Her hands slid down his slick back and cupped his ass through his jeans. The press of her breasts against his chest made his balls clench. The silent clock in his head sent a warning. He needed to do this now or lose the opportunity.

  Burning for more, he tugged her jeans down and off, leaving her bare. He’d seen her naked when she’d shifted, but it had been a mere heartbeat. This was far different. Then she’d been running from him. Now she was purposely allowing herself to be vulnerable.

  The magnitude of her gift humbled him. Determined not to screw it up, he settled between her bare thighs. She might be slender but she was a wolf, all lean muscle and strength. The tantalizing scent of her arousal made his mouth water.

  She was panting, her chest rising and falling with each hurried breath. Her eyes were narrowed and slightly glazed. Her lips were swollen. Her nipples damp from where he’d sucked them.

  Primal instincts roared to life. There was no finesse, no easing her into things. He dove between her thighs sucking and licking, drinking in the essence of her. More potent than the moonshine his daddy used to brew, it made his head spin. He couldn’t get enough. As though from a distance, he heard her whimpers and groans, felt the sharp sting on his scalp as she tugged his hair, the squeeze of her thighs against the sides of his head.

  He slid a finger inside her, almost coming when he encountered wet, welcoming heat. Her inner muscles clamped down hard. The idea of what it would be like if it was his cock rocked him to his core.

  He shook his head. This was about her, not him. It was what she needed, what he needed to give her. Her cries grew louder. Her heels thumped against his back. She was holding back, something inside her not allowing her to let go. “Come for me. Trust me.” Using the flat of his tongue, he lapped at her clit, caressing the sensitive nub.

  With a cry, her entire body convulsed from the pleasure he’d given her. Satisfaction flooded him. He savored the taste of her. Her arms and legs fell back to the mattress with a thud, as if she’d lost all control of them. Eyes closed, she panted. Her heart hammered in her chest, matching the heavy thud of his. He rested his head on her stomach and wrapped his arms around her, afraid to move. One wrong twitch and he’d come in his damn pants, something he hadn’t done even in early adolescence.

  The slight crinkling of the pillow made him raise his head. Her eyes were now open and she was watching him. She licked her lips. His cock jerked in ready response to the unconsciously sensual act. She cleared her throat. “No one’s ever done that to me before.”

  Pure male satisfaction shot through him. “What precisely? An orgasm or going down on you?”

  “Both.”

  He fought the urge to throw back his head and howl. He doubted she’d appreciate it. To be the first, the only, was something he’d never anticipated, but he couldn’t deny it pleased him. But along with that came uncertainty. She’d said she’d been isolated in her pack. With her daddy being senior enforcer, it wouldn’t have been easy to date, if she’d been inclined. “Are you...” He trailed off, not sure how to ask.

  “Am I what?” Her brows lowered, the contentment fading from her eyes. He wanted to curse himself for starting this.

  “Are you a virgin?”

  “No.” She jerked the shirt down to cover her and scooted up until her back was against the headboard. “Why would you even ask that?”

  Snarly at himself for spoiling the moment, he carefully sat upright and shrugged. “What was I supposed to think after you admitted you’d never had an orgasm or had a man go down on you before? If there’d been a male in your pack you were interested in, you’d be mated.” And he’d have missed watching her come apart at the touch of his mouth and hands. That would have been a tragedy, at least for him.

  She dragged her fingers through her hair and huffed. “This is embarrassing.”

  “Sweetheart.” He licked his lips. “After what we just did, talking shouldn’t be embarrassing.”

  Burying her face in her hands, she laughed. “You’re as blunt about this as you are about everything else, aren’t you?” She raised her head. Her cheeks were flushed red. “I’d sneak out on occasion and go to a bar at the nearest town. There were always plenty of men around. I was curious and knew better than to initiate anything with a pack member. I was already wary of them by the time I hit my late teens.”

  His throat tightened as he suppressed the urge to yell at her for going off alone without protection. Which was damn hypocritical considering he’d done the same thing. Maybe gender shouldn’t matter, but his nature was primal and wild. The idea of her on her own among human males... Best not to think about it or he’d say something stupid that would piss her off.

  She pulled her legs to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. “I can tell you want to lecture me.”

  He snorted at that. He wanted to yell at her for risking her safety.

  “But,” she continued. “You can’t tell me you haven’t done the same. I only did it a couple of times. I figured the first time wasn’t great because it was, well, my first time. I tried a second time to see if it got any better. It didn’t, so I never bothered again.”

  If the muscles in his throat got any tighter, they were going to snap. “Most guys you pick up in a bar are only concerned with one thing—getting off.”

  “Believe it or not, I figured that out.”

  What was done was done. Her past was over, her future was what mattered. It wasn’t easy, but he let it go, and tried to recapture the earlier mood. “So, this time was different.”

  The color on her cheeks deepened. “You know it was.”

  He brushed his fingers over the curve of her jaw. “That’s because I care.”

  She glanced away but nodded. “What about you?”

  “I’m fine.” Or he would be once he had a cold shower.

  A light tap came on the door, followed by Levi’s raised voice. “Ah, Cyrus says to tell you to hurry up and get your asses down here. Personally, I think you should stay in there as long as you need.”

  “Go away, Levi,” he yelled loud enough to be heard through the thick door and soundproofing.

  “I’m gone.” Laughter trailed off behind him.

  “I’ll shower first.” If he touched her, they’d never make it downstairs. With enemies threatening the mountain, Eli’s first and only concern should be protecting his home. Touching Kinley, bringing her pleasure, showing her that she mattered had been too important to defer. Now that he’d accomplished that, it was back to the job at hand.

  He pushed off the bed and pointed to the bags by the bed. “If there’s anything you need and don’t have, feel free to rummage through the closet and dresser.”

  Her expression was closed, all her earlier contentment nowhere to be seen. He wanted to take her in his arms, assuming she’d have him after he’d acted like an idiot by bringing up her sexual history and past lovers. What had he been thinking? It had come from the right place, but he could have been subtler about it or waited until another time. Had he done it intentionally to put some distance between them? Maybe. Protecting himself was a reflex action. It was usually from physical harm. This was the first time he’d been in emotional danger.

  There was so much he wanted to say, but the words caught in his throat, refusing to be spoken. “I won’t be long.” It came out gruffer than intended. She frowned but nodded.

  Leaving her sitting alone on the bed, he went into the bathroom and closed the door behind him. He stepped into the shower and cranked the water on. His erection laughed at the icy spray. Silently cursing, he grabbed the soap.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Kinley released a breath when the shower came on, at a loss as to what had happened to change the mood so drastically. One minute she’d been basking in the best sexual experience of her life, the next...

  “If only I’d kept my mouth shut.” Put the blame on post-orgasm muddle mind. The only ones she’d had before were the ones she’d given herself. They were nothing compared to the explosive one Eli had given her.

  Closing her eyes, she rested her head against her bent knees. The air was thick with the scent of her arousal. She couldn’t believe what he’d done. What hot-blooded male pleasured a woman and then walked away? Elijah Sin, that’s who. It wasn’t because he hadn’t wanted her. The erection prominently outlined in his jeans had made that abundantly clear. If that wasn’t indication enough, the heat burning in his eyes and the hunger in his kiss sealed the deal.

  Her gaze drifted to the closed bathroom door. Even now, he was standing in the shower, naked and wet, soap slipping down his muscular torso. Was he stroking himself? Her core clenched and began to throb. What would happen if she was brazen enough to walk over there, open the door, and invite herself in?

  “Stop it.” She bolted off the bed, shocked at how easily she was becoming turned on. You’d think it had been months since her last orgasm rather than minutes. She tugged on the front of the shirt, stirring the air to help cool her off. Big mistake. The slight breeze wafting over her sensitive skin was reminiscent of his callused fingertips grazing over her, as if he was mapping every inch as he licked and stroked his way down her torso and between her legs.

  Don’t think about it.

  To help get her mind off of Eli and sex, she turned her attention to the room. She’d slept here last night but hadn’t paid a lot of attention to her surroundings. The bed was king size. It needed to be. Even then, it seemed cozy and intimate with Eli beside her. It had a plain wood headboard, the mattress covered in basic white sheets and a simple navy-blue comforter. Matching blue drapes hung at the single window but stood wide open, highlighting the view of the mountain beyond. There was no carpet on the wood floor, no extra pillows on the bed.

  A chair sat in the corner, but even that was utilitarian rather than inviting. It was the sort of place you tossed a pair of jeans or a shirt, maybe sit down long enough to lace a pair of boots, not one where you curled up with a book or a laptop and relaxed. The nightstand held a solid brass lamp. A heavy wooden dresser sat against one wall, the top bare. If there were personal items, they were tucked away. It could have been a hotel room, an upscale one, but it lacked the warmth of a personal space.

  The starkness of it made her heart ache. Her bedroom back in Alabama had been filled with memories—a picture of her parents, pillows, a quilt she’d made, and tiny treasures she’d discovered in thrift stores. She hadn’t had much money to spare, but she’d made the most of what she’d had, filling her small space with vibrant color and life. It had been the one bright spot in her otherwise bleak existence.

  The shower going off yanked her from her thoughts. She grabbed the shopping bags off the floor and dumped them on the bed. Along with the underwear, which she retrieved from the floor and added to the pile, were two sports bras, socks, t-shirts, and leggings, including the purple ones with unicorns, which she quite liked. There were also two pairs of inexpensive canvas sneakers, one black and one white, along with the promised brush and soap.

  When the door to the bathroom opened, she automatically glanced over and almost swallowed her tongue. Eli was securing a white towel around his waist. Damp hair tumbled wildly around his shoulders. A bead of water slipped down the front of his torso before being absorbed by the towel. When a second bead trickled down, her mouth went dry. She longed to catch the droplet on her tongue and lick her way back up the broad expanse.

  “You have everything you need?” He canted his head toward the mound on the bed.

  “What? Oh, yes. There’s more than enough.” Get it together, Kinley. Rather than try to decide what to wear, she stuffed everything into one bag and grabbed the handle. “I won’t be long.”

  “Take your time.” He pulled a pair of jeans off one of the built-in shelves in the closet. “There’s no rush.”

  “I’m sure Cyrus wouldn’t agree. He’s probably frothing at the mouth.”

  His back to her, Eli dropped the towel and stepped into the jeans, tugging them up over thick muscled thighs and a firm ass. They fit him like a second skin. He hadn’t bothered with underwear. The man went commando. Made sense if you thought you might have to shift in a hurry. It was nothing to get worked up over.

  Her body didn’t agree. Her temperature had jumped several degrees. She must have made a tiny sound because his head snapped around. His black eyes ensnared her. Like an animal caught in a trap, she couldn’t move. He didn’t walk toward her, he prowled, not stopping until he was so close their chests were almost touching. One deep inhalation and they would be.

  She had to force herself to breathe. “Was there something you wanted?” The words came out low and husky.

  “There’s plenty I want.” His deep baritone vibrated through her. His fingers grazed the side of her face. The tiny touch sent tiny shocks of pleasure shooting through her.

  She was way out of her league, and they both knew it. Eli was unabashedly masculine, comfortable with his sexuality. He definitely had more experience than her. Her wolf snarled. Yeah, thinking of him with other women wasn’t a good idea.

  “Your brothers are waiting.” And Duke Wright and his pack would soon be on their way here. Maybe that’s what made everything so immediate and intense. Or maybe it was all Eli.

  “Outside this room I have to put all emotion aside. Do you understand?”

  She took a step back, or tried to. He hooked his arm around her waist, keeping her in place. “I understand if you want to keep your distance outside the bedroom.” It hurt, but she got it. They were only temporary, didn’t have a real relationship. It would make things easier with his brothers.

  “All my attention needs to be on the threat.”

  God, she was being selfish and stupid. He and his brothers were protecting their home ... and her. “That’s as it should be.” She was proud of how practical she sounded. It was time to get her head on straight and get with the program. “It shouldn’t take me longer than ten or fifteen minutes to get ready.” The day was waning. By this time tomorrow, they’d be under attack. That’s if the text messages coming through Ridge’s phone were correct. Contemplating a relationship of any kind with her life so screwed up simply wasn’t smart, no matter how much she was drawn to him.

  She tried to move away, but Eli locked his arm in place. She raised a brow in question. “Was there something else?”

  His eyes were fathoms deep and completely unreadable. A muscle flexed in his jaw. Before she’d guessed his intention, he jerked her up onto the tips of her toes and kissed her. She dropped the bag and wound her arms around his neck and returned the embrace. Before she could get into it, he released her and stepped away. Without a word, he grabbed a t-shirt from the closet and left, closing the bedroom door behind him.

  Eli was the most frustrating and complicated man she’d ever met. One second he was kissing the breath out of her, the next walking away. Her lips tingled. So did a bunch of other places. Knees unsteady, she bent down and grabbed the bag and went to the bathroom.

  After closing the door, she dropped the bag and stared at the mirror. Her lips were swollen, her eyes overly bright. Her hair was tousled. She looked like a woman who’d been thoroughly kissed and then some. There was no way she could go downstairs looking like this.

  “Survival comes first.” It had to. She’d brought the threat to this mountain. It was up to her to protect Eli and his brothers. They’d surely laugh at the idea, but they didn’t know her as well as they thought they did. There wasn’t anything she wouldn’t do to protect the man she lov—

  She broke off without finishing the thought. It was too soon to think about such things. They’d known each other such a short time, all of it intense in a way that heightened emotions. There was no telling how they’d both feel when it was over. She might be more than ready to leave. He might be happy to see the back of her.

  Pain pierced her heart. She rubbed her chest and turned away from the mirror, unwilling to look herself in the eye. The length of time they’d been acquainted didn’t seem to matter. Not to her heart.

  She turned the taps, letting the water get warm before stepping into the shower. The masculine scent of his soap surrounded her. She’d forgotten the soap Silas had bought for her. It would only take a second to get it. Instead, she reached for the damp cake and lathered it between her hands. The natural woodsy scent would always remind her of Eli. It was easy to imagine it was his hands stroking her as she washed. She closed her eyes, her breathing increased. It would be easy to get lost in the fantasy.

  Her eyes flew open. What was she doing? Practical was the mantra. Survival was everything. Rinsing off the soap, she turned off the water and stepped out. In record time, she was dried off and dressed. Being clean and having clothes she hadn’t worn for days boosted her confidence. Rather than put on her boots, she opted for the black canvas sneakers. She braided her hair, securing it with one of the elastic hair ties from a package she’d discovered at the bottom of the bag of goodies.

  After storing the rest of her new belongings back in the bag, she set it on the chair in the bedroom. The dirty clothes went into the hamper. As ready as she’d ever be, she left the room to face Eli and his brothers.

  ****

  Eli did his best to appear relaxed, but his gaze kept straying to the stairs.

  “Watching them won’t make her appear any faster.” Noah stirred the onions and mushrooms sizzling in a large cast iron skillet.

  Levi, who was filling tall glasses with sweet tea, grinned. “We all know where he’d rather be, and it’s not down here with us. I told him he should take his time, but he didn’t listen.”

  “Give it a rest.” Cyrus took a stack of plates from the cupboard and handed them off to Zach, who began to set the table. Noah did most of the actual cooking, but they all pitched in with the rest—even Silas, who was currently setting cutlery at each place around the table.