Dare, Lydia - Tall, Dark and Wolfish

He probably shouldn't have barked at her the way he had that afternoon. He'd just been so stunned to see the mark on her wrist.

He supposed he should be thankful she'd agreed to help him. After all, he was at a loss for what to do. So he'd have to apologize in the morning for his abrupt behavior and hope for success with whichever method she chose.

Ben closed his eyes tightly and worked to push all thoughts from his mind so that he could get to sleep. But then he felt a touch. He opened his eyes quickly. He could have sworn Elspeth had just laid her hands on him. But no one was there.

He closed his eyes again and tried to clear his head. But then her fingertips grazed his abdomen. His eyes flew open. "What was that?" he whispered.

The touch moved across his belly, a flat palm sliding across his chest.

"Elspeth?" he whispered. Surely the little witch didn't have that kind of power.

Ben rose and dressed quickly. He raised the window to his room and dropped down to the spongy turf below. He stood still and closed his eyes. The touch lingered, soft and hot, but no longer overwhelmed him. But then heat enveloped his manhood. He drew in a quick breath. It was as though her delicate little hand was closed around his length.

It was nearly impossible to run with this heaviness between his legs. He was rock hard, but he pushed the thought to the back of his mind and ran as fast as he could toward her little cottage. He streaked through the woods like a predator hunting prey. Elspeth was speaking to him. He just didn't know how.

He saw her as soon as he crossed the meadow. She sat on a hill, limned by the sliver that was the waxing moon hanging over her head. She sat and absently stroked her fingertips down her forearm, her gaze far away.

"I wish you wouldn't do that, lass," he said, his breaths coming in great heaves.

Her head jerked around and she looked up at him. "What are ye doin' here?"

"I believe you called for me," he said quietly.

"I dinna call for ye." She shook her head.

Ben sat down beside her on the damp grass. He tugged his shirt from his trousers. She protested, "I doona think ye should be doin' that, Ben."

"I need to show you what you were doing to me," he mumbled. He lay back on the grass and covered his eyes with his forearm. Perhaps if he didn't look at her, he would be able to show her without devouring her.

He slowly trailed his fingers across the mark that was usually hidden beneath his clothes. She gasped. He did it again. She cried out.

"So it does work both ways, I see." He chuckled.

"How did ye do that?" she asked, her breaths coming in a quick pant.

"You started it," he laughed. "I was just lying in bed and then I felt you touch me."

"I touched ye? Where?" Elspeth pressed her hand to her heart.

"Where it hurts, love. You touched me where it hurts."

"I dinna mean to hurt ye, Ben. I promise." Truly she would never do anything to hurt another human being. His eyes narrowed as his gaze searched her face.

"Does this hurt?" he asked quietly as he dragged his fingertips across his own mark.

Immediately Elspeth felt the rush of heat between her thighs and the thumping that was her heartbeat as it pulsed there. She breathed, "Hurt is no' quite the right word for it." Her nipples hardened as he stroked again. "What are ye doin' ta me?" she asked quietly as she sank back on the dewy grass.

"It appears as though we're tied together, love." He stroked again and laughed when she couldn't hold back a purr. "I do so like the noises you make when you're pleased."

"I doona think this is proper, Ben," she said quietly, the thump between her thighs still taking most of her attention.

"I would say it's quite improper," he said as he leaned over her. "I can smell how much you want me." Her heart skipped a beat. "I can smell your desire."

She stroked across the mark on her own arm. Two could play this game. "It does the same ta ye, Ben. So take care with how ye use that little tool." He groaned and lifted himself above her.

"I'll just ask for you to do it again," he said quietly against her mouth, before his lips touched hers briefly.

"Ye've no shame, do ye?"

"None at all," he confirmed as he untied the strings at the front of her blouse with his teeth. Never had there been such an enticing sight. She had no thoughts of stopping him. "I want to love you."

"Love me?" she gasped out as his teeth pulled her bodice lower to reveal the upper swell of her breast. His teeth nibbled gently along the ridge of flesh before he reached up and uncovered it completely. He immediately drew the peak into his mouth. Showers of sparks clouded her vision. He raised his head to look at her. "

Make

love to you," he corrected his earlier statement.

"We canna do that," she groaned. A cool breeze teased her ankles as he gathered her skirts in his hands and delved beneath. When she started to protest, he rubbed the mark on his lower belly once. She nearly melted there on the grass.

"Ye doona play fair," she choked out.

"And right now I don't plan to," he said as he stroked across the mark again. She cried out and clutched his shoulders. The thump of blood in her most secret places called out for something. What, she had no idea. But there had to be some end to the sweet torment.

"I ache," she moaned as she buried her face in his shoulder.

"I can fix it for you, lass." His hand slid up her thigh and walked around to her front. He quickly untied the laces of her drawers and pulled them down. She didn't bother to protest. She simply wanted to find some release from the sweet torment.

"Fix it," she begged. "Please, fix it."

His hands pushed her skirts up around her waist as he bent between her thighs.

"What are ye doin'?" she asked as his head disappeared beneath the folds of her skirt. She never once thought of stopping him when she felt the warm insistence of his fingers as they spread her. And his tongue as it speared her slick folds. She clutched wildly at the grass.

He licked quickly across the nub that was her center. Pleasure poured through her, suffusing her limbs with liquid heat.

"Doona stop," she whispered as she arched her hips to meet him.

She felt the movement of his head as he nodded and sucked her pliant flesh into his mouth. That was all it took to make her shatter into a million pieces. His fingers stroked as his tongue licked across her, drawing every bit of release from her body. He worked until she stilled.

Ben pushed her skirts down and looked into her dazed face.

"What was that?" she muttered. He simply chuckled in response and pulled her into his side. Suddenly she lifted her head. "Ye dinna find the same pleasure."

"I do not have to…" he started. But Elspeth saw the look on his face. He longed for sweet release the same way she had.

"What can I do ta help ye?"

With a sheepish grin, he unbuttoned his trousers and pulled a handkerchief from his pocket. He quite effectively blocked her view by pressing himself against her, under her skirts. When he was settled, he lifted her arm to her own mouth and growled. "Lick me." Immediately, she knew what he wanted. She stuck out her tongue and licked once across her own mark. He moaned and pressed his face into her shoulder. "Oh, Elspeth," he ground out.

With a small smile on her face, she lapped at the mark again. And a third time. That was all it took. He followed her into bliss.

Seventeen

Elspeth rested her head on Ben's chest and he stared up at the night sky above them. He'd never felt so wild yet content at the same time. Whatever this power was she held over him, he liked it. He held her close and brushed his lips in her hair. How nice it would be to stay curled up with her like this forever.