Chapter 9 - Justin

I'm usually the one giving orders, but here with Callie, pressed against her door, I'm more than happy to follow her lead. The kiss lingers, a sweet collision of lips and desire, as if neither of us wants to let go of this moment. It's a struggle to keep my hands from slipping under her shirt. I'm aching to touch her, to feel her skin beneath my fingertips, but I don't want to scare her off. I want to take my time with her, to explore every inch of her body until she's putty in my hands.

When I bring my hands to cup her ass, she lets out a soft moan, and I hoist her up into my arms. Her legs wrap around my waist, and her mouth is on mine, kissing me hungrily. The feel of her against me is electric, and I can't control myself.

"Fuck, Callie," I breathe, breaking the kiss long enough to get the words out.

Her eyes flutter open, and her brown gaze locks with mine. There's a wildfire burning in her eyes, a spark of lust that makes my head spin. She giggles and pushes herself against me, and all I want to do is carry her inside and ravage her on the spot. But when I reach for the door handle, she shakes her head and grabs my hand.

"Wait," she gasps.

"What's wrong?" I ask, suddenly worried that I'm moving too fast.

"I don't think... we shouldn't..." she stammers, and as much as it pains me, I place her back on the ground. I'm not about to pressure her into anything she's not ready for, no matter how much my body is screaming at me to keep going.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to... to kiss you," she says, and my heart sinks.

"No, no, you don't have to apologize. I shouldn't have been so forward. I just couldn't help myself."

"No, no, that's not what I meant," she insists. "I was going to invite you in, but I'm worried it's not a good idea. If we go inside, I know where this is going, and... and..."

"And what?" I ask, reaching for her hand.

She shakes her head. "I haven't been with a man in a long time, and the last time I was, it didn't end very well. I don't want to rush into anything without thinking about it."

I study her expression, and even though the uncertainty there is plain as day, so is the lust. More than anything, what I think she needs is a release. All that tension and stress needs to go somewhere. Callie deserves to feel good, to let go and focus on pleasure instead of fear. And I want to be the one to give her that pleasure. I need to be the one to make her feel it. Maybe I can do that without crossing that threshold of her home or stepping over that line that she isn't ready to cross...

Her pulse point on her neck is pounding, and I'm drawn to the rhythm. When I lean down and press my lips against her soft skin, her breath catches in her throat. Her entire body tenses, but she doesn't stop me.

"I'm going to take care of you, Callie," I whisper into her ear. "I'm going to make you feel things you've never imagined, and if you want me to stop at any point, you tell me to stop. Do you understand? You're in control."

"Justin," she breathes, her voice trembling.

I trail my lips down her collarbone. "Do you understand?" I repeat, my voice firm.

"Yes, yes," she whispers. "I understand."

"Good," I reply, running my hand over her hips.

Her cleavage is right in front of me, and I can't resist the urge to kiss the valley between her breasts. She moans and leans back, and her fingers tug at my hair, pulling me closer, but I keep descending until I'm kneeling in front of her. As I kiss her thighs, I lift the hem of her dress up, revealing her black underwear. The scent of her arousal fills my nose, and when she drapes her knee over my shoulder, I nuzzle against her panties.

"Oh, God," she gasps.

My lips graze against her through the fabric, and I can feel her wetness soaking through the thin material. I can't wait to get my mouth on her, to taste her sweetness and make her moan my name. She's so worked up, and all I want to do is please her.

Using my index finger, I brush the fabric aside, and my mouth immediately finds her clit. Her hips buck against my face, and her grip tightens in my hair. The more she pulls, the harder I kiss her, teasing her, tormenting her, and making her moan. She tastes so fucking good, and I can't get enough.

As she rides my face, her movements are clumsy and desperate. I can feel her getting closer and closer to her release, and her moans only spur me on. My erection strains against the zipper of my jeans, aching for release, but this isn't about me. This is about making her feel good, about bringing her pleasure.

"Justin!" she cries out, her voice strained.

My name sounds so fucking sexy on her lips, and it makes me feel like a damn king. My fingers dig into her hips, keeping her pinned against the door. She grinds against my face, and the wetness spilling from her pussy is so fucking intoxicating.

"Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God," she gasps, and her movements become erratic.

I suck her clit between my lips, flicking it with my tongue, and she falls over the edge with a strangled cry. Her fingers loosen their grip, and her body shudders, overcome with pleasure. As she comes down from her high, she slumps against the door, her chest heaving. I move away and rise to my feet, and when her brown eyes meet mine, she flashes me a satisfied smirk.

"Jesus," she breathes, "that was..."

"I'm glad you liked it," I say, grinning from ear to ear.

"You can... come in if you'd like to finish what we started," she says, trailing her hand down the buttons of my shirt.

There's literally nothing I would love more than to take her up on that offer. My balls are aching with need, and my dick is throbbing. The thought of following her inside her house and laying her down on her bed is nearly enough to make me come in my pants.

But as much as I want to say yes, the voice of reason kicks in, and I resist the urge to give in. Callie's in a vulnerable state, and she made it crystal-clear that she's not ready to take the next step. I don't want to take advantage of her current state. I get the feeling more than a few people have taken advantage of her over the course of her life, and I'm not interested in adding my name to that list. I want to protect her, to look after her. And tonight, that means protecting her from myself.

"Callie, I wish I could," I murmur, placing a soft kiss on her forehead. "I really, really wish I could. But tonight's not the night.” I step back, putting a little distance between us.

There's a twinge of disappointment in her eyes, but she nods. "I understand. Thank you for... for walking me home, Justin."

"Thank you for letting me," I reply, offering her a small smile.

It takes every ounce of willpower in my body to turn away from her and leave, but I manage. I walk down the front path, and I can't help but steal a glance at her front door as she closes it behind her. The ache in my groin is unbearable, and I'm going to regret this decision in the morning, but it's the right thing to do.

The night air offers little solace to the heat still pulsing through my veins. While I consider just heading home, I know that I need something to distract me. Otherwise, I'm just going to end up back here on Callie's doorstep in a few hours. So, with a sigh, I turn toward the Wolf's Den. It's becoming something of a headquarters for our pack, and some time with the guys at the bar will do me good right now.

When I arrive at the Den, the scent of liquor and cigarette smoke greets me as soon as I open the door. My friends and pack mates, Fisher and David, are already engrossed in a game of pool, but they call out a greeting as I approach.

"Hey, Justin!" Fisher calls, grinning as he sips his beer. "You're just in time to settle a bet."

"Oh?" I reply, leaning against the bar.

David places the tip of his pool cue against his shoulder and gestures to his opponent. "This jackass says that it's impossible to get a shot in with this line-up. If anybody can do it, it's you. So, prove him wrong."

I smirk. "All right, then. Let's do it."

I pick up the pool cue and lean over the table, lining up my shot. The cue ball rolls across the surface, striking the one ball, which knocks in the three ball and the five ball.

Fisher and David let out a cheer.

"You were saying?" I ask the other guy, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," he replies, though his voice is full of admiration.

I shake my head and set the cue down, making my way back to the bar. David and Fisher join me, each buying me a shot of top-shelf whiskey, and we toast to my successful shot.

The duo settles in beside me, and I'm only half-listening as they begin their typical debate about whether the Eagles are better than the Cowboys. Fisher has no qualms about expressing his disdain for the Eagles' recent performance, but David argues that the Eagles have a good chance of making the playoffs.

"Dude, don't even start with that bullshit," Fisher snaps.

"How is it bullshit? They're going to win," David retorts.

"If you say so."

At some point, the conversation shifts to their wives, Elisabeth and Samantha. Fisher boasts about Elisabeth's latest achievements at work, while David grins proudly as he recounts Samantha's recent cooking experiments. I'd be lying if I said I didn't envy what they have. It seems most of the men in our pack have found their mates, and while I'm thrilled for them, it also makes me wonder what my future holds.

I wouldn't say I'm a commitment-phobe. To be honest, I've wanted to settle down for a while now. I just haven't met anyone who caught my eye yet. The women I've dated have been the usual type: pretty, blond, and eager to please. But none of that makes them stand out enough to bring home to Mom.

Callie is the first person I've met who intrigues me. She's different, and I like that. But she's also still holding back, and I don't know why. I feel like she's got some issues, but the more I get to know her, the more I want to help her work through them.

As my mind wanders, the others continue their conversation, but the sound of their voices drifts away as they fade into the background. My thoughts are consumed by images of Callie. Her laugh, her smile, her lips on mine. I consider bringing her up and asking the guys for some advice. But it's all so new, and I'm not sure I'm ready to share that part of my life with anyone just yet.

So instead, I finish my drink and zone out until Ram, our alpha, walks through the door. It's occurred to me a couple of times to mention those two shifters who messed with Callie in the diner. I don't know what their beef is with her, but based on the way they were behaving, they could spell trouble. The last thing we need is other shifters making problems in town.

When Ram sits down next to me, I decide to fill him in. On most of it, anyway. There are some parts that he doesn't need to know.

"Hey, Ram," I begin, leaning in slightly to speak more privately. "There's something I wanted to mention to you."

"Long time no see, Justin. What's going on?"

"I spotted a couple of new faces in town today," I say. "They were giving some trouble to a local girl at the diner by my store."

"Shifters?" he asks, keeping his voice low.

I nod. "Yeah, they had that look about them. Gave off that vibe, you know?"

Ram's lips tighten into a thin line, and I can see the gears turning in his head. "I'll have somebody keep an eye on things. Thanks for the heads-up, Justin."

I give him a curt nod in return, then take a swig of my drink, letting the conversation come to a natural close. I could tell him about Callie, but I decide to hold off for now. She may be involved somehow, but she hasn't caused any issues yet, and I'm not going to cause any for her. From where I'm standing, she has enough of those.

That couple at the diner may just be passing through, but something tells me they're trouble waiting to happen. And if they decide to cause trouble, it's going to be up to me and the rest of the pack to put a stop to it.