Chapter 10

CHAPTER 10

S ten struggled with the berserker, trying to regain control of his body and emotions. But the beast wanted their sj?lsfr?nde beneath them, naked.

He cleared his throat and lifted his head to see if he’d scared Cassie. “I’m sorry. I’m not fully in control here.”

Her pupils dilated, and she leaned forward as if pulled by an invisible force. He felt his own body move toward her on the desk. It wasn’t just the berserker that wanted her. Sten, the man, needed Cassie. Needed her like he needed his next breath.

Sten leaned over her and buried a hand in her luscious auburn hair. She looked at him, her eyes deep pools of amber. She stilled for a heartbeat but then leaned in for a kiss, a sigh escaping as her body turned soft in his arms. He angled his head for better access and deepened the kiss, pulling her closer.

It wasn’t enough. He needed to feel her whole body.

He stood and pulled her up with him, pulling her sweater off. She wore a thin t-shirt underneath. Her breasts pressed against his chest, and he could feel her nipples grow hard through the cotton fabric of her shirt. A growl escaped from his throat. He caressed her hip through her jeans and steered her backward toward the bed.

All he wanted was to throw her down on the bed and pound into her, but he reeled himself in just enough to lower her carefully.

Taking a deep breath, he leaned back and looked down at Cassie lying below him. Her lips were red and swollen from his kiss, which pleased his berserker.

Her glorious whisky-colored eyes looked glazed, and her wavy hair fanned out around her head. His dick ached with the need to be inside her.

Pulling his sweater off and over his head with one hand, he lowered himself over Cassie, seeking her lips with his own. She moaned softly as he caressed the side of her face and increased the pressure of the kiss, exploring her mouth thoroughly. Her tongue darted out, tangling with his, and this time, she deepened the kiss, turning it into a frantic mating thrust.

He couldn’t get enough of her, needed her closer.

Needed to feel her hot skin against his own.

Using both hands, he grabbed her hips and then slid his palms up under her t-shirt.

She inhaled sharply, and the berserker growled his approval when she arched against his palms, caressing her breasts through her bra. He pulled her t-shirt off and leaned back briefly to take in the glorious view of her bare skin before planting his hands on both sides of her. Bracing himself against the bed, he leaned down and traced the edge of her lacy bra with his mouth.

He nuzzled the thin fabric away from her breast and nibbled her nipple before taking the whole juicy confection into his mouth. Cassie arched beneath him, panting.

As she reached for the button on his jeans, her fingertips brushed the swollen head of his dick. His abs clenched, and his balls ached from the effort of not coming right then and there.

She unbuttoned him and pulled down the zipper. When she reached in and grabbed him through his underwear, he covered her hand with his own to slow her down.

Grabbing his hair hard, she pulled his face close to hers and nipped his lips. “I need you hard and throbbing inside me right now,” she whispered, her voice dark and raw.

He leaned back and chucked off his boots and the rest of his clothes.

Cassie half leaned up and reached for him, but he gently pushed her back down. Leaning over her, he kissed her again as he reached behind her back to unsnap her bra.

He slid the shoulder straps down her arms and let his gaze caress her skin. She moved restlessly and reached for him again, but he evaded her hands. “I want to look at you. You are so beautiful.”

She snorted. “You don’t have to use pretty words on me. Besides, you’ve already seen what’s on offer.”

“We were in the dark.” He lifted his head to lock gazes with her. “And I only use pretty words when I mean them.”

The reluctant smile on her lips touched something deep inside him. He pushed the feeling aside and concentrated on the feast in front of him.

Cupping her breasts, he licked and nipped, biting a little harder when his teeth grazing her nipple had her arching high off the bed. The berserker wanted more, but Sten told him they needed to go slow to make it good for their woman. The beast relented begrudgingly.

Cassie’s hands caressed the back of his head and then buried themselves in his hair as he trailed his mouth lower.

He found a spot just above her hip that had her moan out loud, so he spent extra time tasting her golden skin there before moving over to see if the other side was as sensitive. Judging from how her fingers grasped his scalp and the deep sigh of pleasure, it was.

Her sounds of pleasure drove him toward the brink.

He needed to taste her.

He pulled her jeans and panties down. All he could think of was to taste her. To suck and nip her in the most intimate spot, to really make her his.

Easing a finger inside her, Sten slipped his tongue between her folds. Cassie groaned, and he slid in another finger as his tongue searched for her clit. Her moans let him know when he’d found the right spot.

Thrusting the tip of his tongue on her clit, he matched the rhythm with his fingers, curling and uncurling.

Cassie pulled her legs up, bracing her heels on the bed as she arched against him, pushing her core closer to his mouth. “More,” she panted.

He obliged by sucking hard on her clit, and she clenched around his fingers before shattering beneath his mouth. She cried out as the orgasm claimed her.

Sten lifted her by her hips and thrusted himself deep inside her. He repeated the motion, going faster and faster. He angled his thumbs inward, massaging her pubic bone.

He felt her wet walls tremble as he thrusted into her repeatedly, increasing the rhythm. She screamed and clenched around him, her orgasm milking him.

His balls clenched, and he shouted her name as he came with her, blowing his load so hard he forgot to breathe. Stars flittered in front of his eyes, and he thought he might pass out.

He tried to remember how to force his lungs to take in air as he slumped down beside her.

She curled into his chest, and he wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “Did I hurt you?” he asked.

“No,” she mumbled against his skin. “I want to do that again.”

He chuckled. “Give me a moment or two.”

His only reply was a soft snore.

Sten got up and pulled the cover from underneath Cassie. He slipped back into the ridiculous small bed and joined her in her slumber. Hopefully, she’d sleep normally this time and not accumulate weapons in her dreams.

Cassie woke up to Sten sitting in her desk chair, wearing just his jeans and watching her. Darkness cloaked the room except for the light emitted by the small lamp next to Sten.

“Are you okay?” she asked. She’d been doing that a lot, it seemed, since she’d found him outside her dorm.

He scrubbed a hand across his face. “I need to apologize to you for so many reasons. But first, for thinking you betrayed me back in Montana. It was the gun dealer’s security man who sold me out to the wolverines.” She opened her mouth to reply, but he held up his hand and continued. “But I shouldn’t have suspected you at all. I know that now. All I can say is that the sj?lsfr?nde bond messed with my mind and made me more defensive than usual.”

“Okay,” Cassie said. “Apologies accepted. Anything else?” she asked when his gaze still bounced all over the room as he avoided looking at her. If he gave her some speech about being just friends or going back to friends with benefits, she would probably kill him.

“We didn’t use a condom. And in Montana a month ago, I also forgot to use a condom. I don’t have any diseases, but what if you’re pregnant?”

She put her hands on her stomach, the thought of a little Sten resting inside there disturbingly pleasing.

The grownup version turned pale. “Have you had your monthly flow since you told me to leave Montana?”

Cassie giggled. “Are you asking me about my menstrual cycle?”

He nodded as he got out of the chair and crouched beside the bed. “I want a life with you. I would love to have children with you, but I don’t what you to feel trapped.” His jaw clenched. “I’m already ashamed over how my berserker trapped you in this room when you wanted to leave.”

Cassie stroked his hair, the silky tresses slipping easily through her fingers. “I suggested we leave,” she corrected. “But then you distracted me, and I was quite happy to stay.”

“Truly?” he asked.

She nodded as she continued caressing his hair. “I’m on birth control, so we don’t have to worry about a baby.”

He leaned into her caress. “I feel so much better when you are close to me. Even if you don’t want a relationship with me, can I continue to see you?”

She smiled. “You want to be fuck buddies? Friends with benefits?”

He didn’t return the smile. His eyes remained serious. “No, I want a genuine relationship with you. But I’ll take anything you’re willing to give me.”

“I want a relationship with you, too,” she said. “But I’m not giving up college.”

He leaned closer. “I would never ask you to give up anything for me.” His lips claimed hers, and they were done talking.

At least for a while.