FIVE HUNDRED YEARS AGO
Rose instantly tried to free herself, but Andrew tightened his hold. His eyes glinted in the moonlight as he looked down at her, looking amused.
“Let go of me.” She pushed at his chest, but his hard muscles were ungiving. How many times had she imagined being in this position?
With his arms around her and his hard body against hers. If she wasn’t careful, she would betray her deepest, darkest desires.
“I will, after you answer my question.”
She swallowed and looked away. “Yes, it’s a good fight.”
“I’m not talking about the fight.”
She dared to look back into his eyes. “That’s what I was watching.”
His eyes narrowed. She expected him to call her out on her lie. Instead, he bent his head low. Her heartbeat, which she had been trying to tame, shot out of control. What was he
His lips brushed against her cheek as he aimed for her neck. Running the tip of his nose up and down her neck, he took a deep breath. She was too stunned by his sudden move to react.
“I can smell your need, Princess. You can’t lie to me.”
His words were whispered, but they spread over her skin like wildfire. Same as his body heat, which suddenly seemed to envelop her in a warmth she didn’t want to step away from. It melted her defences away like a snowflake caught in the sunlight.
“I don’t know what you are talking about.” The words didn’t sound convincing even to her.
He ran his hand up and down her back, his touch scorching her through the material of her cloak. “It’s okay. I can help with that.”
Before she could ask what he meantif at all she could get the words past her dry throathe pulled away. But not for long, as he took hold of her shoulders right after and turned her around so she was facing the clearing. Now, his body was right behind her, nothing between them.
She could have easily stepped out of the way if she wanted. Instead, her feet remained rooted to the spot, as if a strong magnetic force held her to him.
“With what?” she managed.
His hands went up and down her arms. “I can touch you, make you feel good.”
She flushed and finally found the energy and sanity to step away from him. “You…”
What? She had no idea what to accuse him of. His bold approach? She was the one who didn’t run when she had the chance. The one who had the audacity to enjoy the pressure of his body on her back, his touch on her arms.
He must have noticed, and was only following her lead. So instead of acting like she was an innocent victim, it was better to get as far away from him as possible and just put an end to this.
“Unless you’d rather touch yourself while imagining it’s my hands.”
Her eyes widened as her heart hammered away in her chest. No. This won’t do. She had to run, get away. If she stayed while he said such things to her face, there would be no turning back.
She stepped back. “I…I have to go back.”
He took a step forward. “Will you deny it, Princess? That you fancy me when you are alone in your bed?”
Another step back brought her against a tree trunk. He quickly closed in and caged her in, with one heavy forearm resting above her head.
He leaned forward, bringing his face to her hair. “There’s no hint of a male’s scent on you. I’ll take it your mate doesn’t touch you often?”
Embarrassment hit her from every direction. He knew she was matedhell, everyone in the kingdom knew it.
What must he think of her? She might deny it, but they were werewolves, and she knew he wasn’t lying when he said he could smell her arousal. No wonder he was so bold.
He must think she was a tramp who went around seducing males despite being mated. Or, now that he knew her mate couldn’t give two shits about marking her, he must think she was desperate for a male’s touch.
She had never been desperate. Until she met him.
“If you are going to mock me”
“I’m not mocking you,” he cut her short. “I suppose it’s not a joy being mated to that monster. A female like you deserves better.”
That monster.
He sure wasn’t mincing his words. Sure, everybody referred to Marcus as that. But never to his face, or even to her face.
Now that she thought about it, Andrew seemed like the kind of male who wouldn’t cower in her mate’s presence. She hoped they would never meet. The Mountain Blacks couldn’t afford to go against Blood Moon.
“You already know I’m good at keeping secrets. This will stay between us, and it can be just this time. As you wish.”
This.
Did she have the guts to ask what he meant by that? To simply touch her, or more?
Did she have the courage to take whatever it was he was offering? Was it too late to get away?
“You haven’t told your friends about me?” While she was sure he hadn’t made her depravity public knowledge, she wasn’t certain about what he had or had not revealed to his friends.
“No.”
She sagged with relief. Why on earth she took his word for it, she couldn’t tell.
He palmed her neck, his thumb caressing her throat in slow circles. “So? What do you think?”
Think? How could she think when he was suddenly moving his lower body forward, pressing something that felt as hard as a diamond into her belly?
“I’ll be quick.” He pressed a kiss to the upper part of her ear. “No one will see.” His lips teased her ear lobe. “You’ll like it.” His fingers teased her clavicle. “And we can forget it ever happened, if you so wish.”
At this point, she had two options. To put an end to this, or to stop dallying and take what she wanted.
“Yes.”
His fingers quit their teasing, and his lips pulled away from her skin. “Are you sure?”
Her teeth bit into her lower lip as she nodded and lay her forehead against his chest.
So this was where she was letting go of whatever little was left of her sanity and self-restraint. In the middle of the forest, several yards away from a crowd, only hidden by a few trees