The Contrary Mate

Aura Mature

Jack stopped at a stream, and I dismounted, dipping my feet into the water while he lapped up a drink. Once finished, he came and flopped down beside me, tail wagging like a giant puppy, although I politely ignored his obvious enthusiasm because he probably couldn’t help it.

It was so nice just being here with him, the slight wind brushing my hair in the peace of the deep forest, far from everyone and everything. I wanted to be with him all the time as much as he seemed to want to be with me. Maybe on the weekends I would start staying over at his place, but I still had things to do in the mornings.

As if reading my mind, he asked, “Should we get going?”

I could practically hear his premature disappointment at the idea of parting from me. It was sweet. “Soon...but why don’t you shift back first for a bit?”

It took no encouragement. Once moment I was sitting with a relaxed wolf, the next I was sitting with an equally relaxed naked man who just might be my new favourite sight in the world. I didn’t like comparing him to Rex, mostly because I felt sorry for my ex in light of the extent to which Jack seemed superior in every way. That fae just couldn’t compete with my werewolf on any level.

“So, I’m human. Now what?” he asked, with a sexy smirk.

“We talk out loud?” I asked innocently.

“What do you want to talk about? Our fae ceremony?”

“It’s called a unification ceremony, or marriage sometimes like the humans call it, but no, I don’t want to talk about that. Better to just let the elder and my mother tell us what to do and go along with whatever that is.”

“Go along to get along?”

“I’m already involved with a notorious werewolf, better to choose our battles.”

“Very true, very strategic. You want us to concentrate our resources where it matters.”

“Sure.”

“Who knew I was mated to a tactician?”

“Not me,” I said, although his words were flattering, and the way it felt like he meant them doubly so. I’d always gotten a lot of praise for my plant attribute and my compliance, but never much for anything else. He seemed to already see more of me than other people, even after such a short time together. I wasn’t just a talented girl to him, I was Aura. And he made me want to rebel like I never had wanted to before.

He made me want other things, too. I let my eyes wander over the broad expanse of his back, so ready to support me when I needed him, and the length of his strong arms, and the plains of his chest and stomach, and down lower to see that another part of him was becoming very aware of me again. I met his eyes and he didn’t look bothered in the slightest by the way I was leering at him, he seemed to enjoy it if his smile meant anything.

If his expression wasn’t enough, the way he leaned over and kissed me proved how much he liked my attention. He was up and over me in a second, his hand sliding up my thigh, teasing my skin.

While his hand wandered, he commented, “You know, I would have enjoyed being thought of as a notorious heretical werewolf if I had found out before I found you. The only reason I don’t like it now is because it made your life more difficult.”

His fingers ran over my underwear and I inhaled sharply. “Oh?”

“Yeah. It would have been amusing. And since the fae are so reclusive and anti-tech, the shareholders would either not have found out, or, if the ones in the know did know, they wouldn’t care since the fae are so far outside of our likely customer base.”

His hand moved lightly, just enough contact to tease me terribly. He made me demanding.

“Jack.”

He just met my eyes and smirked, no sign of that slight hesitancy of the first time we had been together. I was glad, and even more so when his finger slipped underneath the cloth and made contact with my heated skin. He looked satisfied with my reaction although a quick peek between his legs showed me that he was anything but satisfied yet.

His mouth followed his hands, and using both he brought me to quick release, and then again, without even giving me a break to come down in between. When I caught my breath, I reached for him and he groaned.

“Better not. I don’t have protection.”

I crawled over him and pushed him backwards. “Maybe we don’t need it. You could, pull out?”

“You’re assuming I have the self-control for that and I very much doubt it.”

“I trust you.”

“That could still get you pregnant.”

I shrugged. “I don’t care.”

“You were just worrying about how hard our hypothetical kids’ lives would be not long ago.”

“Doesn’t mean I don’t want them someday.”

“Yeah, someday, when we’ve maybe talked about it first,” he said. Did he not want children with me? Before I could open my mouth again, he said, “You’re leaking feelings again, Aura. I want to try having kids with you. My wolf’s demanding it. But I don’t want to get you in a position you’ll regret right now, that’s all.”

“You might be right.” I crawled over him and took him in my hand. “But I can still help you with this,” I said, as I lowered my mouth to his straining body and did what I could to satisfy his needs.