“You think I’m hot, that’s all I need to know.” He grins as he starts walking around the car toward me. I gulp as he approaches. “We can figure out the rest. How about this for a plan? We stay together and see what happens. We don’t deny our feelings. We don’t get scared by the intensity of them. We accept what fate has in store for us and enjoy every minute of it.”
I’m trembling as he comes right up to me. Our eyes are locked on one another. I can’t look away.
“That sounds like a pretty good plan,” I whisper as my eyes fall to his lips.
I really want him to kiss me. I want to taste his mouth.
I can’t think of a better first kiss than right here, right now.
“I think so too,” he whispers as he takes my hands in his. I squeeze his strong fingers as our mouths close the distance.
Yes…
My eyes fall closed, I stand on my toes, my chin tilts up…
His lips touch mine and my whole body shivers with a warm humming glow. His mouth is so soft. So tasty. So sexy.
He kisses me like I’m his. Like he’s been waiting for this moment his whole life. I melt against his hard warm body and the only thing holding me up are his strong hands wrapping around my waist, pulling me closer…
His possessive tongue pushes deeper into my mouth and I moan as he tastes me. I open my mouth wider, giving him what he wants, giving him what he’s been waiting for, giving him what made his bear crazy without.
I lazily open my eyes as our mouths slowly part. I’m still pressed against him with his arms wrapped around me in a protective hold.
My eyes are all watery as I look up at his gorgeous blurry face. “Fuck plans,” I whisper as I gaze up at his mouth. “Let’s just live in the moment. I’m ready to let fate take over.”
Fate brought me this. I trust her now.
He kisses me again, a little harder and with more intensity. I like this one too. It turns the heat swirling between my legs into a warm wetness.
I’m wondering how many kissing styles this man has and how long it will be until I get to try them all when we finally part.
“The hospital!” I say when I spot the dried blood on his leg. “I’m so sorry! I forgot all about it! We got to get you out of here.”
He grabs my arm as I rush to the car. “Layla. It’s okay. Look.”
I gasp when he shows me his leg. The wound is almost healed. It’s completely closed up and all of the blood on his leg is dry. There’s no fresh blood leaking out anymore.
“What…”
“Shifter healing,” he says with a grin and a shrug. “It comes in handy.”
“I bet.”
I lick my lips as I look at him. “So… Where should we go?”
His big round shoulders drop as he looks away. “I… have nowhere to go.”
“You don’t have a home?”
He sighs. “No home. No nothing.”
My heart breaks for him. I can’t believe this amazing man has been living like this. It must have been so hard for him. I only wish I could have come into his life sooner.
“Where have you been living?”
“Inside my bear.”
“And where has he been?”
“All over,” he says with a heavy breath. “Washington, Idaho, British Colombia, Montana. He’s been wandering around the mountains for a long time.”
“Shit,” I whisper. “But that’s over now, right? I’m here now, so your bear will be okay?”
“I think so,” he says. “He feels so different. It’s a bit unnerving after living with a maniac beast for so long.”
I put my palm on his warm chest for three reasons—to make him feel better, because I want to, because I’m his mate and I can. “It’s going to be okay now, Noah. I’m here. I’m not going anywhere, okay?”
He nods as he looks at me with gratitude in his stunning brown eyes.
“You’re safe now.”
He groans. “Maybe not safe…”
“What do you mean?”
“Those mercenary shifters aren’t about to back off,” he says as he runs a hand through his hair. “They’ve marked me as a feral shifter. They’ve marked me to die and they won’t back off until they’ve achieved their goal.”
I squeeze my hands into fists as my back straightens. “I won’t let them.”
He sighs as he looks at me with adoring eyes. “You are the girl for me. I’m already in love with you, Layla.”
I think I feel the same way, but I’m not ready to say it yet.
“Come,” I say as I grab his big hand and pull him to my car. “We can hide out at my place until this blows over.”
“It won’t blow over.”
“Fine. Then until we can think of a plan to get rid of those guys for good.”
“Another plan?”
“Another plan! But this one will work.”
“Why’s that?” he says with a grin as I open the door.
I push him into the car with a smile. “Because I say it will.”
He laughs as I slam the door closed and rush around the hood to the driver’s side.
I don’t care how many mean nasty shifters come out of the woodwork to hurt my man. I’m not going to let any of them lay a finger on him.
He’s mine to protect just like I’m his to protect.
And I take my mate duties seriously.
CHAPTER FIVE
Noah
I don’t know how long it’s been since I’ve had a hot shower, but this feels fucking fantastic. I’d stay in here until my skin is as wrinkly as a raisin and the hot water tank is bone dry, but my mate is waiting for me and as amazing as this hot shower is, it’s nothing compared to staring at her gorgeous face and luscious curves.
I turn off the water, dry off, and slip on the clothes she left for me. One of her male cousins lives nearby, so she went over and raided his closet for the largest clothes she could find. They’re still tight, but I manage to get them on. I pull on the jeans and they hug my muscular thighs. They must be baggy on him, but with my large frame, they’re a little snug. The t-shirt fits too, but the sleeves are tight on my arms.
Layla doesn’t seem to mind at all. Her beautiful blue eyes widen when I walk into the kitchen. She catches herself and continues making the sandwiches with blushing cheeks. I can tell she’s flustered because she unwraps a cheese slice and then throws the cheese in the garbage and puts the wrapper on the sandwich.
“What am I doing?” she mutters under her breath as she tosses the wrapper in the garbage and grabs another slice.
“Let me help,” I say as I walk into the kitchen and stand beside her.
Her body stiffens and she sucks in a breath as those lustful eyes glance at my arms.
“I used to love to cook,” I say as I reach past her for the tomatoes. I brush her arm with mine and she swallows hard.
“So, the clothes fit?” she says as those sexy eyes roam all over my body. Her cheeks get a darker shade of pink.
“They’re a little tight on my arms,” I say as I give my right arm a good flex. The sleeve strains against my hard round bicep and her eyes get cartoonishly large as she stares at it. I think my mate is an arm girl.