Page 101 of Protected By Her Mate

“Keep watching,” he demands, then shows me an image of myself, asleep in the hotel bed in Los Angeles, my limbs sprawled across the mattress. He tucks a blanket around me, brushing my hair off my face before sitting in the chair by the door, his eyes never leaving me. I feel his fear of what the curse could do to me, his determination to stay away from me, his gut-wrenching sadness at having to do so when all he wants is to be with me.

I sob at the pain and beauty of his thoughts, gripping his head, running my fingers gently through his hair as he makes his way down my torso, his lips dipping into my bellybutton.

“I’m here, Lennox,” I reassure him. “We’ll never have to be apart again.”

He groans against my stomach, the sound tormented. It was torture for him and his wolf to keep their distance when all they wanted was to pursue me, their mate.

I decide to show him my side of the story, taking him back to the first time I realized I was developing feelings for him. The firehouse, the breakfast he made for my colleagues, his good-natured response to their ribbing. That was the moment I realized I had found a good man who was interested in me. I was terrified.

I arch into him as he buries his face in the vee of my thighs, breathing in before unbuttoning my jeans and dragging them down my legs.

“Show me more,” he demands, dragging my legs over his broad shoulders and sinking face first into me, burying his tongue in my pussy.

“Oh god!” I arch my back into the bed and force my frozen brain to work, to give him what he wants, what he desperately needs. All of me, including my thoughts and memories.

I show him image after image of us working together, talking in my office, pouring over the ASHRA file, my respect for him growing with each day.

I show him the moment I realized I loved him. When we were at the zoo and he showed genuine interest and pleasure in spending time with my son. I saw a future for us. I saw him as a father and husband.

He pushes me toward my peak and the images speed up until they’re a blur mixing with his. I overload, a rainbow of colour exploding behind my eyelids as an orgasm shudders through me.

“Lennox!”

He rears up over me, shoving his trousers down his ass as he lines himself up and pushes into me as my orgasm continues. He pushes it higher and harder with every thrust until I think I’ll pass out from the sheer pleasure of it.

He tears his shirt open and lifts me to him so our bare skin is touching. He cradles my head as he moves inside me, thrusting through my tight passage, which is still spasming from my orgasm.

“Breathe,” he commands. “Breathe with me.”

I gasp for air as he takes my hand in his, guiding it to his chest. I breathe with him, sucking air in and releasing it with every rise and fall of his chest.

“Close your eyes,” he whispers. “Find me.”

I do as he says and through the darkness of my mind I see a blue glow, its smoky tendrils reaching for me. Recognizing that it’s Lennox, I reach for him and gasp when, instead of hands, I see wisps of fire. No, not fire… not exactly, but tendrils of orange and red, similar to flames. I realize it’s me.

Are these our souls?I ask him.

Something like that. Come to me, Charlie.

I allow my flaming essence to drift toward his blue smoke. He wraps himself around me, his tendrils entwining with mine. Something inside me moves, becomes set in stone, and I realize without him having to tell me that we’ve completed our mating bond.

With a shout, Lennox’s arms tighten around me as he buries his cock deeper, bathing me with the warmth of his seed as we drift through the blissful oblivion of our minds, two spirits becoming one.

Chapter 38

In the Bag

LENNOX

TWO MONTHS LATER

“Are you ready, son?” Alfredo asks, adjusting my bowtie as I stand in front of the full-length mirror in his and Annalisa’s bedroom

There is some irony in being called ‘son’ by a man six and half centuries younger than myself, but the sentiment is what’s important and it’s one I appreciate.

“I’m nervous,” I admit. “She’s been married before, knows how to be a good partner. Before I met Charlie, I was alone. I don’t know if I’ll be good enough for her. What if I step on her toes again? She hates that.”

He chuckles. “You’ll step on her toes plenty and she’ll step on yours. What’s important is how you deal with those moments. Do you intend to beat my daughter when she annoys you?”

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