Page 24 of The Bear's Fated Mate
Lara swore and slipped out of his arms, heading across the room to pick up her phone and hit a button. Each step she took away from him felt as if knife tips sliced his skin.
She held up her phone, wiggling it in the air. “I’ve turned it off, but I have a massage booked right now.”
An inexplicable rush of anger flared. Alex stomped to her side, catching her free hand in his. “Nobody touches you but me.”
One of her brows rose slowly. “That would be rule number one. Gotcha.”
As fast as it had flared, his anger faded. He lifted their joint hands between them. “I think we need to stay close. Being in contact with you calms me down.”
“And that would be rule number two, but what do you meanyou think?You’ve done this before.”
He plucked the phone from her and laid it on the side table, stepping around her slowly. Keeping in constant contact as he trailed a hand up her arm and over her shoulder. Sliding his palm between her shoulder blades then lower. “I’ve had the mating fever before, yes, but I’ve avoided having access to any potential partners. This time is different.”
She didn’t need to know about the pact with his brothers or his grandfather’s ultimatum.
Plus, it was time to stop talking. He stopped his slow stalking, standing behind her. Bodies nearly touching, he laid his hand over her belly on top of the softest cotton he’d ever felt. Then he leaned in close and brushed his cheek against hers. “Seems I owe you a massage.”
She shivered but eased into him willingly. Pressing her head against his shoulder as he ghosted his lips down the side of her neck. “I spotted extra bottles of massage oil on the counter in the bathroom.”
Alex had taken only half a step before an unzipping sensation shivered over his skin. Screw that.
He caught her under the knees and lifted her in his arms, snuggling her tightly as he strode through the enormous suite. “Nice digs, sugar.”
“I won a getaway and got a free upgrade. In case you’re wondering how I could afford this place, because I can’t.” She was stroking him again, fingers running through his short hair as if she was mesmerized.
He stopped beside a neat row of bottles filled with shimmering liquid and waited for her to scoop them up. He hadn’t even considered how outrageously expensive the spa was since he’d seen the invitation—which was another thing he wasn’t telling her about at the moment.
“Grab a towel,” he ordered.
The instant she obeyed, he marched onward and through the massive arched entranceway into the next room.
The master bedroom was a work of art, with another fireplace and a wide window view overlooking the river. Center stage was a king-size bed with burgundy sheets and enough pillows to stage an epic battle.
It took a moment to organize everything the way he wanted it, and his bear thought he was out of his mind for not getting down to business, but when he finally curled a finger at Lara and motioned for her to come forward, the heavy-lidded expression in her eyes made it worthwhile.
Anticipation had clearly set up house in Lara, and every bit of her body quivered as he checked her over slowly.
Alex sat on the edge of the bed, knees wide, as Lara stood in front of him. “We’re going to need to get rid of those pyjamas, sugar. Plus, we need to decide which massage oil we like best.”
He handed her two of the “suitable for consumption” options, one for each hand, then twisted off the tops and put them aside.
Lara watched with amusement. “You make a mess and I’m giving you the cleaning bill,” she warned.
“Then don’t make a mess,” he returned. “Your job is to keep those bottles steady.”
“Piece of cake…” Her bold statement died off into a throaty moan as he caught hold of her pyjama top and slid his hands under it.
Palms pressed to the side of her body, he skimmed up her torso slowly. Slower still as his fingers teased her back. The higher his arms rose, the more the fabric bunched over her breasts. Lara raised her arms to the side, lower lip trembling. The heels of his hands brushed the outside swells of her breasts, and she whispered a soft curse.
“A massage is supposed to berelaxing, Borealis,” she complained.
“We’ll get there.”
He stared at the naked skin he was slowly exposing—her belly, the dangling edge of the shirt teasing higher. Her nipples were taut peaks, the bottom edge of fabric catching briefly on them as their deep pink slowly came into sight.
He sped up, lifting the fabric and raising her arms along with it. Her fists were clenched around the bottles, but somehow even with her arms stretched over her head, she kept the liquid from spilling as he flipped the material off her wrists and tossed the top aside.
She breathed heavily, chest rising and falling, those beautiful breasts on full display as she stood with her hands overhead.
