“I think I felt our baby kick. I mean, I’m no expert. I’ve never been pregnant before, so I can’t be sure, but I think that’s what happened.” I was rambling. All this emotion was making me uncomfortable. I wasn’t used to doing emotion.
Shit. What if it was just gas? That’d be embarrassing.
But when I met Brock’s gaze as he peered up at me over my belly, everything outside of the connection between us, and eventually our baby, fell away. Our eyes held until I forgot that tomorrow morning we’d have to go to a cave filled with nasty selkies to get my katana fixed. I even forgot about that damn gate to the underworld with the way his eyes were shimmering with ... what exactly? I couldn’t be sure, but I knew I liked it.
“Brock,” I whispered, unsure of what I’d say next. “I...”
But then he snapped to, stood, grabbed my face in his hands, and pressed his lips against mine. His kiss was deep, insistent, and it lit my fuse in an instant. I eagerly met his tongue with my own as I wrapped my fingers in his thick hair and pulled him even closer toward me.
He pressed the length of his body against mine, proving that our passionate moment before had simply been on pause and not abandoned. He was already ready for me, and boy did I want him. I’d die before admitting it, but pregnancy made me horny. I discovered myself admiring his body more times than I cared to admit. Sex three times a day would be fine by me.
His strong hands skirted the swell of my breasts before they circled around to my back, and then lower, to cup my ass. I moaned into his mouth and any patience we might’ve had evaporated.
His hands became one frenzied sweep across my body, as if he yearned to touch me everywhere at once. I was happy to return the favor, running my fingertips along the edges of his strong shoulders, biceps, and forearms. I traced the lines of his back until they met his waist, and then I squeezed his ass and pulled him toward me, pressing his hard length against my pelvis.
We were wearing entirely too many clothes.
Brock must’ve thought the same thing, because he tugged off his shirt one-handed, separating our lips only for the instant it took to pull it over his head. His mouth crashed against mine again with feverish desperation.
He slid his hands beneath my short shirt and trailed it upward, over my bra.
“Ahem.”
Our hands froze, mine on his ass, one of his holding my shirt, the other squeezing one of my breasts. Our heads whipped around to discover Ray, who was carefully maintaining a neutral expression. His eyes wouldn’t meet mine, trained only on Brock’s face, and I immediately understood why. I was their alpha’s woman. It didn’t matter that he’d been the one about to undress me in the middle of the dining room. Respect for the alpha extended to that which was his.
Ray said nothing, only nodded once, turned on his heel, and walked straight out the front door. His message was clear regardless. Brock shouldn’t be gearing up for sex on the dining room table when he had a house crawling with wolves. Ray wouldn’t say it though, because no one told an alpha what to do. But Ray was a good second, looking out for the welfare of the pack and Brock’s position.
Brock growled, tugged my shirt down back over my breasts, and took one of my hands. Without a word, he led me down the hallway to his bedroom. If I moved in with him, it’d become “our” bedroom. A small thrill ran through me at that thought and I squeezed his hand.
When he turned to look at me, I thought he’d realize what I was thinking. But when I met his eyes, they were alight with passion, smoldering with thoughts of what he was about to do to me. I liked what I saw there and bit my bottom lip as I anticipated what was to come.
It only made him growl, deep and low in his throat.
Oh. Fuck. Me.
He practically ran to the bedroom after that, and he didn’t have to encourage me to keep up. The moment we were inside, he slammed the door shut behind us and pressed me against it.
Leaning in, he scattered a frenzy of kisses against my collarbone, dipped down across my breastbone, and then plunged lower still to give love to the area between my breasts. Tugging the neckline of my shirt down to give him better access, he growled in tangible frustration and yanked the shirt up and off, throwing it to the side.
My nipples were pert beneath the indigo lace of my bra, straining to be freed. He pushed his pelvis against mine, pressing me back into the door, and rubbed his thumbs across the buds. I moaned as if we were already deep in the throes of passion, and I didn’t give a flying fuck about holding back ... in any way. After the shit we’d endured the last few days—heck, even weeks—I was in no mood to restrain myself.
He ground his hips against mine, squeezing a breast in either hand while continuing to flick my nipples with his thumbs.
With a moan I reached between us and undid the button on his jeans, sliding the zipper down carefully, relishing the way his hardness strained against the material. When his pants were open, I reached in and we both let loose the mother of all groans.
Hmm, moving in with him was seeming like a mighty fine idea right about now. Brock for breakfast, lunch, and dinner? Yes please. Maybe I could even have him for dessert...
While I wrapped my hand around his length, he attempted to tug my pants down without breaking contact. Snapping my leg out, I kicked off my boots and managed to wiggle my pants down, stepping on the hems to get them off me.
When I stood before him in nothing but scraps of lace, he breathed deeply, trailing heavy-lidded eyes across my body. I gave him a firm tug and his eyes rolled back for a second. “You...” he attempted. “You undo me.”
I wasn’t fully certain what he meant by that, but I was pretty sure he undid me too.
He dipped his head low to flick his tongue across my nipples. They strained through the lace, the moisture of his tongue imbuing me with near desperation for better access. Arching my back, I tilted my head back against the door, rocking my hips back and forth.
Damn.
The downside of moving in together would be that I’d never want to leave this room.
Then, without warning, he slipped out of my grip and took three steps backward—three steps too many. I experienced the absence of his body against mine like a burst of arctic cold and a shiver ran the length of my body.
But then his gaze was like an open flame licking my skin as he scanned the length of me.
“You’re so amazing,” he said, his voice husky. “You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.”
I liked to think I wasn’t prideful, and that compliments didn’t do much to my healthy sense of self-confidence, but I basked in his appreciation despite myself.
“I can’t believe...” He shook his head. “I can’t believe how lucky I am.”
A flush crept across my cheeks, but I wasn’t entirely sure it was due to his praise. He was one fine man, and he was all but naked in front of me. I ogled him without bothering to hide what I was doing.
A grin that promised mischief and pleasure—so much pleasure—consumed his face.
In quick movements, he freed himself of his boots, pants, and boxers. And then I really got to ogle. His body was all strong, virile man. Mmm, my favorite flavor.
Brock closed the distance between us and swept me up into his arms, cradling me against his bare chest while he stalked toward the bed.
He was about to throw me onto it when I shook my head as a bit of awareness came over me. “No, not on the bed. I have apollyon gunk on me.” It’d mostly gotten on my clothes, but even after hosing off, surely there was something gross on me. Not that Brock looked like he cared one bit. If he gave me another twenty seconds, I probably wouldn’t care anymore either.
“Fine,” he said, and pivoted toward the bathroom. He leaned me against the counter while he turned on the shower. Then he was pressed between my spread legs, and even scraps of lace were burdensome.
A groan rumbled in his throat as he pressed another kiss against my flushed lips and unclasped my bra. I swallowed and arched my back, offering my breasts to him. He didn’t disappoint, and by the time he’d pressed both of them together and run his tongue across both nipples enough times to make me lose my mind, it was I and not he who slid my thong down to pool on the floor at my feet.
His eyes flashed a bright amber yellow as he took both of my hands and led me into the shower. The water was hot, and as he lathered soap between his bare palms and proceeded to soap me up everywhere that mattered, the temperature rocketed.
I couldn’t take it anymore, and from the way the wolf reared in his gaze, I could tell he couldn’t either.
Still, he managed to put me first. He sat on the tile seat in his shower, away from the direct spray as the water rinsed the soap from my body. Then he spread his legs and beckoned me to climb aboard the pleasure train.
He didn’t need to suggest it twice. I took what he offered and didn’t hold back when ecstasy pushed at my senses until it rolled through me in shockwaves that left me gasping and panting, digging my fingers into his shoulders.
I gave as good as I took, and by the time the hot water began to cool, we’d familiarized ourselves with every nook and angle of his shower. My legs were so wobbly they barely held me.
Brock toweled me off with a gentleness that suggested love instead of passion, then carried me back out into the room, again cradled against his chest. When he deposited me on the bed and wrapped his body around me, I decided heaven was actually to be found on Earth.
“So, you want to move in with me?” He planted a soft whisper of a kiss right beneath my ear. I didn’t have it in me to resist anything he asked of me and I realized I did want to move in with him.
“Mm,” I said, and pressed further into his body. He wrapped strong arms and legs around me, cocooning me in a sense of safety. “Will we have lots of this if I move in with you?”
“As much as you want,” he whispered, his voice once more taking on tinges of passion.
“Whenever I want?” I asked.
“Whenever you want,” he said, beginning to run a fresh trail of kisses along my neck.
“Even now?”
“Even now.” His voice was becoming rougher and he pushed onto one elbow. “Do you want me now?”
Honey, I think I’ll always want you. But I was too chicken to say that; I was nearly too chicken to think it. “I definitely want you now,” I said instead.
He twisted his body on top of mine and held my eyes. “Eve, will you move in with me?”
I grinned. “Yes. I will.”
He beamed and the gesture was infectious.
A giggle escaped me. “Do I get my reward for agreeing now?”
“Hell yeah you do.” With his forearms pressed against the bed to either side of my shoulders, he lowered his face to capture my lips. “Mine,” he murmured against them.
A thrill swept across my body as I arched up to claim his mouth. I was definitely his. There was no going back now.
17 Selkies Are Assholes
Those of us going to the selkie cave gathered on Gran’s porch early the next morning. No time like the present to take on some seal shifters in need of an attitude adjustment. I waited next to the group of cars while the others gathered the last of the things they’d need. Patting my belt, I was double-checking that my gun, spare ammo, badge, and a few choice vials of Gran’s magic were where they were supposed to be when I sensed Cass staring at me.