Page 17 of The Scent of Seduction

Nicole spread her legs, so she straddled Jaryn’s hips as she rested on his chest. “He lives in San Francisco. Cameron flew the coop after high school and never looked back. We only see each other maybe once a year.”

“But you love him.”

“Of course. He’s my brother. Part of me is actually a little jealous. While I wanted to escape, I only made it as far as Madison—a mere three hours from home. He went clear across the country. All throughout college, I kept getting sucked into the vortex of family responsibility and he could live his life however he wanted. Never had to deal with feeling obligated to show up for holidays, or being called home for the weekend.”

“Have you contacted him since you got here? Does he know you’re still alive? What about your parents?”

Nicole shook her head. “I… What if I do and find out that they simply went on with their lives? I mean, I know when people die their loved ones live on, but what if… they’re happy?”

“Do you think your family loves you?”

“Yes. At least, they always told me so.”

“Then how can learning you’re still a part of this world be anything but a blessing to them? Call them, Nicole. We’ll do it through a secured line so Adam can’t trace the link.”

He weaved his hand through her hair and pulled her head down towards his. Their lips were only a fraction apart from each other. It was time. Time to finally taste his mate. Nicole’s head tilted. Her breath panted across his lips. Her green eyes darkened and for a moment Jaryn swore he saw an actual glow in their depths.

“Jaryn!” Shaun yelled through the door.

“We’re coming!” he yelled. He rocked his hips up against the juncture of Nicole’s legs. “Of that you can be sure… later.”

Nicole ground down on Jaryn’s cock, and he captured her hips in his hands. The scent of her arousal filled the air. Jaryn inhaled deeply, and his entire body tightened in response. Their mingling pheromones made Jaryn all but desperate to claim his mate. “Have mercy, woman,” he begged.

A sweet smiled graced Nicole’s face and there was a definite sparkle in her eyes, but one of a satisfied woman—not the otherworldly glow from a moment ago. God, it was amazing to look into her face and know that she belonged to him. That her heart beat for his, that their souls would link for all time. Jaryn reveled, knowing that never again would he be alone. He’d always have a home with Nicole, in her arms.

“Come on, baby, the pack’s waiting. We’ll continue this later tonight.”

Nicole climbed off him and Jaryn couldn’t stop his eyes from devouring her sweet little round ass encased in hip-hugging jeans. When she bent over to slip on her boots, Jaryn nearly tackled her to the floor. His wolf clawed with eagerness inside him.

I know—we’ve never been very good with patience.

Jaryn swung over to the side of Nicole’s bed and stood with reluctance. He adjusted his aching cock, then took Nicole’s hand. Raising it to his lips, he took a little lick at the pad of her palm, then clasped their hands together. He opened the door to Shaun’s annoyed face.

“It’s about time.”

“It’s not as though they’re going to leave before we get there.”

“It’s also not polite to keep them waiting in anticipation.”

“Anyone who has a mate will understand. Something I can’t wait to torment you with when you find yours.”

Shaun slapped Jaryn on the back of his shoulder as he and Nicole moved past him. “From your mouth to the heavens’ ears.”

The three of them climbed into Jaryn’s Jeep. Nicole sat beside him, and as soon as they were settled and secured, he reclaimed her hand once again. They made their way onto pack lands and he pointed out the turnoff for his parents’ house, as well as his own. They moved on and Jaryn smiled as Nicole’s head kept craning around to see more of the scenery. He’d taken her onto the land owned by the Phantom River pack several times since she’d been in town, but it was a source of pride that his mate appeared to appreciate the natural beauty of her new home.

They pulled up to the lodge, a multitude of vehicles outside the structure. The barn-like structure had lofty ceilings and an open interior. It had stood on the land for nearly a hundred years. When Jaryn’s dad had been Alpha, they’d used the building mostly for storage, but when Jaryn became Alpha he, along with Shaun’s help, had converted the building to act as a meeting place for the pack. Recently Jaryn had updated the full kitchen with modern appliances that members of the pack used to prepare and serve food at the meetings and other pack events. Threaded throughout the interior were small white lights that gave the large space a soft glow. Initially, the lights were meant to be used only for the grand opening, but everyone loved the atmosphere they created so much that the pack decided to keep them up year round.

The windmills scattered around the land generated power for the structure. Jaryn’s own home used a combination of wind and solar power to operate, as did many of the pack members’ homes.

He pulled in next to his dad’s brand new four wheel drive beast. Jaryn’s mom called it a testament to his dad’s mid-life crisis. Jaryn just called it cool. He took Nicole’s hand and led her to the entrance. He scented her anxiety and pulled her to a stop before opening the door.

“Go on in, Shaun. Give us a second.”

Shaun went inside and Jaryn pulled Nicole into his arms. “Everyone will love you. Relax and be yourself.”

Nicole’s arms circled Jaryn’s waist, and she nuzzled against his chest. It seemed to be her favorite spot, and Jaryn couldn’t find a single fault with that.

“Will I be able to do that after we’re mated?”

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