Page 37 of Banished Mates
I couldn’t even think it.
I puffed out my cheeks and shook my head, the ends of my hair grazed Kit’s shoulder. He peered down at me, but I kept my attention forward and on the sights. Time to distract myself from those thoughts.
This terrain was beautiful and unlike anything I’d seen back home. The closest I’d ever gotten to them was through a television screen, specifically the show following the chick where she traveled back in time. The show and those kilts, though... they chose the cast well.
I peeked over at Kit and took in his features. The main actor had nothing on Kit and Rowan. The plane of his cheek was sharp and smooth, his jaw broad and stubbornly set. Especially on Kit, I could see the bunching when he clenched his teeth while it was more hidden on Rowan behind his stubble when he was in his human form.
Kit’s gaze flicked to mine and my face heated at the rise of his eyebrow before he turned back to face the road. Even through my embarrassment, I didn’t turn away. He was my mate, I was allowed to look, plus, he seemed to enjoy it if the tightening of his fingers on my ass was any indication. The hard band of his arm across my back moved and his bicep flexed.
I licked my lips and dug my fingernails into my thighs from the rush of tingles that spread down my flesh. It was as if I’d used up every drop of control in the reservoir. It shouldn’t have been this difficult. Rowan’s wet nose bumped my ear, and he exhaled breathily. My shoulders hiked up as my body clenched. I slightly jerked to the side, but Rowan didn’t take the hint and continued to sniff my hair, my strands tangling with his snout. I snorted and wiggled closer to Kit as my fingers curled over his bicep.
“Leave her be,” Kit snapped. The muscles beneath my touch flexed, and I fixated on the thick bulge. My hand spread wide from the girth. My mates didn’t lack in muscles... I licked my lips. Rowan huffed into my hair again and the tickle distracted me from the raging hormones on the verge of taking over. I reached up and slipped my fingers around Rowan’s large snout. He hunched forward, lowering his head so it rested on my shoulder.
My first impression of Rowan wasn’t the best. Yes, he was my mate, but the way he’d come at me scared me, but now... I could see how gentle he tried to be, as if he were treating me like I was porcelain.
The shaggy fur from his neck fluffed on the seat, so long it almost reached me. He had the longest fur in wolf form I had ever seen, even in my pack. I raked my nails through the long gray muzzle. I wasn’t generally a touchy person, but I wanted to rub up against them like a cat does its owner. Not that I had ever owned a cat, they were too skittish and feared werewolves with an unmatched vehemence.
I tipped my head to the side, resting my cheek against Rowan’s face and he stopped the restless moving around my hair. Kit shot a frown toward us, and I squeezed his arm. The irritation melted off his face. This intrinsic need to calm them was instinct, but I couldn’t deny the bubble of happiness ballooning in my stomach seeing how my touch affected them.
From my understanding, even before you discovered you were mates, you’d feel a connection to someone. This was similar to how I felt for Camden... was it possible?
I pressed my lips together, focusing on the dash. I needed to stop mulling over him. Was there a hollowness in my gut when I thought of him? Definitely. But I just had to look at my mates and the sensation was soothed.
“Shift, Rowan, we’re close to town, and no one can see you this way.” The bite in Kit’s words seethed with irritation. “Mo chridhe, will you back me up?”
There was that term he called me. I had no idea what it meant, but my body reacted to it, warming. I stopped myself from grinning like an idiot.
I turned my attention to Rowan, who didn’t seem to focus on Kit’s words as he stared down at me. I blinked up at him as he tipped his head to the side, his fur rustling. Pursing my lips, I tugged at his muzzle.
His heavy sigh rustled the hair framing my face and he retracted his muzzle from my hand as a popping overtook the car. I stared, fascinated as the fur sank back into his skin and his body shrunk, er, well, in comparison, because he was still massive as a human.
I liked that my mates made me feel tiny even though I wasn’t a small woman.
Rowan grunted and his deep green eyes stared back at me as he rubbed his beard. A frown gracing his lips.
“You should nae have come if you were going to be moody. You do nae like coming to town. I would have kept her safe without you,” Kit said and flicked a turn signal. It was still so weird that he was sitting and driving on the opposite side I was used to.
Rowan grunted and I twisted to look at him and quirked my brow questioningly. His nude shoulders rolled.
“I do nae like humans. Or werewolves. Only you.”
I huffed out a silent laugh at Rowan’s bluntness. Every word he spoke had a gruffness attached that made my spine tingle. It was especially sexy combined with the lilt of his words.
Rowan reached forward and caressed my smiling mouth. A flush bloomed on my face, and I nipped his fingers. His lips parted, eyes widening. He matched my grin and swooped forward.
He licked my lips, and I sucked in a breath at the wetness he left behind. My body clenched up and I faced forward, balling my hands in my lap as I tried to reorganize my senses. He was too dangerous for his own good.
I mustn’t jump my mates. I needed to show some restraint, right?
I pressed my lips so tightly together it almost hurt, but I had to do what I had to in order to rein in my hormones.
“There should be a t-shirt and a pair of shorts under the seat.” Rowan grunted and released the strands of my hair. I fought the urge to turn around and gawk at my mate’s rippling muscles.
Kit’s hand wrapped around my thigh.
Oh, fuck, that wasn’t helping. I tipped my head back and a beat later, Rowan returned to petting me, fingers setting off pleasure receptors.
Kit’s thumb caressed my thigh and my eyes about crossed. This was cruel. I had a feeling they knew they were slowly driving me nuts. I groaned and settled into the drive with my eyes tightly squeezed.
