26

Caleb’s POV
The entire drive to our final stop, Lily couldn’t stop gushing about Ophelia. Her excitement was contagious, and I found myself nodding along, more captivated by her enthusiasm than her words. She was radiant when she was animated, and I needed that energy to carry through the night.
I had a plan-get her present in the moment, ease her into relaxation without pushing too far. If I could coax her into loosening up and maybe even touching me, I’d consider the evening a success. Choosing the perfect dinner had been a challenge. It was late-almost ten-and I was starving, so I knew she had to be as well.
A regular restaurant wouldn’t cut it; I needed privacy. A picnic might have been romantic, but that was Caden’s play, and I wasn’t about to be a copycat. So, I called in a few Ashford-sized favors. When your name carries weight, people rarely say no. By the time we arrived, our family boat was docked, and dinner was waiting.
When she finally paused her rambling, I kissed her hand.
“I hope you’re hungry, baby. We’re about to eat,” I said, pulling into the marina.
“Are our wolves catching dinner?” she teased, her eyes sparkling with mischief.
Her playful smile sent a jolt through me, and I adjusted myself discreetly. Damn, she was beautiful. I needed her to keep smiling-needed it desperately.
“If you’re up for a run later, my wolf wouldn’t mind that,” I said, licking my lips.
Fang stirred at the thought, restless as always. Without Hade to keep him in check, I wasn’t ready to shift.
*”Fuck you,”* he growled in my head, his tone full of irritation.
I ignored him and opened Lily’s door just as she said, “No shifting tonight, please and thank you.” She stepped out, adjusting her shirt right in front of me, giving me an unfiltered view of her curves.
She walked ahead, and I adjusted myself again. Blue balls were becoming a permanent state with her, but the night was still young.
Once we boarded, the crew set up dinner, queued the playlist I’d requested, and left us alone. They’d return in the morning to clean up. Lily surprised me by letting me feed her an appetizer. It was just a cheese plate and mini quiches, but any excuse to get close to her mouth felt like a win.
I’d kept the menu simple-several options, including my favorite: chicken and waffles with hot honey sauce.
“I need to make something clear,” she said during a lull in the conversation. “You are not, under any circumstances, to help me get into *The Full Moon Times*.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it,” I replied, holding her gaze. “And I made that clear to Theron. I know how much your independence means to you. But if you found out we were good friends and I didn’t introduce you…” I trailed off, leaving it there.
Her smile returned, and she sipped her champagne, pleased with my answer. I couldn’t help but lick my lips at the sight.
The elephant in the room lingered, though. The big question, the looming issue neither of us wanted to address. I sure as hell didn’t.
“I don’t need a man to get ahead in life,” she said, dabbing her lips with a napkin.
I chuckled under my breath. She might not need one, but she had *two*-both at her mercy, ready to do whatever she asked, whether she liked it or not.
“While that may be true, you’ve got two males who’d-”
“Oh, I love this song! Dance with me,” she interrupted, tossing her napkin aside and jumping to her feet.
I didn’t hesitate. Any excuse to touch her, to get close, was one I’d gladly take. My desperation for her was pathetic, but she was my mate. What choice did I have?
*”None. Don’t screw it up. Just shut up and dance with her,”* Fang growled.
The song was an old, slow Sinatra number I couldn’t name, part of a playlist I’d thrown together without much thought. Somehow, I’d lucked out.
When she rested her head on my chest, I forgot all my intentions to force a conversation. Instead, I closed my eyes, swaying gently, and let myself dream.
I imagined us dancing in our kitchen, in a home we shared. Pups running around, laughter filling the air. This amazing, infuriating mate of mine finally *mine* in every sense.
It had been a week-a torturous one-and I still felt like I was stuck at the starting line. Lily was a fortress, her walls unyielding, and while it seemed like Caden had managed to get through a little, we were a package deal. She had to want *both* of us.
The only thing keeping me sane was knowing she wouldn’t reject us. But even that was its own torment.
I stroked her hair, my hands itching to wander lower, to squeeze her perfect ass. Not yet.
“I know… you’re trying,” she murmured as the song ended. Another slow tune began, but she didn’t pull away.
“Doing everything I can think of,” I admitted, my voice low.
I closed my eyes again, inhaling her intoxicating floral scent. I wanted to lose myself in it, in her.
“For you-and be honest-what happens when school is over?” I asked.
The thought of waiting another week-hell, another *day*-without her in my arms, in my bed, without my mark on her, was enough to drive me insane.
“Whatever it takes to make you comfortable,” I said. “Yeah, I’ve been teasing, but you seem to love it. Heavy flirting-it’s fun.”
“Stop dancing around the question. Answer it,” she demanded, her voice firm but her body still relaxed in my hold.
I sighed, debating how much to say. Too much, and I’d scare her off. Too little, and I’d look insincere.
“I want to mate you, Lily. Desperately. To start our life together. To introduce you to the pack.” My hands traced gentle patterns on her back as I spoke.
“Details, Caleb. I’m a detail-oriented person in every aspect of my life. Be specific,” she pressed.
I hesitated, choosing my words carefully. “I’d worship you,” I admitted. “Lock us away for days, make love to you until we’ve both had our fill. I want to memorize your body, every inch. To let our wolves complete their bond too, experience everything together.”
Her eyes locked on mine, searching. Then, without a word, she stepped out of my arms, sat back down, and resumed eating.
The silence stretched, awkward and heavy, until she finally cleared her throat.
“I’m not sure I can decide on anything until after this weekend,” Lily said, her voice thoughtful as she took another bite of her waffle. “Once I find out if I can get into *The Full Moon Times,* maybe they’d let me work remotely sometimes. Surely an intern doesn’t need to be there all the time. If I’m just editing, etc. I just… need to know. I need to know if I’m good enough.”
Her words carried a weight I couldn’t ignore, but my attention wavered as I noticed syrup clinging to her chin. Something about the moment-her vulnerability, her innocence-lit a fuse in me. I couldn’t hold back anymore.
We were sitting on built-in seating, not individual chairs, so it only took a second for me to act. I slid closer, gripped her hips, and pulled her into my lap. She let out a surprised squeal, dropping her fork, which clattered somewhere under the table.
Our eyes locked. My breath came heavy as her face hovered inches from mine. Her gaze dropped to my lips, and my restraint snapped. Slowly, deliberately, I leaned in and licked the corner of her mouth, catching the syrup just below her lip. Her hands moved to my shoulders, and I braced myself for rejection, but it didn’t come.
Testing her reaction, I pressed a soft, tentative kiss to her lips. She didn’t pull away. Instead, her fingers tangled in my hair, and just that small touch made me melt. Her warmth, her scent, the way her blouse rode up slightly to reveal a hint of skin-it was all too much, too perfect.
When she tugged at my hair, it startled a groan out of me.
*Oh, hell yes,* Fang murmured, more than eager.
She adjusted herself to straddle me, and my hands moved instinctively, slipping beneath her shirt to find her bare skin. Her lips pressed harder against mine, her tongue sweeping against mine in a way that made my entire body tense with need.
Her movements, slow and deliberate, sent shockwaves through me. When her hips began to grind against me, I couldn’t hold back. My hands moved lower, slipping beneath the waistband of her pants to grab her ass, guiding her rhythm.
She moaned softly, a sound that sent my wolf into a frenzy.
*She’s perfect. Don’t screw this up,* Fang reminded me, but I could hardly think straight.
Breaking the kiss only long enough to yank her shirt over her head, I groaned at the playful glint in her eye as she wiggled her chest in front of me. I growled low in my throat, lifting her effortlessly and laying her back on the seating.
She didn’t protest as I kissed my way down her chest, trailing my lips across her soft skin and over her stomach. When I removed her pants and panties, she spread her legs without hesitation, her hands finding my hair as I lowered myself between her thighs.
Her taste was intoxicating, her scent overwhelming. Each buck of her hips, every soft gasp and moan, fueled my desire. But I didn’t rush. For the first time in my life, I wanted to savor every second, to memorize every sound, every reaction.
I brought her to the edge repeatedly, slowing down just before she tipped over. To my surprise, she didn’t complain. Instead, she seemed to revel in the torment as much as I did. My hands wandered, sliding up to unclasp her bra and tease her perfect breasts.
Her soft skin, the way her nipples hardened under my thumbs, the sheer vulnerability in her expression-it all drove me wild.
When she finally came, her body arched, and her moans filled the air, but she didn’t scream my name the way I’d hoped. Still, the way she shuddered, the intensity of it, made my chest swell with pride.
I kissed my way back up her body, basking in the glow of her release. But just as I thought we’d reached a turning point, she yawned.
*What the actual fuck?*
I tried to refocus, kissing her neck, my hands still caressing her skin, waiting for her to reciprocate. My hard-on pressed insistently against her leg, begging for attention, but she didn’t move to touch me.
“Getting chilly,” she said casually, pulling me from my haze. “Got a blanket around here?”
Her words hit like a bucket of cold water.
“Lily…” I said, my voice low with frustration as I leaned in for another kiss, hoping to salvage the moment. But she stiffened, her body going rigid.
This couldn’t be happening.
I’d done everything right. I’d been patient, gentle, thoughtful. I listened to her, respected her boundaries. What more could she possibly want?
*Turn the tables,* Fang suggested with a smug smirk. *Get a blanket, come back naked, and cuddle. Works every time.*
Despite myself, I grinned. My wolf wasn’t entirely wrong.