Goal: A Mate (Bachelor Auction #2) (7 page)

“You gonna come with me quietly, or do I have to make you?” He crossed his arms over his chest, one finger tapped against his bicep.

She narrowed her eyes until she watched him through a veil of dark lashes. “What the fuck are you talking about?” Despite her words, a damning thrill zipped along her spine. This had to be the moment she had been waiting for. He was here to see what would happen between them before she gave into the needs her pack and let Alberto claim her.

“You’re my mate.
Mine
.” His voice had become deeper, rougher, and sexier. “I’m not gonna let some fucknuts try and claim what belongs to me. Yet I know that I don’t have what it takes to be alpha, and I don’t want either of us to be exiled from the pack. So the only thing I can give you is myself. For whatever time we have before fate takes you away from me.”

She ruminated over his declaration. This really was the only time they could be together. He didn’t want to be alpha, and neither of them wanted to let the pack down. This merger would increase their size but offer them much-needed income. She couldn’t put it off much longer. But neither could she put off her date with Brandon.

“Fine. Come and get me.” Kelly didn’t do anything as dramatic as drop her purse and get into a fighting stance; she just waited to see what he would do.

Brandon shrugged and walked forward until he was in front of her, mere inches away. He bent down and pressed his lips to hers. One of his hands cupped the back of her head. His fingers delved into her tresses, destroying her bun until it fell loose to her shoulders. She reached up and clutched the sides of his jacket, pulling him closer as his mouth moved over hers. His tongue traced the line of her closed lips before she allowed him entrance. He teased her with each glide and stroke. She could taste the coolness of mint and a hint of lemon as well as something richer, darker. The kiss was so much better than she’d dreamed.

Kelly pressed her body against his, feeling the hard planes of the muscles hidden by fabric, feeling the heat that poured from him into her, driving away the cold. He sucked, scraped, and nibbled at her bottom lip, turning it hot and sensitive with his actions. Brandon grabbed a handful of hair and held her head still as he drank of her lips. She forgot all sense of time and place as she leaned into him until there wasn’t any space between them. The ridge of his erection pressed against her thigh, letting her know he was just as affected as she was. He pulled back, huffs of air drifting up in front of his face like clouds, obscuring him for a few seconds. His lips were parted, reddened by his efforts.

He released her hair and stepped back. Then he crouched down and scooped her up without effort. She didn’t protest. Instead, she clung on, not caring that she was leaving her car behind. All fight had gone out of her. It didn’t mean the wolf had decided to bow to its mate’s desires. Not yet, anyway. First it wanted to get a taste. Then it would make him work for it.

Brandon set her down on her feet and opened the passenger side of his dark-gray Lincoln MKT for her, leaving his hand on the top of the door.

“Don’t think just because I’m going with you that you’ve won.” She stepped up and slipped into her seat, dropped her purse to the floor and buckled up.

He grinned, bent down, and stole a kiss. “Oh, but I have.” He reached up and took her chin between his index finger and thumb. “You are mine for the weekend.”

“Not yet. Gotta mark me first. Make me remember this time together.” She tried to turn her head away, but he held firm.

“No. You’ve
always
been mine, and I will claim you.” His voice seemed to be come from deep within his chest, coming out as a growl. “For this moment, if nothing else.”

Before she could respond, he stepped back and shut the door, leaving her in a cocoon of warmth that blasted from the heaters. He opened the driver’s side, got in, and buckled up. Then they were away.

Kelly peeked at the side mirror in time to see Alberto’s little red Mustang pull up. A laugh bubbled up inside of her, but she resisted letting it out. That asshole was too late. He’d just missed her.

Maybe a little time with Reenie would make him forget about her, but she doubted it. Her best friend and Alberto were both far too stubborn to change their minds about anything. They really were a good match. She just hoped her friend didn’t end up having angry sex with her on-again-off-again ex in Kelly’s office—or worse, on her desk. “What? You’ve fallen quiet.” Brandon’s voice drew her from her thoughts.

She peeked at him and decided it would be best to change the subject. “Where are we going?”

“Somewhere we won’t be disturbed.” He turned onto a dirt road. The headlights flashed off tall pines bathed in silvery moonlight.

“Bear country? Are you serious?” For a second panic kicked in. Bear shifters hated trespassers on their land. They’d been known to attack without warning. Some of Kelly’s anxiety dimmed as a memory from a few summers rose in her mind. “Wait, your cabin’s out here, right?” She grinned. Despite being bold and brave, she knew their pack members wouldn’t risk enraging the bears by tracking them all the way here. Ingenious.

“Where else could we go? My house in town? We’d be interrupted every five minutes if we were lucky. So the cabin it is. Time to reveal some of things you may have missed about me over the years.”

She studied his face. Only splices of light from the moon illuminated his face. The planes of his features were hard, determined. What had he been hiding from her all these years? This new side of him excited her. In the past, she’d only seen his laser focus applied to hockey, but even then it had been incredibly sexy. Turned on her, it made things all the more interesting. She shifted in her seat.

“Things I missed?” she pressed. “Like?”

He reached over with his free hand and laid it on her thigh. The warmth of his touch seeped through the layers of her cotton skirt and beyond, to her skin. He slid his palm up to her hip before removing the contact to shift gears. She missed it as soon as it was gone.

“Just enjoy the ride. You’ll find out soon enough,” he murmured.

She snorted and settled into her seat. Then she closed her eyes. Each inhale brought his rich, woodsy, spicy cologne into her, lulling her into a state of relaxation and comfort.

Soon enough, his hand returned to her leg, rubbing it up and down the length. He took the hem of her skirt between his fingers and pulled it up just a bit, revealing the tops of her knees. She stilled, waiting for him to do more.

“Do you want this?” His tenor was a low rumble that seemed to come from way down deep inside of him, as if he were giving voice to the animal. “If we start this—”

She grabbed his wrist and moved his hand up. “I know what this means.” Sweat beaded on her brow. Her blouse was too thin and her skirt cumbersome and unnecessary. Arousal poured into her like air from a bellows, stoking gusts of need along her limbs and around her torso. Tingles raced along her inner thighs and danced along her pussy lips. Her nipples tightened to aching points. A buzz started in her head as snippets of past dreams drifted up from her subconscious to fade to black after a second. So many fantasies, so many needs, and so many years of denial.

“Do you? Say it,” he urged.

She glanced over at him. His profile was indecipherable. No readable emotion showed, not even in his eyes, which were directed to the road ahead, or his lips, which were a thin line. His fingers flexed and tapped along the top of her leg. She released him.

“Say it, Kelly.”

The command rippled along her spine. Something inside of her snapped. After all the years of ignoring her attraction to him, now she could finally claim him. The fog that swathed her mind cleared for a moment, and she could see the implications of giving in. It would stop all the other wolves from circling around her. She’d be claiming
her
man,
her
mate. There was still the alpha thing to deal with, but they’d both be getting what they wanted.

The dam broke. Desire flooded her body as the wolf released its mating heat all at once. This wasn’t a gradual building leading up to a full moon shift. No, this was what the animal had been holding back since the moment Kelly had recognized Brandon for what he truly was to her.

“Kelly?” The golden beams of the headlights illuminated Brandon’s cabin. She hadn’t been there for years. The last time… Memories rushed over her. She and Reenie had been there to help him paint. He’d been walking around without a shirt due to the exertion and heat. Just watching the muscle and sinew ripple under golden skin, exposed and glistening in sweat, brought to mind images of limbs entwined, flesh marred by bruises and bite marks, his dark hair slicked back, desire blowing his pupils wide, passion tightening every line of his face, hunger and possession in every caress and kiss.

It had been too much for her. She’d sneaked off to get some relief.

Caught up in the haze of that memory, her hips pushed up off the seat. He moved his hand and gripped her hip, pushing her down.

“Say it, Kelly,” Brandon growled.

The musk of pheromones filled the SUV, making it seem smaller. There was nowhere to go and no way to escape. She didn’t want to flee. The fire inside of her peaked, burning away her excuses. She squirmed as her pussy clenched and moisture soaked her panties. The perfume of her need joined his musk.

“I want you.” The words came out in gust. Each syllable soaked in desire, frustration, and long-withheld emotion.

“No. All of it,” he ordered. The click of the lock on the seat belt drew her attention.

She turned to stare at him. He shifted in his seat to face her. So many feelings slipped over his features. She saw the same turmoil that she had gone through over the years reflected back at her. Without hesitation, she reached out and cupped his face. “I want you. You’re my mate. I want this. You. All of it. I can’t deny it anymore. Now kiss me.”

A dark grin curved his lips and heat glinted in his eyes. With shaking hands, she reached down and undid her seat belt. He reached up and turned on the overhead light. Then he pushed back the driver’s seat and grabbed her wrist. With gentle strength, he a pulled her over the console. It took some maneuvering and care, but she managed to straddle his lap with her knees on the seat. He moved his touch from her arms, down to her hips, pulling her forward until she could feel the ridge of his erection pressed against her stomach. There was no fear that he would disapprove of her. From her faded makeup on her face to the rolls that would be exposed once undressed, she felt beautiful. He had always complimented her figure, made her feel accepted and appreciated with a look or a word. He made her feel like a queen, like the most beautiful woman in the world.

She reached up and brushed her fingertips over his cheek. His stubble scratched her fingertips. A month ago it had been just a shadow, but now it was a neatly trimmed beard.

She giggled. “I always wondered what it would be like to kiss you with your hockey-season beard.”

He brought his face closer until his lips were a mere thread’s length away. “Then do it. Take what you want. I’m yours.”

She shivered as goose bumps broke out over her skin at his words. All hers. She placed her hands on his shoulders, felt the thickness of the muscle and dormant strength. Despite his size in comparison to her, he had always been gentle with her. Even his grip on her was firm, but loose enough that she could maneuver if need be.

Her mouth tingled. She yearned to taste him, but first she wanted this moment. She took her time, studying every line, dip, and crevice of him. With her touch, she memorized the tension of his skin. He was so warm, so hot. They probably didn’t even need the heater on. She lifted herself up a bit onto her knees and traced his forehead with her lips before moving down to his temple. The whiskers on his cheeks tickled the sensitive flesh as she continued to trace a path along his jaw, over his chin, and up the other side. Her lips traveled along the bridge of his nose to the top. The transition from surprising softness of his flesh to the prickliness of his beard played to her senses.

He hands glided up and down her sides, and around to her back. The thin silk of her blouse didn’t block the warmth of his touch. Her fingers trailed down his throat to coast over his shoulders, then memorized the planes of his chest. She hated that he still had his jacket and shirt on, deterring her from seeing his skin.

“I wish I could see you,” she said.

She pulled on the tab of his jacket to expose the blue plaid shirt underneath. So close. Only a thin bit of cotton separated her from her desire. She glanced up to study his face. The pupils were blown wide. There were lines of tension bracketing the corners of his eyes and mouth. A muscle worked in his jaw. Tiny tremors racked his body underneath her.

His hold on her hips was tight, but didn’t hurt her. She smiled and gave him a quick peck on his lips, then pressed her mouth to his as her fingers undid the buttons of his shirt, exposing his flesh. She ran her fingers over his lightly furred chest. The hair crinkled against her fingers, abrading her skin with each pass. She found one of his nipples and the smooth, rounded head of one of the barbells that pierced the nub.

He groaned when she took the bar between her fingers, and slid it back and forth through the sensitized flesh. She did the same to the other one. His hips bucked up and ground against her silk-covered pussy lips. She groaned and lowered herself down until their groins made contact. More moisture dampened her panties as she rocked against him. The friction against her clit only amped up her desire.

The kiss turned hungry, needy and filled with possession. Their teeth clashed, their tongues dueled. He held onto her waist and guided her to his fly. Brandon rolled his hips, setting off sparks inside of her as flashes of fire lit up her nerve endings. Energy shivered along her limbs as her orgasm closed in. They weren’t even naked, and she was close. Her breasts ached. Her clothing constricted her.

She released his tips and clawed at her own clothing, ripping open her blouse and dragging down her bra. Kelly pressed herself against him and moaned at the solidity and heat of his skin. She rubbed herself against him, setting off sparks that shot straight to her clit, increasing her need. Her pussy clenched, and moisture soaked her panties even further. He pulled her up to her knees before he released one of her hips to reach up and cup a full globe.