That seemed to surprise him because he threw his head back and laughed, a deep bellow that made me smile. “Now that’s an image. And you’re always welcome to climb me like a tree, Sage.”
“Will using magic always do this to me?”
He shook his head. “No. But sometimes, with the right elements around? It can.”
“Oh. Good.” And then I jumped. I couldn’t help it. Energy and need coursed through me. I could barely hold it back.
Rome caught me, though I seemed to have surprised him. He didn’t move back. He was so strong, hard, and he held me, one hand cupping my ass as I wrapped my legs around him. I pressed my lips to him, and his mouth parted. I groaned, exploring him, needing him. He squeezed my ass, and his other hand moved to grasp the back of my neck. He tilted my head, deepening the kiss, and I groaned, needing more.
“Sage,” he whispered.
“Need this. Need. This.” I didn’t care if it was magic or the shifter bonds I didn’t understand. It was real. This feeling wasn’t fake or contrived. Between us was desire I had been ignoring since I first saw him, and it had only built on itself as I learned more about myself and him.
I needed this. Needed him. Rome kept kissing me, my body shaking, his hands roaming.
I let my hands drift down to his shoulders and squeezed, and then moved them around to his back, letting my fingernails scrape him before grasping his hair. I kept exploring him, needing to touch him. He was so much taller, that if he hadn’t been holding me like this, it likely would have been hard on me to kiss him.
He was so strong. He could touch me, do anything right now, and I probably would nearly fall over the edge. He kissed me again, and then he broke away, panting, his forehead pressed to mine.
“Whoa,” he whispered.
“Yes, whoa,” I panted.
I kissed him softly again, and he smiled. “I’m enjoying getting to know you, Sage.”
I looked at him then, and I was lost. I smiled. “I’m enjoying getting to know you, as well,” I whispered. I kissed him again, this time slower, with more pressure. I somehow knew this was where I needed to be. If only for this moment. I raked my fingers down his chest, and he grinned down at me.
“Are you sure?” he asked as he bit my lip.
“Yes, I am.” Magic sparked within me, and I let out a breath.
He ran his hand over my face, and I kissed him again. “I need you,” he growled, and I swallowed hard. “We can stop. We can stop right here.”
I shook my head. “The magic within me? It’s like I’m so full of power, too full of everything. I need to release it. And I need you, Rome. Since the first moment I saw you, I’ve needed you.” I couldn’t imagine myself saying those words to anyone else or at any other time in my life, but it was the truth. I did need him. And I wanted him.
As he kissed me again, I groaned. He smiled and bit my lip. “I need you, too, but I’m pretty sure you already knew that.” He rocked into me, and my thighs trembled.
Slowly, he lowered himself to the ground, and I straddled him, running my hands over his body. “I don’t know what’s going on with me, but I know that I like you, Rome. I like you a lot.”
He smiled, his eyes darkening. “I like you, too, Sage. Your power, your peace, how you feel on top of me right now.”
I blushed and leaned down to kiss him again. “I’m not ready for a mark or anything that will bring us to full mating.” I stilled, afraid I’d hurt him, then relaxed marginally as he nodded.
“We can take our time for that.”
I looked up at him and then frowned. “Are you sure your bear will let you do that?”
His chest rumbled, and the sensation went straight to my warmth. I groaned. He seemed to smirk at that, knowing what he had done.
“My bear will listen to me because I have control of it. But you feel it, too, don’t you? The pull? Of what we could be when together?”
“Of course, I do. And as I said, I like you, Rome. I like how you are with others, the way you are with me. I want you.”
“Then have me,” he whispered. I leaned down and kissed him again, and he rolled over on top of me.
He tugged at my clothes, and the magic within me pulsated, clouding my brain, pushing me towards something I knew I wanted. But the human part of me, the bit in my past, wouldn’t have allowed me to think that. Before, I would’ve thought too hard, bit my lip over my indecisions, and then walked away out of fear.
I wasn’t that person anymore. I had fought, I had used magic, I had faced down the darkness. And now, I was kissing the man I wanted, that I felt such a strong pull to that it was hard to sleep. Hard to breathe. And I wasn’t backing down.
I tugged at his shirt, and he rose, pulling it over his head.
“Will anyone see us?” I asked, aware that we were outside.
He shook his head. “It’s private, and I’ll be able to scent or sense anyone who comes near. I promise.”
I looked into his gaze and nodded. “I trust you.” And I did. I trusted him with everything, even though it might be scary to do so.
He lowered his head and captured my lips.
I sighed, running my hands up and down his thickly muscled back. He was so strong, so full of energy. It was hard to keep up, hard to do anything but want him.
He lowered his head, nipped at my chin, and then slowly kissed his way down between my breasts and over my stomach. I groaned, and he undid the clasp on my bra.
“Oh,” I said as I leaned up.
“Oh.” He grinned and then moved to lick at my breasts, nipping at my nipples and slowly tugging on the turgid peaks. I leaned into him, sliding my hands through his hair as he kissed me gently and sucked at my nipples. My core tightened, and my legs pressed into his sides. He hummed against my nipples, and I frowned, watching how he gently played his lips along my skin. He twisted and tightened until I nearly came, my entire body shaking.
He kept kissing down my torso until he reached the waistband of my pants. I looked down at him then, saw his dark hair between my legs, and knew I was damp—so damn wet. And when he pulled down my pants, tossing my shoes to the side, as well, I grinned.
“Rome,” I whispered.
“Let me take care of you.” And then he was kissing me, gently biting my inner thighs before paying attention to my clit, lapping at me, parting my folds.
“So pretty and pink,” he whispered, blowing cool air along my heat. My body bowed, my toes digging into the earth, and I could feel the water in the air and in and around the pond, slowly rising to the surface. He looked around us, then raised a brow.
“Sleeping with a witch is going to be interesting.”
I raised a brow right back. “Your eyes are gold. I’d have to say sleeping with a bear will be interesting, as well.”
“I’ll have to make sure I can keep up.”
And then his mouth was on my pussy again, and I shook. He kissed me, sucked me until I came from his mouth and nothing else. I shuddered, my entire body quaking as my legs wrapped around his head. He hummed, flicking his tongue against my clit. And then he knelt again, tugging off his pants. I sat up, my body sated yet still strung as tight as a bow as I helped him with the button on his jeans.
“Condom,” I said. “We need a condom.”