The Claiming by Cooper

The Claiming by Cooper Book 4

The Beta Trials by Cooper (Jace & Jordan) Chapter 41 (Jordan)

After the Alpha meeting, Jace and I got some food, worked the rest of the day and then I took advantage of what was left of our time away from others to explore him and his body more. I'm realizing that time with Jace is fun. He's playful and I feel comfortable being playful with him. Nothing is forbidden with him, I can do anything, try anything, and he's more than willing.

And the look that he gives me when he's looking over my n*aked body, when he's finding new ways to make my body respond to him, is quickly becoming my new addiction.

I didn't even know I was ticklish, or maybe it's just the way Jace touches me, making my body light up. His touch isn't always s*exual, but I'm not sure how I'll sleep without my skin t*ouching his anymore, without feeling his heat beside me. I wonder if he'd be interested in moving up to the Alpha floor. I tuck myself closer against him as my fingers stroke through the light sprinkling of hair on his chest. His hand is stroking over my side, back and h*ip. Am I ready to ask him to move into my bedroom? Would he want to?

I feel his lips as he kisses the top of my head. "There's steam coming out of your ears, you're thinking so h*ard, Jordan. What's on your mind?"

I look up at him, narrowing my eyes.

"How do you know I'm thinking about something?"

"First, when are you not? Second, I pay attention. You have some tells when something is on your mind and you're not sure how to proceed."

I lay my head back down on his chest, not sure how to answer.

It's quiet a moment, while he waits for me to answer his question and while I try to figure out how to answer it. I don't know what I want, not in the long term, but I know what I want right now. I just don't know if it's fair to ask that of Jace.

"Is this about me?" he asks.

I smile against his chest. "Yes."

"Hmmm," he says, k*issing my hair again.

"Is it about wanting to try something new?" he asks me. At first, I was tentative to trying something, so he asked, and I quickly moved past that. Now I feel comfortable that if I wanted to try something, that Jace would be up for anything. I chuckle at my own stupid pun.

"No, not at the moment, but if you have an idea, I'm all ears," I say.

"Is this about us returning to the pack?" he asks, ignoring my diversionary tactic. Damn him, he is paying attention.

"Yes."

It's quiet while he thinks that through. "Are you concerned about my interactions with you in front of others?" he asks.

"No, never. You have always known when and how to act professionally, Jace. I would never question that," I tell him and sigh, looking up at him. "I don't want to stop sleeping with you when we get back to the pack, but I'm also not sure how to do that when I'm not ready to have you mark me," I say honestly.

His hand comes to my hair, and he begins massaging my head, and running his fingers through my hair. I nearly moan out loud at the sensation. This is one of the things that he learned that I love.

"Do you want me to sneak in and out of your bedroom every night, Jordan?" he asks, and I can see that it hurts him. He'd do it, I'm positive he would, but he wouldn't be happy about the secrecy. He wants everyone to know that we're together.

"No, I don't want that. I just....if you move into my bedroom and then things don't work out..."

"Why won't things work out?" he asks me.

I sigh. "I'm just...I not ready to fully commit and I don't think it's fair to ask you to do something that may feel like a commitment to you but isn't a true commitment from me," I say. "There was a lot of commitment in that sentence," he says smiling at me. "Jace..." I huff.

"How about this," he says, getting serious again. "You be honest with me about what you want and your intentions and then, I can be honest and let you know if I'm okay with that. When, because for me it's not an if, you accept me as your mate, I want all of our interactions to be that way. We already do it for the pack, Jordan. This is just more personal, more... intimate.

So, why don't you ask me for what you want, and I'll tell you if I'm comfortable giving it to you," he says.

I lift up, turning to look him in the eye. "I want you to move into my bedroom, but I don't want us to mark each other yet."

"Okay," he says.

That's it, nothing else.

I blink. "Okay what?" I ask him.

"Okay, I'll move in, and I won't mark you. But we can't have s*ex, real s*ex, until you're ready to be marked. We can play like we are now, we can enjoy and explore each other's bodies, giving each other amazing orgasms, but there's no way that I can bury myself inside you without sinking my teeth into your neck, Jordan. So, those are my parameters."

I feel happiness spreading through me. "You'll move in with me?"

"Yep, but I want the right side of the bed," he says.

"Sorry, that's my side," I say, sitting up and moving over top of him. "You didn't clarify that in your parameters, so it's the left side for you," I tell him in mock seriousness before leaning down and I*icking a line from his chest to his stomach.

His low growl rumbles through my tongue. "Is this your way of making it up to me?" he asks.

"Is it working?" I ask, moving lower and feeling his h*ard length jerk against my chest.

"Yes," he says, his voice low and deep. When I look up, he's looking down at me with eyes that are so dark they are nearly black with desire.

"Good," I say, and I take my time, tasting my mate before we get up to shower.

He returns the favor in the shower, before we check out and head back to Balor's clan.

Jace drives us there, holding my hand and periodically pulling it to his mouth to kiss me. I don't mind at all. I like the contact and that he seems to want to continue our connection as much as I do. However, he's not the only one paying attention.

"Are you going to tell me what's rolling around in that brain of yours?" I ask him.

He pulls my hand to his mouth again, giving me a smoldering look that has my p*anties going damp.

"Your thoughts weren't s*exual a moment ago," I say, knowing he was more in Gamma mode than mate mode with this thinking.

"Are you watching me, Jordan?" he asks, the flirty smile still in place.

I turn in my seat, giving him my full attention. "Yes."

He growls low and deep in his chest. If the way he looks at me is becoming one of my favorite things, this sound that he makes when he likes something I say or do, is definitely in my top three.

He returns his focus to the road, and I wait, letting him get his thoughts together. While I wait, I rub my thumb over his hand. Absently, he pulls my hand back to his mouth. This time, he gently nips at my fingers one at a time as he focuses his thoughts.

"I think we should consider asking the bears if they would be willing to help us keep watch during the Beta Trials. Not only would it help to seal our alliance and bring the bears and wolves together, but maybe we'll find some more mate bonds."

It's not a bad idea. It's also a thought to have them help monitor Jaxon and Tobias' lands, since they are closest to them. I'd love for Balor to meet Jaxon and Evangeline, and I'm pretty sure Tobias and Flavia would be more than willing to build alliances with the bears as well.

"Do you think they would want to do that?" I ask him.

He looks at me and gives me one of his s*exy Jace smiles. "Will Kyra be there?"

I smile, knowing exactly what he's thinking. "Dr. Braxton will be, so I'd assume that his daughter will be as well."

"Then there isn't a doubt in my mind that Balor and some of his bears would be more than willing to come assist."

I call Councilman Jason as we pull into bear territory. I tell him what we are thinking. He lets me know that he will talk to the other council members and then get back to me.

Just as we walk up to Balor's cave,

Councilman Jason calls me back.

I look at Jace and he smiles back at me.

"The Council loves the idea and wants us to ask Balor while we're here," I say as we walk in to see how the bears are doing with the vaccine.