A Highland Werewolf Wedding - By Terry Spear Page 0,56
across his broad chest as he watched her. The sweater was nice, but she kept thinking of his beautiful naked chest when he was wearing only a kilt, and she smiled warmly at the memory.
With such a predatory look on his face, was he envisioning her in the bed? Maybe with him in it while he lay beside her… or on top of her? She thought his smile was more wicked than sweet.
Her cheeks instantly blossomed with heat. “Thank you for everything, Cearnach.” She was drained of all energy after having run and swum as a wolf, not to mention fighting jet lag. She felt she could just as easily curl up on the lovely gold-and-burgundy Turkish hand-knotted rugs covering the floor and fall asleep.
At first Cearnach didn’t move. Then, as if he’d made up his mind about something, he closed the distance between them, and she knew he’d give her another kiss. She wasn’t sure she could handle another of his kisses while she was alone with him in a bedroom.
His large hands took hold of her shoulders, the heat seeping through her shirt, the power of his touch drugging her. He leaned down and said in a wickedly husky voice, “A kiss before you sleep to give you pleasant dreams. I promise you more tomorrow.”
He didn’t ask permission, although at this point, she wouldn’t let him get away before he fulfilled his promise.
He kissed her, leaning against her, sharing his heat and power and interest. His tongue plundered her like a pirate taking possession—and as she devoured him in the same way, she knew this exchange was taking another step closer to making their relationship something more. Permanent. Forever. Giving in to the lust, the sexiness, the wolfish fascination for another of her kind was something new for her.
She was already wet for him, her breasts heavy and achy for his touch, her nipples taut peaks of desire. Needy, craving his mouth, his fingers, his caress.
“I want you.” His voice was dark and fathomless, husky with craving.
Before she was ready to end the kiss or think of where this might lead, he hugged her tight—wrapping his muscled arms around her body, keeping her close as if she was the most precious thing to him—and rested his cheek on the top of her head. She loved the way his body surrounded her, wishing they could take this further.
Then he groaned.
A lusty groan of unfulfilled passion, of regrets and desires that she could so relate to. He was holding back.
Appreciating him and his family, loving that she’d have a chance to sleep in a medieval castle, she hugged him back. She felt the hardness of his erection pressed against her belly, knew he needed release as much as she did, knew he desired more. Yet despite knowing what a mistake that could be if they gave into their primal urges… she wasn’t ready to let him go. She wasn’t thinking clearly, either. She’d had too much wine.
Curbing her own wolfish needs, she finally said, “Good night, Highlander. Until tomorrow, then.”
He sighed deeply and looked into her eyes, his own simmering with lust.
“’Night, lass.” His voice was rough with restrained need. He kissed the top of her head, then moved away from her and winked before he shut the door. When he closed it on his departure, she suddenly felt bereft. She hadn’t realized how seeing a family, a working pack, would affect her. She’d always thought being part of a family was someone else’s dream. Not her own. Not since her parents and uncles had died.
She never felt that way about human families, considering them something different, alien to her. After the disaster with Kelly Rafferty, she’d struck out on her own, avoiding wolf packs wherever she went. What if she’d ended up in another abusive relationship?
Yet unexpectedly, she felt she was missing out after seeing the teasing between members of Cearnach’s clan, the anxiety on the brothers’ faces, the worry for Cearnach, and the concern for her. The gathering of the family to take her in, to counsel her about the apprehension they had about her dealings with her kin. Even his mother’s telling him he should mate Elaine. How Cearnach’s family had treated her like she was one of their pack, their clan.
She couldn’t help being surprised to be accepted into a wolf pack of perfect strangers, when in a human’s world she had kept herself apart. Friendly, but not too much so.