore’s muscular arms, feeling his hands slowly smooth over her back, she leaned further into his embrace, but sleep was the last thing on her mind. When his hands slid over her backside, his firm fingers bit into the backs of her thighs and drew her closer. Pressed tightly against him she didn’t have to ask if he was tired, the way his body pushed against hers as he pulled her close spoke volumes. Salvatore wanted her just as much as she wanted him. “Salvatore?”

His eyes devoured her, his chest expanding and contracting with each deep breath. She knew he was drawing in her scent and she wanted to return the favor. Fitting her hands in between the tight squeeze of their bodies, she felt the cool cotton of his shirt under her palms and the soft rush of silk on the backs of her hands from her own dress. Natale found the first button, making quick work of it, then the next. She worked her way up from the middle of his chest to his neck, pushing both sides of the shirt open to bare his chest.

She leaned in, touching the tip of her nose to his skin and then her lips, drawing them over his heart, searching for the heavy beat under his skin. Natale turned to the side, laying her cheek gently against the wall of his chest. She closed her eyes and scented tall trees, clear skies, summer sun-warmed grass. She was surrounded in the majesty of nature and at the center of it all, Salvatore.

He called to her deep down inside where she liked to hide. Close to Salvatore she wanted to be wild, needed to be brave, not for him, but for herself. She wanted to be with him in every way possible.

She lifted her gaze to his, watched the presence in his eyes shift from man to bear and back again, but it didn’t matter whose eyes met hers, she felt loved. She belonged.

“Do you want me,” she swallowed, and allowed herself a moment to feel the incredible rush of standing at the edge of the cliff, “forever?”

His answer was immediate. Bending down he wrapped his thick-muscular arms around the tops of her thighs and lifted her easily off of the floor, bringing her high enough that they could meet each other eye-to-eye.

“I want you,” he grinned, his warm breath fanning across her cheek, “I've wanted you every moment since we met. That’s not going to change, Tesoro, but it’s more than just wanting you in my arms, or in my bed. I need you. Your smile. The touch of your hand. The sound of your voice. My life would be nothing without you.”

She felt tears rolling down her cheeks and closed her eyes as he leaned closer, kissing her tears from her skin. “I don’t know how it happened,” she blurted out the words before she thought better of them, “but I went from living with hope to living with a full heart. You riled up my world and tossed everything up in the air. I was so afraid that when the pieces came down, it would be just that, pieces.

“But in the middle of everything, you were there, the rock that I could cling to.” She sighed and wiggled against him, feeling the way his body hardened against her even more. “I just want you to know I will be there for you too.”

His smile held more than a hint of promise in it, his scent held passion.

Natale only knew that the time had come to make the decision that she could never, would never, take back.

“Salvatore, make me yours forever.”

“Mine,” his voice was his own, but his bear pushed closer on a growl, “my mate.”

She couldn’t help the way she melted against him, leaning as close as she could. “And you’re mine, Salvatore. Please, you promised you’d…” She lost her words when he closed his lips over the pulse in her throat. “Promised that you’d…”

His teeth rasped over the same spot as his body pushed closer, demanding more than just an embrace.

Before she realized what was happening, Salvatore backed into her bedroom, taking the impact of the door on his back, cushioning her from the heavy hit of vibrations, pausing only to flick the switch for the lights. When he reached the foot of the bed, he set her down on her feet before him. Her hands joined his, shedding their clothing, leaving them in piles at the foot of the bed.

She felt him slide an arm around her waist, turning her back toward the bed.

Natale set her palm on his chest, shook her head, and felt the tremors roll through her body from his. She saw the question and the worry that bled into his eyes. She answered it with a smile. “Let me, Salvatore, give me a chance to take you first. Lie down for me.”

She felt it in the simple touch of their bodies, the way his muscles coiled as if he was going to pounce on her, pin her to the ground. She would have let him, she would never deny either of them the rush of passion, they would benefit from it either way.

She watched him back away, one step and then another, until he felt the bed against the back of his legs. Sitting down, he leaned back and easily laid himself out on her bed, his feet still on the floor.

Moving between his knees she paused to enjoy the view before leaning over to take him in her hand. It was an incredible feeling, having a man with his strength and powerful body giving her the freedom to do what she wanted. That he would give her the trust to touch him humbled her as well.

She stroked him, gently at first, learning the weight of him, the textures of his skin, the veins that crawled over his length, and the crisp scratch of his hair against the side of her hand. As she drew her hand back up toward the tip, she leaned over and met her fingers with her lips, taking his head into her mouth.

His muscles tensed, moving him ever so slightly beneath her. His breathing slowed and then sped up when her lips drew him deeper into her mouth, her fingers massaging his shaft.

He grumbled and she felt the sheets shift against her legs. A quick glance spoke volumes. Salvatore’s hands were knotted in the bedding, a fine sheen of sweat coating his skin.

The expression on his face bordered on pain and she wondered if she’d taken it too far. Lifting her mouth from him she licked her lips under his watchful and stormy eyes. “Do you want me to stop?”

“Yes!” His voice spat from his lips while his head shook, sending a soft spray of sweat shimmering in the light. “No!” He growled and his teeth gnashed together. “Whatever you want.”

Her heart constricted in her chest. She wanted to give him pleasure, but this seemed to cut too close to pain.

Releasing him gently from her hand, she watched as his head fell back against the bed, breath panting from his lips.

“I’m not trying to tease you,” she spoke to him as she crawled up onto the bed, her thigh brushing his.

“I know,” he turned his head enough that she could see his eyes clearly. “That doesn’t stop my bear from wanting to devour you.” She paused, hesitating, until she saw the tight smile on his lips. “He wants me to treat you to the same torture, Natale. And I have to say that soon, preferably sometime before dawn, I intend to taste your heat on my tongue, feast on you as you come against my mouth.”

Her elbow buckled as the images flooded her thoughts, but it didn’t stop her or change her mind, instead it goaded her on. She kept contact with his eyes as she closed the scant distance between them, straddling his hips, watching his eyes slowly close to half-mast. And still, she knew that he watched her, felt the rough drag of air into his lungs as his body rose up to touch her in a gentle caress.

She had no real knowledge of how this would work, but she felt the freedom to try and when she paused, her gaze trailing over his body, she heard Salvatore’s voice deep and heavy in her ear. “Put a hand on my chest,” his words weren’t a command, but a suggestion and she followed it willingly, “lift your hips, just an inch.”

Natale complied and kept her eyes on his.

“Push back, Natale, take a breath and push back.”

Balanced on her hand she did as he asked and bit down on her lip as she felt the tip of his erection slip between her folds. Her muscles contracted over him and she heard Salvatore bite back a curse, almost laughing at the mix of Italian and English, understanding the frustration behind those muttered words. She felt it too. Felt it aching within her.

She pushed further, enjoying every inch as she took him deep into her body, her breaths panting from her lips.

His compliance lasted, something she had to give him credit for. Up until now, Salvatore had been the one to take the initiative, but as she felt the hard muscles of his thighs press against the cushion of her backside, she let out a long, satisfied sigh. It always felt good when he was inside of her, but at that angle, his body spread beneath hers like a living, breathing, sculpture of perfection, she found herself on the verge.

And he took her over. Sitting up, Salvatore wrapped an arm around her waist to anchor her against his chest as she wound an arm around his neck and held on. The sensations rolled through her body, pulsing around him as he murmured into her ear. When the shocks began to settle, instead of finding her body tired, she only wanted more. She wanted him to mark her, claim her, and she knew it was going to happen.

She probably should have been afraid, but she’d made her decision.

She took his face in her hands and leaned in, fed her passion from his mouth, ate the very breath from his lungs, and when her motion pressed her clit against the base of his rock-hard length, she swallowed his moan.

They kissed, each of them fighting for dominance and then giving it back in turn.

His hands, splayed over the swell of her hips, didn’t hold her still before him. He became her guide, let her move within the frame of his hands as he surged into her again and again.

Natale knew he was holding back, saw the pinch of the muscles at the corners of his eyes, saw the sweat beading on his skin. She knew he was holding back for her and it only made her love him even more.

She realized how blessed she was. For years she believed that love wasn’t for her. Knowing that the men who caught her eye were blind where she was concerned had trained her not to hope, not to dream. How strange that a threat against her life had ended in such joy.

She was done hiding from love, done feeling insignificant and empty. Done waiting for things to happen to her. She was going to take charge of her life, just as she’d taken charge of the line at Durante.

“Salvatore,” she started to speak and felt the shock of his thrust vibrate through her and robbed her of her breath. She clung to him, struggling to regain some control, but she knew it wasn’t going to be easy.

Then again, nothing was ever easy when you wanted it, needed it, as much as she needed him.

So, without words, she decided to show him what she wanted. She set her hands on his shoulders and pulled him forward. The movement created all kinds of friction between them and they both shared a groan, leaning into the sensation, but she didn’t stop there. Natale put her mouth on his neck, sliding her lips up toward his ear, nipping at the shell with her teeth before she made the journey back down, finding the pulse of blood through the strong column of his neck.

She wanted to take a bite of him and she did, closing her mouth over the base of his neck she sank her teeth into his skin.

Natale heard his voice, knew he said something, but she couldn’t tell if it was in Italian or English and didn’t care. Salvatore’s carefully cultivated control had been lost and she reveled in the feeling as the rush of her own heartbeat pulsed through her ears.

Tasting the salt of his sweat on her tongue, she knew she hadn’t broken his skin, but that wasn’t the point. She’d shown him what she wanted.

What she needed.

And when she leaned back to meet his eyes, the pebbled tips of her breasts were teased by the crisp scratch of his hair. Her eyes slid closed for a moment before she fought them back open again. Wondering who she would see in his eyes. She knew what it must have cost him to fight down his bear, to have some measure of reason over need. Staring back at her was the love she had only dreamed of.

Natale found herself drowning in his eyes, a shifting mix of man and beast showing her love and desire, and in the dark depths of his soul, she found the promise of forever. All she had to do was fall.

Turning her head toward her shoulder she felt the stretch of her skin, thinning the barrier in an open invitation.

He didn’t wait long.

Salvatore stood, one hand anchoring her against him as she gasped and wrapped her legs around his waist. A few strides and he had her against a wall, his legs braced beneath her.

Her eyes widened and she forced down the question that was on the tip of her tongue. She didn’t have to ask him if he could hold her there, she knew by the muscles she’d had the pleasure of exploring with her eyes and hands that he was strong enough to hold her securely against the wall.

She felt the first eager stroke strike a tender spot within her, she leaned her head back against the wall to watch his face. His expression was set, determined, driven. His gaze fell to her breasts, his breathing ragged. A muscle ticked in his jaw a moment before his tongue swept over his lips.

His thrusting hips went deep and she gasped, fingers digging into his shoulders. Pressed between his body and the wall, she was well and truly secure, but even with the constriction, she’d never felt so free.

At this angle and with Salvatore’s determination to drive her over the edge, she reached the precipice in minutes. She didn’t fight it. Instead, Natale felt as though she’d flung herself into oblivion. Her breath caught in her lungs, the world seemed to disappear beneath her, and yet she was safe, anchored to Salvatore. He filled her with his own release and closed his mouth over her shoulder.

Natale had felt his bite before, but not like this. Pain seared through her shoulder and she felt the rush of her blood into his mouth. Instinct should have told her to pull away, to free herself from his demanding need, but she only leaned into it and let the pulse of her own heart tremble through her body.

Salvatore moved ever so slightly and she didn’t tense at the feeling. She knew he wouldn’t drop her, wouldn’t let her loose from his embrace. She heard his voice, heard his growl soft and rumbling in her ear. “Mine.”

“Yes,” she told him, her hand stroking his back in a comforting gesture, “I’m yours.”

He carried her to bed, his body still within hers, still hard and pulsing through both of them. “How long?”

She heard the question and blinked back at him. “How long until-” Her mind caught up with him and she blushed. “I don’t have anywhere to be today,” she laid her forehead against his as he sank onto the bed, draping her over his body, “so I’m yours.”

He smoothed her hair back from her face, looking into her eyes with longing. “When we first met,” he reminded her before he placed a kiss on her nose, “you couldn’t stand me being anywhere around you.”

She trailed her fingertips over his chest, brushing her knuckles over his pec. “Oh, I could stand you around me, I just couldn’t handle the distraction. One look at you,” she replaced her fingers with her lips, her tongue made him groan, “and I wanted you.”

Salvatore leaned closer, laving his tongue over his mark, soothing the healing skin. “One look at you and I had to touch you, Natale. I couldn’t lose you, not when I’d just found you.” He held her face in his hands and pressed a kiss against her lips.

“I didn’t make it easy on you,” she sighed, and kissed him back, “I’m pretty sure you wanted to turn me over your knee.”

He shrugged and the corner of his mouth turned up in a smirk. “I did turn you over my shoulder, but I knew I’d win you over one way or another. I was determined.”

“You were persistent,” she leaned into his touch and felt him harden inside of her body, “in so many ways. And now…”

“Now?”

She stretched and felt him sink deeper. “I can’t imagine what life would be like without you.” Leaning down, she pressed a kiss to his shoulder. “So, I’m just going to hold on to you as long as I can. I’ll take the next fifty years or so, because I can’t bear to be without you.”

Salvatore pulled her closer until she could feel the pounding rhythm of his heart through the wall of his chest. “You never have to be.”