Page 16 of Snowed in with the Bear Shifter
His heart cracked wide open.
Strong and independent to her core, Eloise projected easy confidence and positivity with every breath. But his attempts to keep her at arm’s length had made her doubt herself, something he’d never meant to do. He blew out a hard breath, the force of it ruffling her hair. She was right. He was a dimwit.
He needed to fix this. Immediately. “Eloise Fisk, I want you more than anything,” he said, his arms tightening around her. “And not just because you’re my mate.”
“Really?” she asked, tilting her head to look up at him.
“You are the most gorgeous, amazing, surprising woman I’ve ever met.” He cupped the back of her head and grazed his lips over hers. “How dare I reject your advances?”
“Exactly.” She licked her lips, a sparkle in her eyes. “How dare you.”
“I’m a complete and utter fool for not dragging you to my bed the first time we kissed and not letting you leave until I made you fully and completely aware of how stunning you are.” He tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. “And how much I want you.”
Her throat bobbed as she swallowed. “At least you can learn from your mistakes.”
“Consider me schooled.” He lowered his mouth to hers and kissed her with every ounce of passion in his body.
With a soft sigh, she melted, like cotton candy in the rain.
And she tastes as sweet,he thought, his grip tightening on her waist as his tongue twined with hers. His cock was painfully hard behind the zipper of his jeans. He wanted to devour her whole, to taste every inch of her succulent body, and to make her come around him as she called out his name. Then do it all over and over again.
He was never going to get enough of her, was he? Even if she chose not to accept the bond, she would always be his mate, and she’d always hold his heart in her hands.
But there was no use worrying about the future when, at this very moment, she was here in his house and in his arms. He’d truly be a nitwit if he let her slip through his fingers yet again. Even he wasn’t that foolish.
13
ELOISE
Kissing Roarke was a life-altering experience, leaving her breathless and panting for more. As soon as his mouth crashed down on hers, she was lost. Her body ached to be touched by him. He tugged off her flannel shirt, letting it drop to the floor, and walked her backwards until her calves bumped against the couch.
“Are you sure about this, Roarke?” she asked, tilting her head back to allow him better access to her neck, his afternoon stubble rasping against her throat. “I don’t want you to feel pressured into having sex with me, especially considering I haven’t yet agreed to be your mate.”
He paused, lifting his head to look at her. “Yet?”
Her heart skipped a beat at the raw hope in his eyes. “Roarke,” she whispered, unable to voice the powerful emotions battering her defenses.
“Honey, you aren’t pressuring me into anything I don’t already desperately want to do,” he said, cupping her face in his large hands. “You are utterly irresistible, and I want nothing more than to hear you cry out my name as I fuck you senseless.”
“Damn.” The coil of heat in her stomach exploded into a roaring inferno. “That is so hot.”
“You’re so hot.” He tugged the t-shirt over her head and tossed it to the side. His eyes widened, and he stared at her naked breasts. “Holy shit. So fucking hot.”
“Your turn.” She lifted the bottom of his shirt to reveal the most incredible set of abs.I need to lick those and soon,she thought, surprised she wasn’t literally drooling on him.
He yanked his shirt the rest of the way off, adding it to the growing pile of discarded clothing. He cupped her breasts in his big hands and lowered his head to kiss the swells. “Perfection.”
“Thanks,” she said, arching towards him as he sucked a nipple into his mouth. “You can thank my mom when you see her.”
“Can we leave your mom out of this?” he growled. “I really don’t want to be thinking about her when I’m kissing your breasts.”
She snickered. “Then I guess you’d better kiss me again to distract yourself.”
Cupping her chin, he gave her a gentle kiss. Her lips parted, and she let out a soft sigh as his tongue danced over hers. Pressure built in her core, a pulsing need that spread through every nerve as he slid a thick thigh between her legs.
He teased the edge of her waistband, his fingers dipping beneath the elastic to stroke her skin. “Is all your underwear missing?” he asked as he kissed his way along her jaw.
“Yes.”
