Molten need shimmered in Eli’s eyes, but he didn’t move a muscle. He’d said it was her decision. For better or worse, she’d made it. She gently pressed her lips to his. His huge body shuddered. Rather than deepen the kiss, he stepped away. Sweat gleamed on his bare chest. A look of satisfaction was stamped on his hard features. “When our time on patrol is done...”

  The sensual promise hung heavy in the air between them. Her entire body surged to life, her nipples hardening, her core clenching. Restless, her wolf began to pace inside her. Unable to speak, she gave a nod of agreement.

  Eli shucked the rest of his clothes, giving her an excellent view of the hard-muscled body she’d be exploring later tonight. Her breathing quickened. She curled her fingers into her palms to keep from stroking the sleek, tanned skin. He was right about one thing. Now was not the time or place. Not with Cyrus lurking nearby and the threat of enemies hanging over them.

  From one heartbeat to the next, he went from man to wolf. She’d seen his wolf before, but she’d been scared out of her mind at the time and hadn’t truly appreciated the magnificence of him. He and his brothers were the largest wolves she’d ever seen, giants among their kind. Thick fur in every hue of brown from dark to light covered his massive frame. Familiar black eyes watched her intently.

  She stroked his snout, not the least concerned about the huge fangs that could rip her to shreds. Cyrus might be alpha of the family, but El was the protector, the enforcer. And now she fell under that protection. It was a blessing as well as a huge responsibility.

  He’d give his life for her. It was up to her to make sure that didn’t happen. The very idea of him being hurt because of her made her ill.

  He swiped his raspy tongue over her neck, giving her a jolt. “Wolf kisses or a reminder to pay attention?” He gave her a wolfish grin and canted his head toward the path. With the promise of later heating her blood, she gathered his clothes and waved him forward. “Lead on.”

  ****

  Hours later, Eli trotted up the porch steps with Kinley beside him. All was quiet on the mountain ... for now. He didn’t dare shift back to human until they were in the bedroom. It was the only way to maintain any semblance of control when all he wanted to do was strip her and make love to her. He’d given his wolf the lead while on watch, intent on doing everything in his power to protect her.

  She’d said yes. It would have been smarter to wait until the outcome of the coming battle was decided, but on the off chance he was actually killed, he hadn’t wanted to face death with the words unspoken between them. That she wanted him in the same way only added to the intensity.

  Josiah and Silas had come out to relieve them of duty a short time ago. Cyrus strolled across the yard wearing only his jeans with his shirt over his shoulder and his boots in hand. Like Eli, he’d shifted to wolf form to patrol. It was easier to cover more ground, their senses more finely honed.

  “All quiet on the eastern side, you?” he asked.

  Eli nodded, while Kinley added, “No sign of anyone to the west.”

  “Guess you two are headed up to bed.” Cyrus pulled open the front door and waved them inside. Eli ignored his brother’s knowing smirk, grateful he kept any other personal comments to himself.

  Zach was waiting for them when they walked inside. “It’s been radio silent. I’m going to catch a couple of hours sleep, but I’ll keep my ears open for any new messages. Night, all.” With a wave, he bounded up the stairs.

  Cyrus placed his hand on top of Eli’s furry head. “Watch yourself, little brother.” Warning given, he went down the hall to his room and closed the door.

  Eli started up the stairs, pausing when Kinley didn’t follow. She clutched his bundle of clothes to her chest while she chewed on her bottom lip. He should have known better than to expect things to be easy. With a sigh, he shifted back to his human form and went back down the steps. “What’s wrong?”

  “Your brothers,” she whispered, even as her eyes raked over him from head to toe. The scent of her arousal bloomed. She hadn’t changed her mind about wanting him.

  Frowning, he tried to figure out what was bothering her but failed. “And?”

  “And? They’ll know.”

  He could have kicked himself for an insensitive fool. Most wolves were casual about sex until they took a mate. That was for life or until one of them died. There was no such thing as divorce in their world. “The rooms have soundproofing,” he gently reminded her.

  “But they’ll know.” She sounded so plaintive, he started to grin, but it died when another thought occurred to him.

  “Are you ashamed to be with me?” After all, he was one of the infamous Sin brothers, a bounty hunter and sometimes mercenary, one who’d already killed a wolf in front of her.

  “What? No, of course not. Never mind.” She grabbed his arm and dragged him toward the stairs, or tried to. He remained glued to the spot. Now he was the reluctant one.

  “Then what’s the problem?”

  “Can we talk about it upstairs?” She glanced down the hallway toward Cyrus’s room.

  She was right to worry. If they stood here much longer, Cyrus or possibly Noah and Levi would wander by. He had no idea where the latter two were. Likely getting some shut-eye until they had to take the early shift, but he wasn’t budging until they hammered out what was bothering her.

  “Here is good.”

  Huffing out a breath, she slammed his clothes at his chest. “Then at least put on some pants.”

  “Why? You’ve seen me naked.”

  “You’re being impossible. I’m going to bed. Feel free to join me.” She slipped by him and ran up the stairs. He grabbed the bundle of clothes and was one step behind her. He could have caught her, but it was probably for the best that they had this discussion in his room. She was standing by the window when he entered. She’d released the braid she’d sported earlier and was finger-combing her hair. He tossed his clothes onto the chair and joined her.

  “What’s changed between now and earlier?”

  “Nothing.” Her arms were wrapped around her waist. “It’s just private. I don’t want your brothers hearing us, okay? I’m not an exhibitionist.”

  “It’s more than that.” Beneath the self-consciousness was something darker. He could all but smell her distress.

  She leaned forward and rested her forehead against the glass. “I don’t want them to think I’m using sex to manipulate you. Not that I’m a femme fatale by any means, but Cyrus already thinks the worst of me.”

  Eli put his arms around her from behind and rested his chin on the top of her head. “That’s the last thing you need to worry about. It’s more likely to be the opposite.”

  She turned around so she was in his arms facing him. “What do you mean?”

  “They might decide I took advantage of your emotional state and kick my ass.”

  “Really?” If anything, she seemed skeptical.

  “Absolutely.” It wasn’t as far-fetched as she might think. They’d grown up with their daddy as an example, and he’d have wiped the floor with anyone who disrespected their mama. “Is this what you want? If all you want is to sleep, I’ll go down and crash in the office.” No way could he stay in bed with her and not make love to her, not tonight.

  “I don’t want to sleep. Not without you.” The lack of guile, the raw honesty stole his breath. She stepped away, kicked off her sneakers, and peeled off her socks. When she reached for the hem of her top, he shot out his hand to stop her.

  “Let me.” Like a much-anticipated present, he wanted to unwrap her. The pounding of his heart reverberated in his ears. He slid his hands beneath the fabric and found her soft, satiny skin. A rumble of pleasure escaped him.

  His brothers might believe he was moving too fast, but they’d be wrong. His wolf had recognized her from the beginning. While the most ordinary things, like her favorite foods or if she a morning person or a night owl, remained a mystery, he understood the heart of her. Loyalty, determination, and courage were as much part of her as her thick auburn hair. She wasn’t afraid to work hard, to fight for what she thought was right. His respect for her continued to grow, along with the sexual attraction, which had been electric from the start.

  He wanted to discover all there was to know about her, starting with how she liked to be touched, what made her moan. There hadn’t been time to explore earlier. Within the walls of his home with his brothers watching out for them, he was free to drop his guard and sate his hunger. He walked them to the side of the bed and sat her on the edge. Her cheeks were flushed, her blue eyes wide with anticipation. He dropped to his knees between her legs and pressed his mouth against her bare stomach, smiling when she sucked in a breath.

  The urge to rush was tempered by the greater need to bring her as much pleasure as possible. A man only got one first time with a woman. He aimed to make it one she’d never forget.

  He eased the top over her head and tossed it aside. The sports bra followed. When she placed her hands on his chest, he grabbed her wrists and shook his head. There was no hiding his erection and he didn’t bother trying. “See how much I want you.” Her gaze went to his groin, causing his dick to flex. A fresh rush of desire bloomed in the air. “This is what you do to me.” He’d never been much of a talker during sex, more intent on satisfying his partner and himself and then leaving. Those interludes had lasted a few hours or a single night.

  Taking a mate had never occurred to him. He’d never thought he’d find a woman who would suit him or who’d fit his life here on the mountain until he’d met Kinley. They each offered the other what they were lacking. He could give her devotion, a family, and a place to call home. She gave him a sense of purpose beyond survival, filled an aching void in his heart.

  Her nipples were dark pink and taut, making them irresistible. He nuzzled between them, inhaling the complex scent of her skin. Beneath the light layer of perspiration and the fragrance from the soap she’d used to shower lay her pure essence. The shadow of a beard on his chin lightly abraded her sensitive flesh, drawing a moan from her parted lips. Her fingers dug into the mattress, her head was thrown back.

  He’d never wanted a woman more.

  He dragged the flat of his tongue over a turgid nipple ripe for the tasting. Closing his lips around it, he sucked. Her sharp inhale was music to his ears. When he shifted over to the other one, she tangled her fingers in his hair and tugged him closer.

  The plan to take his time, to savor each inch of her vanished beneath an onslaught of lust. Discipline collapsed beneath the reality of her. He’d been a fool to think he could take this first time slowly. He left a trail of kisses down her slender torso, tracing the outline of sleek muscles with his tongue.

  “Lift up.” When she complied, he peeled the leggings and underwear down and off, leaving her naked. “Beautiful.”

  His heart hammered like a drum. The light covering of hair on her mound was the same reddish brown as that on her head. He stroked his hands up her long legs, imagining them wrapped around his waist as he thrust into her.

  The men in her pack were idiots. Intelligent and gorgeous and brave, she was everything a female werewolf should be. Rather than appreciate her, treat her as an equal, they’d tried to crush her spirit. That they hadn’t managed was a testament to her courage and resilience. Her innate strength had intimidated them. He found it one hell of a turn-on.

  “Beautiful,” he repeated, fisting a handful of her hair. “The color is alive and vibrant. Fiery, like you.” He released the grip on her hair and brushed his fingers over her cheek and down the curve of her shoulder to her breasts. “These are a perfect handful.” To emphasize the point, he cupped them both, loving the way the taut nipples poked at his palms. He drew his thumbs over both before continuing his downward path, gliding his fingers along her sides, feeling the outline of her slender rib cage, before landing on her hips.

  He slid his palms over her thighs and pushed her knees further apart. She was breathing heavily, the heady perfume of her arousal surrounding him. “I can smell how much you want me,” he murmured as he kissed her smooth inner thighs. “Do you know what that does to me?”

  She shook her head. “Tell me.” Her voice was hoarse and shook with need.

  “My dick is so hard it hurts. I ache to be inside you, to slip into your welcoming heat.” The words were torn from deep in his soul.

  Her eyes dilated and her throat rippled when she swallowed. “I didn’t know I could feel like this.”

  “How do you feel?” Her scent drew him in.

  “Alive. Empty.” She cupped her hands over her breasts and squeezed. “Achy.”

  His balls pulled up hard against him, and his dick jerked. “Fuck, that’s hot.” One stroke was all it would take for him to explode. He shoved his hands under her legs and toppled her back onto the bed. Hooking her legs over his shoulders, he buried his face between her thighs.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Sweat bloomed on Kinley’s body. Heat rolled off her in waves. She’d had sex before, but it paled in comparison. This was something else entirely. Eli’s every word seared her soul. His touch set her on fire with need. It was scary to want someone this badly. It was also exhilarating.

  With the rapid thump of her heart ringing in her ears, she held her breath as his mouth touched her core. A low, broken cry fell from her lips at the intimate caress. Her thighs began to tremble. His clever tongue explored every crevice and skated over her clit. The pressure built until she couldn’t bear it any longer and was poised on the brink of orgasm.

  He looked up at her, expression feral, eyes as black as midnight, lips glistening with her juices. “Like that, do you?”

  “You know you’re the only one—” She broke off and shook her head, unable to finish.

  “The only man who’s ever gone down on you.” He traced his index finger over her slick folds. “Their loss is my gain.” His smile was filled with raw masculine satisfaction. He looked every inch the big, bad wolf he was. And for now, at least, he was hers.

  She didn’t want to think about tomorrow, or rather today since it was after midnight. Despair and fear hovered at the edge of her awareness. “Make me forget.”

  His smile faded, replaced by determination. He closed his lips around her clit and sucked hard.

  “Yes!” This was what she wanted—the wildness of sex, the promise of pleasure, the sheer aliveness being with him gave her.

  Never could she have imagined Eli on his knees before anyone. It was a position of supplication, or should have been. There was no doubt he was in full control of the situation, and she was the one totally at his mercy.

  Even kneeling, he’d loomed over her. His shoulders kept her legs wide open, his hands gripped her thighs, easily holding them apart. It was strange to have a man touch and taste her in such an intimate manner, yet it felt natural and right with Eli. The short bristles on his jaw were an erotic caress against her heated skin.

  Hips bucking, she sought the oblivion of release, but he backed off again and again, driving her to a fevered pitch, until there was no room for anything in her thoughts but him. “Eli.” His name fell from her lips, a broken plea for more.

  As if that was the signal he’d been waiting for, he pressed one thick finger inside her. Her senses exploded. Her inner muscles clamped down hard as a massive orgasm shook her from head to toe. Throwing her head back, a howl ripped from her throat. In that moment, her old life died and another was reborn. She was no longer the woman she’d been and could never go back.

  Loud panting broke through the sensual lethargy flooding her. Hands gripping the mattress, chest heaving, Eli watched her. Dark eyes gleaming, he waited. Kinley opened her arms.

  He surged up and over her, shoving them both further onto the bed. He fitted the head of his cock to her opening and pushed inward, not stopping until he was seated to the hilt. She was tight, spasms still rolling through her, and he was thick and long, but somehow they fit as though they’d been made for each other. They both gasped when her sheath tightened around him. She should have been sated, done for the night after the orgasm she’d had, but molten need bubbled up inside her.

  Supporting his weight on his forearms, he kissed her with a passion that stole her breath. Her taste lingered on his lips. The sheer eroticism of the moment sent her senses reeling. Her short nails scored his slick back. His cock jerked inside her, drawing a deep moan.

  “Move.” She tried to lift her hips, but his weight held her down. In retaliation, she gripped his perfect ass and squeezed.

  His feral growl excited her. She responded in kind, free to be who and what she was. There was no holding back, not with Eli. He pulled away, almost leaving her completely before sliding back in. Then he did it again, the strokes getting shorter and faster until he was hammering into her. It was impossible to catch the rhythm, so she hung on and enjoyed the wild ride. She nipped at his throat and licked the salt from his chest.

  He lowered his head to her neck and bit, not enough to break the skin but hard enough to leave a temporary mark. It was the exact spot a mating mark went. Fear and desire collided. Another orgasm ripped through her, this one even more intense than the last because they reached it together.

  He growled her name and thrust once more, his entire body stiffening before collapsing on top of her. His massive weight pressed down on her. Rather than find it oppressive, she found it comforting, even if it did make breathing difficult. He solved the problem by rolling them both to the side.

  Gasping for air, heart pounding, all she could do was stare at the man who’d stolen her heart. His damp hair was plastered against his skull. There was nothing to soften the high forehead, sharp cheekbones, or square jaw. Those fierce features had become as familiar as her reflection.