Chapter 72 Chapter 72
He could hear water running. Leaning against the door, her scent enveloped him and his legs almost gave out, the heat was back. “Honey, open the door.” He tried to keep the growl out of his voice, but his cat was raging. Biting his lip, he focused on controlling his animal. They had to be careful or be rejected. That got his attention.
“I-I’m f-fine, Gage.”
He scowled at the door. Why did she sound like she was shivering? Christ, she wasn’t… “Kelsey, sitting in cold water isn’t going to help you.” He fought to keep his voice soft and gentle, even though he wanted to roar. Does my cat even roar? Shaking his head, he leaned his head against the door. How did he get her to open the door without scaring her? When he realized, he felt like a dumbass. “Baby, we’re alone, open the door.”
There was splashing on the other side, he waited. The door opened a crack and she looked out at him. “Where are Rayne and Devin?”
Placing a hand on the door, he gently pushed it open. “They went for a long walk. I think they wanted to be alone.” His heart jerked in his chest when the door opened to reveal her tear-stained face as she stood wrapped in a towel, shivering. “Christ, Kelsey. What were you trying to do?”
She shook her head. “I didn’t want anyone to see me like this.”
“You should have called me.” He gripped the door frame rather than grab for her; she looked like she was going to bolt, despite their talk earlier. Knowing how scarey it could be for a woman in her first few cycles, he stood quietly blocking the door, fighting to not make any sudden movements that would scare her more. “Kels, you need me…” He watched a tear roll down her cheek. “Nothing is more important than you are to me.”
She nodded, but still didn’t move.
“Let me kiss you,” he coaxed softly, “let me touch you and help you.” He tightened his grip on the doorframe, wanting nothing more than to grab her and sweep her into his arms. “Come here,” he whispered. “It’s not mating, baby; it’s letting me help you.” When she nodded and took a hesitant step toward him, he squeezed the wooden frame harder. He didn’t know what else to say to ease her fears.
It took every ounce of restraint to control his cat when her hand touched his waist and slowly slid up his chest. Breathing her scent in, his whole body tightened. She pushed her nose into his chest and took deep breaths. That’s it; let your instincts take over. Please. Using both of her hands now, she shoved his shirt up and rubbed her cheek against his chest. Christ. Gage flexed his hands and felt the wood of the door frame give into the pressure he exerted.
When she licked across his pec, he released the frame and ripped the shirt from his body. His cat was vibrating inside him, just like he was from the tension and need this woman created. He moved his hand slowly up her arm and across her shoulder, until he was able to cup her head. She lifted her mouth from his skin and looked up at him. The need in her eyes undid his resolve.
Grasping her hair, he reached to pull her tight into his body as his lips crashed down on hers. Her mouth assaulted his in return. Tearing his mouth from hers, he captured her gaze, “Let me take you upstairs.” She nodded, her hands moving all over his chest like she couldn’t bear to not feel him.
He pulled the towel free from her body and lifted her up. “Wrap your legs around me.” He hissed out a breath he hadn’t realized he held when her hot flesh melded with his. He tried to keep his balance and focus as her legs squeezed the breath out of him, her teeth blazing a trail across his shoulder and neck. When she bit his neck, he had to stop and brace himself against the wall half way up the stairs. Christ, yeah.
Grasping her tightly, he gently pulled her head from his neck. “As much as I fucking love that,” he growled, “keep your teeth to yourself, or I’ll return in kind and you’ll find yourself marked.” It amazed him that he managed to force the words out. Nodding, she pulled free and proceeded to lick her way up his throat. Stifling an exasperated growl, he stumbled his way to his room, without them hitting the floor.
Setting her gently on the bed, he kicked his boots across the floor while ripping at the zipper of his jeans. He couldn’t stop looking at her, she was so fucking perfect. Her skin was dusted with freckles, and he planned to kiss each one. Her waist was trim and toned, but just enough to look soft and womanly, not muscled. If she kept devouring him with her eyes, he was never going to get these damn jeans off his body.
“I don’t know what to do,” she whispered breathlessly when he finally crawled onto the bed.
He crawled up her body, tasting all of her flesh he could manage without stopping. “Your body does, listen to it.”
He got no further than her breasts. Breasts he’d tried to picture a thousand times in his mind, yet he’d never come close to the real ones he was about to taste. She had deep rose-tinted nipples, now completely erect. He licked over one slowly and she moaned. Christ, going slow will kill me. Lowering his body between her legs, he sucked the other nipple into his mouth and growled.
She almost came undone beneath him when he switched to the first. His hands glided over every inch of her skin, he couldn’t seem to touch her enough.
“Gage,” she moaned, “it’s burning, so bad.”
Lifting his head, he couldn’t believe he’d forgotten the heat. Shit. How am I supposed to be gentle and deal with her heat at the same time? He kissed his way up her throat, and she began clawing at the sheets. He groaned. And keep her cat from ripping my skin off? Grabbing her wrists, he held her hands against the bed and crushed her mouth beneath his.
God the way she kissed him, responded to him, gave new meaning to being eaten alive and he loved it, but knew he had to look after her.
Tearing his mouth away, he released one arm and rolling in one move, until she was on top of him. “You control this, baby.” Grasping her hips, he pulled her up to straddle his body, aligning them. He kissed her again. “I want to do this right, but your heat isn’t going to let us go slow, and I don’t want to hurt you.”
When she leaned down to bite her way up his chest all while grinding against him, he gripped her hips and fought to just lay there and let her move, keeping his teeth to himself. He could do this, for her; give her a first time that is slow and gentle.
“Gage,” she gasped, “it burns…”
He could see she was ready, her rubbing up and down over him left no questions. Grasping her hips, he lifted her and aligned their bodies so the tip of his throbbing erection pushed slowly into her heat. Christ, so fuckin’ wet. He ground his teeth and lowered her slowly, trying to stop her from thrusting down and impaling herself. “Kiss me,” he told her trying to distract her to maintain some control. She leaned down and attacked his mouth, he decided if he died at that moment, he’d be the happiest man ever. With each thrust of her tongue, he lowered her hips a bit more. She’s so tight, Christ. He didn’t think he was a big man, but he was worried he really would hurt her. Kil..ling…me.
Lifting her head, she moaned deep in her throat, almost causing him to lose control of the pace he had set. Gripping her hips tighter, he knew she’d be bruised, but couldn’t help it. Holding his breath, he thrust up past the barrier and then froze. So tight. Holy fuck.
When she began to fight against his grip on her hips, he relaxed his hands to let her move the way she wanted. She sat up and began to ride him in slow movements, experimenting as he fought to breathe and lie still, letting her adjust to him at her own pace. He had to squeeze his eyes shut, watching her gorgeous body move over him would cause him to lose control and take over.
Dropping forward, she rested her hands on his chest and dropped down onto him. The moan that came from her had his eyes popping open. Fuck it, I’m watching. He thrust in time, trying to match her movements. Kelsey began to make sweet mewling noises in her throat as her breathing came in short gasps. When her fingers dug into his chest, the sharp pain brought him back to reality.
Grasping her wrists, he pulled her hands off his body and clasped them together, showing her how to use his braced arms as leverage. She began to move more frantically, and if he hadn’t just taken her virginity he would have wondered where she learned such a thing. Lowering her head, she opened her eyes and looked down at him; he lost his breath when he found himself looking up into a stunning pair of golden cat eyes.
Christ, her cat is trying to come out. He glanced at her hands to see the start of claws where her nails had been. Not now. If he stopped now, she’d hate him or scratch him to a bloody pulp, neither of which he wanted.
Growling, he lifted his hips and flipped them over, so she was pinned under his body. Pinning her wrists in one hand over her head, he leaned on his elbow lifting himself from the reach of her mouth as he began to slam his hips into her. She spurred his movement on by making the sexiest noises in her throat.
Gage was sweating and trying to stay in control when she began thrashing her head from side to side. He had to fight to control his cat from biting and breeding her when she started to make little squealing, gasping noises. controlling his thrusts, he kept himself restrained, growling when her body squeezed him so tight; his orgasm was ripped from him before he could take a breath.
Slowing, he slid in and out of her until she went lax under him. His head was floating; he couldn’t focus on any thoughts. Smiling down at her, her hair all over the place and a light sheen of sweat covering her skin, he waited until she caught her breath. As her eyes opened, he tensed and the fog in his brain was gone. Her eyes were still those of her cat. Shit.
Pulling out of her, he leaned on his side and ran his hand up over her stomach. “Honey, you need to grab some track pants and top.”
“What?” She was breathless and sounded so sexy; a shiver went over his skin.
He looked up at her hands he still held. There were still claws. “Baby, your cat is trying to come out. We have to go outside.”
With wide eyes, she looked at him. “Is that why I can’t focus?”
He nodded and released her wrists, hopping off the bed and out of reach all in one move. “Yeah, come on, we don’t have much time.” This was not the way her first time was supposed to go, he wanted to scream.
With a confused look, she rolled to the other side of the bed. Gage opened a drawer and grabbed a pair of his sweats and a t-shirt and tossed them at her. Grabbing his pants, he pulled them on and then went over to help her. She was shaking so badly she couldn’t stand still long enough to dress. He didn’t know if the shaking was from sex or the change, but really didn’t want to hang around in the house to find out.
When he pulled the shirt over her head, he leaned down and kissed her softly. “I promise next time we’ll do it right.”
Eyes wide, she looked up at him, his cat prowled across his skin, recognizing the
Cat eyes were looking up at him. “That was wrong?”
Grinning, he wrapped his arm around her. “Oh, no honey, that was right, but it will be better next time.”
She chuckled quietly. “If you say so.”