Chapter Nine
~ Cyan ~
“I wish a woman would look at me the way that one can’t keep her eyes off you,” Anthony murmured, and I turned to see Ivy staring my way.
My mate was a vision. She stole my breath from across the room. It took all I had to remain where I was and not cross the distance, toss her over my shoulder and make a quick exit just as I had the first time I’d seen her. All I’d thought about since we’d left her bed earlier was getting her back in it.
“You’ve had plenty of women undress you with their eyes,” Donovan pointed out to Anthony, but I noticed his gaze was glued to my Ivy, as well. A growl rumbled up from my chest, and both men laughed.
“She’s not just undressing him,” Anthony said. “She’s practically branding him.”
I smiled. I’d like that. Wearing her brand. I ran my fingers over the spot where she’d bitten me. I wanted to feel those sharp teeth on my skin right now. I wanted her. And for more than a few days. I wanted her for the rest of our lives. I needed her to want it, too.
I forced my gaze away from her. “As I was saying, keep your eyes out for trouble on the off chance we missed a few more assholes unhappy with us taking over the Rigton pack.”
“We’ve got this,” Donovan assured me. “Besides—”
“Heads up, Cyan,” Anthony called.
I snapped my head up in time to see Ivy heading my way. No, stalking my way. I pushed the chair back, standing just as she launched herself at me. I snagged her easily out of the air, groaning as she wrapped around me like the clinging vine I’d vowed she’d be. My hands cupped the lush curves of her ass as her arms tightened around my neck, her fingers sliding into my hair.
“Good to know dancing turns you on,” I murmured in her ear, slicking the lobe with my tongue before nipping it with my teeth.
“You turn me on,” she countered then tacked on another word. One that stopped my heart before sending it into a frantic beating. “Mate.”
I pulled back my head, meeting her gaze with questioning eyes.
“You’re mine, Cyan. All mine. Now, why don’t you go all caveman on me and cart me out of here so we can spend the rest of the night making love.”
I grinned. Couldn’t have stopped it for the world. “Say it again.”
She leaned in and caught my bottom lip with her teeth before licking over it. She nuzzled her way along my jaw to my ear before I could capture her mouth with mine. Then she whispered to me, “Mate.”
“I’m holding you to that,” I vowed.
“As long as you’re holding me.”
I lifted her up enough to sink a hand in my pocket so I could drop some bills on the table, though other than a few sips from me our drinks hadn’t been touched.
I boosted her over my shoulder, and Ivy gave a shriek before bursting into laughter. I gave her ass a tap before rubbing it and leaving my hand on her sweet curves. Anchoring my other hand around her legs, I took off for the door. By the time I had her to the SUV, she had her arms wrapped around my waist and was fondling my dick through my jeans.
“Ivy,” I growled, and she laughed again. “Wait ‘til we get back to your house.”
“No. It’s too far. I want you now.”
I groaned, ripping the passenger door open and working to unwrap her so I could deposit her on the seat.
“Behave,” I warned then shut her in and headed around the hood. I had just enough time to slide into the driver’s seat when Ivy hopped into my lap.
“Push back the seat.”
The woman was naked from the waist down and already working on my pants. There was no way I wasn’t getting onboard. I complied, pushing my seat back as far as it would go then reclining it, as well.
“Lift up,” she panted, jerking at my jeans.
I helped her, moving just enough for us to push them down out of the way. Then she slid her palm along the length of my cock, her thumb slicking my pre-cum over the head. She leaned in, claimed my mouth, lifted her hips, and took me fully inside her with one slow glide.
Her palms skimmed under my shirt, rubbing across my chest, nails scraping over my nipples. I shuddered under her, forcing my cock even deeper and drawing groans from both of us.
“Let me,” Ivy pleaded when I started to thrust up into her.
I fought my need to power into her, letting her have complete control of the pace and rhythm. Instead, I let my gaze drop to her chest. I tugged her shirt up over her breasts, unsnapped the front clasp on her bra, and filled my palms with the lush mounds. Her moans intoxicated me. I leaned in, closed my lips around one tight nipple and sucked hard, plucking the other with my fingers.
Ivy made throaty sounds that had me fighting to keep from coming right then. She reached behind her, arching her breasts closer to my mouth. Her fingers gripped my thighs just above my knees, and she rode me faster. I lifted one hand to her mouth, slipping my thumb between her lips. She immediately sucked on it, which had my dick twitching inside her.
“Not yet,” I muttered, pulling the digit free. Then holding her gaze, I slipped my hand down between our bodies, zeroing in on her clitoris and pressing.
Ivy mewled, lifting and rising on me in utter abandonment. I’d carry this vision of her for the rest of my life. The way her hair tumbled around us. Her deep, chocolate-brown eyes half concealed by her eyelids. The rise of color suffusing her face. The lush mounds of her breasts topped with cherry-red nipples. The way her mouth was slightly open as she panted. She stole my breath.
“Now, baby,” I encouraged her. “Come all over my dick. Use me for your pleasure.”
She wrenched her hands up, slamming them against the ceiling of the vehicle. “Yes! Oh, God! Cyan! Yes!”
“So beautiful, baby. Ride that dick. Make it come.” I gripped her hips then and held her in place while I pounded up into her.
“Cyan!” she screamed as she came. Her pussy milked my dick, squeezing and releasing until I was joining her with a roar of my own.
“Mmm,” Ivy moaned and crashed against my chest, snuggling close while we both attempted to suck in enough oxygen.
I remained buried inside her, my cock still twitching as we both came down. Gradually, our location came back to me. In a parking lot with steamed up windows. I’d never live this down. Ivy and I had been so impatient for each other we’d barely made it out the door of the bar.
“Tell me again,” I ordered, wanting her to verbalize the bond she’d agreed to again.
“I’m claiming you,” she murmured, her tone expressing her contentment.
“Yeah,” I prompted.
She nuzzled my neck. “You’re my mate, Cyan. You wanted this, us. I’m not letting you back out.”
I chuckled. “Not planning to back out, baby. I am curious though. What made you decide to accept the fact you’re my mate?”
She nipped me. “Do you know I couldn’t tell you a single person there tonight other than you and Bee?”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah,” she agreed. “I was so focused on you I couldn’t see anyone else. I’ve spent my whole life afraid I’d turn out just like my mother. I thought maybe her inability to love or develop bonds was something she’d pass on to me.”
“Ivy, you’ve already developed some pretty intense bonds. Look at you and Jasmine. Or you and Raina. And I know you cared for Rowan. Just watching you with your sister and with Raina the other night, I’ve seen a woman who loves fiercely. You seem so fearless, Ivy. As if you’d take on the whole world if you needed to.”
She nodded against my chest. “Mm-hmm.”
I laughed. “You know you can’t fall asleep like this? We have to get you back in your seat, pants on, so we can head back to the house.”
“Are you going to move in with me?” She perked up a little at that.
“I’d like to,” I offered. “Unless you have bad memories in the house. We can look for another one. I’ll live wherever you want. As long as we’re together.”
“I like my house. Plus, Jasmine is already settled in the neighborhood. And since it’s right in the middle of our pack territory, it’s the perfect place for the new beta to live.”
“Okay,” I agreed. Honestly, I’d do anything in my power for her happiness.
“What about kids? Do you want kids?”
I blinked, her question taking me by surprise, but the answer was a no-brainer. “Yeah, I do. I’ve always wanted a big family.”
She smiled. “Good.”
I cupped her chin and tipped it up so I could see her face. “Does that mean you do, too?”
“I know I’m not Jasmine’s mom, but I’ve felt like it most of our lives. I love her as if she were my daughter instead of my sister. Raina worried I was pushing my dreams aside by staying here with Jasmine instead of going off to college. But I didn’t give up anything. My dreams changed the moment I held my perfect, little sister in my arms. I knew then I wanted to be a mom.”
“Then how in the world would you ever worry you could be like your mother?”
She blinked then shrugged, burrowing her face back into my neck. She was the exact opposite of her mother. I wasn’t sure if I’d ever have the opportunity to meet Ivy’s mother or not. Part of me wanted to, so I could put the bitch in her place for what she’d done to Ivy. Part of me thought it would be in everyone’s best interest if our paths never crossed.
While I’d contemplated what I’d do, my mate had fallen asleep. I grinned. It was nice to know I wore her out so thoroughly she conked out. I ended up tugging her shirt back down and lifting her into the passenger seat. She mumbled, but her eyes stayed closed. I wasn’t attempting the pants, so I snagged a blanket from the back seat and covered her with it.
After snapping her seatbelt, I adjusted my own clothing and put the seat back into place. I took my time driving back to her house—no. Our house—then carried her inside. It didn’t take long to strip us both down and get under the covers. I planned to talk her into a new bed, a much larger one to better accommodate my size.
I lay awake for a long time with Ivy draped over my chest, one leg thrown over mine as she clung to me. I easily recalled thinking my best friend, Bas, was insane for looking at a picture and deciding the woman was his. I’d basically laughed at him. Now, I understood completely. Maybe, it was the animal part of us, but when we found our mates, there was no questioning.
I glanced down at the woman in my arms. Ivy was mine, and no matter what life threw at us, I was never letting her go.