Marked by the Wolf (A New Adult Urban Fantasy) Page 8

  He looked up at her, her eyes questioning his, longing and hope and a myriad of emotions all playing across her face.

  “I want you because you’re meant for me. You’re my mate, my soul mate…my everything.” He held her hand, kissing her fingertips before pulling her down on top of him. She squirmed in his grasp and he saw a smile playing about her lips.

  “You’re everything I’ve ever wanted, Taryn. You’re like no other girl I’ve ever met. And I want you, like I’ve never wanted anything before.”

  He sat up, pulling his shirt over his head. Reaching for Taryn, he slid her shirt up over her head, her hair falling about her shoulders. He drew a sharp breath as an image of her, as his mate…in wolf form…flashed through his mind. He saw her sleek and agile, the color of sable tinged with fire.

  She pushed him back on the bed, reaching for the snap and zipper of his jeans, her lower lip caught in her teeth in concentration. He lay with his arms behind his head, as she slowly pulled down the zipper, tugging down his jeans over his hips.

  Her fingers were warm as she took his cock in her hand and he groaned softly. She held him, stroking him softly, slowly. She watched him, her eyes never leaving his face, her cheeks flushed, lips parted.

  When he couldn’t take anymore he sat up, tipping her back on the bed. He had her jeans off in a heartbeat, looking down at her lush body spread out beneath him.

  “You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen, Taryn. You’re a goddess. Never let anyone tell you any differently. Never tell yourself that either.”

  She looked up at him with large eyes, tears welling up in them. He leaned forward, her breasts warm against his chest, kissing her softly. When he withdrew, she was crying.

  “No one has ever said that before. At least no one who actually meant it.”

  “You should be told that every day.”

  “Are you offering?” She smiled at him, and he nodded.

  “Yes…I am.”

  Sam settled himself over Taryn, resting his elbows beside her shoulders, her legs moving apart, accepting him between them. He wanted to take her, make love to her badly, but he wanted to let her come to him, let her show him when she was ready.

  She caressed his face with soft fingers, her body moving beneath him. Her hips were rising to meet his, her thighs brushing against his hips. She’d caught her lip between her teeth again, looking up at him, her eyes no longer filled with pain. But doubt shadowed them.

  “Sam, is this more than just a fling for you? There’s something else here?”

  He nodded. “I’m falling in love you, Taryn. Like I’ve never fallen in love with any woman before.”

  She pulled him to her then, her kiss hot and hard, her hips rolling up, seeking him. And he found her, shifting his hips, her incredible warmth surrounding his cock as he entered her.

  He wanted to make love to her for hours, but some barrier broke loose between them and in minutes they were thrashing in a primal dance, bodies slick with sweat, breath rasping fast and hard, hearts pounding.

  Taryn cried out, her body arching up beneath him as she met him, thrust for thrust. Sam was out of control, his body taking over, Taryn’s body bringing every cell in his body alive. He ached for release as much as he wanted to prolong this feeling. But the animal urges of his body won.

  When he came, it was with a force that shook him to his very core. He threw his head back, almost howling at the ceiling, pushing himself further into Taryn, wanting to be swallowed by her.

  She twisted beneath him, her hair a tangled mass flowing across the pillow. Sam felt every nuance of her body, every muscle that tightened and pulsed, contracted and released, the ebb and flow of her as she came.

  They were a sweaty disheveled mass of arms and legs, twisted sheets, pillows flung to the floor when it was all over. Sam had never been so relaxed, so content, yet so aware of everything around him, especially everything that centered on Taryn. He could sense her heartbeat, her breathing, the flow of blood through her veins. All of it was intoxicating, a heady mixture that made him dizzy.

  After a long time, she snuggled against him, sighing deeply and he managed to pull the blanket over them. She was so quiet, her breathing slow and regular, that he thought she was asleep. When she spoke, it startled him.

  “Do you still mean what you said? About falling in love with me?”

  For the second time that night, her question took him by surprise. But for this question he had an answer.

  “Of course, I do.” He kissed her forehead, his fingers winding through her hair. “Why would you think I didn’t?”

  She shifted uneasily in his arms. “Because no guy ever has…loved me after.”

  Sam thought his heart would break at the sadness in her voice. He pulled her against him, cradling her body, kissing her forehead, her cheeks, finally resting his chin on her head as he held her.

  “Taryn, I’m not one of those guys. When I give you all of me, it’s yours to keep for as long as you want me. Nothing will change that. Not with me.”

  Her shoulders trembled and he realized she was crying. He gently pushed her back, looking into her face.

  “I’m sorry, Taryn…I didn’t mean to make you cry.”

  But she was shaking her head, her a smile playing about her lips. “It’s okay. It’s just an odd place for me to be in…these feelings that I have. I’ve never felt this way about anyone before. It’s…it’s scary.” She sniffed, wiping her eyes on the sheet.

  “I know it is. But you can trust me, Taryn. I promise…I’ll never hurt you.”

  She was looking up at him, her eyes shining in the dim light from the hall.

  “Do you believe me, Taryn?”

  “I do. I believe you, Sam.” The tears spilled from her eyes.

  Sam rose over her, holding her face in his hands, his eyes locked with hers.

  “Good. Because I love you, Taryn. I can’t ask you to feel the same and that’s okay. But know that right now, and for as long as I live, I will love you.”

  19

  Sam woke slowly, every sense coming alive to Taryn, warm in bed beside him. To her soft breathing, the beat of her heart as she slept. He drew in her scent—their scent—and smiled. It was right, he knew it, in his heart and mind. She was the one for him.

  He wanted her, more than any woman he’d ever wanted before. It went far deeper than just his physical needs, which were very apparent at the moment. He wanted to find out what made her happy, how to make her happy. And he wanted to protect her, from anything…everything…that could possibly hurt her.

  The light through the window was muted and Sam heard the rain falling softly against the glass. It was early. There was no reason for either of them hurry, no reason for them to leave the confines of his warm bed. He had nowhere to be and Taryn, without a job, didn’t need to wake up…yet.

  She was facing away from him. Rising up on one elbow, he watched her sleep, gently brushing a strand of hair away from her forehead. He shivered as a fleeting reminder of yesterday’s panic ran through him, how close he’d come to losing her, not once, but twice. His heart skipped a beat as images of Taryn in the alley flashed through his mind, the wolf-thing poised to attack, fangs bared, intent on killing her. And then he shook his head at his own stupidity in forgetting something as simple as getting her cell phone number.

  The memory of not being able to communicate with her, in wolf form, made him growl low in his throat. If he’d been able to tell her who he was, that he was there for her, tell her anything…it could have lessened her fear, taken away the terror he’d seen in her eyes.

  And it would have made his life, their lives, so much easier. There was nothing he could do now, short of telling her who…and what…he was. But her reaction, her naked vulnerability last night, made it clear she wasn’t ready to hear his truth. If his telling her he loved her, that she was loved, sent her into a tailspin, then finding out the man who told her that was a werewolf probably would send her someplace he’
d never be able to reach her.

  His thoughts were interrupted by a sudden movement in the bed. Taryn stirred beside him, stretching, eyes still closed. He ran a hand over her curvy waist, sliding it up to run his fingertips across her cheek, over to her chin, her skin soft and heated. Taryn stretched again, a slow sinuous movement that brought her in extremely close, and extremely enjoyable, contact with his erection.

  She made a noise, low in her throat that sounded like purring and Sam smiled, nuzzling her neck. He moved his other arm beneath her shoulder, cradling her against him. She snuggled back and he marveled at how her body fit against his, her curves matching his angles, molding to him perfectly. Another wave of arousal coursed through his body, leaving him slightly breathless.

  “Morning, Taryn.” He kissed her neck, sliding his lips along her shoulder. She was all soft skin and deep scents, intoxicating and arousing. Closing his eyes, he let his lips move slowly back up to her ear, his tongue flicking along the lobe before teasing it gently with his teeth. She murmured something indistinct and then he moved his lips back to the hollow beneath her jaw. Her tender skin tasted warm and sweet, like honey and cinnamon.

  She tried to turn to face him, but he held her firmly, his hips flexing forward against her ass, her soft skin pressed against his cock, heating him even more than he already was. Desire flared, hot and insistent, his voice a low growl as he pulled her hard against him.

  “Like this…” He shifted slightly, rolling her back against him, his hand sliding slowly back down her stomach. Her skin beneath his fingers was softer than anything he’d ever felt, smooth and silky, warm and alive.

  She shuddered as his fingers slipped between her legs, moving with slow deliberation, teasing, touching, and probing further and further. Her purring changed to a breathless moan, her head tipped back against his shoulder.

  “Sam…” She turned her head back and he found her lips with his, his fingers tangled in all that fine hair. She seemed fragile this morning and as he held her, he tried to be delicate, as gentle as he could be with her, a piece of fine porcelain.

  Their kiss quickly turned powerful and intense, as her tongue slid between his lips, brushing against his. The pressure of her body against his increased, her back arching as she pushed her hips back against him. He moaned against her mouth, his blood running hot through his veins.

  “Taryn, God…Taryn. I want you so much.”

  She looked at him over her shoulder, eyes half-closed, heavy with desire as he touched her, slid his finger into the wet heat between her legs. She cried out, her hips jerking with each stroke of his fingers.

  Every tremor of her body sent a jolt through Sam, his hips jerking forward, pushing himself against her. When he couldn’t stand it anymore, he pulled his hand away, her small cry of frustration silenced by his mouth.

  He ran his hand beneath her silken thigh, raising her leg. As she pushed back against him, he curved his body to her, sliding his cock between her legs, against her slick folds and finally into her encompassing warm, exactly where he wanted to be. Her cry was louder as she took him in, as he thrust forward, and he answered her with a deep growl of pleasure.

  It wasn’t long before Taryn was crying out with each stroke he made, as he rocked her back against him with his arm around her waist, the momentum of their bodies driving him further into her. The warmth of her body, her scent as he held her against him, all sent a rush of heat through him, through every cell of his body.

  Taryn reached back, her hand on his head, fingers gripping his scalp. She met his eyes and her gaze reflected everything that was happening in his body, the heat and passion that flowed between them.

  There was no holding back for him, nothing he could do to stop what he’d started. Taryn was twisting against him and he clutched her hard, his body taking on a life of its own, hips flexing forward in their own rhythm, as he came. Every conscious thought left him and he was pure sensation, the room around him fading, leaving him only with the feel of Taryn in his arms and his body’s powerful release.

  Taryn cried out as she pushed back hard, shaking and trembling, eyes closed. She joined him, every subtle movement of her body transmitted to Sam in exquisite, dramatic detail.

  As the final waves of Sam’s orgasm faded, Taryn lay still in his arms, resting against his chest. His breathing had slowed, and he was drifting, on the verge of sleep when she spoke.

  “Sam, let me go.” She turned to look at him, smiling. “You can let me go now.”

  “Oh, sorry.” He relaxed his grip and she moved onto the empty side of the bed, turning to face him. Her face was still softly flushed, lips so lush and full, and she reached out, touching his cheek with her fingertips.

  “That’s some way to wake up. I could get used to that.”

  He took her hand, kissing her fingers. “I could get used to waking you up that way. And yes, before you ask, I still love you after.”

  She ducked her head, and he saw a vivid blush creep up her cheeks. “Oh, that. I was a little drunk, I think. Nothing important.”

  “I think it was more than being a little drunk. And it’s important to me, how you feel, what you think.” He slipped his fingers beneath her chin, tipping her face up, meeting her eyes.

  “Talk to me, Taryn. I’m here.” He brushed his lips across her forehead.

  She settled back against the pillow. “Talking isn’t something I’m good at, I mean, talking about feelings and things…the important things, like you said.”

  “I’m not either. It’s easier to just keep it all inside, not let anyone in.” He sighed, rolling onto his back, arm behind his head, turning to look at her. “But I want to let you in, when you’re ready.”

  “Talking wasn’t a part of my childhood. Yelling, maybe, but not talking. Completely underdeveloped skill.” Her voice was low, with a hint of self-deprecation that took him by surprise.

  She looked so different in the morning light, her face soft, her make-up faded. She looked younger, innocent. And vulnerable. An ache rose in Sam’s chest, the urge to protect her almost overwhelming.

  “Well, you can practice with me. Tell me something, anything. No judgment, no comments if you don’t want any. I’ll just listen.”

  She glanced up at him and the innocent fresh-faced girl was gone in an instant. Her expression closed down, her eyes shuttered, her face hard. The look was familiar to him; self-protection kicking into over drive. He’d hit a nerve and he wondered if she’d even answer him. She was quiet for so long he didn’t think she would. But finally, she took a deep breath, meeting his gaze.

  “You can’t look at me. Turn your head.” She reached across the space between them, fingers on his chin, gently turning his head away. Looking up at the ceiling, he waited, not impatiently but anxious to hear what she had to say, what was so hard for her to talk about.

  “Well, there are my parents.” She cleared her throat. “My parents. I guess that’s where I started, so...”

  The bed dipped as she moved and Sam turned his head, almost expecting her to be leaving it, and him. But she was still there, watching him. She reached over, again turning his head away again.

  “My parents were born here in Philly, never left the neighborhood where they grew up. Got married young, had to get married. Because of me.”

  Taryn made a noise in her throat, of disgust or maybe empathy, he couldn’t tell. He held his breath, waiting for her to continue. The silence spun out for several minutes.

  “They fought a lot…all the time, really. I’m not sure if they loved each other or not. But they sure knew how to fight. Dinner was the worst. We were all in the same place at the same time, no escape. They liked to force me into the middle of their fights, making me choose sides…to validate one or the other, always forced to choose.”

  She stopped talking and Sam turned his head slightly, getting a brief glimpse of Taryn. She wore a troubled expression, her eyes clouded with memories, none of them apparently good. He quickly looked away.


  “I think they were still just kids, never really grew up, even though they had me. And then…it got worse. My old man started drinking…and after that I wasn’t his daughter anymore, I was something else… he’d come into my room at night and…” she suddenly went quiet, and it was clear she felt she had said too much. “My mom started hitting him, and me, and it just all went sideways pretty quickly.”

  There was movement next to him, Taryn’s hand brushing softly against his hip. Slowly, as if she were a frightened animal…or small child…he reached out, searching for her hand in the sheets. Initially she pulled away from his grasp, then moved her hand back, just her fingertips brushing his.

  “And then, they were gone.” Her voice was flat.

  “Gone?”

  “Dead. In a car accident. They were coming back from a bar. My father was drunk and I supposed my mom was yelling at him. The car swerved into the other lane. They were killed instantly.”

  He turned to her, pulling her hand into his. “Taryn, I’m so sorry.”

  She was staring up at the ceiling and she didn’t turn to look at him. “Don’t be. I wasn’t…I’m not.”

  This time her voice broke and Sam watched a tear roll down the side of her face.

  “Taryn…I…”

  She turned to him suddenly, her eyes searching his, the pain so evident it was like a physical blow to Sam. She clutched his hand, drawing it up to her chest.

  “They were my fucking parents! They were supposed to take care of me, be there for me. And they weren’t. They never were. He…he destroyed who I would have been and my mother…she didn’t even love me enough to protect me from the worst betrayal of my life. She just let it happen…”

  Sobs wracked her body and Sam disentangled his hand from hers, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her to his chest. She buried her face in his shoulder and he rocked her gently, kissing the top of her head.

  There was nothing he could say, no words that would even come close to being adequate. He let her cry, until she was quiet against him.