Chapter 67

Chapter 67

“Are you still mad at me?” came the question that had Kale biting back a smile as Ashley hopped up onto the kitchen table with a heartfelt sigh.

“Yes,” Kale said, placing his iPad back in his backpack before reaching for the small black box that he’d asked Jacob to get for him. As he ran his thumb over the smooth cover, he couldn’t help but wonder if he was really going to do this.

“Would it help if I told you that I love you?” Ashley asked with a hopeful smile as he told himself that he was doing the right thing.

He should take her to a compound where she would be safe, but…

He couldn’t risk it no matter how many times he told himself that she would be safe there. Kale didn’t trust them. Not with Ashley. It didn’t matter that it would only be for a few days, he wouldn’t be able to focus on what he needed to do if he had to worry about her. At least this way, he knew where she was, Kale thought as he sat back in his chair so that she could settle more comfortably on the table in front of him.

“I’ve decided to help you,” she announced with a long-suffering sigh that had his lips twitching as he absently turned the small box over in his hand.

“Have you?” Kale murmured, placing his other hand on the soft curve of her belly and felt all the tension in his body disappear.

“I have,” Ashley said, nodding solemnly.

“And how exactly are you going to do that?” he asked on a soft groan when she leaned down and brushed her lips against his.

“By marking you,” Ashley said, smiling against his lips as she carefully climbed off the table and onto his lap.

“And why would you do that?” Kale asked as she brushed her lips against his again.

“So that everyone knows just how much I love you,” Ashley said with a firm nod as she gestured for him to get on with it, making his lips twitch.

“Need help?” he asked teasingly.

When she nodded, Kale released a long-suffering sigh as he gently cupped the back of her head and pulled her closer as he turned his head away, exposing his throat to her and-

“What are you doing?”

-fucking sighed.

“Making this easier for you,” Kale said, surprised by just how badly he wanted her to bite him. Just the thought of her small fangs sliding into his neck had his cock hardening.

“This doesn’t feel easier,” Ashley mumbled against his neck, making his lips twitch.

“Just sink those pretty little fangs in my neck,” Kale said, once again waiting for her to get on with it.

“You’re not really helping,” Ashley muttered against his neck.

“Then what would help?” Kale asked, pulling back so that he could glare at his beautiful mate.

“Being able to write my name in permanent marker instead?” she asked, sounding really fucking hopeful.

“Would it help if I told you that I love you?” Kale asked as he gently caressed her back.

“That would probably make this easier,” Ashley grumbled, once again gesturing for him to get on with it.

“Nervous?” he asked, unable to help but smile as he caressed the soft swell of her belly.

“You could say that,” she said, rewarding him with a kiss.

“Would it help if I distracted you?” Kale asked, praying that he didn’t screw this up.

“It probably wouldn’t hurt,” Ashley mumbled absently, frowning as she watched him hold up the small black box that had taken him several favors and a small fortune to get his hands on, only to whisper, “Oh, my god,” when he opened it, revealing a diamond ring set between two emeralds.

“You didn’t really think that I forgot that you promised to marry me, did you?” Kale asked, watching her bottom lip tremble as he took the ring out of the box and slowly slid it on her finger.

“You’re really going to marry me?” Ashley asked, her voice cracking with emotion as the first tear rolled down her beautiful face.

“God, yes,” Kale whispered reverently as he leaned in and kissed her.

“I love you so much,” Ashley said, wrapping her arms around him.

“Enough to spend the rest of your life with me?”

“More than enough,” Ashley whispered against his lips as she reached for his shirt and pulled it free.

Keeping his gaze locked with hers, Kale reached back and grabbed hold of his shirt and pulled it off, tossing it aside before he wrapped his arms back around the woman that absolutely destroyed him. “You really have no idea how much I love you, do you?” Kale asked, his gaze softening as he watched her beautiful green eyes turn red as she cupped his face in her hands and pulled him down for a kiss.

“Show me.”

* * *

“Mo ghrá,”Kale whispered, his brogue sending shivers down her spine as he brushed his lips slowly against hers.

She never thought that she could love anyone as much as she loved him, never thought it was possible. He was an incredibly cranky shifter and he was all hers. Moaning softly, she dropped her head back when Kale’s mouth found her throat. God, she loved the way that he touched her, Ashley thought when she felt his fingertips trail a path down her sides before grabbing hold of her shirt, forcing her to break off the kiss so that she could help him pull it off. Before the shirt hit the floor, his mouth found hers again. Her arms wrapped around him as his hands cupped her bottom, pulling her closer until her nipples were brushing against his chest and she found herself pressed tightly against the large bulge straining against his pants.

His hands felt so good on her skin, Ashley thought when his hands found her bare thighs, his fingertips teased the edge of her cotton shorts as his mouth took hers in a slow, deep kiss that had her melting against him. She would never be able to get enough of him, she realized as his hands slid up her thighs and found her hips.

With one last kiss, Kale picked her up and placed her on the kitchen table, his mouth following the move as his lips found her belly. “Tá mo chroí istigh ionat,” he said softly against her stomach.

“That sounded beautiful,” Ashley said, smiling down at him as she ran her fingers through his hair. “What does it mean?”

“I was telling our little girl that I love her,” Kale said, smiling against her stomach.

“Aine,” Ashley said, watching as Kale went still before his silver gaze found hers. “Her name is Aine,” she said, smiling down at him as she watched his gaze soften.

“Aine,” Kale whispered reverently as he pressed his lips against her stomach one last time before he stood up, pausing to press a kiss between her breasts, on her throat, and her chin before his mouth found hers once again.

As his mouth took hers, his hands made their way to her shorts, sliding his fingers beneath the waistband and slowly pulled her shorts down along with her panties. Ashley raised herself so that he could pull them down over her hips, over her thighs, and pushed them down her legs, dropping them on the floor before reaching between her legs.

His fingertips traced her slit, teasing her into spreading her legs farther apart, desperate for his touch. Moaning softly, Ashley cupped his face in her hands as he slowly traced her slit with a single fingertip, his finger sliding deeper with every caress until he found her clit, causing her breath to catch in her throat as he took his time teasing her. For several minutes, he continued tracing her clit with his fingertip until she couldn’t take it anymore and covered his hand with hers.

“Is this what you need, mo ghrá?” Kale asked, his brogue becoming thicker as he slowly slid his finger inside her.

“Yes,” Ashley whispered, pulling his finger back and adding a second one as he leaned down and kissed her, giving her no choice but to lie down on the kitchen table.

He brushed his lips against hers one last time before pressing his lips against her throat. His hand continued moving between her legs while she ran her fingers through his hair, moaning his name as he kissed his way down to her breast, licking and kissing a path until his mouth found her nipple. He took her nipple between his lips, gently suckling and teasing it with his tongue before releasing it and continued to kiss his way down her stomach as he sat down.

His eyes met hers as he kissed a path down to her thigh, his fingers continued moving between her legs. Keeping his eyes locked with hers, Kale slid his fingers in her one last time before he pulled his hand away, only to make her moan when he replaced his fingers with his mouth. With a groan, Kale slid his tongue inside her, licking her as he reached down and pulled his belt loose.

She watched as the muscles in his shoulder and arm worked as he unsnapped his pants and pulled his zipper down, making her moan when she felt his tongue tease her, flicking over her clit before sliding back inside her.

“Kale,” Ashley whispered, moaning as she ran her fingers through his hair as Kale took his time licking her, his tongue alternating between sliding inside her and teasing her clit, only to pull back and trace between her slit, driving her crazy.

Her back arched off the table as he slid his tongue back inside her, making her gasp as he slowly took her with his mouth. It felt so good, Ashley thought as Kale’s hands found her breasts. As his tongue teased her, his hands moved over her breasts, brushing his palms over her nipples before pulling his hands back and allowing her nipples to slide between his fingers. It felt so good, but she needed more.

She needed him.

Pulling her hands back, she slowly sat up, her gaze locking with his as everything turned red. She watched his eyes become brighter and his expression hungrier as he reached for her. As he pulled her back onto his lap, she wrapped her hand around the back of his neck and pulled him in for a kiss as her other hand wrapped around the large erection straining to get to her.

Kale took her mouth in a hungry kiss only to groan when she ran her hand over him, enjoying the feel of skin as soft and smooth as silk over the hard length of his cock. She slid her hand down his cock, giving the base a gentle squeeze before moving her hand back and cupped the thick tip in her hand. She loved the way it felt when he slid inside her, Ashley thought, running her thumb over the tip before she found herself picked up and-

“Oh, god…” made her moan when he settled her above his cock, the tip teasing her slit before he slowly lowered her, the large tip pushed inside her as she wrapped her arms around him, making her feel whole. There was no other way to describe the way that it felt when they made love. She felt complete when she was in his arms, like she was exactly where she belonged.

“Mo ghrá,” Kale groaned, his hands sliding over her thighs as she began moving, slowly rolling her hips as she wrapped her arms around him.

He felt so good, Ashley thought on a moan as she broke off the kiss and buried her face against his neck. Her breath caught in her throat when his hands found her bottom and gently squeezed as he guided her, helping her move on him as her lips brushed against his neck.

When her fangs slid down, she moved to send them back only…

It was time.

Pressing her lips against his neck, she slowly exhaled on a moan as she opened her mouth and-

“Oh, fuck!” Kale bit out on a groan when her fangs pushed into his neck.

When the first drop of his blood hit her tongue, she moaned. The second had her tightening her hold around him, desperate for more as she rolled her hips, needing more only to whimper when it wasn’t enough.

She needed more.

She needed-

This, Ashley thought, moaning when her back suddenly hit the kitchen wall. Her legs wrapped around Kale as he moved, taking her hard against the wall as she continued to moan against his neck, his blood becoming richer with every pull as he continued to move, groaning her name as pleasure had her gasping his. God, he felt so good, Ashley thought, pulling her mouth away from his neck with a moan as she licked her lips only to groan when Kale’s mouth found hers again. She felt Kale harden inside her, becoming thicker with every stroke, sending pleasure throughout her body as he groaned her name one last time before sending her over the edge.