Page 21 of Cruel Moon
When she lowers the glass, there’s a smudge of red on her lower lip. Without thinking, I reach out, my thumb gently brushing it away. Bridget’s breath hitches, her eyes widening at the contact.
Time slows as we stare at each other. I lean in, giving her time to pull away if she wants to.
She doesn’t pull away. Instead, Bridget moves closer. Her eyes flutter closed. The sight of her long lashes against her cheeks, the soft curve of her lips, it’s almost too much.
I take her glass and put it on the coffee table next to mine. My heart thunders in my chest as I close the final distance between us. When our lips meet, it’s like a supernova exploding behind my eyelids.
Her taste floods my senses—the richness of the wine we’ve been drinking, an underlying current of something wild and electric that must be her magick, and beneath it all, a flavor that’s uniquely her. My wolf howls in triumph.
More. Mine. Mate.
The kiss starts soft, almost tentative, but quickly deepens. My hands find their way to her waist, pulling her closer until she’s flush against me. The heat of her body through her clothes is maddening. I want more, need more.
Bridget’s fingers tangle in my hair, her nails scraping lightly against my scalp. The sensation sends shivers down my spine, and I can’t hold back a low growl of pleasure. She responds with a soft moan that I feel more than hear, the vibration of it against my lips driving me wild.
I trace the seam of her lips with my tongue, silently asking for permission. She grants it eagerly. As our tongues meet, dancing and exploring, I’m lost in a haze of sensation and emotion. Relief at finally finding her.The one.Joy at the perfection of our connection. A bone-deep satisfaction that unfurls inside of me like a long-held breath.
Her long brown hair trails over my hands where they’ve moved to cradle her face. The silky strands slide through my fingers as I angle her head, deepening the kiss even further. She tastes of promises and forever, of moonlit runs and lazy Sunday mornings. Of a future I’ve always hoped for.
The need for air finally forces us apart, our chests heaving in unison. A soft whimper of protest escapes Bridget’s lips, echoing the ache I feel at the loss of contact. I can’t bear to be any farther from her than necessary, so I rest my forehead against hers, our breaths mingling in the space between us. My thumbs stroke her cheekbones, memorizing the soft curve of her face as if I might never get another chance.
All that exists is Bridget, her warmth, her scent, and the electric current humming between us. I force my eyes open, needing to see her, to make sure this isn’t some dream I’ll wake up from and find myself alone again.She’s here. She’s real.I drink in the sight of her.
Bridget’s eyes slowly open, and I’m struck anew by their beauty. They’re luminous, the green glow even more intense now, like backlit emeralds. Her lips are swollen from our kisses, her cheeks flushed a delicate pink. She’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.
“Wow,” she whispers, her breath fanning across my lips.
I can’t help but chuckle, feeling almost giddy. “Yeah,” I agree, my voice rough. “Wow.”
We stay like that for a moment, just breathing each other in. The air between us is charged, electric with possibility.
Then Bridget surges forward, capturing my lips again. This kiss is different from our first—hungrier, more urgent. Her hands frame my face, holding me to her as if she’s afraid I might disappear.
I respond in kind, my arms wrapping around her waist, pulling her closer.
My wolf revels in her enthusiasm, urging me to claim, to mark, to make her ours completely. I want nothing more than to pin her beneath me and show her exactly what she does to me. But I hold back, letting Bridget set the pace.
She breaks the kiss, both of us panting. There’s a look of determination on her face that sends a thrill through me. Slowly, deliberately, she shifts her position. My breath speeds up as she moves to straddle my lap, her knees on either side of my hips.
The heat of her core rests against my hard erection. My hands instinctively move to her hips, steadying her. The weight of her on me, the scent of her arousal mingling with her natural scent—I’m in heaven.
Bridget looks down at me, her hair creating a curtain around us, shutting out the rest of the world. In this moment, nothing exists but her. Her slightly parted lips, her flushed cheeks, the rapid rise and fall of her chest. She’s magnificent.
“Is this okay?” she asks, her voice husky.
I nod, not trusting myself to speak.
Bridget leans down, her lips brushing against mine teasingly. “Good,” she whispers, before claiming my mouth once more. Her tongue explores as her hands tangle in my hair. I let her lead, my own hands roaming her back, feeling the play of muscles and delicate curves beneath her shirt.
A shirt I very much want to remove.
“Bridget.” Her name falls from my lips like a prayer as I cup her face. Every fiber of my being screams to continue, to lose myself in her, but I can’t.
Not yet.
My wolf paces restlessly beneath my skin, urging me to claim her, but the man in me needs to be sure. I meet her gaze. “Are you sure about this? Because…this is forever. There’s no going back.” The words feel inadequate to convey the weight of what I’m offering—my heart, my future, my very soul. “I need to know you feel it too, that this isn’t just…a moment for you.” I have to know she wants to be bonded to me.
I search her face, my heart in my throat, looking for any flicker of hesitation or doubt. Time seems to stretch, each second an eternity as I wait for her response. If she says no, if she walks away… I don’t know how I’ll survive it.
