The Contrary Mate

Aura Mature

I was burning up from the inside, our bodies as close as they could be, and Jack’s mouth on mine and then down on my neck near where he had just marked me only stoked the blaze. I couldn’t stop the needy sounds that were escaping from my mouth at what he was doing, and I barely wanted to since this felt so incredibly right. I almost would have sworn I could feel the bond as it had grown between us, no longer a thin weak sapling, but now a full-fledged tree, solid and shockingly permanent.

He was devouring me like a starving animal, and I had no desire to stop him. I planned to be with him for the rest of my life, and I was ready to move forward now. Maybe not here in the conservatory where anyone could walk in on us—at least not yet, who knew what we might do in the future—since a first like this seemed like something we should have absolute privacy for.

I inhaled slowly, drawing in air, and then whispered by his ear, “Where’s your bedroom?”

He froze, his words little better than a strangled gasp. “You sure?”

“Pretty sure I just committed to you for life, Jack. Can you think of a good reason not to start forever now?”

He didn’t respond in any way but action, standing up and lifting me, still wrapped around him, in a smooth motion. I gasped his name at the sudden movement, but then he let me slide down to my feet, my body rubbing teasingly along his the whole way down. He groaned, and then shot me a teasing grin. “I’m going to let you walk, so that my pack won’t see you being carried through the halls like a captive.”

“I doubt I’d look like a captive.”

“And I doubt they’d care since they’d know better. But you might.”

He was trying to be thoughtful again. I put my hand in his, and his skin felt wonderful where we touched. I wanted more of that. A lot more. “Lead the way.”

We passed a couple of people in the halls, and Jack greeted them nonchalantly. No one commented if they could smell my blood. Maybe it was better that we were being a bit discrete. We reached the wing that he apparently had all to himself. He hadn’t shown me his private space on either of his little tours—doubtless he was trying not to make me feel pressured then—and it was pretty much exactly what I had expected to find. Lots of unidentifiable human tech and screens especially surrounding his desk, but otherwise simple, masculine, and orderly.

He guided me into his room cautiously, as if he expected me to reconsider at any point. The space was similar to the rest of his apartment, uncluttered other than pictures in plain frames on the dresser, I assumed of his family. It definitely didn’t look like a place where he’d ever brought a female, and I liked that, too.

“Sorry, didn’t give it the plant treatment yet,” he commented, and then rubbed the back of his neck. “Didn’t really believe you’d be seeing it so soon.”

He seemed unsure of himself, and it was adorable, although I suspected he didn’t want to hear that. I doubted many people saw this side of him, besides me, and I loved the idea. “It’s fine. I like the privacy of it.”

“I’ve wanted to drag you here from the moment I first found you,” he admitted, his eyes blazing into mine, reminding my blood to heat with purpose.

“Well, you’ve got me here now.”

“I do.” Wasting no more time, he pulled me up against him and his lips were on mine. I let my eyes flutter shut and enjoyed the feel of everything. He used his fantastic kissing skills for long moments before he started working his mouth down my neck, his hands running along my sides and up over my dress.

I broke the kiss and looked at him before turning so he could see the zipper running down my back. He needed no further encouragement, unzipping it swiftly, and I let it fall to the floor. Since I was only wearing underwear but no bra, I was suddenly nervous about what he would think since I wasn’t that large in the chest department, but my hesitation was short lived as he stepped closer, his front against my back, and his obvious enthusiasm clear to feel behind me.

“You’re so beautiful,” he said, his breath against my ear, his lips trailing the curve of my neck, his hands reaching around to find my breasts. I couldn’t escape my moan at his actions, and I leaned into his touch.

He continued, but one hand wandered down to my hips and ran over my underwear. My legs felt shaky already, and the bed looked inviting. I grabbed his hand and he paused, clearly misunderstanding my action as a refusal. Instead of giving him more time to second guess, I pulled him to the bed along with me. I turned to face him, and his gaze flicked over my chest before returning to meet my eyes. “I want you,” I said, and I kissed him again.

He took over the kiss, and pushed me backwards onto the bed gently. He came down on top of me, his weight heavy, but in a satisfying way. His lips began to wander, and while he did that, I started working the buttons of his shirt, revealing the pleasing sight of his lean torso, just with the perfect amount of muscle to be basic perfection. He shrugged off his shirt and tossed it away, before pulling at my underwear. I lifted as he pulled them off and tossed them in the same direction. He groaned, his pleasure at having me naked under him so obvious it made me burn even hotter.

I reached for the part of him that I was sure was aching, but after only a touch he grabbed my hand. “I’ve been wanting this for so long, don’t make me spoil it,” he said with a wry smile.

I tried to hide my smile, but my teasing couldn’t be contained. His words seemed like a challenge. I would behave, this time, but in the future I would make it as hard for him to last as I possibly could.

And all future thoughts were blasted out of me by the touch of his fingers on my core, just the slightest brush before his finger was buried deep, such a pleasurable intrusion that I almost released my wings in shock. I’d never felt anything this right, this good, and he wasn’t even finished with me. He watched my face as he played with me, intently studying my reactions.

His thumb found the sensitive nerves at the same time, stroking in a rhythm that only increased the craving, and then finally, satisfied it, my body shuddering all around him.