Amusement tilted her lips. “I think it will hurt a little bit.” And then she smiled—so damn sweet.
His heart rolled right over. So he gave her the absolute truth, needing to know she understood him. He was no longer the easygoing kid she’d known, and there was no way he could pretend to be anything other than who he’d become. “I cover and protect what’s mine. You need to know that, Hope.”
She steeled her shoulders in true Hope fashion and let the blanket fall to the floor. God, she was beautiful. From her little toes to the top of her head, he could spend an entire lifetime worshiping every inch. In fact, that sounded like a good plan. “I trust you, Pax.”
The words hit him hard, and he took them in. He pressed his index finger against her clavicle and traced down between her breasts to her hip bone. She gasped as he did so, her pupils dilating. Her breasts were high and full, with pink nipples that he’d see in his dreams for the rest of his life. He couldn’t help himself. He leaned down and tasted one. She ran her hands through his hair and tugged. He smiled, nipping at her. Her stomach sucked in, but she pushed into his mouth.
Yeah. She liked a little bite with her love. Good. So did he.
There had never been another female for him, and he had known it. He kissed her again. She was the one who reached for the shredded remains of his jeans and shoved them off him. He was hard, and he was ready, but he needed to be careful with her.
He spun her around and bit her shoulder. She laughed, and fire tore through him. He was aggressive and he was dominant, and he’d hidden those aspects from her all these years. But she knew him well enough to know that he’d never hurt her. Her ass was perfect, and he gave it a quick slap.
She jumped and turned around, pushing him in the chest, pink across her face. Her nipples were hard pebbles, and her thighs were damp. “Paxton.”
Yeah, this could be fun too. He knew it. “You’re so fucking perfect, Hope. You always have been,” he rumbled, his body on fire. It was true. Even when she was being stubborn and hadn’t seen that they were meant to be, she’d been his everything.
He’d loved her his entire life, and he’d been willing to sacrifice his very existence to save her. Still would—in a second. But he wanted to live to protect her. To love her and maybe see her swollen with their child, playing with their children. Forming a family.
There was no clear path for them to follow now, and he had no idea what their next step would be after he took care of the danger threatening her. But none of that mattered any longer.
She deserved a good life, a great life, and he’d find a way to give her happiness and peace. She’d bucked nations, fate, and maybe her own life to give herself to him, and worthy or not, he was accepting her gift. He was going to take Hope and make her his forever.
He held up his hand, showing the mating mark that was burning a hole through his palm. “Before we get carried away, where exactly do you want to wear this?”
Chapter Thirty-Six
Hope faltered, so much need coursing through her she could barely stand. His mark darkened in front of her eyes, and for a moment she paused. This was for real and this was forever.
Then she looked up into his silvery-blue eyes and smiled, her heart stuttering. “Over my heart.” Where he’d always lived, even when she’d pretended otherwise.
His eyes flared. Yeah, he liked that answer. He kissed her again, an edge to him she’d never tasted before. He was more aggressive than she had thought, but she liked it, or at least her body did. She was wet and ready for him, and she wanted to wear that marking more than anything in the world.
When she’d made her choice, she’d done so with her eyes and heart wide open. She could’ve gotten them both killed, and she’d known that at the time. But he was her choice in this lifetime and in any other, and that moment needed to be recorded for fate, and more importantly, for Paxton.
He kissed her again, one hand around her waist as he backed her onto a cot, laying her down. They were tall cots, but not very wide, not that they needed to be.
His body was heavy over hers, so much bigger and stronger than she’d ever be. Even if she gained full power, she’d never match him in strength. Her body trembled. She moved against him, feeling him at her sex. He was huge and throbbing, and she felt a momentary panic.
“It’s all right,” he said, nibbling down her neck to sink his teeth into her shoulder. The sting flashed through her, landing between her legs, and she arched against him. He chuckled and moved down to her breasts, taking time with each one until her nipples felt like they were as needy as the rest of her aching body.
“Paxton,” she whimpered. “I think I’m ready.” He had to do something about this terrible ache inside her.
“I’m not.” He nipped at each of her ribs and spent time on her healed wound. “Are you all right?”
She moved against him, wanting all of him. Now. “I’m all healed,” she said, tunneling her fingers into his thick hair. “I’m fine.” Except she wasn’t. She was about to disintegrate if he didn’t make this horrible ache go away.
He enclosed her left hip bone and sank his teeth in, leaving his mark. It didn’t hurt, but he made his point. “I love you, Hope. I’ve waited for you, for this, my entire life, and I won’t be rushed.”
Her heart swelled. Then his words caught her. “Wait a minute.”
He lifted his head as if somebody had denied him a treat. “What?”
She wanted him so badly it was difficult to think. “Mating might make me stronger...or you weaker.” She had to tell him the full truth. “I’m human. What if I make you human?” It was unthinkable. He was a strong warrior, much more powerful than even she had realized.
“Then I’ll be human.” He licked her rib cage. “It’ll be the two of us, living a life together. It’s all I’ve ever wanted. I don’t care if it’s as demons, Kurjans, or humans. It’s you and me, Hope.”
Tears filled her eyes, and she nodded. There was no other path for either of them. He filled her, all of her, and she didn’t want it any other way. She didn’t know if soulmates existed, but he touched something deep inside her. Maybe it was her soul.
She let him continue his wandering and then sucked in air as he settled himself between her legs and shoved them wider apart. His shoulders held her where he wanted her, and she’d never felt more vulnerable in her entire life. She slid her hands down his face, scratched her palms with his whiskers, and dug her fingers into his powerful shoulders.
His body was impossibly hard, like solid steel. Pax was a true warrior, and he was about to be hers.
He settled his mouth at her core and started to play, almost as if he was pleasing himself. His shoulders were unrelenting as they kept her thighs far apart. She liked the dominant side of him, but she’d never admit it. Although based on her body’s responses, he probably already knew.