Soul Bonded

chapter TWENTY-THREE



Rafe stormed into the cabin moments later. He dumped a load of wooden boards and tools just inside the door, then stepped outside for another armload of stuff. Katie stood by silently, afraid of the rebuke she knew was coming. He closed and secured the door, then walked to where she leaned against the kitchen table. Folding his arms over his chest, he raised an eyebrow as though waiting for her to speak.

She wasn’t exactly sorry about what she’d done. Perhaps Rafe would have anticipated the attack if she hadn’t intervened, or perhaps he would be lying in the snow with a crushed skull. “She was going to hit you.”

“I know.” Rafe handed over the hammer. There was a shallow dent roughly halfway between the claw and the head, an inch above the handle. “That was an amazing shot.”

Surprised by the lack of censure in his voice, Katie met his gaze. “Thank you.”

“I’m not going to scold you. You acted to protect me and, as a bonus, you just showed those idiots that you aren’t some silly, defenseless human. I know they’re reconsidering their chances now.” He gave her a tight smile. “At least a little.”

“I got lucky,” she admitted in a whisper. Turning the hammer over, she marveled at the placement of her bullet. She’d been confident in her aim, but not that confident. She wasn’t a bad shot, but luck no doubt also played a role. “I could have killed her. Or you.”

Rafe shook his head. “Nah. You have a prodigious talent and you made exactly the shot that you intended. I’m willing to bet you could do it again right now.”

She wished she could be so certain. “No, thanks.”

“Yeah, that’s probably best.” He ducked his head and smiled crookedly. “You scared the hell out of her, you know.”

“Good.” Relaxing now that the threat of a lecture seemed to have passed, Katie straightened. “I didn’t like that other one touching you.”

“I know. I could feel it from thirty feet away.” Rafe dropped a quick kiss on her forehead, then took back the hammer and walked to the pile of wooden boards in the foyer. “I didn’t like it, either. Believe me.”

Katie followed him to the curtained window next to the kitchen table. He secured the first board across the center of the frame, driving the nail into the wood with one aggressive motion. Riveted by the flexing of his muscular arm, she debated whether to ask what she knew was an extremely loaded question. She didn’t want to start a fight, but Lisa’s mocking tone kept ringing in her ears.

“What is it?” Rafe barely looked at her as he pounded another nail into a second board, slowly blocking off the light from outside. He no longer seemed angry, but instead crackled with a new kind of energy. A decidedly sexual energy.

She took a deep breath, then asked what she burned to know. “Do you think they’re right?”

He positioned another board. “About?”

“That I can’t satisfy you the way you need.”

Rafe stopped mid-swing. Lip twitching, he gave her a sidelong glance. “Last night was the single best sexual experience of my life.” He scanned her up and down, then turned back to the window and began to hammer with renewed vigor. “You satisfy me, Katie. Believe that.”

“So then why have you been suffering with this all day?” She waited until he drove the final nail into the board, then stepped behind him and slid her hand around the front of his linen pants. He was hot and thick and throbbing, hips jerking involuntarily into her caress. “Let me take care of you. You’ll function better with a clear head.”

He pushed her hand away and reached for another board. “For f*ck’s sake, I can go a few hours without—“

“During the full moon?” Katie challenged. “Really? Can you?”

“I’ll take care of it myself.” Rafe positioned the piece of wood over the last open space. “After I finish this.” He stepped to the side, putting distance between them, and swung the hammer with a frustrated snarl. His emotion got the best of him and his aim was off. Yelping, he grabbed his thumb in his fist and squeezed hard enough to turn his knuckles white. “F*ck.”

“No, I think we need to take care of this now.” She hooked her finger in Rafe’s belt loop, pulling him closer. Adrenaline continued to surge through her veins after her showing outside, and she needed an outlet. So did Rafe. Now was the time to prove that she could keep him under control. Pushing lightly against his shoulder, she placed him on the wall next to the partially-boarded window. “How’s your hand?”

“Healing.” He wiggled his fingers, looking none the worse for his crushing injury. “Listen, maybe you’re right. Maybe I should take a few minutes to clear my head. You and Shilah can wait for me in the guest room. It won’t take long.”

Katie shook her head. “No. Here.”

Rafe gaped at her as though she’d just suggested they go outside and roast marshmallows with their new friends. “With you?”

“With me.” She’d misstepped by allowing Rafe to see how badly his glowing, wolf-like eyes had startled her. Now more than ever, she needed to demonstrate acceptance and trust—and by doing so, earn his trust in return. “I won’t touch you unless you ask me to. I’ll just watch.”

He tilted his head back with a resigned sigh. “What if I lose control and do something you don’t want?”

“I’ll tell you to stop.” She drew her fingernail in a line down the center of his chest. “And you will.”

Doubt shone in his kind eyes. “You have no idea what you’re playing with, Katie.”

“Then show me.” She nodded at his tented pants. “Take out your cock.”

Shuddering, Rafe exuded a curious mixture of embarrassment, fear, and unchecked need. “Katie…”

“Be a good boy and obey your bond-mate,” Katie murmured. “Please.”

His nostrils flared as he tugged down his pants. “Even if my bond-mate is being a very bad girl?”

A little shiver of excitement curled in her belly as he revealed his swollen cock. She’d never seen a man so aroused before. It looked almost painful. Licking her lips, she forced her attention back to his face. She had to control this situation. He would never trust her otherwise. “Especially because I’m being a bad girl.”

Rafe wrapped his hand around his length and exhaled shakily. “I can smell how wet your p-ssy is. It’s driving me f*cking crazy.”

“Sorry.” She batted her eyelashes and shot him her most playful smile. “You’re not the only one who’s feeling the full moon.”

He chuckled and stroked himself with purpose. His gaze dropped to her chest. “Take off your shirt. Let me see your breasts.”

She didn’t plan to let him actually f*ck her—only because she intended to prove a point—but she was happy to provide him inspiration for release. Reaching for the hem of her shirt, she put on a little show that led to a clumsy approximation of a striptease. It wasn’t a move from her usual bedroom repertoire and she doubted she pulled it off the way she’d envisioned it in her head, but Rafe was clearly riveted. Enjoying the rush of power she got from his obvious hunger, she unhooked her bra while Rafe pumped himself into his fist. She tossed it onto the floor without looking away from his face, not wanting to take her focus from Rafe’s body language for even a second. An explosion was coming. The air around them hummed in anticipation of it. And she had to be ready.

His willpower dissolved within the span of a few fevered strokes. He lunged and caught her around the waist, pulling her to him roughly. Then he grabbed two handfuls of her ass and rubbed his cock against her through her pants. A throaty groan died in his throat when Katie planted her hand against his chest and pushed him away. He stared at her with unblinking eyes that were once again a glowing, unearthly amber, then reached for her a second time.

Speaking in the calmest voice she could manage, Katie said, “No.” Chest heaving, Rafe appeared to struggle to obey her command. Determined not to allow him the opportunity to ignore her, she pushed against his shoulder until his back hit the wall. “Stay right there. You don’t get to touch me right now.”

Rafe whined, a sad, wholly wolf-like sound from the back of his throat. Then he closed his eyes and took three deep, measured breaths. When he looked at her again, it was with very human guilt. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be.” She dropped her gaze to his still-throbbing erection and nodded. “Keep going.”

He didn’t argue with her, which told her that he was very horny indeed. “It’s just…not easy.” His breathing grew labored as the speed of his hand increased. “Seeing you, like this. And not touching.”

Taking pity on him, Katie decided that a little physical contact would be acceptable. After all, they would need to negotiate sex during the full moon at some point. For her sake, if not for his. “How about I touch you?”

Rafe’s throat bobbed. “Yes.”

Clearly he was no longer concerned with protecting her virtue. Relieved that she was so far in control of their encounter, she stepped closer and put her hand on his cock and her mouth next to his ear. “Remember, keep your hands to yourself.”

He pushed away from the wall and tucked his hands behind his back. “I will.”

“I know you will.” Katie kissed his stubbled cheek, then drew away so she could watch his face as she slid her hand to the base of his cock. His jaw tightened and he hissed as she cupped his heavy balls. Pleased by his responsiveness, she ran her fingers along his length to caress the tip. “Or else I’ll stop.”

Rafe shivered and bucked his hips, encouraging her to grasp him and give him a few slow strokes. “You usually this bossy?”

“Only when the situation calls for it.”

His eyes grew heavy-lidded and a grin played on his lips. “You really are an amazing woman.”

“You’re just saying that because I’ve got your cock in my hand.”

He barked out a strained laugh. “That’s only a small part of it.”

Humming, she stepped directly in front of Rafe and worked his cock with both hands. “There’s nothing small about you.”

Rafe leaned forward and pressed his forehead against hers. He inhaled, shivered, then murmured, “I wish I was inside you.”

“Close your eyes,” Katie whispered. When he obeyed, she tightened her grip on his now-slick erection and massaged him firmly. “That’s my p-ssy wrapped around you. Do you feel it?”

Rafe’s breathing hitched and he rumbled out a groan. “Yeah.”

“You’re filling me up, Rafe, and it feels so good.” Sensing his impending climax, she quickened her movement. He’d enjoyed talking last night, so she planned to finish him off with her words. “I’m so tight and you’re so f*cking big. Don’t stop. Don’t stop f*cking me. Make me come all over your big, hard cock.”

Another growl spilled from Rafe’s throat as he reached for her again. His fingers found purchase on her hips, digging in as his entire body stiffened. Vibrating with animalistic energy, he managed not to take control and instead kept perfectly still.

“Good boy,” she said, then stroked him to shuddering, grunting climax. His body quaked for what felt like forever, before all the tension seemed to drain away, leaving him limp against the wall. She drew away, unsurprised to find amber eyes staring back at her. Without allowing herself to hesitate, she pressed her lips to his in a passionate kiss.

He kissed her back, breaking away only when the hand he used to caress her face began to tremble. His eyes had returned to normal and he was as relaxed as she’d seen him all day. “Thank you,” he mumbled, tangling his fingers in her hair. “You’re right, that really helped.”

“Told you so.”

He snorted. “I love you, Katie. I really do.”

That made her grin like an idiot, no matter how crazy she found the idea of being in love after only a day. Because she loved him, too.