Redeemed (23 page)

She groaned, her head flopping to one side. Her fingers were balled into tight fists above her head. It was a wonder she was able to hold this position.

Evan let the next drip of paint hover over the hood of her clit. She wasn’t looking this time so when the tiny splash finally made contact, she bucked her hips and gasped. “Evan,” she screamed.

He set a hand on her lower belly to steady her back against the desk and then circled the paint around her nub as the little tip emerged from the hood all by itself, engorged beyond the norm.

It seemed to pulse in front of him and the dark tip of it actually bobbed as he teased her to within a millimeter of direct contact, his expert strokes circling the tiny nub of need mercilessly.

Finally, he put her out of her misery, brushing firmly right against her clit.

She moaned and squirmed, but he held the brush directly on the sensitive center of her arousal. He released her belly with his other hand and switched the hand holding the brush so he could drag his fingers through her wet folds.

She stiffened immediately, her legs rigid in their splayed position, her ass lifted off the desk. The second he pushed two fingers into her she shattered. Her entire body participated in the orgasm, shaking and convulsing as though much more than her pussy were involved.

As the tremors subsided, her hands flew down and pushed the brush from her clit. “Too much,” she mumbled.

Evan set the brush aside and eased his fingers from inside her, continuing to sooth her skin as she regained her breath. “That was amazing,” he said. “Thank you.”

She chuckled, deeper than her usual laugh. “Thank me?”

“Yep, I’ll never tire of watching you come. It humbles me.”

“It makes me crave your cock when you do that. It feels so good, but it isn’t enough.” She squirmed around to see him better. “Why are you still wearing your jeans?”

He released her folds, kicked off his shoes, and shrugged his pants off, and then lowered his underwear to the ground. “What jeans?” He leaned down to tug off his socks and then stood completely bared to her gaze.

“How do you stay so tight and firm?” she asked and she pulled her languid body upright. She wasn’t looking at his crotch. Her gaze wandered his shoulders and chest.

He didn’t point out her mixed message. “I work out.”

“When? I never see you.”

“I’ve been to every gym in the country while traveling.” He grinned as he took her into his embrace, her legs straddling him as she scooted to the edge of the desk. “And I run.” He let his gaze land on hers.

“I haven’t seen you run.”

“I don’t do it very often in human form.” He brushed her hair from her face. “I have a quiet spot I like to go to and shift,” he added, watching her reaction.

“Oh, right. That.” She bit her lip and tried to kiss him, but he held her back.

“Soon, Ash. I want you to run free with me.”

She nodded. “Soon.” She wouldn’t make eye contact this time. She still insisted she wasn’t ready. He knew she felt very safe when she was with him, so he doubted her reluctance had as much to do with Damon still being on the loose as with her fear that after so many years she wouldn’t be able to shift.

It was rare for a wolf to go so long without shifting, but it wasn’t unheard of. And she was young. He knew if he got her over her mental hurdles, she’d be fine. It would be so freeing for her to shift and let herself go.

But, that was for later. Right now he needed to be inside her. And without another word, he pushed himself into her warmth.

She squeezed him to her as though she needed the most contact she could get with his body. He understood completely.

The desk was the right height for him to stand and take her. He held her thighs as he pushed into her again and again, keeping her from scooting back against the slick surface.

“Look at us.” He angled his gaze down to where they connected. Paint smeared both of their chests and thighs.

“That’s hot.” She reached between them and stroked her clit while he held on to her. She’d never been that bold before, and he was glad to see her blossoming and taking the initiative to ensure she got what she needed.

“Does that feel good, baby?”

“So good…” She tipped her head back, making her chest arch. She was a vision with her swan neck extended and her dainty fingers stroking herself perfectly. “Harder,” she demanded.

Evan closed his eyes and concentrated on her wishes. He increased the pace and luxuriated in her tightness. It was hard to hold on. They were both so slippery.

Ashley scooted forward several times. Finally she went stiff and he opened his eyes to find her pinching her clit between her fingers. Every time she came, it pushed him over the edge. He couldn’t swallow past the love he felt for her as his orgasm swept through him, forcing itself against the end of her passage.

She released her clit and ran her hands up his painted chest, smearing the pink over his shoulders and down his back. “Pink is good on you.” She giggled as he caught his breath.

He didn’t want to pull out of her. If he could, he’d stay inside her warmth forever.

But the reality was, they were a mess.

In order to cut down on the cleanup, he heaved her off the desk. “Wrap your legs around me and hold on.” Still embedded inside her, he padded down the hall, into the master bedroom, and straight for the bath. He flipped on the shower with one hand and leaned her back against the shower door while he waited for the water to heat.

He gazed into her eyes, deep green pools of love. Before he opened the shower and lost the moment, he nuzzled her neck and inhaled the scent of their lovemaking mixed with the distinct smell of acrylics. He never wanted to forget this moment.

•●•

Damon slammed the last of his things into his bag and looked around the ragged hellhole he’d been living in for the last week. His life was a wreck. Ruined by whoever ran the fucking Romulus.

He’d given up on them and their promises. Perhaps they would be glad for him to go rogue so they didn’t have to bother with him anymore.

Were there others like him out there? Other shifters in the same predicament who’d fallen for the empty promises of home, hearth, and happiness from these bastards?

He may never know, but at this point he was too tired to continue to care.

He was going it alone. He’d already smashed the cell phone and thrown the pieces into the toilet. The phone number to the Romulus would forever be burned into his head, but those fuckers had no way to get ahold of him.

Damon had no idea what he would do first, but he had every intention of finding a giant vacant stretch of wooded land in the Midwest somewhere and spending a great deal of time in wolf form. Hell, maybe forever. He could shift and reclaim his life as a wolf. It would be easier than trying to find work and sustain himself in human form.

He shook his head as he heaved his duffle off the bed. Nope. That would be too easy. Besides, he had a grudge to avenge. No matter what else had happened and under what pretenses, that bitch Ashley started all his problems with her unwillingness to comply as a good mate should.

Who the fuck did she think she was denying she was his mate and torturing him with her whining for all those years? She should have known her place, drugs or no drugs, Romulus or not. Neither of those factors should have played a role in her job as his mate.

She’d failed him. And she would pay.

As soon as he could get his feet under him and gather his wits, he would find that bitch and make her sorry she’d ever left him…

T
wo months later
…

Ashley stood at the doorway to Evan’s office, watching him work. She leaned against the frame and crossed her legs. She thought the smell of coffee wafting up from the mug in her hands would lure him to look up, but he was so intent on his research he didn’t budge.

His shoulders must hurt from sitting like that for so long, peering over documents or staring into the computer.

She was on break between classes and planning to take a full load the next semester. She intended to take several classes at the local campus, if she could build up the nerve. Her counselor was impressed with her progress. She’d even gone so far as to tell Ashley she hadn’t seen anyone in her sort of predicament come around so fast.

Ashley knew she owed every step toward freedom to Evan.

She cleared her throat and waited. Finally he glanced up. A smile spread across his face, erasing the furrow in his brow. “Hi, baby.” He motioned her forward. When she reached his side and handed him the mug, he pulled her into his lap. “I’m sorry I’ve been so reoccupied lately.”

“Are you close? Have you found more of the women?” She knew a little about his work, not everything, but enough to grasp the seriousness of the job.

“Eleven so far. We are hoping for a few more before we move in.”

“And by ‘we’ you mean…?”

“The hired professionals. Not me.” He kissed her lips. “Ready to go?”

She narrowed her gaze at him. “I suppose, but it would be nice if you told me where we’re going.” Surprises weren’t her favorite and he’d given her very few details about his plans for today. The most she’d gotten from him was it didn’t matter what she wore and they’d be taking the car. That wasn’t much.

“It wouldn’t be a surprise if I told you, would it?” He stood, depositing her on the ground and taking her hand. He grabbed the coffee with his free hand and tugged her from the room.

She moved a bit reluctantly, somewhat uneasy about his plans. This was unlike him. He’d never planned a secret outing and left her guessing.

Evan wandered into the kitchen and deposited his half-empty coffee mug on the counter.

Ashley narrowed her gaze at him. “I’m not sure I’m going to like this.”

“Only one way to find out.” He smirked and nodded toward the door. “Let’s go.”

“How long will we be gone? Do I need a jacket?”

“Stop asking questions. You aren’t going to get anything else out of me.” He winked at her as he opened the front door.

She followed and soon they were driving down the highway. She watched the scenery as they moved away from the house and the business of the suburbs.

She swallowed hard when he pulled off the highway and down a back road. “Evan…”

He grasped her hand and squeezed, but said nothing. When he finally pulled over on the side of the road and turned off the car, there was no longer any doubt about what he had in mind. He swiveled his body to face her, not releasing her hand. His smile was forced. “Do this for me, baby. I’m only asking you to try.”

She licked her lips. “I’m not even sure if I can. You know that.”

“And what’s the harm in giving it a shot?”

She glanced down at her lap, her hands trembling. She yanked her hand from his grasp.
What if I can’t shift?
She didn’t want to face that eventuality.

“I’ll be right by your side. We have never seen or heard from Parkfield in months. You know the chances that he followed us out here are nil. There’s nothing to be afraid of.”

“That’s not even my fear any more, Evan. I’m far more scared of failure.”

He reached for her shoulder with one hand and tipped her chin up with the other. “You won’t fail. I just know it. And the longer you wait to shift, the harder it will be. This is important to me. I want us to be able to run free together. I want our kids to be able to run with us someday. Don’t let your fear rule you.”

She took a deep breath. It meant so much to him. And to be honest, she’d been itching to shift for months. It was very unusual for a shifter to go five years without taking their wolf form. And it wasn’t unheard of for shifters to lose touch with that part of themselves over the passage of time. Some ended up blending in with the general human population, their abilities forgotten and lost over generations.

“I want this. I do.”

“Then let’s do it.”

Ashley climbed out of the car and circled around to the driver’s side. She leaned her butt against the back door and set her hands on her knees.

Evan rubbed her back. “Relax. If you can’t pull it off this time, we’ll try again. No pressure. Just an attempt.”