Chapter 178 178
“Your hands are shaking,” he observed quietly.
His brows pulled together as he leaned slightly closer. “Are you scared?”
She shook her head immediately, almost too quickly.
“No. No… it’s not that,” she said hurriedly. “I… it’s just… I’m nervous and”
Her voice faltered.
She glanced up at him through her lashes before quickly looking away again.
“E–excited,” she finished in a small, trembling whisper.
Something shifted in his expression.
His grip tightened around her wrist as he pulled her closer. She instinctively clutched the towel around herself with her free hand just as his mouth captured hers again.
This time the kiss was different.
Gentler.
Tender.
And despite everything that had already happened, Jacqueline still struggled to believe this moment was real.
After a moment, Damien broke the kiss. He lifted her hand slowly and pressed a soft kiss to her palm.
Her breath caught in her throat.
Then, without warning, he guided her hand downward, placing it over himself through the thin fabric of his boxers.
Her eyes widened.
He moved her hand with his, rubbing slowly as she felt the solid heat and size of him through the fabric.
She was speechless.
He was big. Hard.
The reality of it made her heart race.
When he twitched beneath her touch, she startled and instinctively pulled her hand back.
For a brief second, something like rejection flickered across his face.
But before that feeling could linger, she reached for the waistband of his boxers instead.
He swallowed.
Then silently helped her slide them down.
Her throat tightened as she looked at him then at the impressive length now freed between them.
Her gaze lifted slowly back to his face.
His lips were pressed into a thin line, his jaw tight, nostrils flaring with restrained impatience. Yet despite the tension clearly coiling through him, he didn’t rush her.
He didn’t demand anything.
He simply waited.
Jacqueline leaned closer, shyly brushing a damp strand of hair behind her ear.
Damien let out a low grunt.
His hands curled into fists at his sides as he watched her, his dark eyes locked on her every movement.
Seeing someone so soft, so delicate… doing something so bold to him made his mind spin.
How could someone so sweet look so dangerously tempting at the same time?
“Ah… Jacq,” he rasped.
His voice had dropped low, thick with raw need so unfamiliar that even he barely recognized it.
His chest rose and fell in uneven breaths, sweat beginning to gather along his forehead.
Inside him, his wolf howled in wild satisfaction. He had to fight to keep control, worried that if he lost it even slightly she might see the golden flecks threatening to appear in his eyes.
The sensations flooding through him became too much.
His gaze met hers one last time.
And that was it.
With a rough growl, he threw his head back and shut his eyes tightly as the tension finally broke.
He stayed that way for a few seconds, breathing deeply as he forced his body and his wolf back under control.
Only when he was certain the wild glow had faded from his eyes did he open them again.
The sight before him made something fierce and possessive swell in his chest.
Jacqueline sat there, flushed and breathless, traces of him still on her skin.
Mine, his wolf growled possessively.
She looked just as winded as he felt, her eyes hazy as they met his again.
He knew she would have given herself to him completely if he had asked.
And he wanted that too.
But something inside him refused to rush it.
She wasn’t just another fleeting night.
Not just someone to satisfy a moment of desire.
There was something deeper tangled in this connection something wild and inexplicable that he couldn’t fully understand yet.
Damien pulled his boxers back on before lifting her gently into his arms.
She gasped softly, her arms instinctively wrapping around his neck.
He carried her into the bathroom.
Carefully, he set her down on the cool granite vanity.
Jacqueline watched him silently as he reached for a small towel. After wetting it under the sink, he stepped back between her legs.
Her heart melted.
Butterflies swirled wildly in her stomach as he began gently cleaning her chin… then her neck… and finally her chest.
He probably had no idea what this simple act meant to her.
But to Jacqueline, it felt unbelievably tender.
She felt…
Special.
Human.
Cherished.
Tears gathered in her eyes as he continued wiping her skin with quiet care, as though she were something delicate and valuable.
Not once did he make her feel cheap.
Not once did she feel like something used.
Just this small act of gentleness was enough to shake her heart.
“You seem very attached to this towel,” Damien said suddenly.
His voice held a trace of amusement.
She blinked at him, confused.
“Huh?”
Her thoughts were still clouded, overwhelmed by the unfamiliar feeling of being cared for like this.
“It hasn’t slipped once,” he added softly, his fingers brushing the edge of the towel at her thigh. “Very loyal to you.”
Heat rushed to her cheeks.
She lowered her gaze shyly, a small smile forming despite herself.
“Mhm,” she murmured, biting lightly on her lower lip.
Damien tossed the damp towel aside and began unbuttoning his shirt.
Her eyes immediately followed the movement of his hands before darting nervously back up to his face.
It wasn’t that she didn’t want him.
But now that things were moving toward the next step… a new wave of nerves crept in.
She still didn’t fully understand what had changed inside him tonight.
What if he woke up tomorrow and those cold, impenetrable walls returned?
What if this moment vanished?
The questions churned quietly in the back of her mind, but she forced herself to push them away and focus on the man standing before her.
Damien removed his shirt and placed it gently in her lap.
“Put this on,” he said quietly. “Then come out.”
His gaze lingered on her face a moment longer than usual. He might have noticed the glassy shine in her eyes but before he could say anything, she quickly looked away and hopped down from the counter with a nod.
He left the room, closing the door behind him.
Jacqueline took a deep breath.
The first thought that came to her mind was simple.
Would he stay?
Or would he leave?
Her heart beat faster at the possibility.
If he stayed… she couldn’t just wear his shirt.
The thought of sleeping beside him sent a giddy warmth through her chest.
She wondered, suddenly, if he liked to cuddle.
She slipped back into the bra and panties she had worn earlier before pulling his shirt over her body.
Standing in front of the mirror, she smiled faintly at her reflection.
Her cheeks glowed.
Her large brown eyes sparkled.
But the smile slowly faded.
If he left… it would break her.
Drawing in a steadying breath, she opened the door and stepped out into the bedroom.
Her heart began pounding wildly when she saw him.
Damien lay stretched across her bed wearing only his boxers, his broad frame making the bed look far smaller than it actually was.
Jacqueline froze in the doorway.
This had to be a dream.
“Come here,” he said quietly, patting the empty space beside him on the mattress.
She swallowed hard.