Page 55 of Protected By Her Mate

I hunker down on the fire escape, listening to the patter of raindrops hitting the metal around me. The rain doesn’t bother my wolf with his thick fur. Occasionally I hear Charlie and Luke’s voices as they go through their bedtime routine, then silence falls as they both settle into their beds.

I close my eyes and match my breathing to Charlie’s, but rather than fall asleep, she rolls restlessly in her bed. I try to dip into her thoughts, but again, they’re fuzzy, as though I’m trying to see them through a veil.

Lennox.

I lift my head, completely alert. She’s removed the veil and is calling to me.

Yes, Charlie?

Come to me, she demands.

You know I can’t. My thought is met with a growl from my wolf who wants to obey her summons.

I want to feel you against me. Just for a moment, so I have the memory when we… when we can no longer…

She doesn’t finish, but she doesn’t need to.Every time I touch you, our bond cements. If we continue down this path, there might be no turning back. I can’t allow you to compromise yourself this way.

My heart is already compromised,she argues.

We can’t, I say simply.I will protect you from this.

She falls silent and I mourn the loss of her voice, though I’m glad she’s choosing the logical path. Every time we see each other, our bond will grow and eventually it’ll drive her insane to be parted from me.

“You think a lot of yourself, don’t you?”

I swing my head around. How had she managed to sneak out onto the fire escape without me noticing?

“Magic,” she says with a smile.

She’s standing next to her bedroom window on the opposite side of the fire escape from me, a thin robe covering her body. The rain drenches her, making the robe cling to her. Her dark hair is plastered to her head.

She makes her way carefully to me, wincing as the metal bites into her bare foot. “Come inside, Lennox.”

I shift to my human and her eyes follow my body upward as I grow instantly taller. “I can’t,” I tell her. I will protect her, even from herself.

Her dark eyes glow with warmth. “I trust you to protect both of us, but I need you. Even if it’s just this one time. Even if we can’t do it again.”

“It’ll make things worse for you.” And for me, but I don’t say it out loud.

“I don’t care,” she whispers, reaching up to touch my face, cupping my cheek, brushing her fingers across the bristles.

I should’ve shaved.

“I like it like this.”

I lift her against me, groaning as she wraps her legs around my hips. Her heat is an inferno that consumes me as soon as it touches me. She drags my head down to hers, touching my forehead with hers. “God help us, Lennox. I need this.Weneed this. Tomorrow, we can pretend it didn’t happen, but please give us tonight.”

Tomorrow feels an eternity away and the temptation of my mate is too much to resist.

“I’m yours for tonight,” I tell her, then take her lips.

I hold her against me with one arm and tear at her robe with the other, dragging the belt open and yanking the two halves aside. My hand encounters soft fabric. I break our kiss, lean back and look down at her.

She’s wearing a tiny black silk nightie that cups her breasts, lifting them up in a feast for my senses. The fabric, wet from the rain, outlines her peaked nipples. I dip my head, sucking her nipple into my mouth through the silk.

She groans, her hands sliding into my hair, holding me against her.

I slip my hand under her robe where I find no panties to stop my seeking fingers. Digging my fingers into her bare ass cheeks, I lower her to my cock where it strains to meet her slick core.

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