Page 13 of Fated Surrender

Connor lurched forward and batted her hands down. Parting her long hair one section at a time, he looked for whatever “it” was.

Madison shifted from one foot to another in front of him. He was about to give up when he saw a fairly large spider descending from her hair, heading toward her back. He knew if that thing touched her skin, she would kill him for sure. He knocked it down and stepped on it.

“There, all gone now,” Connor said softly and turned so that she was facing him. She looked up at him, real fear in her tear-filled eyes. His heart softened before he was reeling backward from a cross punch to the jaw.

“What in the hell was that for? I got it!” Connor exclaimed, rubbing his jaw. His mate sure could throw a punch.

“This is all your fault. You brought me out here to spider-breeding lands, and you undid my hair. You’re trying to kill me! I hate you!” she yelled.

Connor took a deep breath, trying to keep his anger in check. But, it was hard when his mate kept screaming “I hate you” at the top of her lungs.

“Okay. I take responsibility for bringing you out here. Yes, there are spiders. Spiders are everywhere. Yes, I took your hair down. It looked painful pulled back like that when you were lying down. No, I am not trying to kill you. You’re my mate, I would die for you,” he said as he watched the fight leave her body.

“No fair. That was completely logical and you addressed all my issues. And I don’t want you to die for me. I think it’s the most idiotic concept used in romance. I want you to live for me.” She took a deep breath and leaned against the wall, hugging herself.

“Doesn’t make it any less true. Any man, given the choice, would rather live beside their mate, but that doesn’t change the fact that if it came down to one of us dying to keep the other safe, I will be selfish and die protecting you. Because living without you isn’t an option.” He saw her look up at him. He could see her battling herself to believe him.

Unable to take her looking so lost, he stepped forward and pulled her into his arms.

“There are a lot of good points to being out here,” he started.

She snorted.“Like what?” she asked.

Connor smiled and pushed her back so he could look down into her gorgeous teal-colored eyes. He grabbed her hand, grinning.

“Come on,” he said and pulled her down the hallway. He grabbed a blanket off the couch and headed out the front door.Pulling her into his arms he wrapped the blanket around them both.

“Like that,” he said, looking up. Her head tilted backward and she gasped.

“There are so many! I can’t believe they are there all the time and I have never seen them.” She turned her face to him, and from the light of the open cabin door he could see a childlike exuberance dancing in her eyes.

“You can see a lot in Arkadia, but to see this many, you really have to leave everything behind,” Connor said, tightening his arms around her.

“How have you managed to top the past five dates I’ve had simply by kidnapping me, killing a spider, and showing me the stars?” she asked, turning to wrap her arms around his neck.

He knew she could feel his growing arousal begin to press against her abdomen. Her eyes began to dilate slightly and her lips parted.

“Because we’re meant to be together,” Connor said right before he captured her mouth. He licked the seam of her lips until they parted and pulled her bottom lip between his own. He sucked and bit both lips until her knees gave out and she sagged against him. Feeling like he had conquered the world, he pulled back to look at her flushed cheeks and heavy-lidded eyes. Damn, he knew she would flush prettily. Her creamy skin was made for seduction.

Slowly he watched the weary awareness creep back into her eyes and she stepped back.

“I’m hungry,” she announced and unwrapped herself from their blanket before heading back inside.

Run all you want, wildcat. I’m not letting you go.

Connor grinned, folded up the blanket, and walked back inside to the kitchen to make his mate dinner.

“Oh my god! Put it in my mouth, please.”

Connor smiled devilishly as his mate opened her mouth for him.

“Maybe I don’t want to. You haven’t been a good mate. You said you hated me, a couple times.” He ran a thumb over her lower lip and she whimpered.

“Please, I’m sorry. I’ll do anything to get that inside me.” She looked up at him, pleading. He ran a hand down her hair.

“Okay, since you asked so beautifully.” He sat back and lined up with her mouth before plunging in.

She moaned and began to chew.

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