Chapter Seven
Avery hadn’t seen Logan’s truck pull into the parking lot, but she knew the minute the guys had returned from their mission. After their earlier meeting, they’d opted to go in one car to avoid drawing any undue attention to themselves, and Jacob had left his vehicle at the coffee shop.
She’d stayed behind with Layla and Tobias, and the girls had taken a mini shopping trip while Tobias had watched the shop.
She hoped Jacob liked her surprise.
With her coffee cup in hand, she said goodbye to her friends, and met Jacob at the door.
“How did it go?” she asked.
“Perfect,” he said. “Are you ready to go?”
She tossed her cup in the trash and nodded. She’d get the details on his night later, but right now, she only wanted one thing. Before his meeting with Logan and the guys, Jacob had promised he would claim her tonight, and she couldn’t wait.
The drive back to their apartment building was nearly silent, but Avery didn’t care. She was filled with so much anticipation, she was afraid she would ruin her surprise for Jacob if she said a word, so she kept her mouth shut until she realized they weren’t going home.
“Where are we going?”
“You’ll see,” he smiled. “It’s a surprise.”
They drove to the edge of town, turned down a dark, grass-lined, dirt road, and drove until they reached a large trailer parked under a copse of tall, thick trees. If she’d been with anyone other than Jacob, she’d be scared out of her mind, but she loved this man, and she trusted him to keep her safe.
“What is this?”
“Well, hopefully this is where we’ll be living for the next seventy or eighty years.”
She looked at the trailer, and while it was clean, and upon closer inspection, seemingly brand new, it was also small. As in it would fit inside her apartment small, and it wasn’t where she wanted to live for the rest of her life.
“Jacob, I…” She didn’t want to hurt his feelings, but she had to tell him the truth. “I think that’s too small for us, and I don’t want to live in a trailer for the rest of my life. What if we have kids? Where would we put them? My apartment is bigger than that thing!”
Jacob laughed, and opened the driver’s side door.
“Get out,” he said. “I want to show you something.”
She didn’t want to get out. She wanted to go back to her apartment and have sex, and she thought that’s what Jacob had wanted to. Now he seemed obsessed with some tiny little trailer, and honestly, his determination was killing her sex drive.
She got out of his truck anyway, though.
She stared at the trailer, and tried to fathom why he’d thought the tiny hideaway would be a good idea. Because that’s all it would be good for, a tiny hideaway. It wasn’t a place to plant roots and raise a family.
Was he trying to tell her that he didn’t want a family? Honestly, they’d never talked about kids, and now she was reminded about how little they really knew about each other.
Disappointment flooded her. She couldn’t help it. Maybe they were moving way too fast after all. Was she about to make the biggest mistake of her life?
She knew enough about shifters to know that a mating mark wasn’t reversible. They’d be tied together until death. Did she really want to be tied to Jacob forever? Everything inside her screamed yes, but she had a horrible track record with men. Maybe this really was a mistake.
Jacob walked up behind her, and wrapped his arms around her waist.
“Relax,” he said, placing a chaste kiss on her neck. “This was meant to be a fun and romantic surprise, but I can feel your anxiety hovering in the air like a smothering blanket.” He turned her to face him. “Remember when you asked me why I moved into the apartment building instead of buying my own house?”
She nodded.
Of course, she remembered. The conversation happened two weeks ago. He’d said that he was waiting until marriage, but if this was his idea of a house—then they needed to have a serious conversation.
“Well, I would never buy a house without your input, but I would buy land.” He stepped aside so she could see past him, and pointed in the direction he wanted her to look. “This whole clearing is ours, plus all the land up to the main road, and about a mile out behind the trees in all directions. It’s a big lot, secluded, but not too far away from town. The morning commute will still be easy, but we can shift out here safely, and you won’t have to try and stifle your screams when I take you day or night.”
She gasped, loving the idea of being completely free in his arms.
“The trailer is just for tonight, and any other time you’ll join me out here, but I don’t expect you to live in it. We’ll live in our dream house we build on this land. Later though, once we have a few cubs running around, I want to get the trailer soundproofed. That way we can escape out here sometimes, and I can still hear you scream when I bury my cock inside your perfect little pussy.”
Oh, god.
Goose bumps broke out all over her skin, her pussy tingled, and her panties were soaked. Her sudden fears from a few minutes ago seemed silly now, because she knew she could trust Jacob, and she trusted him to take care of her. He was giving her everything, and she was ready to give him everything in return.
“I love it,” she said, hugging him tight. “All of it, including that stupid trailer. It’s absolutely perfect.”
“I’m glad,” he laughed. “You had me worried for a second. I thought you might take off before I could explain that the trailer was only temporary.”
She kissed his chest and giggled, knowing he would he would tease her about her initial reaction for years to come. She didn’t mind. In fact, she looked forward to finding things to tease him about, too.
“Let’s go inside,” she said. She stepped out of his embrace, grabbed his hand, and started pulling him toward the trailer. “I have a surprise for you, too.”
“You do?” he asked, dumbly, easily catching up to her. “What is it?”
“I can’t tell you,” she laughed. “I have to show you.”
Jacob grabbed his keys and unlocked the door with lightning speed. He stepped just inside the door, and flipped on the light, and then he held the door open for her to enter.
Avery looked around in awe.
The trailer was still by no means huge, but the view from the outside had been incredibly deceptive. Inside, they had a queen-sized bed, a sofa, a small table with two chairs, a small kitchenette, and a small bathroom with a built-in shower.
She still didn’t want to live in it on a permanent basis, but she would definitely stay in it with Jacob whenever he asked.
“Wow,” she said. “It looks a lot smaller on the outside. This is pretty amazing.”
“Good,” he laughed. “I’m glad you like it. Now where is my surprise?”
“Hmmm, impatient much?” she laughed.
“When it comes to you?” he asked. “Always.”
“Good. Go sit on the couch, and I’ll be out in a minute.”
She didn’t wait to see if he did what she’d said. She knew he would.
She disappeared into the bathroom, and started to strip.
***
Jacob sat down on the couch, and watched the bathroom door.
Avery said she had a surprise for him, and then disappeared into the bathroom. He hoped that meant what he thought it did.
Just the thought of her in black, lacy lingerie made his semi-hard cock swell a little more. Hell, he’d been half-hard since he saw her through the window at Java Corner, and even her initial apprehension toward his gift hadn’t made him flaccid.
Probably because he hadn’t really been worried.
Though he didn’t like the undo anxiety he’d caused her, her reaction had truly made him laugh. The thought of them living in the trailer was comical, especially since it really was smaller than her apartment. It was nice for a romantic weekend, but he wouldn’t want to live in it on a permanent basis.
In fact, after tonight, they were moving in together, and they were keeping at least one of their apartments until the house was done. Hell, maybe they’d keep both. They hadn’t really worked out the details yet, but those things didn’t matter as long as Avery was in his arms every night.
The bathroom door opened, and his dick swelled to the point of pain at the first sign of black lace. God, he’d known she’d look fantastic in the dark, sheer fabric, but he hadn’t expected complete, absolute perfection.
Fuck me!
Avery’s green eyes sparkled as she stood in the center of the room.
She held out her hands and did a slow spin, allowing him to see everything, and his dick twitched uncomfortably against the zipper of his jeans.
The lace hugged her curves like a second skin, and he liked the contrast between the dark color and her pale flesh, but her trust and confidence in him was hotter than the barely there outfit.
She completed her turn, and then placed her hands on her waist.
“I went shopping with Layla while you were gone,” she smiled. “Do you like?”
“Fuck, yeah,” he growled. “Get over here, mate.”
She didn’t hesitate.
She walked over, straddled his waist, and rubbed her lacy slit against his jeans covered cock. He slid one hand around her waist, threaded the other in hair, and drew her mouth to his.
Though he told himself to go slow, the moment his lips touched hers, he was on fire. He kissed her hard, possessing her mouth, and demanding everything from her. Avery let him have it, and kissed him back with the same urgency.
His canines started to elongate, but this time he didn’t stop their decent. He would be buried deep inside her pussy when he marked her, but he wanted her to know all of him. To see all of him and not be afraid.
He broke the kiss, and pulled back, waiting for her reaction.
Avery’s eyes widened, but not in fear. She stuck a finger in his mouth, and moved his lips around for a better view, and then she leaned forward and licked one of his incisors.
“Amazing,” she breathed against his lips.
“I want you to know all of me,” he rasped out, “but I want to mark you more. Do you want to stop beautiful? Do you want to see my bear before I tie you to me forever?”
“No,” said, licking another tooth. “I’ve already seen your bear from a distance, and whether I see him up close now or later won’t make a difference. I’m yours no matter what.”
“After then,” he said, “I promise.”
“After is good.”
He reached between them, covered her mound with one hand, and then hooked a finger under her lacy panties. Her essence immediately coated his hand, and her moan filled the room as he touched her soft, lower lips.
“You’re soaking wet, beautiful,” he said, sliding a finger into her core.
Her loud, uncensored moan filled the room, and he immediately slid in another. Her nails dug into his shoulders, followed by another moan, and she rode his fingers wildly, sucking the digits deep with every bounce. He pulled the lacy panties out of the way with his other hand, and a roar rumbled in his chest when he tore the fabric off of her body.
Avery continued to bounce on his hand wildly, and he pressed his palm against her clit. That was all it took to make her scream. This time she didn’t hold back, and the urge to mark her had never been stronger.
Holy hell, he needed his pants off now.
“I’m sorry, beautiful,” he said, pulling his hand free, and holding her against him as he stood. “I need to be inside you right now.”
She nodded, and wrapped her arms around his neck for the short trip to the bed. He laid her down near the edge of the mattress, ripped off his clothes, and covered her body with his own.
He surged his cock into her core and moved her up the bed at the same time. The swift thrust was urgent and unyielding, but she didn’t protest.
He kissed her hard, with closed lips, mindful that his canines would be havoc on her soft skin in his condition, and then he nuzzled and kissed her neck as he thrust in and out of her core.
Avery’s sounds filled the room, and she met him stroke for stroke until he scraped his teeth against the juncture between her neck and shoulder. That moved caused her rhythm to falter, and her gasp told him it was time.
“Whoa,” she marveled.
He pulled back to look at her, and she was running her tongue over one long tooth. Her canines had extended, and now they could complete the mating.
“How is this possible? You didn’t even mark me, yet?”
“You’re my mate,” he shrugged, “fate knows when it’s time.”
“Amazing,” she said, her voice filled with reverence.
“Yes, now bite me, beautiful.”
Fuck, her canines felt like heaven as they sank into his skin, and he roared as he clamped down on her neck in return. The connection caused an orgasm to ricochet through his body, and Avery followed a second later.
Gold sparks exploded around them like fireworks had been set off in the room, but the lights dissolved before touching any surfaces, and they disappeared completely when the wave of pleasure was almost completely gone.
Jacob slowed his hips, released Avery’s skin, and then proceeded to lick the wounds he’d caused. She followed his movements and licked him in return.
“You’re mine now,” he whispered.
She nodded and hugged him tight, but when he felt her tears on his shoulder, he pulled away.
“What’s wrong?” he asked. “Did I hurt you?”
“No,” she said, shaking her head, even though the tears still fell. “That was amazing, Jacob. It was so beautiful, and I can…I can feel your soul linked with mine. Is that normal?”
“Perfectly normal,” he said, placing a chaste kiss on her lips.
“It’s like I found a piece of myself I didn’t even know I was missing. Waiting for me to dump that loser must have been hell for you. Thank you for not giving up on me.”
“Never,” he said, kissing her again. “I love you, beautiful.”
“I love you, too, my bear.”
Jacob moved off of his mate, and settled down on the mattress next to her. He pulled her into his embrace, cursing the fact that the light switch was so far away. He could get up and turn it off, but he didn’t want to let Avery go. Not yet. Not even for a few seconds.
Their joining had rocked him to his core, and though he’d had a basic understanding of mates before, nothing could have prepared him for the reality of the mating bond.
His beautiful mate was his to hold, to guard, to love for the rest of their lives, and she was the other, better half of his soul.
She was also so much more than he’d expected.
She was his everything.
The End