7. Claire

CHAPTER SEVEN

CLAIRE

I stared at the mistletoe dangling above my head, Kai's words dangling right there with it.

Mates. We were mates. Explosive, all-consuming, world-shifting, color-popping... mates.

Kai's eyes were the pure green of his wolf, the pupils wide and dark. A shiver raced up my spine, anticipation coiling tight in my belly. I swept my tongue across my lips, and his eyes zeroed in on that tiny motion.

"Claire..." he started, voice strained. His throat bobbed with a hard swallow. "I don't want to hurt you."

Shifters. Wolves. Mates. His words should have terrified me, but they didn't. He didn't terrify me. He'd watched me for months from a booth in the diner or just beyond the trees around Briar House. Months, with barely a word.

Even the night of his revelation, he hadn't meant to lure me into the snow. In fact, he came to my rescue when I needed him the most.

If he wanted to hurt me, he'd had ample opportunity.

"I trust you," I whispered.

That was all he needed to hear. He lowered his lips to mine, gently at first, then with building need. His free hand cradled my cheek, then slid back to grasp the nape of my neck. His tongue teased my lips open, stroking into my mouth in a possessive exploration.

I gasped for air, arching closer. Wanting him. Needing him. My hand tangled in his shirt, gripping the soft cotton tight.

I couldn't get close enough.

He released my mouth, his lips trailing down the line of my jaw to my neck. Sharp fangs grazed my skin, a promise of what he truly was, of what he hid. The knowledge should have frightened me, but my core clenched around nothing at the sensation.

My heart thundered in my chest as I flicked my eyes up and met his. Pure, hungry desire burned bright in their depths. My cheeks flamed under such naked attention. I'd never been so thoroughly wanted before.

Despite the warmth of the room, goosebumps prickled along my skin. "You never finished your sketches of me," I said, my voice husky.

Kai's grin was all wolf, wild and wicked. "I don't have my supplies."

"Use mine," I offered.

I dashed upstairs, my heart pounding with anticipation. My art supplies were scattered across my desk in a familiar chaos. I grabbed my sketchbook and a handful of pencils, ready to dash back down.

Then I caught sight of my silk robe draped over the edge of the bed where I'd flung it that morning.

A thrill shot through me. Daring. Bold. Everything I imagined a wolf's mate to be.

I shed my clothes, letting them fall to the floor in a messy heap. The silk was cool against my flushed skin as I wrapped the robe around me, cinching it tight.

Kai's eyes widened as I descended the stairs. I hit the bottom step with my head held high, trying to ignore the heat flooding my face. He took the sketchbook from my outstretched hand, his gaze dropping to my bare toes and traveling slowly back up.

That look felt like a caress, sending sparks of electricity skating down my spine.

I stepped back, my fingers finding the knot of my belt. Kai's gaze tracked the movement, his throat working as he swallowed hard.

"Claire," he choked out, "what are you doing?"

I let the robe slip from one shoulder, exposing a long line of skin. Every cell in my body seemed to vibrate with nerves. "I trust you," I repeated, letting the other shoulder fall.

"You absolutely shouldn't." He snorted, a low rumble that was more wolf than man. "All I want right now is you in my lap, riding my cock until neither of us can stand."

Heat flooded my core at the raw need in his voice. So easy, so simple, to throw myself at him then and there. But I kept my nerve.

Kai groaned as my robe pooled at my feet. His eyes roamed my body hungrily, drinking in every curve and plane.

"Patience is a virtue," I teased in a sing-song voice.

The sketchbook hit the floor with a soft thud. Kai prowled towards me, all coiled power and predatory grace. His hands ghosted over my skin, leaving goosebumps in their wake.

"And I'm anything but virtuous," he growled, his breath hot against my ear. "Kneel."

His command echoed in my bones. My thighs trembled as I lowered myself to the floor.

Kai sank to his knees behind me. Those hands gripped my hips tight, dragging me back an inch. Higher on my knees. His fingers slid up my spine, arching my back. The touches moved me where he wanted and I tried desperately to focus solely on keeping my muscles still.

But his fingers left fire in their wake. I couldn't drag air into my lungs fast enough.

"And expecting virtue when you smell good enough to eat is a mistake." His fingers tangled in my hair, tilting my head to the side. "My wolf is straining to claim you."

"How..." I licked my suddenly dry lips. "How is a mate claimed?"

Kai reached around my body for my hand. He bent my arm at the elbow and pressed my palm to my stomach. His erection pressed into my ass, tempting me, taunting me, just as much as our hands he dipped between my legs.

I whimpered, my knees nearly giving out beneath me. The need growing inside me threatened to overwhelm me. I rocked against the pressure, seeking relief.

"We mark each other," he nuzzled the spot where my neck met my shoulder, his stubble rasping against my sensitive skin, "with a bite."

He pressed my fingers harder against my clit and my eyes drifted shut. "Will it hurt?"

"Only for a moment. Then you'll feel nothing but pleasure. But only after you ask for it." His tongue darted out, tasting my skin. "I can already taste how much you want it."

His chuckle was dark and rich. My legs trembled, threatening to give out beneath me. Kai's arm snaked around my waist, pulling me flush against him. I could feel every hard plane of his body, the heat of him searing through his clothes.

"Fuck yourself," he rasped. "I want to capture the moment you come."

Kai's touch lingered a heartbeat longer before he stepped away, leaving me cold and aching. I kept my eyes closed, listening as he grabbed my sketchbook and settled on the couch.

"You're soaked," he groaned low in his throat. "Are you going to put on a show for me, Claire?"

I opened my eyes, meeting his gaze as I traced a finger along my wet slit. The first touch sent an arc of pleasure straight down my spine. I bit my lip, trying to keep my moan in check as I repeated the motion.

He swore under his breath. The scratch of pencil against paper filled the air between us, but he never looked away. His gaze was like a physical touch, teasing me, encouraging me to give in to the desire consuming my thoughts.

"Fates, you're gorgeous," he growled. "That blush suits you, sweet girl."

I sank a finger into my pussy, arching back as a shudder rippled through me. Two fingers. A second shudder as I curled them, brushing a spot that left me gasping. I rode my fingers, feeling the coil of my release tighten and tighten.

My legs trembled as I struggled to keep my pace steady.

"Faster," he commanded.

Kai's jeans rustled, and his rough groan brought my eyes to his lap. He'd undone his pants and taken his cock in hand, stroking himself in time with me. Watching me.

My hips bucked as I gave in to his command, fucking myself with abandon. Pleasure built, the pressure threatening to rip me apart. I ached for him, ached for more. For him inside me, filling me in ways my fingers couldn't.

"Be a good girl, Claire," he gritted out. "I want to see you fly apart."

The order was the last push I needed. I shattered, pleasure rocking me to my very core. Every muscle in my body locked as I moaned his name. I let the waves roll through me, losing myself to the sensations.

By the time I came back to myself, my chest heaved and sweat slicked my skin. I eased my eyes open, taking a shaky breath.

Kai watched me from the couch, his hand still working his cock. "Lick your fingers clean."

I obeyed without question. I brought my glistening fingers to my mouth, sucking them clean slowly and deliberately. I moaned softly, unable to suppress the sound as my taste burst on my tongue.

"Good girl," he praised, a hint of growl in his voice. His chest rose and fell in a sharp breath, his fist tightening on his length. He dragged a thumb across the head of his cock, pre-cum beading at the tip. My core clenched in response.

I met his gaze as I sucked another finger clean.

"Those lips are fucking sin." Kai's head dropped back with a low, ragged groan. The veins in his arm bulged with tension as he pumped his thick cock.

He reached behind him and dragged his shirt over his head, then tossed it to the side. His abs flexed as he worked himself, each stroke rougher than the last.

I wanted to taste those abs. To feel them flex as he moved above me, inside me. I wanted to explore every inch of his body.

"Your scent, Claire." His nostrils flared, and a wicked smirk tugged at his lips. "You like watching this, don't you?"

"Yes," I breathed. I licked my lips, my eyes tracking every flex of muscle. My mouth watered at the sight.

"Come here." Another pump of his cock, and he caught his lip between his teeth and groaned. "I need to feel you wrapped around me."

The rough edge of a command in his voice set my pulse racing. I rose from the floor, crossing the short distance between us with unsteady steps. Kai's eyes devoured me as I approached, his gaze flicking between my face and the sway of my hips.

His hands landed on my waist as soon as I was within reach. He leaned forward almost quicker than I could track and nipped at one hipbone before moving to the other. My breath rushed from my lungs as I collapsed against him.

The contact stole what little breath I had left. His hands wandered lower, cupping my ass in his palms and squeezing. He dragged me down until I was straddling his lap, the bulge of his cock pressing against my center.

I ground against him, drawing a guttural moan from his lips. "Ride me," he growled, biting at my throat. "I want to feel you take all of me."

Oh, fuck yes.

I climbed to my knees, steadying myself on his broad shoulders. My fingers danced down the hard planes of muscle, dipping into the valleys of definition. Kai's grip on my ass tightened, but his eyes never left mine.

The challenge in their green depths ignited the same fire in my belly. I needed him. All of him.

I found his shaft with one hand, stroking him from tip to base and earning another long, low moan. I lined us up, lifting my hips. His hands guided me down as the tip of his cock nudged my entrance.

The stretch burned as I slowly eased onto him. Inch by delicious inch.

A shudder wracked through me as I settled into his lap. My inner walls clenched around him, savoring the delicious fullness.

Kai's eyes closed briefly, his fingers digging into my flesh. "You're perfect."

"So are you," I whispered against his mouth.

He growled and claimed my lips with a bruising kiss. One hand lifted to tangle in my hair, holding me captive. Not that I wanted to get away. I clung to his shoulders, my nails sinking into his skin.

I began to move, slowly at first. Rising and falling on my knees, savoring the sensation of his cock sliding in and out of me. Each stroke hit that sensitive place inside me, driving my pleasure higher and higher.

The world could be crashing down around us, and it wouldn't be enough to break this moment.

Kai's breath was harsh against my lips. "Don't stop."

"Never."

My rhythm sped, encouraged by his needy groans. Tension coiled in my stomach, threatening to undo me. It was too much. The intensity of his eyes. The pleasure pulsing through my body.

Kai's hand slipped between us, his fingers finding my clit. A flick of his fingertips, and my rhythm faltered as my head fell back in ecstasy. I couldn't hold on. Pleasure rolled through me, obliterating every thought in my head except more. More of this.

More of him.

The hand in my hair tightened. His pace increased, fucking me harder, faster. Deeper. I rode the edge, my whole body quivering. So close. I just needed?—

"Fuck, Claire," Kai panted. "I'm going to come."

The fingers between us applied more pressure. My back bowed as my orgasm tore through me with explosive force. My eyes screwed shut, stars bursting across my vision. My fingers dug into Kai's skin, my only anchor to reality as I rode wave after wave of pleasure.

Kai growled, low and deep in his chest. His fingers tightened in my hair. "Mine," he snarled.

His rhythm broke, his thrusts uneven as he buried his cock to the hilt and shuddered. He pressed his lips to the juncture of my neck and shoulder, teeth scraping my skin. Warmth spilled deep inside me as he groaned my name.

I sagged against his chest, resting my forehead against his shoulder and breathing his earthy scent deep into my lungs. My heart hammered in my chest, thundering in my ears. I could feel his pulse pounding, too, echoing my own.

I turned my head and captured his lips, pouring every ounce of emotion I had into the kiss. Kai returned the sentiment with equal fervor, his hands trailing up and down my back in soothing strokes.

Slowly, Kai eased out of the kiss. His fingers traced a delicate path along my collarbone, brushing over the design inked there.

"Tell me about this one," he murmured, pressing a soft kiss to my skin.

I glanced down, smiling at the familiar sight of the thorns and vines. "My third tattoo," I explained. "College friends have similar—we finished a unit on Georgia O'Keeffe, and got a little floral and, uh... floral in our inspiration."

"The jazz cabbage? Oh, you fiend." A chuckle shook his chest. "What about this one?"

This time, his fingers traced the spindly legged elephant clinging to my side. I shivered at the soft caress, my eyes drifting shut. "Salvador Dali. Just the perfect level of weird."

Kai hummed, his lips trailing along the edge of the ink that formed the fossil of a velociraptor on my shoulder.

I tried to focus, to remember the story behind the tattoo, but Kai's touch was proving to be wonderfully distracting. His hand skated over my hips to palm my ass. I arched into the touch with a sigh.

His lips ghosted over my skin, mouthing his way to the spot behind my ear where the tiny bat tattoo hid. "You are a work of art."