Havana melted into the mattress, her body shaking, her lungs burning for air. Tate collapsed on top of her, catching his weight on his forearms. For long moments, they just stayed there like that, trying to catch their breath as he slowly glided his cock in and out of her.
He kissed the stinging bite mark on her neck and hummed. “Your scent gets so much sweeter after you come. Makes my cat want to lick you all up. I’ll be the one doing the licking, though—it’s part of my plans for later.”
She drifted her fingertips over the sleek skin of his back. “Later?”
Lifting his head, he stared down at her, his eyes languid and lazy. “Yes, later. I’m staying here tonight.”
She flicked up a brow. “While I have no issue with that, I have an issue with the ‘don’t argue with me’ tone.” So did her devil, but the animal was currently too out-of-it to do more than toss him a frown. “However, as you just gave me a momentous orgasm and I’m feeling all warm and tingly, I’ll let it go. It’s best if you don’t pull out that tone again, though, ’kay?”
His mouth quirked. “Momentous orgasm?”
“That’s all you got from what I just said?”
Holding back a chuckle, Tate kissed her. He could be overbearing without giving it much thought—not to be an asshole, but because it was literally in his nature to dominate and take control. He liked that she had no issues with putting him in his place. “Funny … you like the ‘don’t argue with me’ tone when I’m using it in bed.”
She narrowed her eyes. “No, I really don’t.”
He smiled. “Oh, you really do. I’ll prove it later.” Unable to resist, he dropped his mouth to hers and nipped her lower lip. He’d mark that tonight. He’d leave an imprint of his teeth on it, just as he had on her neck.
He swept his thumb over the brand near her pulse. The bite wasn’t deep, but it wouldn’t heal quickly. She’d wear it for at least a day or two—something that immensely pleased both him and his cat. The feline was currently rubbing up against her, letting out a satisfied, throaty purr.
Tate gave her one last kiss and then carefully pulled his softening cock out of her. He shuffled them both further up the bed, just as he had last time he was here. Laying on his side facing her, he combed his fingers through her damp hair. “I’m pissed at myself for taking so long to consciously sense who you are to me.”
“Most shifters struggle with that. I’m struggling with it. So don’t be mad at yourself.”
“Can’t help it. My cat’s mad at me for it as well.”
She bit the inside of her cheek. “Can you be sure he won’t withdraw from me at some point?”
His cat pulled a cranky face, unhappy that she’d doubt his commitment to her. “Yes, I can. What happened with Ashlynn gave him trust issues. The only woman he felt able to trust after that was his true mate—I see that now. That’s why he pulled back from the others. He was looking for you. You’re the only one he’s willing to commit to. I’m one hundred percent certain he’ll all but cleave himself to you.”
She twisted her mouth. “When you first told me how angry he is with her, I thought he might still care for her; that maybe he’s clinging to his anger over her betrayal to drown out other feelings he … why are you laughing?”
His shoulders shaking, Tate squeezed her neck. “My cat just jerked back in horror. Babe, trust me when I say he feels nothing for her. To my cat, she isn’t worthy of him or me.” Tate’s eyes danced. “He loved watching you play with her at the Tavern.”
Havana sniffed. “She had that coming.”
“Oh, she did.” Tate dragged his hand down her back and palmed her ass, his touch nothing short of possessive. His. She was all his. And he’d very nearly committed to another woman. He silently thanked the universe for ensuring it never came to pass. “I know it has to hurt that I almost imprinted on her. But please don’t see it as I chose her over you. It wasn’t like that.”
“You were choosing an imprint bond over a true-mate bond, I get it. I don’t like that you did it, but I get why. And, given what happened to your mom and how that hurt your dad, I can understand how hard it must have been for you to push past all your hang-ups about true-mate bonds to be here with me right now, so I can’t really be mad at you.”
She was the fucking shit. Seriously. And he’d spend his life making it up to her that he’d almost let his issues keep them apart. He pressed a soft kiss to that mouth he loved. “Thank you for understanding.”
She idly danced her fingers up his chest. “So … you haven’t been spending time with Ashlynn recently?”
Tate could see that she was wary of the answer. It hadn’t occurred to him that she’d worry about such a thing. “Not willingly.”
Her brows dipped. “What does that mean?”
He sighed. “She turned up at my house twice. The first time, she came with dinner and wine. The second time, she came dressed in only a coat and high heels—she flashed me right there on my doorstep. I turned her away both times, obviously.”
Havana gaped. “She honestly turned up mostly naked?”
“Yeah.” Tate tugged her closer and breathed in more of her scent. “Look, I don’t want to talk anymore about her—she’s not important. But I won’t lie to you. I won’t hold back. Not anymore. So if you want to know the rest, I’ll give it to you. But be sure you want to hear it.”
“I want to hear it.”
Yeah, Tate had figured she would. In her shoes, he’d have wanted all the facts just the same. “She seems to have it in her head that we can get back what we had, but I can’t imagine why. I told her to fuck off when she came back to me right after Koby rejected her. She tried to contact me several times while she was away from the pride. I blocked her number, and I blocked her on social media. I returned all her letters—unopened.”
“I didn’t realize she’d tried contacting you while living as a loner. What did she say?”
“I didn’t read her messages or emails. I figure they were either apologies or a repeat of the text she’d sent just before she left saying that she loved me and always would. In short, I made it clear I wanted nothing to do with her back then.”
Pausing, Tate slid his hand up Havana’s arm. “I made that clear again when she came home and asked for us to have dinner and talk. And earlier today I once again made an effort to drum into her brain that I have no interest in her. I was pretty harsh about it. She was mad as hell, so she might have now decided I’m not worth the bother.”
Thinking on all he’d told her, Havana blew out a breath. The skank sure was a piece of work. “I still can’t quite believe she’s actually pursued you. I mean, I can understand why she’d want you back—you’re hot, you’re a good guy, and you’re fearless enough to get rid of spiders—most girls don’t like doing that.”
Tate’s brows lifted, and the corner of his mouth kicked up.
“But it’s bad enough that she broke her promises and left you for another guy. To then pester you for years rather than let you find peace … that makes it worse. And for her to then expect you to welcome her home and agree to give the relationship another try … Wow. Just wow. How is it that you almost imprinted on this woman?”