Eyes on the Pride (Awakening Pride Book 8) (4 page)

She flicked that wicked tongue out again, tasting herself on his lips and chin and groaning with pleasure. He took possession with another growl, all he seemed capable of at the moment, and sucked her tongue into his mouth. Their flavors mixed, creating a heady aphrodisiac. One palm cupped her hip, the other bracing his weight so he didn’t crush her. Her nails drew blood, her nipples hard points scraping his chest, and he thrust deep in one slow, penetrating claim of ownership.

They broke the kiss, both sucking in air as he pumped his hips. She brought her other leg up, practically climbing him in what he suspected might be her bid to have him hit just the right spot. He changed the angle, making sure his groin rubbed over her clit with every thrust, and he felt her go liquid around him. Her head tipped back, mouth open and neck lifting as she came. Her channel squeezed and released while he fucked her.

“Mine,” he rumbled, lowering his head and rubbing his canines over the dampness of her neck. He followed it down to her collarbone, licking at the curve before striking, teeth piercing as he marked her.

Darby cried out, one hand cupping the back of his head and holding him against her as her pussy rippled around him with another release. He thrust deep and held there as orgasm ripped through him. He felt her pussy milking every drop of cum from him, tightening like a fist then releasing only to do it again. Darby shuddered, and he released his bite, licking over the wound he’d left behind. It would never fully heal, leaving a visible sign for any other male that she was his. He inhaled, noting that his scent already enveloped her.

She was his, locked to him in a way humans with their marriage ceremonies could never understand. And he was hers and only hers. His body would always remain faithful. The scent of another woman’s lust, the sight of the aroused body of any female other than his mate, would make him sick. Soon, they would be able to hear each other without speaking, to sense what the other felt, which would make sex all the more delicious.

He skimmed his lips up her neck, tugging his cock free and easing to the bed at her side. Darby whimpered and curled into him, her body snuggling into his as if she couldn’t get close enough. Her lids were heavy, and she kept blinking in a bid to keep her eyes open.

“Sleep, baby,” he crooned, rolling to his back, turning her with him. “I’ll take care of you.”

With a deep sigh, she settled in, her head resting against his chest, one hand threading through the mat of hair. He combed one hand through her curls where they tumbled down her back. His cock glistened where it rose along his stomach, already eager for more. He’d lied to Darby when he’d said she’d be here for days. She’d be lucky if they left the bed before the end of the week. He hadn’t realized just how insatiable she’d make him.

Now, if he could just make her forget Utah Pearce and the pride in Riverton, Oklahoma.

Chapter Four

Darby came awake with a low moan escaping her lips as dreams bled into reality. She hadn’t imagined it in a fevered rush. She wasn’t delusional. Calloway was in bed with her, had spent the night making love to her, over and over again. Even now, his lips trailed kisses across the top of her shoulder, his tongue snaking out to swipe over the mark he’d left when his sharp canines had pierced her skin.

Heaven. It was absolute heaven. Until her stomach growled. Calloway paused at her ear, releasing a husky chuckle that had her nipples growing tighter. He nipped the lobe then slid away, his fingertips brushing her skin as he did.

She rolled over onto her back, not bothering to tug the twisted sheets to cover herself. He’d seen every inch of her already, and she’d never been one to play coy. His avid gaze seemed to eat her up as he jerked his jeans from the floor and pulled them up his legs, slowing down only to ease his still aroused cock under the material. Just glimpsing the swollen head made her inner muscles clench and release with anticipation and a bit of an ache, if she were honest. He was very well-endowed and possessed a quick recovery rate. Not that she’d ever complain about either of those qualities.

“Why don’t you take a nice, hot shower while I go get us some breakfast?” Calloway suggested as he reached for the shirt he’d discarded the night before.

“Do you want to take one first?” she offered.

He shook his head. “No, I’ll grab one when I get back. I left my bag in the truck. No sense in showering then putting dirty clothes back on.” He dropped back onto the mattress to pull on his socks and boots. “I shouldn’t be long. You need any cream or sugar for your coffee?”

“Both,” she said, sitting up.

He turned to her, letting his gaze slide over her again before dropping a kiss on her closed lips. “Don’t leave the room,” he murmured.

“The only place I’m planning to head is to the shower,” she vowed. “I won’t promise there will be any hot water left when you get back.”

He seemed to study her, as if weighing the truth in her words, and it dawned on her that, as much as they knew about each other, they still had so much to learn.

“Go,” she urged, and her stomach growled again as if on cue.

A smile curved his lips once more. “I won’t be long.”

“You already said that,” she reminded him.

Calloway nodded, dropped another kiss as if he couldn’t control the urge then rose from the bed. He crossed the room in long strides. She watched him swipe the keycard from the dresser as he did, slipping it in his pocket. He threw her another look before easing the door open and stepping out. She heard the knob rattle and knew he was checking to make sure the lock had engaged.

She vaulted from the bed and practically danced to the bathroom. As soon as she’d sat up, her bladder had announced itself. She took care of that pressing need then went about turning the dials and adjusting the water, getting the temperature where she wanted it. The room was already filling with steam as she stepped into the shower and sighed with bliss. She just stood there for the longest time, letting the hot spray massage her skin. Then, deciding to be nice and not use all the hot water, she made quick work of washing her hair and body.

She was at the sink with a mouthful of toothpaste when she heard ringing from the other room. She rushed, spitting and grabbing the washcloth to dab at remnants of the paste around her mouth as she hurried over to grab her phone. As soon as she did, it quit.

“Damn it,” she grumbled then tossed it on the bed before searching for where she’d dropped her bag so she could find some fresh clothes. She was just tugging on panties when her phone let off a series of tones, indicating she had voicemail.

She used her thumbprint to unlock it and hit the icon, going to voicemail and putting it on speaker so she could continue getting dressed.

Her father’s voice filtered through the phone. “I was hoping to speak with you before takeoff. My flight’s nine and a half hours with only one stop. I’m not sure if I’ll be able to call you then or not. I wanted to warn you. Calloway left sometime last night.”

Darby snorted. He’d left much earlier than that as he’d spent the night showing her what it meant to be his. Very thoroughly.

“I have no doubt he’s following you. Eyes open, my girl.”

They’d been open all right. She’d soaked up the glorious sight of every naked inch of him. She was eager to do it again.

“One more thing. I…had a phone call this morning. We’ve found something…someone. I’ll tell you more when we speak. She’s…unique…and in danger, serious danger. We’ve got to get her out before it’s too late.”

Shit! She hadn’t thought once about her task since Calloway had swept in and consumed her. She still had no clue how she’d help Utah Pearce send out a primal call to every feline shifter.

“In the meantime, focus on your mission. You’ll figure it out,” he said as if he knew what she was thinking. Most likely, he did. “Follow your instinct. It’s always your best guide.”

She heard something that sounded like an intercom but couldn’t make out what was being said.

“I’ve got to go. I’ll call when I can. Love you.”

“Love you,” she whispered back to the sound of the message clicking off.

She tugged on leggings and one of her camis with a built-in bra that held nothing but was comfortable as hell then went about making the bed look a little less…debauched. She was adjusting the pillows when she heard the beep of the card being used on the door and glanced over. Calloway stepped in, balancing two bulging bags and a tray holding four drinks.

“Here,” she said as she crossed to him. “Let me help.” She reached for the tray of drinks and placed them on the dresser while he helped the door close with a tap of his foot. He dropped the bags next to the cardboard tray then reached for her, pulling her against his chest and leaning down to claim her lips.

His touch had her pressing closer as every inch of her screamed out for more. Her nipples were tight pebbles, her core moist and ready for his possession. She lifted her arms, fingers tunneling through his hair, and she climbed him so that blatant bulge would hit where she wanted it to. The man had her going from sated to desperate in seconds flat.

Her moan turned to a whimper as he eased back. One hand cupped her ass while he ran the fingers of the other down her cheek, grasping her chin and tilting it up.

“I’m glad you missed me,” he murmured, his voice low and husky.

She dropped her head forward onto his chest, letting it roll back and forth against him as she sighed. She had it bad. It was one thing to read about what it meant for shifters to mate. It was another to experience it firsthand. There was no clinical detachment here. There was need, burning a fiery path through her body. There was lust…unquenchable. There was hunger…insatiable. There was the way Calloway possessed her so thoroughly she craved him more than the food her body needed.

“Is it the same for you?” she whispered.

“What?”

“This…” She shook her head, glancing up as if her eyes could convey what her mind couldn’t. What word was there that could adequately describe what was happening?

His smile was slow, warm, erotic. He nodded. “I ache for you, Darby. I couldn’t get back to you fast enough. You’re mine.”

“And you’re mine,” she charged.

His eyes smoldered, his nostrils flaring as he inhaled. “All yours.”

He bent and scooped her up then carried her over to drop her on the bed. “Stay,” he ordered when she immediately rose to her knees, ready to reach for him and bring him down with her. “We’ll eat first. Then we’ll satisfy our other needs.”

He turned to grab the bags, and she collapsed back on the bed, adjusting until she sat cross-legged with something jabbing her hip. She fumbled to see what it was, eyes still glued to Calloway as he lifted containers out of the bags and carried them over. It looked as if he’d purchased every breakfast the restaurant had had to offer. Pancakes, waffles, eggs, bacon, sausage, biscuits, hash browns, fresh fruit and muffins. There was more food than she could even make a dent in, but Calloway was a shifter. His metabolism burned at a much faster rate than a human’s did. She had little doubt there’d be nothing left by the time her man was done.

“Dig in,” he ordered. “I’ve got coffee and OJ.” He took them out of the tray and sat one of each on the table beside her then placed the remaining cups on the opposite side before sliding onto the bed to join her.

“Silverware?” she asked.

“Shit,” he muttered and hopped up, grabbing one of the bags and upending it on the bed. Forks, knives, spoons and napkins tumbled out. She laughed as the metal utensils fell.

“Don’t most places give plastic?”

He grunted, his look clearly stating what he thought of that and reached for a container. “Eat,” he ordered again.

She was still grinning as she stretched for a fork and noticed her phone in her hand. It must have been what had been digging into her hip.

“Shit!”

“What? Did I forget something?” He glanced over the food display before looking back at her, brow lifted in question.

“No, I did.” Hell, every thought that didn’t center around the two of them naked seemed to vacate her brain as soon as she saw him.

“Well,” he prompted. “What did you forget?”

“My dad called,” she said, holding up her phone. “He’s on his way to Ireland. Said he’d call me as soon as he could. Seems he found something or someone he thinks is important.”

Calloway nodded, eyes going back to the food. He grabbed a second container, and she realized he was putting bits and pieces of all the food into one of them. She wasn’t surprised when he offered it to her along with the fork she’d yet to pick up.

“I’m going to Riverton,” she said.

He hummed some noncommittal reply and kept his focus on the food.

“Calloway.”

“Eat before it gets cold.”

She took a bite of the pancakes, fluffy and golden, already moist with syrup though she hadn’t seen him pour it. They both ate in silence, her eating less than half of what he’d given her and him steadily working through everything else. When he’d polished off all but the stack of bacon, she handed him what remained of hers and took another strip of the crisp meat.

“Why don’t you want me to go?” she asked, though it was more directed at her than him as she tried to make sense of his hesitance. “It can’t be about danger. I’m in just as much danger here as I would be there. In fact, logic says I’d be safer if I were with the pride.”

His growl filled the air, and she watched, transfixed as his lips peeled back from his teeth. “I will keep you safe. You need no other man but me.”

“Of course, I don’t,” she agreed. “I just meant there’s safety in numbers. For both of us.”

“Do I need to fuck you senseless again to remove all doubt? You’re mine. Mine to protect. Mine to care for. No one will watch over you but me.”

“I know. I wasn’t questioning that. I was just…” She shook her head in frustration. Damn shifters and their cocky alpha attitudes. Damn if it didn’t make her nervous about meeting the true alpha of the pride. How overbearing would he be?