They had been horseback riding for over an hour. Although the scenery had been spectacular, Nikki’s backside was seriously beginning to feel the wear of the saddle. She was ready to take a break. “Where are we going?”
Aaron pointed ahead. “The Rio Chama River runs through Ghost Ranch. They have rafting, canoeing, and kayaking for the tourists. We are going a bit further up the river so we don’t have to deal with the tourists. It’s a nice private place to relax and swim if you want to.”
“I didn’t bring a bathing suit.”
He just smiled and said, “Neither did I.”
He had managed to render Nikki speechless. She had gotten so many mixed signals from him that afternoon that she didn’t quite know how to respond to what sounded to her like an outright proposition. Nikki wanted to spring back with a witty comeback, but her ass was really starting to hurt and she couldn’t think past the growing discomfort. She shifted in the saddle and it didn’t help. With every step the horse took, it progressed in a matter of seconds from beyond unpleasant, to downright painful.
“Aaron?” He must have heard the distress in her voice, because he stopped and turned in the saddle. “I know I said I could do this, but I’ve got to get off this horse.” She looked down at the ground, contemplating how far of a jump it would be, and decided against it. “I know I must sound like a pantywaist, but—”
Nikki felt his arm circle her waist as he plucked her off the saddle, bringing her onto his lap. “Keep ahold of his reins and he’ll walk behind us.”
She felt the profound relief of being in another position and sagged into his chest. “I will. Thank you.”
Aaron’s arm tightened around her. “I’m sorry, I should have realized that you wouldn’t be able to sit in a saddle that long. Does this feel any better?”
She laughed. “I’m not sure I’ll be able to walk when you put me down, but I do feel better.” She looked up at him. “This is nice.”
The corners of his mouth turned up in a smile. “You are a strange woman, Nikki Rogers.”
She laughed harder. “What? What did I do?”
“You claim that you hurt, but yet you think it’s nice.”
“Oh. Well, I do hurt…a great deal actually, that’s true. And no, that’s not really all that nice at all now that you mention it. But this….” She snuggled closer to him. “This is nice.”
Nikki felt Aaron’s body shake and looked up at him again…he was trying not to laugh at her, but wasn’t being very successful. When their eyes met, he laughed out loud. “Wow.” He held her closer and continued to laugh. “That was some explanation.”
His laughter, even at her expense, was refreshing. He made her happy, happier than she’d ever been. “I tend to babble when I’m nervous.”
“I make you nervous?”
“Me, nervous?” She was nodding yes as she continued with a huge grin. “Noooo, I’m not nervous at all….”
“You are safe with me. I would never let any harm come to you.”
“I know…I know my safety should be a concern to me, but with you…. I’m not sure how to word it, but I’ve felt safe around you from the moment we met. I know this might sound stupid, but I can somehow sense that you would protect me with your life.”
“I would…yet, you’re still nervous?”
“What if I told you that it’s not you, it’s me?”
He laughed again and shook his head in confusion. “You make you nervous?”
Nikki laughed with him. “That does sound like I’m a strange person, doesn’t it? Don’t answer that!”
“You said it.”
“I know, and no matter how dumb it sounds it’s true. I’m my own worst enemy.”
Now, he was no longer laughing, but concerned. “I don’t understand.”
“I know I told you a little bit about myself last night.” Aaron nodded. Nikki blew out a long breath before she continued. “There’s a lot more that I didn’t tell you. I’m twenty-five years old and I’ve…I’ve never really dated before…ever. There, I said it.”
“But what about…?”
“Paul?” she supplied, and he nodded.
“I think Paul was more of a young girl’s fantasy than anything else. Now that I’m older and separated from the situation, I think he was a means to an end. You see, my parents were very strict, and had spies everywhere. I hated it. Paul was never able to steal more than a kiss or two before one of the coven was there to threaten him or run him off. I think I foolishly fancied myself ‘in love’ with him because I thought he was my ticket out of there. But I realize now that I never really loved Paul, I just hated being controlled by my father. I was twenty years old and old enough to leave home, but things would come up that would make it nearly impossible for me to leave. I think my father had a lot to do with that. That’s why I was planning to run away with Paul…which I’m sure in itself would have been a disaster. I would have gone from one controlling man to another. My father may have been controlling, but I never wanted to see him or anyone else dead. I just wanted my freedom.”
“You’ve been free of your father for five years, and Paul too, I guess. What stopped you from living your life and dating?”
Nikki nodded. “I guess my father still won. In the end they were both gone. Seth and I have been so focused on revenge that we’ve both pushed all thoughts of relationships out of our minds…until I met you.”
“So, you’re nervous because you’ve never been on a date before?”
“I’m nervous because I don’t want to mess up a good thing.”
Aaron nodded. “I’m happy to hear that you think of ‘us’ as a good thing. The solution is simple…just be yourself.”
“But ‘myself’ does dumb things…especially when I’m nervous.”
Aaron smiled again. “I never said it wouldn’t be entertaining.”
Nikki was still laughing when Aaron brought the horses to a stop. They had emerged into a natural oasis.
“We’re here,” he said.
Aaron had brought them to a secluded area on the riverbank. Lush, green bushes and vegetation in the small alcove sat in stark contrast to the barren desert cliffs surrounding it.
Nikki sat up straight and braced herself against the saddle so Aaron could dismount. “It really is beautiful here,” she said as she took in her surroundings. “This is the first real vegetation I’ve seen since Seth and I got here.”
“I thought you might like it.” Aaron reached up and lifted her off the horse and set her on her feet. “We’re a few miles up the river from everyone else, so we should have the place to ourselves.” He tied the reins to both horses to a nearby bush, then reached into the saddle bag, pulling out a blanket and a couple of bottles of water. He handed her one and grinned. “Do you think you can walk?” Nikki fell into Aaron’s arms and he placed her on her feet.
“I know, I had that one coming.”
“But then again…a little dip might do you some good.” He laughed and scooped her up in his arms, and started running for the shoreline while she squealed.
“Don’t you dare…,” she laughed and held on for dear life. “Aaron, no!”
He stopped just short of the water and spun her around, both laughing like young kids as he placed her back on her feet. “You are so beautiful with the slight blush to your cheeks. You seem happy.”
“I am, and I’m glad you brought me here, because I’m seeing a side of you I hadn’t seen before. I just knew you had a fun side hiding somewhere.”
“When my father died I became the dominant male, and back there I have to be everyone’s leader. Here, with you, I can be myself.”
“Who are you, Aaron?” she said playfully.
“What would you say if I told you that I was the big bad wolf and you were my mate?”
Nikki plucked the blanket from beneath his arm and took off running up the hill. “I don’t know,” she said through the laughter as she spread the blanket on the ground. She sat down on it and crooked her finger for him to join her. “Is that one of those games you referred to last night?” She noticed his slightly confused expression as he walked toward her.
When he sat down next to her, he was suddenly serious. “I’m not who you think I am…and I’m afraid that you’re going to be disappointed when you realize it.”
“You told me to be myself, so I’m going to give you the same piece of advice. I already like you for who you are, Aaron. I’ve seen the all too serious sexy side, and now the fun side…combine them and they make up the man that you are. The man I felt attracted to from the moment our eyes met. You couldn’t disappoint me.” She took his hand in hers and held it. “I love what I see so far.”
Aaron leaned toward Nikki, and she felt the warmth of his hand as he cupped her cheek. The wild untamed look in his eyes drew her closer, her body responding to what she saw there…a deep, primitive sexy side. Despite the summer breeze blowing off the river, Nikki was suddenly hot, her heart starting to race as raw need consumed her.
Nikki felt him tense and could see the hard look of restraint and determination in the way he set his jaw. He inhaled deeply and closed his eyes, but not before she saw the changes in his eyes progress. “So innocent,” he said under his breath.
“Aaron….”
She felt his hand tremble on her cheek just before his entire body started to shake. “Please back away.”
“What?” She shook her head. “Oh, no, no, no….” Nikki rose to her knees and grabbed his chin, forcing him to look at her. The color of his eyes had changed to a bright gold. She pulled back slightly, a little shocked at the transformation, but she brushed it away as an overactive imagination. “Why?”
Aaron’s nostrils flared slightly, and he tried to back away. “I can smell your arousal.”
Nikki frowned. Looking down at herself, she pinched at the fabric of her shirt, bringing it to her nose and sniffing. Her frown deepened. “I don’t smell anything except my perfume from this morning.” She looked up at him again. “If this is just another excuse….”
“Your innocence—”
“Is mine to give to whomever I choose, and I chose you.”
He shook his head. “You chose in ignorance.”
“I want you, Aaron, all of you…and I thought you wanted me too.”
Aaron took a deep resigned breath. “I do…more than you can comprehend.”
Nikki felt the weight of the world lift from her shoulders. It wasn’t her imagination; he did want her. Something else was holding him back. “We’re two consenting adults. I don’t see what the prob—”
“You still don’t know anything about me.”
“Short of you being the devil himself in disguise, I know all I need to know. You’re not the devil, are you?”
Aaron gave her a slight smile. “No, but—”
Nikki smiled back. “That’s a relief.”
“If you choose to accept me, you are mine.”
“I’m already yours.” She draped her arms around his neck. “And just so you understand, you’re mine too.”
Aaron’s wolf was surging throughout his body, snapping at him to claim his mate. It had taken everything within him to give her a choice and not just take her. It was difficult to think past the ache in his swollen cock and the longing to feel her tight pussy pulsating around him. He was driving both himself and his wolf crazy with want. But he needed her to know who he was first.
On some level she wasn’t ignorant of the paranormal, and he felt she could accept him and his beast. But on another level, he feared her hatred of the werewolf would tarnish her acceptance of him. He wasn’t a were, but she might not see it that way.
Now, her soft spoken words not only accepted his claim on her, but announced her own claim. Aaron could feel his resolve weakening. He should force her to hear the truth and make an informed decision, but he could smell her need, and his own desires were gaining control of his reasoning.
“I understand,” he replied to her. “My belonging to you goes without saying. I already do.”
Nikki’s whole face lit up with her smile. “I won’t share you.”
“Nor will I share you.” Which was true. Wolves mated for life and she was his. “You need to be sure you understand that, Nikki.” There would be no other for either of them. No one understood that more than he did.
“I know by the way you keep repeating yourself that you think I don’t understand, but I do. Commitment is very important to me too. I know we haven’t known each other long, but I’ve felt a real connection to you from the beginning, like we were destined to be together.”
“We’ve both felt it.” She nodded. “What about your vendetta?”
Nikki shrugged. “Up until last night, all that kept me going was my thirst for revenge.”
“And now…? Are you willing to let it go?”
“Sure, I’d still love to get my revenge. But now, after meeting you, it seems I’ve found a new purpose in life. And you were right, it’s doubtful Seth and I would stand a chance against that pack. But….”
“But, what?”
“Is it wrong to want them to pay for what they did to us?”
Aaron was beginning to believe her, that maybe she did understand at least on some level. And if what brought Nikki and Seth here was an ambush, he’d do everything in his power to protect her and help her seek her revenge. He let out a long breath. “No, it’s not wrong to want justice.”
“Thank you for that.”
“For what?”
“For not calling me a fool. Enough people have already.”
“You might be a little on the impulsive side, but you’re not a fool.”
Nikki’s smile returned. “I’m glad we had this talk. I think it’s cleared a little confusion for both of us.” She straddled his lap and put her arms around his neck again. Her eyes were sparkling with mischief as her smile grew. “Now, tell me how to play that game where you’re the big bad wolf….”
That caught him by surprise and he laughed. There was no way that he was telling her that that wasn’t a game. She had turned the tables again, and this time he wasn’t letting anything stand in his way. He figured, what the hell, he’d make something up as he went. Sobering his expression, he attempted to appear serious. “You see, I’m the big bad wolf….”
Nikki giggled. “And I guess that makes me the helpless maiden.” She put up a finger and laughed harder. “No, I take that back, you didn’t say helpless maiden. You said you were the big bad wolf and I was your mate.”
Aaron’s heart slammed in his chest. She was so close to the truth, he nearly lost his ability to speak. “Yes.”
She only paused for a second. “Okay, I’m game. How do we play?” Nikki was staring at him expectantly, waiting on further instructions. Her eyes lit up. “Oh! And can we talk…I don’t know, dirty? It’s always more exciting when they do.”
Aron nearly choked on her last statement. “’They?’”
She laughed. “Yeah, don’t look so shocked. I’m not speaking from experience. I’m referring to the hot, sexy shapeshifters in the romance novels. You look like you’d fit the part fine. Me, on the other hand….” She shrugged. “It would be fun to try. I usually have a lot of time on my hands to myself, so I read a lot, and erotic paranormal romance is my favorite.”
She liked shapeshifters and thought he’d fit the part. That gave him a little hope. “Paranormal romance….”
“Erotic.”
The vision of Nikki sprawled across the sheets pleasuring herself with a book laying on the bed next to her popped into his head. Aaron felt his cock swell painfully against the restraints of his jeans. “Let me get this straight…you want me to play the part of a possessive, hot, sexy shapeshifter?”
“If you could. I don’t want you to think I’m too weird, but I’ve had that fantasy in my head since I started reading romances. Next time we can do what you want.”
His cock was now strangled in the tightness of his jeans. She was already talking about a next time, and his wolf was snapping at him to claim her. He surprised Nikki when he flipped her off his lap and onto her back, then rose to his knees and grabbed the hem of his T-shirt and pulled it over his head. Then he reached for the snap in his jeans.
“Wait!” Nikki said as she scrambled to her knees and pushed Aaron’s hands aside. “Let me do that.”
His cock twitched almost painfully and swelled more than he thought it could when he felt her fingers skim the head as she unsnapped his jeans and eased the zipper down. Aaron put his hands on hers to still them. Every muscle in his body was strained as he tried to maintain some semblance of control. Even though she wasn’t acting very innocent at the moment, she was, and if he didn’t slow this down a bit he wouldn’t be able to control himself or his beast. “Nikki….” She raised her eyes to his. “Love….” She smiled and bit her bottom lip between her teeth. “If you keep touching me like that….”
Nikki pulled her hands away, her cheeks stained pink with embarrassment. “Oh, I thought…I guess you don’t like that.”
“No, I do like that…more than you know, but I want you to enjoy our first time together.”
“This has been all that’s been on my mind since you left my hotel room last night, and you don’t think I’ll enjoy it?”
“I’m going to make sure that you do,” he said as he gently pushed her back on the blanket. The vision of her pleasuring herself popped into his mind again, and he had to do another mental check on his control. He’d never wanted anything more in his life, but he’d take it slowly for her, even if it killed him, and at this rate it just might. “I’m already yours, so there’s no need to rush.”
Nikki sat back up, then rose to her feet. She crooked her finger at him to join her. “Stand up,” she said as he rose to join her. Placing her hands on her hips, her gaze met his. “Do you want me?”
“What kind of a question is that?”
“Just answer me straight up. It’s a yes or no question.”
“I do…but….”
She shook her head. “It’s a simple question, either you do or you don’t, there aren’t any buts.”
“Yes.”
Aaron watched her kick her shoes off and put on a major show as she shimmied out of her jeans. At this point his heart was beating so loudly in his ears he was sure she could hear it as he removed his own clothing. Then when she pulled the tank top over her head, exposing her full, ripe breasts to his view, he nearly came right there. This woman was perfection, and she was all his.
Nikki ran her tongue over her bottom lip as her gaze traveled over him, stopping at his cock. “Now, since you won’t let me touch you.…”
Aaron felt her eyes on him and was having second and third thoughts about telling her not to touch him, when in fact, he craved it. Even now, just thinking about her soft hands on him had his cock standing at full attention, and straining toward her. The ache to feel her touch was nearly unbearable.
Nikki’s gaze met his again, a sultry smile forming on her lips. This time when she spoke, she nearly purred. “Tell me what turns you on.”
That was it. Whatever was left of his restraint fled, and was replaced with a need so powerful it consumed him. “Everything about you,” he said in a low growl as he reached for her and pulled her soft curves against his body. His mouth found her slightly parted lips and took what was rightly his—almost savagely—as his tongue plunged deeply inside, mating with hers, seeking to consume her honey sweetness.
Aaron felt her body tremble against his as she let out a contented moan, and her arms slowly laced around his neck, holding onto him tightly. He ran his hands down the sides of her body until he reached the soft curves of her butt, then pulling her closer still he rocked his cock into her softness, reveling in the feeling of her bare flesh against his. Breaking the kiss, he ran his tongue over the vein in her neck, feeling the pulse pounding softly beneath his lips, and the urge to mark her as his mate made his canines drop.
Nikki tilted her head and shivered as his teeth scraped gently over her neck. “Yes,” came out in a breathless whisper. “Please…don’t…stop….”
His wolf growled again to get to his mate, and Aaron was now seeing through a haze of desire. Her scent swirled up, surrounding him, luring him closer and burning into his senses, teasing his wolf. He was beyond the time for stopping now. Lifting her legs to wrap them around his waist, he lowered them both to the blanket as she clung to him, writhing seductively against his body. Aaron had never been that hard in his life. If he didn’t take her now, he’d explode with it.
On his knees, Aaron had his cock poised at her entrance. She was wet and ready for him, eager too, as she bucked her pussy just enough to take in the sensitive crown. Aaron felt a light sheen of sweat pop up on his forehead and his upper lip as he held back. He didn’t want to hurt her, but it was inevitable.
He felt Nikki’s legs tighten around his hips, attempting to draw him further in. “Please….”
“Baby, I don’t want to hurt you.”
She reached up, took his chin between her fingers, and jerked his head around none too gently to look into his eyes. He saw her need, if not a little bit of anger, and quite a bit of sexual frustration. “If you don’t fuck me and finish what we started, I’m going to hurt you.” Aaron would have smiled, maybe even laughed, had he not been feeling the same. He needed to move as much as she needed him to. Right now her tight pussy was all he could think about. “I need—”
Nikki’s hips bowed up off the blanket when he plunged his cock past her maidenhead and buried himself to the hilt. He froze when he heard her soft intake of breath and her movements ceased. Tears of pain squeezed out of her tightly closed eyelids to roll down the sides of her face.
He didn’t want to cause her any more pain, but the feel of her hot sheath rippling around his cock made it almost unbearable to remain still. They were both past the point of stopping now. “Baby, I need to move….”
She expelled the breath she’d been holding and nodded. Aaron felt the moment she relaxed and brought her hips up slowly to meet his, and saw the awe in her expression when she opened her eyes and a small smile formed on her lips. He knew the pain had vanished, or nearly so. “I’m okay.” She nodded again and moved her hips experimentally, then her smile grew as she ran her fingers over the taut muscles of his chest. “In fact, I’m more than okay….”
“I will try to take it slowly to let you adjust to me.” Aaron’s entire body trembled with restraint. “But your pussy’s so tight…and hot.”
Nikki moved her hips again, and her body shuddered slightly. “Please…I need….”
Aaron watched her reaction when he slowly withdrew and entered her again. A new fire seemed to burn in the depths of her eyes, and a new understanding of what she’d been missing. Gone was the playfulness of a moment ago, replaced with the urgency of newly found feelings.
She licked her lips. “Yes…more.”
He withdrew and filled her again. “How does that feel?” Her eyes fluttered closed when he moved again. He knew she was just a breath away from coming. Just the sight of her beneath him writhing in ecstasy nearly had him coming with her. It was a sight he etched into his memory, one he’d cherish and never forget.
“More!” She dug her nails into his shoulders.
Watching her reaction, Aaron picked up the pace. It was still agonizingly slow for him, as her pussy nearly strangled his cock with each stroke, but he’d make sure she came first, before he found his own release. “Or this?”
“Mmmmm…yessss…,” she moaned, grinding her hips into his, her moves becoming more aggressive as her legs tightened around his hips. “It feels like I’m on the verge of something epic. I—” Her breath hitched.
Aaron felt his own breath catch when she cried out her release and her tight sheath pulsated around him in her first climax, driving him to a point where he couldn’t hold back any longer.
Riding the wave of her climax, Aaron pulled her tighter to him and aggressively picked up the speed and force to a maddening pace. He felt Nikki’s legs wrap tighter around him as her hips came up to meet his with each powerful stroke of his cock. Her breaths came out in irregular bursts as she moaned against his neck. With each plunge he felt his need build until he was nearly ready to explode. When he heard her cry out her release again, his canines dropped as the first wave of his own release roared through him, and he bit down on the soft juncture at the base of her neck. As her sweet essence flooded his taste buds, his world exploded in soul shattering sensations as his release took him in waves and waves of intense pleasure; he had claimed his mate.
Nikki lay limp beneath him, her breath now even in slumber. Aaron rolled to his back, pulling his sleeping mate with him. He lay there and marveled at what fate had delivered him.