AARYN

His mate was so beautiful. What had he done to deserve her? Nothing, that was the answer. But he thanked the Creator for her.

She sat next to him, turned to watch him, her beautiful copper-colored hair twisted back into a thick braid. But she'd been running and shifting, so tendrils had fallen loose to drift around her face.

Her freckles were numerous, but a thin kind of brown that seemed to almost blend into the rest of her skin. And her blue eyes sparkled—glowed—except they glowed now with concern for him. And the threat of tears.

"Don't worry,

" he whispered.

"I'm not going anywhere. I just… it's just been a lot today. I needed to get away.

"

She nodded, but her frown deepened.

"Other than your mom… was there anything else?

"

Aaryn went cold. He wasn't ready to tell her yet. He wasn't sure how she was going to react, and he didn't know how he'd take it if she got angry just then. But he didn't want to lie either.

"There was…

" he said, bringing one hand up to catch the little whisps of hair and push them behind her ear.

"But… can we talk about it later? Can we just be here now?

"

"Of course,

" she said.

"As long as you aren't carrying anything that you need help with. I want to help you, Aaryn.

"

"You are, just by being here,

" he whispered, then leaned over her to touch her lips with his own.

It was only supposed to be a brief kiss, a bare brush of his lips to tell her thank you, and because she was so pretty. But when their lips touched, it was like a fire suddenly whooshed to life in his chest.

He sucked in a breath and took her mouth, his hand cradling her jaw.

Elreth sucked in too, and her hand appeared at his neck, holding him close as she tilted her head to deepen the kiss.

For long minutes, that was all—her lips, her tongue, her breath in his ear, the softness of her skin, the warmth of her.

He felt alive for the first time since he'd walked into his mother's house that morning. His skin prickled, pebbling wherever Elreth's hands brushed him, His heart began to pound. And his breathing picked up.

He wanted his mate. Suddenly, desperately he wanted to plunge into her, he wanted to bury himself in her and forget the rest of the world.

He turned to get onto his knees and crawl over her, kneeling between her knees at first so he could properly plunder her mouth.

And Elreth gave herself up, her breathing got faster, heavier, and she clung to his shoulders, stroked his arms, his back, pulled him ever closer.

But he couldn't take her like this.

In his mind he considered and discarded the many and glorious ways he could have her, but in the end, none of them felt close enough except…

Without a word, he pulled out of the kiss and pushed to his feet, offering a hand to help her up. When she took it, a question in her eyes, and opened her mouth, he shook his head.

"Let's just enjoy each other,

" he whispered.

Then he took her mouth like he was suffocating and she was air.

Their twin breaths fluttered and mingled. She sucked on his tongue and it sent a jolt through his belly as if it were electrified.

Without thought, Aaryn pressed her back, against the tree, pinning her there tightly with his hips. She gasped when he ground into her, then leaned away to begin unbuttoning his own shirt. Her hands trembled as she reached for his buttons.

"Let me,

" she said, breathlessly, smiling. There were high spots of color in her cheeks, and her eyes shone as if the sight of him struck sparks from her.

With a growl of approval, Aaryn started on her buttons, but lost his patience halfway through when she'd finished with his and pulled it open, flatting her hands against his chest.

He gripped both sides of her shirt and pulled, the buttons popping and pinging free, then they were kissing again, tugging their shirts out of their leathers.

Aaryn shoved his off his arms, tugged it down behind him and tossed it to the dirt, then helped Elreth, who'd gotten hers caught on the tree behind her.

When she finally let it drop, he dropped too—his chin, to open his mouth over the peak of her breast, to lave it with his tongue.

"Oh!

" she gasped, letting her head lol back and arching her back, pulling him in to keep him there.

He growled, nipping it with his teeth and she startled. Her breath got faster. Then her hands slid down to cup him through his leathers. He felt her skin pebble under his hands and he wanted to howl.

This was the joy in his life. This was what gave him a reason to smile—his beautiful mate wanting him, and wanting to love him.

They both began to pant, arching, hips rolling. Aaryn pressed his knee between her thighs and ground into her again and she gasped, a tiny groan rolling out of her throat, just as he dropped his chin to kiss from her collarbones, up her neck.

Something within him, desperate and aggressive, couldn't be gentle. He nipped her skin with his teeth, sucked at her throat, marking her faintly. He groaned—then almost howled when she answered him.

They struggled with their leathers, each with trembling hands and little finesse, until finally both of them shucked the clothing off and they pressed together, skin-to-skin, with sighs of relief.

Aaryn shook with the force of holding back the fire within him.

"I need you, El,

" he growled, nipping her throat again.

She shivered.

"You can have me,

" she sighed, her mouth dropping open when he kissed her neck again.

"I need you so much. I might… I need to take you, El.

"

"Aaryn,

" she gasped,

"Look at me.

" She pushed gently at his shoulders until he raised his head, wary, afraid she might need him to be more gentle than he wanted to be.

But she was glowing, smiling at him, her cat eyes gleaming.

"I trust you,

" she whispered, then stroked her hands all the way up his abdomen, to his chest.

"Show me what you want.

"

"I want you,

" he growled, then descended on her.