Chapter 21

A pple pie had a way of erasing all my troubles. I'd never tasted one more delicious, made with love and seasoned with kindness. I indulged in a slice with vanilla ice cream before settling in for the night. Thunder rumbled for an hour before rain started tapping on the roof again.

Unable to sleep, I switched on the bedside lamp and curled up with one of my favorite comfort reads about an aristocrat who falls for a woman below his station.

Reaching the end of a chapter, I lifted the collar of my white T-shirt and drew in a deep breath. It still carried Archer's scent.

After he had hung his wet shirt up to dry earlier, I'd kept it since it was perfect sleepwear. Even with dried rainwater, his scent was imbued in the threads, and it calmed me as much as a warm, lavender-scented bath.

I jolted upright when something clawed against the heat house.

Calm down. It's just tree branches. There are lots of trees around here, and it's storming outside.

I padded into the dim living room. The thought of Noah's tiger hunting me chilled my blood. Another scratch sounded at the front door, and it was definitely no tree branch. When a wolf barked, I let go of a breath and went to investigate.

Opening the door, I expected to see Catcher, who occasionally slept by my door. Instead, I met eyes with Archer's wolf. Though I hadn't seen everyone's wolf, Archer was easily identifiable by his missing front leg. Though he had shifted in front of me earlier, he looked different now in a curtain of rain.

The wolf lowered his head. I froze with uncertainty.

A silver chain sparkled from his teeth, and he dropped it at the threshold.

"My charms!" I wanted to reach out and grab it, but I was leery of shoving my arm beneath a wolf's jaws.

As if sensing my apprehension, he hopped back a step. I crouched and collected my bracelet, clutching it tightly. It was the only meaningful possession in my life, and I'd never expected to see it again. In recent days, healing had been my priority, not going back to a place filled with terrible memories. Noah knew how much I loved the bracelet, and I'd feared he would toss it into the trash or take it with him out of spite.

Now on my knees, I looked up at Archer's wolf. The rain beat down on his coat as he cocked his head to the side.

"It's nice to meet you," I said.

He hopped forward and made a nonthreatening vocalization that hovered between a whine and yawn.

"You poor thing. You're soaked."

Catcher's wolf stayed outside most nights, and when it rained, he slept under the deck. But why was Archer's wolf out this late? Had he really traversed all the way to Noah's house to bring me this? Archer could have driven the truck, but it was his wolf who'd brought it.

After putting on the bracelet, I stood and caught my hand on the door when he hopped past me and went inside.

"Well, come right in." I shut the door and locked it. Looking at the mud puddles, I quickly retrieved a towel from the bathroom. "Do you mind if I… dry you off?"

His wolf sat and gave me a cheerful smile. After kneeling, I carefully wiped his chest. Archer suddenly shook his whole body, and I squealed as water sprayed the kitchen.

While I gently dried his coat, his relentless licking put me at ease. "Good boy," I said in my friendliest voice. "You're a pretty wolf."

Though he seemed tame enough, I reminded myself that Archer was asleep in there, so I didn't make any sudden or threatening movements that might instigate an attack. When I finished drying him off as much as possible, I sat back on my heels and admired him.

He was a gorgeous animal with cream-colored fur and streaks of blond that were lighter when dry. His underside and snout were as white as fallen snow. After letting him sniff my hand, I stroked his neck. His dense fur was coarse on top, but when my fingers burrowed deep down, the texture was soft like rabbit fur. He panted, tongue hanging out as he turned his head and sniffed the air.

"You don't get any pie," I informed him, amused that he could pick up the scent. "That's for me."

I stroked the left side over the furry stump, giving it the same attention as his right leg. Even in wolf form, Archer felt powerful and in shape. "You're a handsome wolf. I must be crazy for doing this. You're not going to bite me, are you?"

He whined and licked my hand.

"You must be exhausted. I can't believe you ran all that way just to bring me this."

Upon hearing the familiar clinking of charms on my wrist, an overwhelming sense of relief swept through me.

Filled with gratitude, I cautiously wrapped my arms around the wolf .

"Thank you," I whispered, burying my face in his neck. "This means everything."

When his fur transformed into hard flesh, I reeled back in surprise.

Archer sat on his knees, his right arm braced on the floor. As he raised his head and noticed his surroundings, he twisted away but not to hide his privates. He quickly grabbed the towel and draped it over his shoulder.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"I don't want you to see it."

Then it hit me like a ton of bricks: Archer had never been shirtless around me, even when we were intimate. For whatever reason, he didn't want me to see his arm.

I touched his cheek, turning his head to face me. "All I see is you, Archer. And you're the most perfect man I've ever known." My fingers traced across his shoulder as I pushed the towel off.

Tears shimmered in his eyes—tears of shame. Fear of judgment.

I knew exactly what those tears looked like.

Archer's amputation didn't start right at the shoulder, and the symmetry between both shoulders was impressive. Even what was left of his upper arm had muscle. But what I didn't expect was the lack of scarring. When he or his wolf lost it, he must have shifted.

I let my hand roam down his side, feeling each rope of muscle.

"Aren't you repulsed?" He watched me with uncertainty. "Women look away when they see it up close. They make me feel like a monster."

I took his face in my hands. "You're not a monster. You're Archer Swift, the man who saved my life. You're my protector."

Archer cupped my nape and pulled me into a feverish kiss. I tasted his salty tears and desire, his tongue sliding against mine as he moaned into my mouth .

After breaking away, I stood on my feet.

Archer leaned in and kissed my thigh. "Is this all you wore to bed? My shirt?" After standing, he ran his hand up my thigh, beneath the white tee, then groaned. "Where are your panties, Cici?"

The underwear Robyn had left me was too tight to sleep in, so I'd gone without.

No regrets.

Not a one.

I panted at the illicit feel of his hand on my bare hip, my body aflame at his touch.

"Is this okay?" he asked, his fingers grazing across my lower back.

"Yes," I breathed.

Archer kissed me softly on the mouth. "Tell me when it's not. We'll stop. We don't even have to go any further."

The rain might have soaked Archer, but I was drenched in desire. "I want this," I said, leaving no doubt. "Can we…?"

His hand memorized the curve of my bottom and my lower thigh. "Can we what?"

I wrapped my arms around his neck, my lips to his ear. "Can we talk like we did that night?"

He kissed my neck, sending a jolt of desire down my spine. "Maybe we should take things slow. I don't want to say anything that might…"

Archer was clearly worried that the dirty talk would trigger me, but I wanted this to be authentically us. He was the only man I felt safe with, and I wanted to erase every memory of Noah.

"Please," I whispered in his ear. "I need it."

When his deep kisses slowed at the crook of my neck, my pulse quickened and my teeth grazed his shoulder.

"I like you telling me what you want," he growled.

"I just have one rule. "

Archer drew back and locked eyes with me. "Name it."

"Don't call me ‘baby,' and don't ever tell me I'm a good girl."

He furrowed his brow. I could explain it later, but for now, I didn't want to invite Noah's preferences into the bedroom.

Gazing up at him, I asked, "What are your boundaries?"

By the twitch of his eyebrows, I gathered no one had ever asked him that before.

"Don't kiss my arm."

"Okay."

Archer hooked his right arm around my waist and hoisted me into the air. Then he set me on the table and kicked the chairs aside. Wedging himself between my thighs, he licked his lips. "So… are you my bad girl?"

"Yes."

The length of his shaft stroked my sex, and I leaned back on my hands.

The feral look in his eyes made me quiver with anticipation.

Archer leaned in and brushed his lips against mine. "You have no idea what you do to me."

I bit his lower lip, enjoying the softness of his mouth and his willingness to please.

"Mmm." He kissed me ravenously but drew back slightly as if he might break the kiss at any moment.

It drove me wild.

When the furniture legs creaked beneath me, I panicked. "Archer, I'm going to break the table."

He cupped the apex of my thighs and gave it a soft touch. "Stand up. And whatever you do, don't get wet."

His words weren't commands but promises. I stood and laved his nipple with my tongue before scraping my teeth over it.

Archer hissed, his hard erection twitching in response.

"What are you going to do to me?" I asked.

He palmed my breast over the white T-shirt. "I'm going to slowly bend you over the table, Cici. Then I'm going to lift this T-shirt over your hips. You should have worn panties."

My gaze traveled down his washboard abs and V-cut. "Touch yourself."

Archer drew in a swift intake of air. "Is that what you want?"

I nodded, my eyes skating down to his long, beautiful length.

He circled his palm over the head, eyes hooded. I felt embarrassed watching something so intimate, yet I couldn't strip my eyes away. What made me uncomfortable was him watching my reaction.

"Close your eyes," I said quietly.

He complied, his hand sliding up and down his hard shaft, the tip glistening.

When I reached out and caressed his jewels, Archer grunted as if he were in pain and froze like a glorious statue.

"Don't stop," I pleaded, teasing his inner thigh. "I love watching you."

I delighted in the way his body felt both hard and soft all at once. Noah never let me touch him like this, let alone give him commands.

Archer's eyes popped open, and he dipped his chin. "Lift your shirt. I need to look at you."

I backed up and raised my shirt, exposing my naked body. Archer had never seen my breasts before, and I was nervous they might not live up to his expectations.

He raked his teeth over his bottom lip. "You're beautiful." He pumped harder, and his restrained desire made me ache for him.

I let the shirt drop and turned slowly. "What do you want me to do?"

"Bend over."

I rested my forearms on the table, legs together. The sound of him masturbating made me sway my hips left and right .

" Fuck , Cici." His sharp groan reminded me how much wolves loved a woman turning her back to them in bed.

I widened my stance, my hips still swaying. Then I reached over my shoulder and tugged my shirt up from the back. I'd never felt more exposed, but being with Archer made me feel empowered and wild. I lost my inhibitions in the level of control he gave me.

"Are you wet?" he asked.

I gave him a hot look over my shoulder. "Touch me and see."

When I felt his hot length slide against my slick seam, I unleashed a moan.

"Oh, Cici. Your pussy is so ready for me."

I closed my legs, trapping him. Archer put his hand on my back, his hips pistoning in a demanding tempo as he stroked my sex without penetration. When I whimpered, he broke contact.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

I stood and faced him. As soon as my arms locked around his neck, I branded him with a claiming kiss.

Archer ensnared my waist, lifting me off my feet as he walked into the bedroom. He held me with incredible ease, demonstrating his power.

"You shouldn't have gotten so wet." His voice was raw with need as he walked me to the bed.

I fell onto the mattress, my eyes feasting on the thorny tattoo encircling his neck, the cut of his sculpted abs, and the deliberate way he licked his lips when his eyes roamed down the length of my body.

Archer knelt and generously kissed the bend of my knees, the supple skin of my thighs, the curve of my hips, traveling a slow path across the hills and valleys of my body. Every inch of my skin was marked with the tenderness of his kiss and the gentle touch of his hand .

What had begun as a wildfire reduced to a simmering heat that burned even hotter.

I closed my eyes and absorbed the impact of his reverent kisses, which coalesced into one decadent kiss that pressed to my soul.

When his lips met mine, a dark hunger consumed me from the inside out. The familiar taste of him, the soft bristles of his undercut against my fingertips, the weight of him settling on my body, the thrust of his hips, the blissful penetration that went deep, the urgency unraveling between us.

A current of possession rose in his tone as he rocked his hips slowly. " Mine. "

I felt that claim in my bones like a truth that had always existed.

When he turned onto his right side and faced me, I hooked my leg over his hip, and he fell into a sweet rhythm. Archer's muscular legs left no doubt of his stamina. His sun-kissed body was glistening, warm, and sculpted like a statue.

As I gripped his left shoulder, a hot flash came over me when my animal awakened for the first time in months. Her raw power and wild nature pushed against my entire being. I flicked my eyes up to Archer's in surprise.

His tender gaze was so unexpected that my heart clenched.

Archer wasn't fucking me anymore; he was making love.

The longer I stared into his sweet brown eyes, the deeper our connection became. A needy ache grew in my core with every stroke, the slick friction driving me toward my climax. Archer was leading me instead of riding me.

I reached between us and let my fingers graze his velvety flesh.

His reaction was swift and powerful as he pounded into me. Archer rolled me onto my back, and I hooked my right leg over his shoulder. Once he braced himself, he slowed his strokes.

Then he leaned down for just a moment and kissed me. " You're so perfect," he whispered against my lips. His thrusts slowed until I felt each one with enough hypersensitivity to send me over the edge.

Archer's fervent gaze lingered on my breasts. He worshipped me with a single glance that warmed my heart. Knowing he couldn't touch them with his weight bearing down on his right arm, I circled my fingers around my left nipple until it hardened.

"You shouldn't tease me like that," he warned.

"What are you going to do about it? Punish me?"

Something flickered in his expression. "Yeah, Cici. I'm gonna punish my bad girl. Are you ready?"

"Yes."

Then he pulled out, scooted off the bed, and gave me a mischievous grin.

Accepting the challenge, I casually swung my legs over the bed and walked toward the living room. "I think I'll get some pie."

Archer seized my wrist and yanked me against him. We laughed as I hooked my arms around his neck.

"You have a great laugh," he said to me.

I ran my hands down his chest and around to his perfectly shaped rear end. "And you have a great… big … ego!"

When he jerked his head back, I squealed and darted out of the room.

Archer caught me in the living room, hooked his arm around me, and met my eyes. "Is that so?" He walked me backward. "How's this for an ego: I'm going to make you come so hard you won't be able to move."

A warmth radiated through my body, and that spark of humor became electric when he kissed me. His tongue masterfully stroked mine, going deeper as he lay on top of me on the sofa.

Archer was inside me before the kiss broke, and the energy between us was twofold .

I scattered pink pillows to the floor to make room for my arms. A rising tide of passion carried us away, and I edged closer to climax. As if sensing it, Archer quickened his pace.

" Archer ," I whimpered. "I need to be on top."

"Tell me why." He slowed to a stop.

A blush heated my face. "Because…"

Kissing my chin, he whispered, "Say it."

I clenched my sex. "Because I want to ride the wolf."

He kissed my lips. "Naughty, naughty."

After sucking on my breasts, he caressed my cheek and then got up. Archer sat on the floor with his back against the couch. He stretched his arm over the cushion and tipped his head to the side, his lips still swollen from my kiss.

Staring at his large, beautiful erection, I swallowed my fear of taking control.

"Climb on top of me, Cici. Spread those pretty legs and do bad things."

I straddled him, letting his eyes roam up my body. I wondered if my instincts had to do with my animal, but my boundless energy was wasted lying on my back.

When I knelt, I gripped his shaft and positioned it. His eyebrows gathered wolfishly in the middle as if he was concentrating.

My lips softly touched his, the taste of his passion like a decadent fruit. "I'm going to ride you fast and hard. Can you hold out?"

He gave me a cocky grin. "I never come this way. Remember how we did it the first time? When I bent you over and parted your legs? That's the way my wolf likes it. That's what I'm going to do to you when your legs can't ride me anymore."

I slowly eased down, taking him in. Archer grunted, revealing that his cocky demeanor was only a fa?ade. Anchoring my arms on his shoulders, I rose up and sank back down, the plush rug padding my knees. Once I memorized his length, knowing how high I could go without losing him, I found a rhythm and maintained it.

Archer's tongue brushed across my sensitive nipple every so often, but my breasts were bouncing with the movement of my body, making it difficult for him to latch on.

The hair on my neck stood on end as my animal pulsed beneath my skin, and I could feel her raw power pushing me.

My body flushed all over as I rode him.

Oh God… it's better this way.

Our skin slapped together, and a sheen of sweat covered his brow.

I never thought it could feel this good. Why does he do this to me? Don't stop. I'm burning up. If he says one word, I might lose it. Keep going, keep going.

Even during sex, my brain wouldn't shut up.

" Fuck ," he groaned, his fingers biting into my hip.

Archer's breath hitched, and he held it a few seconds before releasing a forced sigh. He did that repeatedly.

It was as if I could hear his heartbeat inside me, and it sounded like a gallop. I threw my head back, picking up the tempo just a fraction.

His rough hand squeezed my breast. "You need to stop."

"Why?"

"I can't—" Desire rumbled in his chest. "I can't hold out the way you keep riding me." He threw his head back and bit his lip. "Fuck, Cici, your tits in my face ain't helping."

Touching his smooth jaw, I ran my hand down his neck and defined pecs. His taut muscles were hard to the touch—so much power. He smelled of rainwater, and a pink hue covered his chest and cheeks.

I wish I had met you first .

I felt myself racing faster—edging close. The tingles between my legs were coaxing me on as his hand gripped my waist.

"Stop. Stop ." Archer clutched my shoulder to hold me still.

I blinked out of the fog I was in and saw his worried expression. "Why?"

He touched my cheek. "You're crying."

I felt the salty tears on my fingertips and then pressed them to his lips.

"What's wrong?" he asked, and those words squeezed my heart.

After catching my breath, I answered, "Nothing. Absolutely nothing. I'm happy, Archer. I'm just so happy."

I wanted to tell him that I felt myself falling in love with him, but he wouldn't understand. He was a wolf, and I was not.

My mare had awoken, and she was leading me to him. An indescribable connection tethered me to this man I barely knew, and yet he knew me better than anyone. His expressive nature revealed his emotions, and I never sensed anger or disdain. I only saw a good man who cared about a girl enough to ask her what was wrong.

So I leaned in and kissed him like I'd never kissed anyone before.

Like he was made for me.

Like he was the only man I'd ever kiss again.

Archer's kiss reciprocated everything I felt in that moment. His arm curved around my back and pulled me tight. When his lips moved away, they traveled to the crook of my neck.

As he worked his way to the other side, desire washed over me once again, and I was drowning in the current.

"Stand up," he breathed against my neck.

"Why?"

His tongue glided up my throat. "Because I'm going to lick your pearl. "

I wasn't sure how I got to my feet so fast, but I could have won a medal. Archer's tongue swiped over my sex, and he made good on his promise.

I gripped his hair, my legs parting as his fingertips penetrated me just at the entrance—teasing me, stroking me. An anguished moan slipped out when he sucked hard. My legs trembled, and the next thing I knew, Archer threw me over his shoulder as he got up and carried me back to the bed.

As soon as I bounced onto the mattress, he covered me like a weighted blanket. His breath skated across my skin, and a delicious sheen of perspiration created friction everywhere we touched as he penetrated me once again.

I never wanted him to stop.

A thunderclap rocked the house, and I shrieked. Archer pumped his hips, pounding into me as hard as the rain beat against the roof. I relaxed my thighs, widening them as a sensation rushed over me that I'd never felt outside of my heat cycle.

"Archer…."

Thunder crashed again, and the lights popped out.

"Don't stop," I urged him. "Don't stop."

The sharp pulses hit me first, and I gasped as our desperate efforts to reach that highest peak culminated in one heavenly release.

Archer pounded even faster, the sound of our skin slapping together competing with the storm raging outside. "Oh fuck, Cici. Fuck! "

I gripped his neck tight, riding out the biting contractions of my release, which seemed never-ending. Despite the darkness, I saw stars twinkling in the room.

He sucked in a sharp breath as his shallow pumps teased out the rest of his orgasm.

Still hard, he didn't stop until he drew out another from me. " You're a bad girl, Cici." Panting, he pulled out and stroked his fingers between my legs. "Give me another one."

I clenched my legs, my muscles locking as my orgasm kept hitting me in waves. Then I finally relaxed, breathing hard and listening to the torrential rain that I hadn't noticed until thirty seconds ago.

Archer rocked with laughter.

"What's so funny?"

Breathing heavily, he moved about the mattress. "I don't think I've ever knocked the power out before."

"Who says it was all you?"

He chuckled before entering the bathroom and rummaging through the cabinets. A second later, he lit a candle, then three more. "Come on, sweetheart. Let's take a quick shower."

"Together?"

Add that to my list of things I've never done.

"Do you have a better idea?" he asked. "Together is the best way."

"Why not a bath?"

He gave me a sharp look from where he stood gloriously naked in the doorway. "I like the way you think."