The air heated, becoming thick, her arousal clear. I was standing just a few feet from her, all of my instincts telling me to go to her, to pull her against me and claim her mouth with mine.

She’d told me she wanted me, and they’d been words that came from heaven, ambrosia from the gods. I’d been wanting to go to her, to tell her she was mine, but I’d stayed back, given her space.

She wants me.

That had me growling in approval again. And then she stood and stepped toward me.

“I don’t want to fight this, or try and deny my feelings any longer.” She looked at me with wide eyes, the very sight of her making me so damn ready to claim her and make her mine finally.

My cock jerked, and I knew I couldn’t deny myself, couldn’t deny the chemistry that moved between us any longer. I walked toward her, eating up the distance that separated us, seeing the desire clear on her face. My body became tighter, every part of me ready to finally claim her. I inhaled deeply, taking her very scent into my body, ingraining it, memorizing it in my very cells. I was only inches away now. We breathed the same air.

“The moment I saw you I knew you were mine.” I wasn’t going to lie. I needed her to know how right this was, how true. I needed her to know that we were meant to be together. I smoothed my finger over her bottom lip and felt her tremble. She didn’t say anything. “I want you, and I don’t want you to be afraid of me.”

She shook her head. “No, you don’t frighten me.”

“Does what I say frighten you, how much I want to claim you, how much I want you as mine?”

“No,” she whispered. “I want that, too.” She reached out, curled her hands around my biceps, and pulled me closer. She was breathing harder, her pupils dilated, and I could see the way the flush on her cheeks deepened.

For long seconds we just looked into each other’s eyes, and I had a hell of a time not taking her right now, just pushing the chair away and taking her in front of the fire. I needed to take things slow with her, or as slow as I could make myself.

“I’ve never been with a—”

“I know,” I said before she could finish. Even if our world wasn’t as fucked-up as it was, I could see how innocent she was. I looked into her eyes. She breathed harder, faster, and I allowed my inner need to come forth. “You want me?” I watched her expression, the change in her body. She did want me, but I wanted to hear her say it, speak those exact words for me.

She swallowed, and after a moment she licked her lips and nodded.

I moved closer. “Then tell me exactly that.” I inhaled deeply, taking in her scent, making it mine.

“I want you. I need you.” Her voice was soft, needy. “I want to be yours and I’m tired of pretending I can fight this, or ignore it. I can’t.”

I started breathing harder the longer I stared at her, the more I let those words sink in. She looked at my body and then back at my face. “I’m nervous, but I don’t want to stop.”

No. There would be no stopping this.

She made me feel alive, made me feel whole. I had her up in my arms seconds later, turned, and walked us over to the bed she’d been sleeping on. For the last week I’d set up a pallet across the room, giving her space, and what privacy I could. But tonight I’d be sleeping with—claiming—my woman in our bed, and fucking hell would it be incredible.

Once she was on her back, her eyes heavy-lidded, I just stared at her. I took in every part of her, every inch. The long fall of her hair washed over the linens, and her body seemed so small amongst the frame. I’d worship every part of her, make her scream out for more, beg for it to never end.

I helped her out of her clothes, needing to see her bared for me, needing to see if her flesh was flushed like her face. I wanted to see if her nipples were a deep red or rosy pink. I wanted to see how hard they were, how wet she was.

Once she was naked I stood there for long moments just staring at her. “Open those pretty thighs for me. Let me see what I’ll be claiming, making mine tonight.”

When her thighs were open and her pussy was on clear display, a harsh groan left me. I was on my knees before her seconds later, the need in me demanding I claim her, fill her with my seed so she was big with my child.

I smoothed my hands up her legs, over her thighs, and curled my fingers into her soft flesh. I pulled her thighs apart even farther. She smelled good, felt so fucking incredible. I leaned in until there was only an inch separating our mouths. My cock, still covered in my pants, was pressed against her inner thigh. I didn’t stop myself from grinding up against her.

“God,” she whispered, her mouth brushing against mine as she spoke.

I leaned back just an inch and lowered my gaze to her chest, saw her breasts rise and fall violently with her increased breathing, and felt my mouth water. I needed to taste her.

A small noise of need left her.

“I’ll never get enough. Never.” I looked down at her pussy again, saw how wet she was for me, her arousal glistening under the dim lighting in the cabin. “So wet.” I couldn’t stop the low, pleased sound that left me.

I slipped my hand between her legs, but looked into her eyes, gauging her reaction, her emotions. I kept my fingers poised right on her inner thigh, right by that crease where her leg met the tight, hot little part of her. I felt the heat from her pussy and didn’t stop the animalistic sound that left me because of it.

“Spread wider for me,” I said gruffly. And when she obeyed perfectly I touched her pussy.

She opened her mouth and gasped.

I speared my fingers through her wet, soaked slit, and grunted in arousal. “I want this, want you so fucking badly.”

She didn’t speak for long seconds, but she didn’t have to say anything for me to know she was right here with me, that she was primed for me.

And I’d make her so satisfied she wouldn’t ever think about leaving.