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While Riley wrestled with his demons in the living room, Samantha tried desperately to make sense of what had happened that tonight. She sank into the steaming hot water in the tub. Grateful again that she'd taken this flat. Her rattled nerves needed the calm that only a good soak could give her. Even if the heat did nothing to calm other parts of her. Damn him! She slapped the water and sat up. She couldn't even make it through five minutes without thinking about him. She really needed to get a grip on her emotions before she went back out there.
There was no denying that there was still something very real between them. But no way was she ready to throw in the towel and forgive him. Not by a long shot. And there was no way she was going to give in to the crazy things his body did to hers whenever they came within two feet of each other.
So where did that leave her? Sitting in a hot tub thinking even hotter thoughts about a man she hadn't thought she'd ever see again. Still very much confused about who the other guy had been. Or why according to ol' brown eyes out there, he'd been sent by someone to see to her untimely death. And exactly where they were supposed to go from here.
She knew where her traitorous body wished they'd go and her heart seconded that. But her head just couldn't follow suit. Damn logic anyway!
She slapped the water again and gave up. She was standing, dripping water on the deep pile peach colored rug when she realized that her robe was laying on her bed where she'd left it this morning while getting dressed for work. No way was she walking out there like this. His vows to the contrary notwithstanding, she wasn't going to put that much temptation in front of him right now.
There was a soft tap on the door while she stood there trying to decide what to do. "Hey, thought you might need this." She heard the chuckle in his voice and could just imagine the look on his face.
She opened the door a crack and tried her best to stand behind it. She held her hand out for the robe. He smirked and hung it over her hand.
"You know you're being ridiculous right? It's not like I haven't already seen every sweet inch of you." The wolf's grin was back, as was that strange light in his eyes. A mix of playfulness and raw animal hunger. It got her every time. She shivered and tried in vain to blame it on the water that was slowly drying on it's own from her naked skin.
She snatched her arm back and shut the door. I am such a coward. She thought as she wrapped the fluffy pink robe around herself. Probably not the sexiest thing she owned but certainly the most comfortable. She shook her hair out and slid her now dry feet into the zebra print slippers she kept tucked under the sink.
She remembered all too well what he'd seen, and touched before. That was the problem. If he was a complete stranger that had come to her rescue, she wouldn't be standing here like an idiot again. Trying to keep the door between them for as long as she could. She sighed and reached for the doorknob.
Riley was sitting on the couch again. While it wasn't exactly the way it was before chaos had reigned down on her little world, it was at least clean and the furniture that had survived was upright. She mourned the pieces of her slate topped coffee table that he'd heaped up in the corner by the door. That table had been through several moves and a couple of states with her. Oh well, no use crying over split slate.
Her eyes returned to the man on her couch. He sat against the arm, just as he had before. His head back, looking for the entire world like he was asleep. Until he spoke. "Feeling better?" He raised his head and gave her a raw look. His heart in his eyes. "I have to go very soon, kitten. I can't put it off much longer."
He stood up and came to stand in front of her. He was so close she could feel the heat of his body radiate towards her. She looked up into his eyes and instantly realized her mistake. She tried to pull away, but it was too late. She was lost in the golden heat she saw there.
Some things never change and she should've known better than to let him get that close and even more, to meet his eyes. They had always been her undoing. She could get lost in their warm brown depths forever.
Riley knew better than to touch her. But he couldn't help it. When he'd looked up and saw her standing there in that damn marshmallow of a robe, her hair spilled down her back, and those silly zebra slippers, it was the cutest thing he'd ever seen. He was off the couch and across the room before he realized it. And then she'd looked up at him with those blue green eyes of hers. Did she know what they did to him?
Before his head could tell his heart any different, he hooked his hand in the knotted belt at her waist and pulled her against him. Whether it was shock or something else, she didn't resist as he kissed her for the first time in ten years.
Samantha was just trying to remember how to breathe. Cherished memories became real again as Riley pulled her against him. Then when his mouth came down on hers, she was swept up in the heat that always surrounded her when she was in his arms. His hand was warm on her back as he tangled his fingers in her hair.
Pulling her head back, he broke the kiss and stared down at her. Riley could see the waking passion in her eyes. Every warning signal in his head went off. It would be morning in less than an hour and his brother would be waking the clan. He couldn't risk doing what he really wanted to her might do. If he shifted in the heat of passion, he might hurt her, or worse.
She picked that instant to lick her lips. He growled and kissed her again. The clan be damned! He'd given the last ten years to them. They could wait for him now.
Sam's legs turned to jello as he deepened the kiss. Plunging his tongue deep into her mouth. Taking what he wanted. She leaned into him. She told herself it was just to stay on her feet. But she knew better. Her insides were pooling somewhere below the knotted belt and all she could think was how much that belt was in the way.
He seemed to feel the same way. He pushed her away just long enough to untie it. He slipped his good arm inside the robe and pressed her even closer. Her skin was soft as silk under his calloused fingers. He ran his hand down across one round hip and felt the beast inside him raise its head. She was all curves and silk. And it sensed the closeness of a mate.
He tried to reign it in. But the soft whimper Sam made when he cupped her breast was more than he could take. With a feral growl he braced her against him with his good arm under her adorably rounded bottom and half carried, half drug her to her bed.
He pushed her gently and she fell back. The marshmallow robe fluffing open around her. Giving him an unobstructed view of her soft curves. It was one of the things he'd always found so irresistible about her. The other men in his family had a thing for the super model type. But he liked her curves. She was soft and round and perfect in all the right places.
Samantha lay there, watching Riley unbuckle the belt of his tight black jeans and kick off his hiking boots. Not the least self-conscious. How could she be when he looked at her like that?
She prayed she wasn't dreaming. And if she was nobody better wake her up. She kept her eyes locked with his as he stepped out of his jeans and kicked them out of his way.
She bent one knee and pushed herself back on the bed. Completely unaware of the view she was giving him. But he wasn't. Gods, she's killing me. He thought as he kneeled on the bed. Pressing her into the thick cotton comforter.
He groaned as he realized that his right arm wasn't going to hold his weight. He shifted his weight to his left arm and laid his right leg between hers. Pinning her under him.
Sam arched her back and wiggled to get more comfortable. She'd forgotten how much bigger than her he was. Not in height he was only 3 inches taller than her, but in shear body mass. Everything about him was steel in velvet. From his broad shoulders to his perfectly defined legs, she ran her hands over every part.
She was so intent on how happy she was just to be touching him again that she looked up to find him smiling down at her. Laughter in his eyes. "Did you miss me?"
"You know I did." She replied. She didn't know why, but she suddenly felt shy. She hadn't been with anybody else since him and she now realized why. Because her body belonged with his. They fit perfectly. She reached up and traced his lower lip with her index finger. She smiled as he nipped the tip of her finger before leaning down to kiss her again.
While his right arm wouldn't hold his weight, that didn't mean it wasn’t good for other things. He pushed the robe off of her shoulder so he could plant a kiss there. And then continued the trail until he came to the already tight peak of her right breast. He cupped it in his hand. The weight of it more perfectly round than he remembered. But she wasn't a 18 year old kid anymore. She was a full grown woman. And he wasn't 19 anymore either.
The soft sound of Riley's mouth against her breast pulled Sam's stomach tighter. She reached up and tangled her fingers in his jet black hair. Arching her back against his mouth. She sighed and pushed at his shoulder. All she got for her trouble was a growl as he switched breasts and began to draw lazy circles around her left nipple with his tongue. It reminded her of a cat. The rough feel of his tongue was heaven.
Riley felt himself losing his battle with the beast inside him. It growled and whined. Begging for release from its chains so it could claim its mate. It felt so right to hold her. To stroke her with his tongue. And touch her where ever he wanted.
He pushed her left leg down. Giving him better access to her body. He slid one finger deep inside her. She was already so wet. Ready for him. The scent of her was more than either he or the big cat could take.
He covered her mouth with his own as he shifted his weight and entered her. He felt her tense and then relax as she adjusted to the feel of him inside her. He pressed deeper and was rewarded for his efforts as she pressed against him.
Sam wrapped her legs around him and moaned. All the nights she'd woken up in a cold sweat from dreams so hot she hurt couldn't hold a candle to the real thing. She lifted her hips to meet him and tightened her grip on his shoulder. The feel of him sliding inside her driving her insane. She tried to whisper his name but all that came out was a gasp as he rolled with her and landed on his back. Still buried deep inside her.
She tucked her toes behind his knees and rode him like she wanted. His hands on her hips. She threw her head back and laughed. A deep, silky laugh that tugged at his heart. The pure joy of it brought him near tears.
Sam quickened her pace. She could feel every part of her body pulling tighter and tighter. Centered around where their bodies were joined. She knew it wouldn't be long now before she got the release she'd need for so long.
Just before she could hit that height, he rolled them again. He pressed her back into the bed with his full weight and slowed the pace. Sam wanted to scream in frustration.
Riley looked down at her. She was glowing. He could see the colors swirling around her through the cat's eyes. All blue and green and silver. Like the deep forest under a full moon. The big cat echoed her frustration by whining in Riley's head. They had both been so close. But Riley knew that if he didn't slow the pace and let her come to him easier, he wouldn't be able to keep the cat chained. He would shift and claim her as the cat. He couldn't risk that.
He pressed into her with deep even strokes. Just wanting to feel her slide around him a little longer. She moaned and dug her nails into his shoulders. She whispered his name between breaths. Begging him to release her.
"Samantha," he breathed her name, "open your eyes. Look at me". She did as he asked. Her eyes had gone dark. Blue green had turned to deep blue. The color of the sea at night. His eyes held hers. He quickened the pace again. This time making sure their eyes stayed locked on each other. Maybe it would hold the cat at bay. He felt her body tighten around him as she came. Her eyes went wide and she arched her back. Never wavering from his face.
Watching her come was more than he could take. He buried his face in her hair as his own release shook him. The big cat roared and went still. Finally sated after all these years. It curled up in a dark corner of Riley's soul and slept. Secure in the knowledge that his mate was his.
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