Page 15 of Sweethearts and Savages
“Maybe I like fire,Alpha,” she purred and I almost wondered if I was wrong and she was a lion shifter too.
I grabbed her hand and pulled her away toward the pond before I did something stupid, like drag her back into the greenhouse and fuck her until she screamed my name. She chuckled a low sound, filled with heat, and honestly, I should have been awarded some kind of sainthood for taking things slow because she was designed to tempt me.
“So, what's in the basket?”
I wrapped my arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. I couldn’t help it. “It’s a surprise.”
Her eyes lit up and she did a little happy dance on the spot, and I vowed to surprise her for the rest of our lives.
My steps faltered at the thought. When had I started thinking of us in the sense of forever?
That was an easy answer, if I really let myself be open to the idea. I’d started thinking of her in terms of forever in that moment between laying eyes on her for the first time and her sister punching me in the nose.
I led her around a copse of trees and over to the lake. It was pretty idyllic, but obviously man-made. They’d designed it with care, though. There were small rocky outcrops and water lilies. The water was clear enough that I could see fish swimming around in the depths. The ducks I had introduced swam happily on the water, with little fluffballs of yellow following along behind.
“Ducks! When did we get ducks?” she squealed, letting go of my hand to race to the edge of the water.
“Yesterday. They have a hutch on the other side of those reeds. I paid off one of the juniors to lock them up every night to make sure they’re safe. I also made sure the same junior knew to spread around the devastating level of bodily harm that’d happen if someone ate them in their shifted form.”
She gaped at me, her eyes wide. “You got the ducks?”
I nodded. “Every pond needs ducks. Really sets the mood.”
She sprinted back from the edge of the pond and I only had a split second to lay down the basket before she launched herself into my arms again. She wrapped her legs around my waist as she kissed me with so much passion that it was me who was moaning. Holding her tight against me with one arm, I slowly lowered us to the grass, not breaking the kiss, until I was laying on my back and she was on top of me, her knees either side of my hips. I let her take control, and when she pulled back with a gasp, it was my turn to grin smugly.
“You are really something, Bohdie. Thank you.”
I just hummed happily and captured her lips again. She didn’t understand. I was only just getting started.
7
Enit
Iwas lost in the feel of Bohdie beneath me. His kisses consumed me, his warmth surrounding me completely. He was everything I could ever hope for in an Alpha pairing. He was sweet and considerate. He respected my boundaries and he’d bought me actual freakingducks.I know that was hardly the deciding factor in choosing a life partner, but damn, it helped.
I kissed him harder and ground my hips against him, making him groan as he buried his hands in my hair and tugged me back gently.
“Enit, fuck,” he whispered, kissing me again like he couldn’t help himself and I smiled against his lips. For once, I was the one with the power. His other hand slid down my side to grip my hip, and he held me firmly as he ground up against me, making me moan. I could feel the hard line of his cock pressed exactly where I wanted him so I rolled my hips, closing my eyes as I kissed him deeper. I wanted to taste him, wanted him to taste me. I’d never wanted a guy the way I wanted Bohdie. The last few weeks had been constant breathless kisses, getting more and more heated. More and more bold. I wanted the whole Academy to know that Bohdie had chosen me over anyone else.
As I felt his hard chest under my hands, my brain began to protest that he could have any girl in this school. The beautiful ones like Teesha or even his friend, Cara. But he was out here, giving me flipping ducks. If this was a complicated ruse to get into my pants, he deserved it, honestly.
His hands slid up the backs of my thighs, and he hummed happily before dragging himself away again. He grabbed my waist and lifted me off his body and onto the grass.
Panting, he curled his body back up into a sitting position. “I didn’t expect that kind of response, but I’m not mad about it, that's for sure.” He grinned at me, and that expression did weird things to my heart—and lower down my body. He leaned over and kissed me gently on the cheek. “I’m going to woo you, Enit Baxter. Starting with a beautiful picnic on a beautiful day, with the most beautiful woman I’ve ever laid eyes on.”
I felt the heat in my cheeks and I chewed my lip. I could smell the food in the basket, my nose twitching. Wait a minute… “Is that Beatrice’s cherry pie?”
Bohdie’s grin was back. “Yep,” he said, popping the P and looking adorably smug. “As well as some kind of quiche she said you liked and Philly cheesesteak hoagies.”
My eyes got even wider. He’d gotten all my favorite foods. Was this guy for real? I narrowed my eyes at him.
“What? You don’t like it?”
I shook my head, lifting his arm, holding out his hand so I could search him thoroughly. “No. It's perfect. This whole thing is perfect. I’m looking for your flaws. You can’t be this… perfect.”
He fell back on the grass laughing, and I couldn’t help but lean onto his chest again. “I’m not perfect, Enit. I’m quick to anger. I use my fists when I should use my words sometimes,” he paused, looking at me intensely. “Never with you though. Never.”
I gave him a lopsided grin. I remembered his face when Mouse had punched him in the nose. I knew he could have hit her then, but he’d held back, even though shifters were an equal opportunity society in that regard. We were all animals in the end, and while some were treated with reverence or gentleness, everyone one in their prime was considered equal. You threw a punch, man or woman, you could expect a fist back.
