Chapter 9
Rebecca
I return from lunch a little bit late, only to find my store completely filled with wolves. Abigail quickly fills me in on the excitement of the day and once Jemma’s mother is reassured that her daughter is going to be fine, the group disperses. Soon, it’s only me and Brandon alone in the bookstore, but he looks tired.
He looks completely exhausted.
“Forget about dinner,” I say on impulse, and he looks at me in surprise. “I don’t know what to make, anyway,” I confess. “I’m a good cook, but I get nervous, and then I seem to forget how to do it. That’s not the point,” I shake my head.
“What is the point, sweetie?” He asks quietly, but doesn’t come over to me.
“I think you could use a drink,” I say. “I think we both could.”
He nods, and I make sure that both the front and back doors of the shop are locked.
“Don’t worry about losing sales,” I tell him. “We’ll have a special next week or something to make up for this afternoon.”
“I’m not worried. I trust you, Rebecca. Completely. You should know this by now.”
I take his hand and guide him up the stairs to my apartment.
“I know,” I tell him, and then we go inside. My apartment is small, but comfortable. Cozy. I’ve done my best to make it seem less like a studio apartment I’m renting and more like a home.
Moving through the room, I pour two glasses of whiskey. When I turn back around, Brandon has made himself comfortable sitting on my bed. I don’t have a couch. The bed really is the only place to sit, aside from a single chair at a small kitchen table. I join him on the bed and hand him a glass.
“To us,” I say, holding mine up.
“To you,” he offers in response.
“To me?”
“The most beautiful girl in the world.”
Blushing, I down my whiskey and he downs his. Then we set the glasses on the nightstand.
“Today was long,” Brandon says. “I loved spending time with you, but coming back to work was difficult. That’s the thing about leading a wolf pack, you know. I never know when someone is going to need me. I never know when something big is going to happen.”
I place my hand on his. “You’re giving me a chance, Brandon. Even though I’m damaged and scared and worried, you’re giving me a chance. I’ll give you one, too.” It takes all of my courage, all of my bravery, all of my energy to say how I feel, but you know what?
Chris would want me to be happy.
I loved him with my whole heart, but I think Brandon is right.
I think my heart really is big enough for two.
I grab Brandon’s shirt and pull him close to me, kissing him. I kiss him to show him that everything is going to be okay. I kiss him to show him that it’s going to be just fine. I kiss him to show him that I love him, that I want to be his mate, that I want to be his bride.
I kiss him to show him I’m going to be there for him.
He pulls away after a minute and strokes my cheek, looking at me. I lean into his touch, enjoying the way this moment makes me feel like a princess. When he looks at me like this, I feel like the most beautiful woman in the world. I feel like everything is going to be okay.
I just want him to keep looking at me like this.
“You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen,” he says. “But that’s not why I love you. I love you because you’re sweet. I love you because you’re kind. I love you because there’s no one like you in the whole damn world, Rebecca. There’s no one but you. You’re incredible.”
“I feel the same way about you, Brandon.”
“Tell me something.”
“Anything.”
“Will you be my mate, Rebecca? It won’t be easy. There will be nights I’m gone late. There will be times I’m gone for a week at a time. There will be times when I’m so stressed, so tired from pack business that I won’t be able to sleep. There will be times when I’ll have to lean on you, but baby, you can lean on me, too. I will always be here for you. Always. So, please, will you make me the happiest wolf in the world?”
“Of course,” I whisper, tearing up. “I love you, Brandon. I love you.”
He grabs me then and kisses me, only this time, it’s not the soft, innocent kissing we shared earlier. This time, he’s kissing me to tell me something.
This time, he’s kissing me because he wants me.
Because he needs me.
Because he can’t quite get enough of me.
Brandon kisses me like he needs my tongue to survive. He kisses me like nothing is as important as tasting me. He kisses me like he’s dying and I’m the only thing that can save him.
He kisses me like I’m a fucking tigress.
He makes me feel wild.
I pull his shirt off and he pulls mine off. Together we fumble, stripping each other down. It’s not pristine. It’s not smooth. This isn’t like some well-rehearsed pornographic movie.
This is real life, but it’s me and it’s him and in my mind, it’s perfect.
Soon we’re naked in front of each other. It’s not the first time we’ve seen each other naked: that was earlier. Still, it’s the first time it’s going to lead somewhere, and I’m very aware of that. I’m very aware of the fact that in just a few minutes, Brandon is going to make love to me. In just a few minutes, he’s going to mark me.
Suddenly, I feel very hot and very cold and very excited.
Every inch of my body sparks with arousal as he gazes at me, taking me in.
“You’re so beautiful, Rebecca,” he whispers. He reaches for me, strokes my breast gently. My nipples are already hard, but the touch makes them even harder, even more pointy. I have goose bumps everywhere and I’m going to explode if he doesn’t keep touching me.
“Please,” I whisper.
“What is it, princess?”
“Don’t stop touching me,” I whisper, begging.
Brandon leans in close to my ear and whispers, “I’ll never stop touching you, princess. Do you understand? Never. I’ll never stop wanting you, needing you, loving you. And I will never, never, never stop touching you.”
He leans down and sucks one of my breasts into his mouth. I grab his hair, biting my bottom lip and moaning as he plays with my body. Everything about this moment is incredible.
I’ve had plenty of sex since Chris passed away. I’ve been with plenty of people. None of it meant anything, and suddenly, I’m reminded of what I’ve been missing. Suddenly, I’m reminded that when someone loves you, truly loves you, sex can be an out-of-body experience.
Sex can be fantastic.
Sex can be life-changing.
“You taste amazing,” he growls, nipping at my breast. He switches to the other one and kisses me there before nipping that one, too.
“Then I guess you better keep tasting me.”
“Oh, I plan to,” he murmurs, licking and sucking on me. I run my hands over his arms and shoulders, squeezing his muscles. I trace his skin with my fingers and move back up to his hair. Then I run my hands through it once more.
“You’re hair is incredible,” I murmur. “So soft.”
“That’s what you like about me?” He looks up at me with a mischievous grin. “My hair? Baby, look at me.” He motions to his abs. “I’m incredible. There’s much more to me than beautiful locks.”
I laugh and kiss him. Then we roll back onto the bed. He’s over me, kissing my mouth. He licks my neck and kisses me there before moving back down to my breasts.
“You have incredible tits,” he says. “They’re perfect.” He bounces each of them in turn.
“You don’t think they’re too big?” I ask. They’re full. I’m a tiger, after all. I’ve got curves. I’m no slender fox, no lanky wolf woman. I’m bigger than most of the girls in Wolfe City, but that doesn’t seem to bother Brandon.
Not in the least.
“I think they’re fucking gorgeous,” he says, and kisses them in response.
I lean back against the pillow as he touches me, playing with my body. He caresses every inch of me and once more, I feel swept up in the emotions of the day. I’m the luckiest damn tiger in the world.
I feel like a fucking princess.
Brandon moves lower, kissing my belly.
“Your skin is perfect,” he says. “Soft.” He grips my thighs as he kisses me. For a second, I’m nervous that I might giggle or laugh. I’m incredibly ticklish, and not in a sexy way, but I don’t.
“Keep going,” I murmur, knowing exactly what he has in mind. “Please, just don’t stop.”
“I wouldn’t torture you that way, princess,” he says. “The only torture I want to give you is too many orgasms.”
“Is that even possible?” I laugh, but then he licks between my legs and I lose my train of thought. He licks me and everything goes blank. He licks me and I lose my damn mind because this feels incredible.
“Let’s find out,” he says.