Daisy’s question had shaken Calder. He’d had no idea that Gerri had explained what it meant to be mated to a shifter, but clearly she had and Daisy knew exactly what his outstretched hand meant.

His blood heated nearly to the boiling point when she placed her tiny hand in his. His heart beat hard and fast in his chest.

“She’s accepting us!” his wolf said in awe.

Calder wasn’t about to spend time wondering how Gerri had found his mate, or why Daisy, a mere human, so easily accepted him despite knowing very little about him or his species. He pulled her close, her chest brushing against his. A low growl bubbled up from his throat as his lips closed over hers, unable to wait another second to see if she tasted as sweet as she looked.

As he deepened the kiss, he was rewarded with a husky feminine purr that sounded just like that of a feisty little kitten. Her fingers tunneled through his hair as he nipped at her bottom lip, gently sucking it into his mouth.

With each new moan he drew from her mouth, he learned that his mate’s passion flowed deep in her veins. The scorching heat she threw off burned him like none other ever had. Scooping her up, off her feet and into his arms, he carried her as fast as he could to the bedroom.

“Are you sure this is what you want?” he asked as he set her gently on the four-poster bed.

 

***

 

“Make love to me, Calder.” For once in her life, Daisy knew exactly what she wanted—and there would be no going back. This wasn’t like her former relationships, where she’d waited, hoping it would be worth it in the long run. It never had been. Each new relationship that she’d slowly worked herself into had been a complete disaster, and look where those relationships had ended up: endless screaming matches and broken promises.

This one would be different. She was done taking her time and praying for the best. She was going to jump in and take the plunge. No holding back. This time she would tell her lover exactly what she wanted and how she wanted it.

Gone were the ridiculous nighties she’d hid her curves beneath, in the hopes of looking more appealing to the man she was with. If she was to be Calder’s mate, he would have to accept her for who she was, curves and all—and by the hungry look on his face, it didn’t look like her curves were going to be a problem for him. Not in the least.

Her body shook, but not from fear. Oh no—anticipation tore through her, and the thought of his warm touch in her most intimate places left her trembling with desire. He was on her a second later, his hands roaming everywhere at once as he kissed a trail from her ear down her neck. The sensual onslaught was almost more than she could bear, and she wondered if it was possible to climax with minimal stimulation.

The sound of her T-shirt being torn from her body should have startled her, but it didn’t—in fact, heat pooled in her belly at the savage action. A breathy moan flew from her mouth when she felt the heat from Calder’s mouth circling her nipples, and they peaked instantly.

“I can’t wait to taste every inch of you, Ást,” he groaned.

She had no idea what ‘Ást’ meant or what language he had spoken; she’d have to remember to ask him later. For now, all she could focus on was his hand cupping her sex.

Lost to the throes of passion and need, Daisy could do no more than claw at Calder like the wild beast she’d suddenly become. She almost came on the spot when he yanked her yoga pants from her legs, followed by the silky white panties that hid beneath.

“This is what I’ve wanted since the second I saw you in the bathtub.”

She had expected him to roll up his sleeves and dive right in, so to speak. Instead he took his time, making good on his promise of tasting every inch of her with long hot strokes of his tongue up and down her thighs, gentle nibbles on her calves, and finally kissing each of her polished toes before sucking them gently into his mouth.

Good God, the foreplay alone would be her downfall. Never had so much attention been lavished upon her at one time. It made her head spin.

Her back arched off the bed and she tossed her head from side to side as his tongue landed on her clit, sucking it gently into his mouth. He repeated the motion until her entire body shook and she cried for more. He slid one figure deep inside her, then another, rocking them back and forth, paying special attention to the area just behind her clit, an area she’d had no idea existed until he’d begun massaging it.

Brilliant white lights flashed all around her as she felt her body explode into a million tiny pieces. She briefly wondered if they’d ever find their way back to her to leave her in one piece as she was before, or if she would remain a slew of broken floating pieces, all because one climax with Calder had blindsided her, slamming into her and knocking her into a neighboring universe.

“You taste like the sweetest of candy.” Calder’s voice was thick with lust, and his eyes glowed with a hunger so raw and wild, she begged for more.

A closer look at his full lips revealed a pair of, honest to god, fangs that had partially descended. Unsure if she should be worried or not, she gave him a questioning look as he covered every inch of her body with his.

“I promise only a few nibbles, until I mark and claim you as my mate.”

Daisy didn’t know why, but those words sent a shiver through her spine. Feeling the head of his cock pressed against her entrance, she decided to push the thought away to a later time.

Calder nipped playfully at her lips. When she gasped in surprise, he took full advantage and plunged deep into her mouth. Hot and hungry for more, his kiss was one for which she had no comparison, filled with desire and lust. More than a kiss, it was a seduction on the highest level, a promise of what was yet to come.

“Tell me you want me, Ást. I need to hear the words.”

“Fuck me, Calder,” she said on a whisper, staring deep into his glowing amber eyes.

“Ah, that’s it, Ást.” He thrust deep inside in one swift move, swallowing the guttural moan that flew from her mouth.

He was larger than she expected, far larger than anyone she’d previously been with, stretching her almost to the point of pain. Calder held perfectly still for several moments, giving her body the time she needed to adjust. He stretched her arms above her head, covering them with his. Hand in hand he kissed her slowly, making love to her mouth.

Only when the pain subsided, turning instead to the feeling of fullness, and she started to rock her hips against him did he move. He didn’t pull out and plunge right back into her, no—he circled his hips pushing deeper inside of her than she would have thought possible. His slow sensual strokes turned to long, lazy thrusts, slowly letting her climax build with each move he made.