Part 18 (1/2)

She tried to wriggle her wrists from his hold. It was loose, but she didn't want to be set free. The faux containment only made her more eager to satisfy his insatiable desires.

”Someday, sweet,” he whispered in the harsh growl that accompanied his frenzied quest for s.e.x, ”I will bind you with ribbons and fall on my knees to wors.h.i.+p you.”

”I'd like that.”

”Bella, my sweet, you own me. Know that.” He lifted her by the thighs and fitted her onto him. It was a slow, sure glide as he found a familiar position deep inside her. He pounded into her, with one hand at her hip, the other holding her hands against the wall. His determination was fierce, the fire in his dark eyes intent.

With a growl, he bent his head to suck in one of her nipples. He tugged at it, not biting hard-he never would-but his technique matched the force of his need for climax. He'd already come half a dozen times, as had she. Wrapped in each other's arms, they vacillated between urgency and a sweet, lazy lingering.

The clock struck midnight. So long as he kept making love to her, the werewolf would not show.

By now, sated and achy, Bella could no longer sense when o.r.g.a.s.m neared. Instead it attacked without volition, ripping through her core and forcing out her pleasure in an unabashed cry. She dug her fingernails into his shoulders, which were already raw from her fantastic struggles.

”Yes,” he hissed.

She dug in deep, sure she would draw blood, but knowing the wolf could take it.

Swinging his arms, he laid her on the bed and pounced upon her as she floated down from the climax. He was randy and frisky, like a puppy eager to play all day long. The more s.e.x they had, the more alive and vigorous he grew. Bella sensed she would collapse from exhaustion soon. But what a delicious collapse.

Severo reached for the water pitcher Bella had placed near the bed hours earlier and drank right from it. Water glistened down his chest and splattered Bella's stomach.

”It's still cold,” she said in surprise. ”Share some of that with me, lover.”

He dove in to kiss her, his mouth filled with cool water. It trickled out the sides of her mouth, and some she swallowed. Drinking from him, she giggled. He slashed his tongue across hers, performing a dance they both knew well.

Every touch stirred her. Every look devastated her. Every time he withdrew from her, she died a little, only to be resurrected when he entered her.

He nuzzled his bearded chin under her jaw, tickling her roughly. ”Getting tired?”

”Not if the werewolf has in mind to make an appearance.”

”I think you're close to putting it off,” he replied.

”Really? I don't believe that. You're not near being sated. You could do this all week, couldn't you?”

”With you, sweet, I could. Once more?” he said with such enthusiasm, Bella laughed and tugged him down on top of her.

She didn't get to sleep until six in the morning.

Tonight was the night. He'd known Bella two months. He loved her. She loved him. When he'd asked her to have s.e.x with him to keep away the werewolf, she'd gladly done so. Even when he'd known she was exhausted last night, she'd kept at it, stroking him, teasing him to another and yet another o.r.g.a.s.m. The woman was a marvel.

But now the true test of both his and her love would be put to them.

Could Bella love the werewolf?Rather-and more important-could the werewolf accept a human mate?

Dropping his s.h.i.+rt on the flagstone patio, Severo hissed in a breath as Bella embraced him from behind. Kisses down the back of his neck and spine ignited his libido. Not that it needed jump-starting. He'd been frenzied with her in bed this morning. It was as if the werewolf sensed that tonight would be its turn.

All his life he'd had to deny the werewolf's instinctual needs. He'd become accustomed to riding out that ache for what was missing, content to serve his werewolf's needs in other ways, through hunting and racing the moon through the night.

Was it really about to happen tonight?

The idea humbled him. Maybe he asked too much of Bella? She could be agreeing just to please him. Not that Bella did anything simply to please him.

”Are you sure about this?” he asked over his shoulder.

”I want to meet the werewolf.” She slid a hand around his waist and stroked him over his pants, toying with the zipper.

”The werewolf will want to do more than meet.” His erection pulsed for attention, but he would not have her now. Not yet.

”I know. You've prepared me.”

”But are you prepared? I don't wish to harm you, Bella, and I will not. As I've said, I'm not completely myself when I'm the werewolf.”

”The werewolf wouldn't harm a potential mate, would it?”

”No, but I can't imagine...”

How the beastly part of him perceived a human woman. It was the most dreadful thought, and yet it focused him and made him more eager to call down the moon.

He knew that some of his breed took humans as mates, and had s.e.x with them. When in werewolf form he was mostly shaped like a man, with arms, legs, torso, rib cage and a p.e.n.i.s-but with a wolfish head and shoulders. And fur, lots of fur. But he'd never spoken to a single werewolf who had had a successful long-term relations.h.i.+p with a human.

They were a lonely breed, forced to find satisfaction with human females, which was never the ultimate mating.

”I'll be fine,” she offered from behind him.

Bella's delicate embrace would never fit around the werewolf's torso; he knew that much. G.o.d, he didn't want to scare her away from him forever.

”Maybe we should wait until next month.”

”Who's more afraid?”

”I am.” He hugged her, pressing her head to the base of his neck. Her skin smelled of cloves, along with wine and the strawberries Heloise had left in the fridge for them. ”I admit it, Bella. I'm terrified about the s.h.i.+fting tonight.”

”Does it hurt?”

”No.” He kissed her hair. ”The werewolf instinctively knows it'll be allowed to come up to the house. I can't do this.” ”You can and you must. I want to know all of you, Severo. Isn't this what you want? Besides, if the wolf could romp around with a cat, then I think I'll survive.”

He knew she meant Aby. ”That was different.” The werewolf hadn't had s.e.x with the cat, nor would it have considered such a vile act. In fact, his werewolf had rarely gone near Aby. ”Bella, it burns in my heart to worry about you.”

”Then don't.” She kissed his chest, gliding her fingers through the fine hairs. When she snuck her fingers under his waistband to toy with him, the swollen head of his erection bulged, desiring release.

The worst part of it all? He wouldn't recall what went on tonight between the werewolf and Bella.

Could he be jealous of himself?

”The sun's almost set,” she said. ”Are you going to...stick around here?”

”No, I'm off. I'll return. If you get frightened or change your mind, don't hesitate to lock yourself in the house.”