Craved Mate (Cybermates #6) - Candace Ayers Page 0,28

mutual orgasms.

Gasping for breath, I collapsed next to her, with my face buried in the crook of her neck, at the very spot I’d almost marked her. She clung to me, shivers still snaking through her body.

Time passed, I had no clue how long. Ame was still quiet. I was entranced by Mel, lost to the rest of the world. There was never going to be a world in which I didn’t crave Mel with every single breath in my body. I realized that then. I was damned. Whatever intentions of self-preservation I had were fucked. But with Mel’s soft body curled next to mine, I couldn’t find it in myself to be upset about that.

16

Mel

I’d dozed off for a second, but we were both awake at the same time again, caressing each other in his bed. Mac’s hands on my thighs imbued a confidence I hadn’t felt since I was twenty. If I’d been worried about the size of them, the way Mac was clearly obsessed with not only my thighs, but every part of my body, cured me. It was impossible to be self-conscious of anything about myself the way he looked at me, and covered every soft curve, every rounded edge, in kisses and heated touches.

“Was I too rough with you?” He was lying with his head in my lap while I sat with my back against his headboard. He traced red marks he’d left on my hips. I couldn’t recall if they were from the first time, or one of the times after. “I’m sorry.”

I ran my fingers through his short hair. “You were perfect with me. I’m not a petite woman. You can be rough.”

He looked up at me and quirked an eyebrow. “You are petite compared to me.”

“Can I just say that I really, really like that about you.” I grinned.

His eyes heated and he pressed an open mouth kiss to my inner thigh. “I can’t get enough of you.”

I was so shocked by the way my body kept reacting to him. The simplest of touches had me ready for him all over again. I was sore, but it didn’t matter. His kiss was gasoline to my fire.

He read my mind and growled. “No. I know that you’re sore.”

I frowned. “I’m fine.”

“Liar. I saw you walk to the bathroom earlier. You look like you’ve been riding horses.”

“You sound entirely too proud of that. I rolled my eyes, but grinned and leaned back against the headboard. “There’s something different about you, isn’t there?”

Mac held my gaze and sat up. “What do you mean?”

I wanted to ask if he was like the polar bear I saw, and I was pretty sure I knew the answer. Almost positive. But, on the off chance I was wrong, this night would probably come to a screeching halt. There was no coming back from crazy. “Nothing. Never mind.”

He shook his head. “No, tell me. I promise, whatever you say will be okay.”

“Are you…”

“Am I what?”

“Are you…” I curled my feet under me and tucked my hair behind my ear. “Promise that you won’t think I’m bananas?”

“I promise.”

“Okay.” I took a deep breath. “Are you a shapeshifter?”

He stifled a laugh. “How do you know about shapeshifters?”

“You are! I’m not bananas.”

“You’re not bananas.”

I gasped and leaned forward. “I knew it.” I scooted even closer and stared into his eyes. “You’re a polar bear, aren’t you?”

He scowled and shook his head. “No, I’m not a polar bear!”

“Oh. Tiger?”

“Hell no!”

I was playing a game of “let me guess what animal you are” with the man I’d just slept with. I probably should have been downright shocked. Instead, I was excited. Laughing, I decided to tease him a little. “Mmm…peacock?”

“Mel, come on.” If I wasn’t mistaken, he was sitting up straighter and flexing.

“Well, if you are of the avian variety, your feathers are ruffled right now…. Oh, please tell me you’re not a turkey buzzard... Are you?”

He glared. “No.”

“Flamingo? Penguin? Housefly? Ooh, I got it—jackass?”

With a loud growl, he grabbed me and pinned me beneath him. “You are the most disrespectful little woman ever.”

I giggled. “Honestly? The way you like it when I run my fingers through your hair makes me think some sort of dog. I’m right, aren’t I?” I cupped his face and nodded, seriously. “You’re a poodle.”

He nipped playfully at my neck, sending me into a fit of giggles. “Not dog. Wolf. And liking the way you touch me has nothing to do with being a shifter and everything to do with