Chapter 5

MARKUS

As I thrust forward, pressing my rapidly thickening cock against her soft belly, I knew I was doing the wrong thing. I should be walking away, taking my hormones and uncontrollable lust back to the club where women welcomed it.

Not to the woman I had in my arms.

Not to a woman who was wearing my brother’s clothes over her freshly naked body.

But there was no running away. My wolf growled mate inside my head. And all I could think about was stamping my scent all over her.

I stared at her mouth for half a moment, trying to rein myself in, aiming for some sort of control. But she lifted her chin in an age-old invitation to take what I wanted, and I was lost.

I kissed her, and the mere touch of her soft lips beneath mine dragged a loud moan from me. I cupped her face and devoured her mouth, needing her more than my next breath.

When she grabbed hold of my shirt and dragged me closer, I slanted my mouth over hers and speared my tongue in to taste her. She was everything I’d been afraid to dream of. Soft, luscious, sensual. She felt like home.

I don’t know what stopped me, but the effect was as if someone had doused me with a bucket of cold water.

What am I doing?

I’d declared that she would be safe in my home. That I didn’t take unwilling women to my bed. And although Lexi’s clinging hands and soft gasps of pleasure were definitely signs that she wanted me, I couldn’t believe that was the case. She was vulnerable, almost naked, and in a strange place.

I didn’t take advantage of women. Ever.

So, what the fuck am I doing?

I pulled away and managed to get an inch of space between us. “I’m sorry, Lexi. I shouldn’t have done that.” Then I forced myself to take a large step back and leaned against the other side of the door frame, still facing her.

Damn, she’s beautiful.

Her eyes were shining. Her cheeks were rosy, and her lips were swollen from my kisses.

If I ever in my whole life wanted to fuck a woman, it was this one. Right now.

And I couldn’t.

Lexie rolled off the doorframe and into her room. “Ah... so, I suppose I should...”

I nodded sharply once. “Yep. Night.”

I didn’t get one step before she called out, “Can I ask you why?”

“Why what?”

“Why shouldn’t you have done that? Because I’m... me? Or?” She was fidgeting with the sleeves on the shirt now, and although she looked extremely nervous, I could tell she wanted a real answer to the question.

I frowned. She thought I was rejecting her?

“No, well, yes. Fuck...” I ran a hand through my hair. “What I meant was... You’re a guest in our home. I promised you we’d keep our hands to ourselves. And the first time I see you... like that...” I gestured to her long, shapely legs. “I jump you like a teenager with no control. I’m sorry. I...”

I was ashamed of my actions. But I couldn’t get the words out properly.

She crossed her arms over her chest and looked down. Shit. I’d offended her, somehow. I had a younger sister. I knew what women looked like when they were upset.

I put both hands out and clung to the doorframe, not entering the room, but hovering as close to her as I dared. “Lexi, look at me.”

She forced her head up and stared at me, her eyes no longer shining.

“Don’t you dare think that I don’t want you. Look at me. Isn’t it obvious I do?”

Her gaze flicked down to my erection that was impossible to hide, then back up to my face. She pressed her lips into a thin line. What the hell? Had I just pissed her off again?

I groaned, confused. “What did I say?”

“Nothing.” She shook her head. “I just... wanna go to bed, okay?”

“Sure. Good night.”

She walked forward and practically shut the door in my face.

The sound of the lock clicking into place made me clench my jaw. If I didn’t take advantage of her when she wanted me to, I certainly wasn’t going to force myself on her any other time.

I stomped to my room and slammed the door shut behind me.

Dammit.... Fucking... Grr...

I allowed my wolf to surface so a real growl rolled up through my vocal cords. I couldn’t seem to say anything right.

How could she be my mate if we clashed at every meeting?

My mate. Fucking hell! This was the last thing I expected. I didn’t want a mate. Never had.

I paced the floor in front of my bed, over and over.

I was sure Ollie could hear me.

In fact, I was pretty sure Ollie had heard the entire conversation between us, and he hadn’t come out.

I stopped pacing. That rat. He wanted us to get together because Ollie knew that once I touched my mate, I wouldn’t want to stop touching her.

“Motherfucker!”

I dropped to the ground and started doing push-ups. One. Two.

How was I going to get out of this mess?

Three. Four.

My cock was aching, my body on fire. I wanted her so badly.

Five. Six.

My phone dinged and I rolled into a sitting position to look down at the screen. It was past two a.m. now.

The message was from Nancy, another wolf shifter. Her sex drive was insanely high, and we often used each other for a workout when the need struck.

Had done for years.

Hey. You alone? Up for some company?

I tapped on the screen to reply and froze. Was I up for some company? Hell, yes!

Hers? Ah... no. All I could think about was Lexie just down the hall.

I turned off my phone and ignored her text.

She knew I was busy if I didn’t respond. Better she thought I was with someone else than actively rejecting her. Not that Nancy was particularly thin-skinned, but her ego would thank me.

More push-ups built up a sweat but didn’t do anything for the sexual frustration beating through me like a caveman with a club.

What was wrong with me?

Lexie wasn’t even my type! She was too... I don’t know. Too sweet, maybe? And yet, there was a hidden fire within her that I fucking loved.

I dropped to the floor and whacked my forehead against the carpet. “Fuck.”

She was sexy, definitely. Even though I’d never been with a woman as curvy as her, my hands ached to grip her ass and feel the heavy flesh in my hands. And those breasts... damn, I could get lost in them.

Jumping to my feet, I stripped off my shirt. There was only one thing that was going to settle me down.

I headed for the shower, where I stood beneath the same hot spray Lexie had been under only an hour before.

There, I let my imagination go wild. Lexie in front of me, bent over and waiting for me to slide my cock into her.

Lexie on her knees, sucking me.

Lexie on her back, her huge breasts soft and her nipples hard. I would suck on those pink tips until she cried out to me...

I pumped my hand hard along my shaft until I blew, coming all over the shower tiles.

My loud groan filled the space and I closed my eyes, enjoying the pulses of heated pleasure coursing over my body and draining away at least some of the frustration and need.

I cleaned up quickly, turned off the water and dried myself. It was definitely time for bed, and now that I’d fixed myself up, hopefully sleep would come quickly.

I wrapped the towel around my waist and swayed where I stood, lethargy stealing through my muscles and relaxing me in a way that only an orgasm could.

My bedroom was only a few feet away from the bathroom door, but I still made sure my towel was tightly fastened before walking out into the hallway and making my way to my room.

The last thing I wanted was to run into Lexie like this. She probably thought I was some sort of lecherous asshole, hitting on her when she was barely dressed.

I growled as I shut the door, threw the towel over the hook, and crawled into my cold bed.

Not the way I’d hoped to be spending my Saturday night.

I’d thought by now I’d be balls deep in a warm woman, not lying here grappling with the idea that I may have found my mate. The very concept sounded wrong to my ears.

I lifted my arm and lay it across my face, covering my eyes with my forearm.

“Damn it all to hell.”

A perfect Fated mate was Ollie’s dream, not mine. And just because we were a perfect pair, didn’t mean we had to share a mate.

It wasn’t fair. It wasn’t how I wanted to spend my life. And surely, Fate understood that?

If I stayed away or even moved out, maybe Ollie and Lexie could just get together and leave me out of it.

The very idea of my brother mating with the woman I wanted turned my insides upside down, but better to deal with some short-term stress, rather than long-term agony.

I wasn’t built for monogamy and fidelity and proved it time and time again.

My sister told me I wasn’t.

Every woman I’d ever dated told me the same thing.

Surely, I didn’t need another woman to tell me what I already knew? I wasn’t built to be a husband. Especially not to a woman as beautiful and special as Lexie. She deserved someone who could be completely faithful and monogamous. Someone who would worship her, body and soul. I couldn’t give her that.

It would be best for both of us if I just left her alone.