Chapter 40

Megan

I woke relishing Sam's body pressed against my back. I'd fallen asleep with him spooning me, cradling me against his body, and it felt surprisingly right to wake up the same way. He'd kept his word and tried to leave before he fell asleep, but I had been selfish. I wanted to feel him next to me. He made me feel safe. After a second attempt on my life, I needed to feel safe.

But he made me feel things other than safe, too. He must have realized I was awake because his hand moved slowly from its tucked position under my head and slowly traced my arm down to my hand. His fingers curled around mine, and I felt his heartbeat pick up a notch, his chest still pressed against my back.

I turned enough so I could crane my head, and his face swam into view. He faced me, his head on the pillow, blue eyes blazing with a fire that took my breath away. While his actions were slow and sweet, his eyes were not. They were wild and fevered.

Before I could say or do anything, he reached up and slowly brushed an errant piece of hair off my forehead. His eyes trained to my lips, and my mouth was suddenly drier than stale bread.

Instead of leaning over and kissing me as I expected—and wanted—his whole body moved, leaving my side cold in its wake. His body slowly grazed mine as he moved to hover over me, supported on his knees and elbows as he straddled me, heat radiating from his body, but not actually touching me.

My eyes went wide, and the breath froze in my lungs as his gaze raked over my face, and he leaned forward.

His nose skimmed my collarbone, up the side of the pulse pounding in my neck to the back side of my ear, scenting me. With the lightest of kisses right behind my jaw, he was gone. The bathroom door shut, and I laid there, alarmingly aware. My breath came in short pants, my heart drummed, and my whole body tingled.

Oh…my…word.

Human. I want to stay human, I told myself as convincingly as I could while refusing to acknowledge how badly I wanted to feel Sam's body against mine.

"Coffee. I need coffee," my voice croaked. I forced myself to move, declining to dwell anymore on the scene that had just taken place in my bed. My face flushed as I thought about it. I turned my head once more to where Sam had lay, his scent still wrapped around the pillow. I inhaled before I could think better of it, his smell sending the wolf into ecstasy.