Page 19 of Mysterious Mate

For a moment, he said nothing. Then he set his coffee cup down and looked at her, really looked at her. “Because I’m a member of the Resistance, and you provided us with valuable intel.”

What was the old saying, ‘in for a penny, in for a pound?’

“Do you care about me at all as a person?”

“More than I should.”

That stopped her dead in her tracks. She wasn’t sure what she’d been expecting, but that wasn’t it. Her heart skipped a beat and then she pushed forward. “Then why do you keep pushing me away?”

“Because I have to,” he said, his voice rough. “If I let myself get too close, I might not be able to do my job. And if something happens to you because of that, I wouldn’t be able to live with myself.”

She took a step towards him, her eyes searching his. “But what if nothing happens? What if we’re safe here, and we’re just wasting time?”

He reached out, his fingers brushing her cheek. “We can’t take that risk.”

She leaned into his touch, her eyes closing briefly. “I don’t want to be safe, Cage. I want to be with you.”

He let out a shuddering breath, his hand dropping to his side. “Willow…”

But she didn’t let him finish. She stepped closer, her body pressing against his, and tilted her head up to kiss him. For a moment, he was still, and she feared he would pull away. But then his arms came around her, and he kissed her back, his lips hungry and demanding.

This wasn’t a kiss like any she’d felt before. Those had been awkward, fumbling movements with tongues and mouths and had done nothing to kindle her desire, but this wasn’t that. This was seductive and dominant. His tongue traced the seam of her mouth, surging in as soon as her lips parted, sliding in, over and around, dancing with hers as if they’d been kissing for years. His hand came up, tangling in her hair, fisting it so he could angle her head where he wanted it.

The world seemed to fall away as they kissed, all her fears and doubts melting in the heat of his embrace. She’d wanted this for so long, and now that she had it, she never wanted to let go.

When they finally broke apart, both of them were breathing heavily. Cage’s eyes were dark with desire, and she could see the struggle within him.

“We shouldn’t…” he began, but she cut him off with another kiss, pressing her lips against his, exploring his mouth and her own arousal as he took over once more, commanding her response.

“Don’t think,” she whispered against his lips. “Just feel.”

He groaned, pulling her closer. She may not have battered down his defenses, but she’d made the first breach through those walls. This might be only the beginning, but Willow was determined to press forward and not let him retreat. It might not be much, but it was enough. For now, it was enough.

CHAPTER 11

CAGE

Cage started to give in. The need to be with her, to claim her as his own was unbearable and almost overwhelming. Willow might think she knew what she wanted, but there was so much about him—who he was, what he was—that she didn’t know, couldn’t know. Willow moaned and pressed her soft curves against the hard planes of his body. She fit like she’d been made for him. Would her pussy accommodate his size? Could she deal with a bear in full rut? Bear-shifters were known to be almost insatiable when they first claimed a mate, wanting to keep them all to themselves and being willing to kill anyone who tried to interfere. Females often left the ‘den’ after the rut barely able to walk. The human part of his brain told him he should feel ashamed of that; the bear within roared in approval and anticipation.

He tasted her lips one more time, whispering kisses along her jaw and down her throat, nuzzling her and rumbling seductively. Cage had no doubt Willow would have surrendered herself willingly to him. His cock stiffened and pressed hard against the fly of his trousers, throbbing against her belly. The scent of her arousal was intoxicating, and he wanted to get drunk on her and never get sober again.

“Cage,” she moaned, rubbing herself against him.

“Sir?” asked Harris on the other side of the gate.

Cage broke off the kiss, setting Willow away from him, shaking his head as if to dislodge all thoughts of his need for her and focusing instead on keeping her safe.

“Harris?”

“You asked me to summon the two of you when foood was ready. It is.”

Willow started to say something—scathing he was sure—and he covered her mouth. She bit down on his hand, and he swatted her backside with the other one. She yelped and released the hand she’d held between her teeth. He pressed her into the wall, keeping her mouth covered.

“Thank you, Harris. I’ll escort Ms. Carlyle up to her room to get dressed and we’ll be in the dining room within half an hour.”

“I’ll let the cook know.”

They listened as Harris walked away.

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