uncomfortable, yet the fear she’d pull back, hide her desire the second our feet hit the ground was at the front of my mind.
I hung back as Shira landed first, still a little clumsy though she was improving. She retracted her wings and looked expectantly up at me, sinking her teeth temptingly into her lower lip. I landed slowly, stretching my wingspan as wide as it could go and flexing my stomach muscles for Shira’s benefit. Judging by her sharp intake of breath, it was working.
I didn’t bother putting my shirt back on, leaving it tucked into the back of my trousers. The air was thick with tension, expectation, but neither of us were good at communicating our feelings. Maybe I didn’t have to tell her — I could just show her.
Slowly, giving her time to change her mind, I advanced on Shira, prowling up to where she waited against the front door of the den. I almost fell to my knees in gratitude when she reached for me, grabbing the waistband of my trousers and tugging me towards her, closing the distance between us.
“Do you want this?” I rasped, barely able to get the words out as lust flooded my system like a tidal wave and every drop of blood in my body went to my dick.
“So much,” she breathed, coming up on her tiptoes to reach my mouth.
Shira and I formed a connection before any of my flight brothers had. I’d been content to step back for her to build relationships with them. But fuck, I’d missed the feeling of her lips on mine. She was more confident now, kissing with the same urgency that I felt. Shira moved forward, pressing her front against mine, gasping a little as my painfully hard cock pressed against her stomach.
Fuck. Need to get inside the den.
I fumbled with the key, one hand gripping Shira’s waist and the other reaching behind her to unlock the door, unwilling to part with her for even a second. Eventually I got it open, guiding Shira through the open door and kicking it shut behind me before spinning her up against it.
Her tongue explored my mouth, curious and frantic all at once, her body rubbing urgently against mine, trying to find the friction she needed. Weeks of pent-up sexual frustration between us was coming to a head. There was no way we were going to make it to the bedroom at this rate.
//Tell me to stop. Tell me to take you to bed. You deserve better than the hallway.// My mouth was fused to Shira’s, absorbing her sweet, delicious taste like I needed it to survive. Maybe I did.
//No.// Even in my head, Shira sounded breathy. Needy. Like she wanted me as much as I wanted her, which was fucking insane because it wasn’t possible for her to want me that much.
We stood in the hallway, devouring each other against the front door like someone was going to come in and stop us at any moment. Shira wrapped one leg around my hip, boosting herself up and I caught her instinctively, cupping her perfect ass in my hands as her other leg came around my waist. By the fucking gods, she moved like she was made for sex. I could feel the heat of her core through my trousers as she ground down and writhed against me, using me to make herself feel good.
Fucking exquisite.
I turned to press her against the wall, slamming her up against it with more force than I intended.
“Shit, rebel. I’m sor—”
“More,” she breathed, leaning her head back against the wall and keeping her eyes trained on me. “I trust you. I’m right here with you.”
Fuck. How was I supposed to be slow when she was begging me for everything? My everything was rough, tinged with the possessive fear she’d realize I wasn’t enough for her. Wasn’t good enough, like I hadn’t been good enough once it became clear that I wasn’t an Alpha.
“More,” Shira growled, releasing her talons and scraping my skin enough for fine rivers of blood to run down my arms.
“I don’t want to hurt you,” I gritted out, burying my face in her neck and taking a long, calming breath to force my urges down.
“I know you won’t. Give me all of you,” she snarled, reaching down to slice at my trousers until ribbons of fabric were pooling at my feet. With a feral growl, I returned the favor, shredding and pulling at her clothes until her naked