Vivian Arend - Black Gold

“You said to leave our wolves out of this. If I want slow, I’ll tell you.”

There was a pause—only a second—as they stared into each other’s eyes. Then the world exploded as they both moved.

He hadn’t kissed her before. Now he consumed her, feasting at her mouth as if he was starving. She returned as good as he gave, nipping and licking, her tongue tangling with his. The exhilarating flavour of her mate burst onto her taste buds, adding to the richness of her pleasure.

They rolled together, the heat of his body pressed against her, the rigid length of his shaft nudging her thigh. Gem snuck down a hand and wrapped her fingers around him. Wide and solid and warm in all the right ways. She stroked in time with the thrusts of their tongues together, and he groaned into her mouth.

“Gem. Oh yeah, like that. Harder. Fuck—”

A shiver at the naughty word made her tighten her grip, and he threw back his head with a loud shout. She froze, fearful she’d hurt him, until reassured by his continuing enthusiastic thrusts forward.

Shaun broke free, brought her on top, clasping her so hard her muscles protested. She couldn’t complain, not when he rearranged her and began a rocking motion, grinding against her ready sex.

“Now, please, please, please…” Gem tilted her hips, attempting to line them up properly. He refused to let go, maintaining the steady torment, driving her back up to the pinnacle. Each brush of his erection priming her body.

She pressed on his chest as she lifted her torso to vertical, catching his gaze. Her movement caused the tip of his shaft to slip through her folds. They hung together motionless—the place between worlds. Now they were two individuals—one step away from joining their lives forever.

The only sound was the song on the radio. Soulful, yearning.

He smiled up at her as he stroked her jaw with the back of his finger. “My mate.”

My. Mine . The word thrilled her and scared her silly. Predestiny was the norm amongst wolves, but no one had told her how heart-stoppingly fragile facing this moment would make her feel.

One heartbeat passed.

Another.

Gem moved forward, Shaun thrust up, and the two of them connected forcibly. Mating heat danced around them like an exotic pied piper.

Instantly, she froze. The width of his erection stretched her, changed the ache of need into something midway between pleasure and pain. Similar to the nips and the bites he’d given, and she wasn’t sure if she could survive if tonight got any better.

“Oh, Shaun.” She leaned forward to kiss him. He lifted his head eagerly to allow his mouth to meet hers. The controlling grip on her hips loosened as he stroked her gently, fingertips soothing her. He tasted wild. There was raw energy in his kiss, the hint of a sweet aftertaste that made her smile against his lips.

The measured exploration of his hands continued as he slipped them farther up her torso to cup her breasts. Pulling in a breath of air from his mouth seemed the only way to get any oxygen. His palms were hot against her skin, the tender touch helping her relax. Slow smooth circles, teasing flicks over her nipples. The distraction on her breasts let her almost forget there was an extremely large section of his body currently in residence inside her.

Almost, but not possible.

Any pain she’d experienced was gone, replaced with the urgent desire to use him like a pogo stick. Gem tightened her thighs, lifted herself and moaned at how incredible it felt, the consuming rub that started deep and rose to the sensitive edge of her sex in line with the crown of his shaft.

“Sweet Gem. That’s so good.” Shaun’s head thumped back on the pillow, his one arm thrown over his eyes, the other hand caressing her body. “I’m dying. I’m really and truly dying.”

She rode him another time, the smooth stroke sparking energies inside her that wanted to break free. “You’d better not die. Other than your name, Shaun Stevens, I don’t know anything about you.”

His arm fell away, and the brilliant white of his smile hit her full force as she drove herself down harder. “I’m a wolf, you’re a wolf. We’re mates. That’s all we need to know.”

Mates. Another plunge. Mates . Together. This was really happening.

“She’s the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.”

Gem froze—sex forgotten. Well, kind of forgotten. It was difficult to completely ignore the fully erect penis in her passage, and that all manner of incredible hormonal things were happening because of that fact. And when Shaun took over and lifted his hips, increasing the pace between them again, Gem was the one to moan her approval in spite of having something to say.

“I heard you…in my head… Oh, Shaun…”

He didn’t acknowledge her, the sheer bliss on his face enough to make her put the discussion aside and come back to what she was doing.

What they were doing.

Shaun smoothed his hands up her thighs, dipping his fingers between her legs to find the sensitive tip of her clitoris. He rubbed, and that was game over. Like pressing an ignition switch, the explosion was immediate and full body. Waves crashed upward, skimming her skin like a flash fire. Gem cried out and savoured the sensation.

Then he rolled her again, rising over her and taking total control. Thrusting into her, forcefully, madly. Each piston of his hips pressed her back to the bed. Gem wrapped her legs around him and canted her pelvis, a little scream escaping as he went deeper on the next motion. The climax that had started earlier went on and on, peaking higher and higher on each breath like consecutive firework bursts, each one more spectacular than the one before.

“Holy hell, Gem.” Shaun slammed in once more and stilled. She felt every jerk intimately. Each hard pulse within her as her sheath squeezed him tight, wringing another cry from his lips.

Shaun lowered himself to lie skin to skin on top of her. The slow weight increase made her smile, a tender moment of complete satisfaction and delight all tangled up in the sated sexual bliss cocooning her body.

She had a mate. Incredible. Not just the sex, although that had been fairly spectacular to start with, but the realization she now had someone else in her life to love and care for. Gem traced her fingers over his back, the heat of having him close so right and proper.

A soft kiss landed on her lips, then he nuzzled her cheek. He dropped his full weight beside her and rolled them just enough that when he snored a moment later, Gem giggled then curled up tight to his side, joining him in sleep.

Caroline parked in her usual slot, right next to Evan’s shiny red Hummer. She wasn’t scheduled to work today, but this would be one of her only chances to catch the Alpha alone. The morning sunshine seemed to taunt her as she pulled her courage in and forced herself out the door toward the entrance to his suite.

Even knowing Evan Stone wasn’t likely to hurt her, butterflies of fear still insisted on tangoing in her belly. What she was about to propose was extremely unusual—she knew that—but desperate measures were occasionally needed.

She squared her shoulders and knocked.

His footsteps sounded on the hardwood floor, and she pictured his approach with ease. She was the one who’d arranged for the renovations to the suite after he took over from their old Alpha. He was turning the corner, just about there…

“Caroline?” Evan opened the door and she caught an eyeful of rather spectacular masculinity. The jeans covering his lower body were nice, but it was the wolf genes he wore up top that made her libido jolt—his naked chest was oh-so-distracting.

It took a lot of self-control to concentrate enough to offer a smile. “Hey.”