All the emotion, all the turmoil, all that bundled up energy Matthias had whenever he was around Trinity exploded, sucking away his restraint. He nipped at her lips, growling softly. Her hands rose to his chest and he sighed in pleasure at her touch.
She melted into him, her mouth opening beneath his. His tongue swept in to play with hers, sliding and sucking. He cradled her head, frustrated that he couldn’t run his hands through her locks. He traced the end of her braid and tugged at the elastic, removing it from her hair.
He moaned in satisfaction as he threaded his fingers through her curls, gently destroying the braid. Trinity arched her back, breathlessly kissing him back. He loved the feel of her body against his. He covered her hands, encouraging her to touch him, stroke him.
She responded, caressing his chest, cupping his pectoral muscles. He gritted his teeth. Her touch on his skin was arousing, every stroke of her fingertips ratcheting up the tension, testing his control. He started to tug at her shirt, drawing away from her lips to pull the garment up over her head.
“I’m so going to need some new clothes,” she panted as he dropped her shirt to the ground.
“Baby, don’t ever feel the need to cover up around me,” he murmured, his gaze dropping down to her bra. She was a sexy woman, so damn attractive in her underwear—but he’d discovered she looked so much better out of it.
He unclasped her bra, dragging the straps down her arms and dropping it to the grass at their feet.
“I don’t understand what’s happening to me,” she whispered as she leaned forward to kiss his chest. He closed his eyes briefly, indulging in the contact.
“I can’t stop thinking about you. Even when I’m frustrated with you, I want you,” she said, then flicked her tongue over his nipple, and need, hot and hard, tightened in his cock. He ran his hands up her back, around her sides to cup her breasts.
“It’s the imprint,” he explained, leaning down to kiss the length of her neck, inhaling the scent. Forever on, he knew he’d always associate honeysuckle with a hard-on. “I have the same problem.”
“I don’t want it, I want to control all this—but then I don’t. I want to give in to it, to let it run its course.” She dropped to her knees and fumbled with his belt, his fly.
He should tell her. He should tell her the rest of it. She succeeded in freeing him from his pants, and her breath on him was almost his undoing. Then she took him into her mouth. Oh, God. Later. He’d tell her later. Right now, she was driving him crazy.
She kissed him, playing those same, sexy dangerous games with her tongue, and the pressure built in him, tension tightening in his gut, his groin.
He pulled away from her. “Your turn.” He wanted to drive her as crazy and hot for him as he was for her. He toed off his boots and discarded the rest of his clothing as Trinity quickly did the same.
She was so beautiful, standing there naked, her body bathed in the silver light of the moon. He lifted her up in his arms, his mouth latching onto her breast as she wrapped her legs around his waist. She was so warm, so damp, he wanted to be inside her. He bore her down to the ground, gently lying her on top of their wrinkled clothing. He kissed one breast as he fondled the other, then kissed his way down her body, tasting her, reveling in her.
When he reached the apex of her thighs, he paused. He took a deep breath, and her fragrance—musky, feminine, wild—twisted inside him, trailing through all his dark places. It was like a fog to his brain.
Mine.
He kissed her, and she moaned her pleasure to the night, her body his personal playground as he brought her to orgasm, her body trembling from the pleasure he alone could give her.
Mine.
He was blindsided by the streak of possessiveness that tore through him, but he welcomed it. He rose up over her, sheathing himself in her in one smooth glide as her ecstasy still shuddered through her. He met her gaze as he moved inside her.
He was tormenting her. Trinity flexed her hips. He bent down to kiss her, hot and hungry, and she didn’t think she could dissolve any more, but she could. She melted. That’s what he did to her. Made her a hot puddle of need. His tongue rubbed against hers as he flexed his hips, his arms braced on either side of her body, his massive shoulders blocking out the moonlight, creating a dark place for them. He rocked slowly against her, her body still trying to find some calm after the storm he’d just wreaked on her senses, but there was no respite. She pushed at him gently, and he grinned as he rolled with her, helping her straddle him.
Her eyes widened. Oh, good grief. Now he was deeper. It was so delicious, so wicked, just so...much. She writhed against him, and this time it was he who moaned. Her lips curled in satisfaction, knowing she could give him the same pleasure he gave her, and then she couldn’t really think much more as he cupped her breasts, the muscles in his shoulders and chest rippling as he moved beneath her. He played with her, thrust underneath her and she convulsed as another wave of ecstasy washed over her. He roared his pleasure, his eyes startled as he met her gaze, both swept away in a tide of bliss neither had known existed.
* * *
Matthias lazily trailed a finger down Trinity’s arm as he gazed up at the stars. It looked like someone had thrown a dark carpet of diamonds over the world. He brushed his hand up her back, enjoying the tickle of her hair against his arm.
The glimpse she’d given him into her life had been saddening, frustrating, infuriating, awe-inspiring. Shifters were a tactile bunch; they liked to touch and be touched. Trinity had been denied touch contact with her pack for so long, he wanted to make up for it—he wanted to make sure she never went without physical contact, that she never craved another’s touch. From now on, he’d fill that need for her. Always.
“What are you thinking about?” Trinity whispered to him as she rolled over to face him.
He smiled. “I’m thinking we should try this in a bed sometime.” He looked over to her, and was surprised by her intent gaze. “What?”
“You talk like there’s going to be more of this.” Her hand waved between them.
He eyed her carefully. “There will be more of this.”
Trinity raised an eyebrow. “You sound really sure of yourself. How do you think this is going to work after you’ve killed my alpha prime, my pack?”
He opened his mouth, then closed it. He didn’t know what he should address first, his confidence in them coming together, which involved a longer talk on the subject of imprints—and after her reaction on top of the mountain, he wasn’t that eager to revisit the subject—or her assumption that he’d kill her pack. Okay, so he hadn’t really given her any reason to think otherwise, but this was his she-wolf. He was her lycan—whether she was prepared to admit it or not. He had to set the record straight.
“Trin, if at all possible, I don’t want to kill your pack,” he said as he rolled over to face her. “I saw a pack get wiped out. That kind of massacre—I’d never want that visited on another family. Ever. I want Rafe, yes, and I’ll do everything within my power to get him, but not at the cost of innocent lives. I lost my wife. I lost my son. There’s been enough death.”
Her gaze dropped to his chest, and she reached out to touch the ring on his chain. Instinctively, he covered her hand with his own, and she looked up at him, her gaze flicking between their clasped hands and his eyes.
“Would you ever consider taking this off?” she whispered, her eyes so charged with a need he couldn’t quite identify.
“No,” he whispered back. “I can’t.”
Her eyelids flickered with a flash of pain so raw it took his breath away, and then her expression became shuttered, and she let go of his chain. Her lips rolled in, and she nodded.
“Okay, then.”
She rolled over, and he closed his eyes at the stiffness of her shoulders, the rigidity of her spine.
He pulled her closer, despite her resistance, needing to offer comfort although he couldn’t quite remove the cause of her pain. He’d caused that pain, and he felt like a heel for doing it.
“I can’t explain—”
“You don’t have to,” she whispered without turning.
“Trin—”
“It’s fine, Matthias. I understand. You loved her. You should never feel guilty for loving your wife.”
His lips tightened. He wanted to tell her, he wanted to explain everything, but only one other person knew, and he couldn’t risk his secret getting out, not with the task he’d set for himself. He cuddled up next to his she-wolf and closed his eyes, trying his best to absorb her pain.
* * *
Trinity woke slowly, squinting. The sun was well above the ridgeline, and a cool wind blew across the meadow. A flock of birds flew in formation overhead, stragglers before the winter snows hit. She didn’t have to worry about the cold, though. There was a thermal generator pressed up against her back, his light snore ruffling the hair at the nape of her neck and sending tingling sensations down her spine.
A muscled arm lay across her waist, a broad thigh resting between her own, and something hard and long jutting against her backside.
Just the realization that he lay there behind her, his body curled around hers, was enough to nudge her system into overdrive.
She swallowed. How could her body betray her like this? The man was in love with his wife’s ghost. He couldn’t bear to be separated from the symbol of their love, yet she was ready to give her body to him? Was she so desperate for affection, so needy for attention, for love?
Her lips firmed. She was a former Scion, damn it. Even though her father died a shameful death, there were lessons he did instill in her, about loyalty. Protection. Pride.
She slid out from beneath Matthias’s arm, biting her lip at the instant yearning that filled her body when she was without his touch. The need flared within her, and she strode over to the pool and dived in, trying to cool the heat in her body. She almost swallowed water, so chilled was the temperature of the pool. Instantly, she gained some relief from the heat.
She swam, diving and kicking, breaking the surface for air and diving again. The water felt glorious against her skin, cooling her, cleansing her. Several minutes later she heard a splash and kicked to the top, slicking back her hair.
Matthias treaded water two yards away from her, a lazy, sexy grin on his face. My, the man was a wickedly gorgeous sight, his broad shoulders and arms glistening with the water, sunshine gleaming down on him, his muscles bunching and rippling with his movement.
“Good morning,” he said. His voice was deep, delicious, like water tumbling over rocks. It had the ability to lull her, seduce her. She sank into the water and rose again, sluicing her hair back. She wasn’t going to be lulled, or seduced. Not again. And yet, he looked so gorgeous, all tanned and smiling, and the water was so sensual, lapping at her breasts, her thighs as he swam toward her. He was so damn sexy she wanted to— She closed her eyes to try and block the temptation. No, damn it. That ring still glinted around his neck.
“Good morning,” she responded, swimming toward the bank. Her knees bumped against the muddy bottom, and she brought her feet up to stand. She turned back to face him, saw the hungry look on his face, the gleam in his eye. He was so...potent. All it would take would be a wink and a grin, and she’d be diving back in again. She turned and strode out of the water, heading toward her clothes.
She grimaced. It felt wonderful to be clean again, but these clothes were getting gross.
She pulled on her jeans. She wondered what Dalton’s response had been when Rafe cast her and Jax out. Not that it mattered. Dalton versus Rafe would be a short debate. She heard rustling behind her, realized Matthias was getting dressed, also.
Despite all they’d shared, both about their past history and their physical relationship—whatever the hell that was—this morning felt...awkward.
“Trinity,” Matthias began, coming up behind her.
“We should get back to the camp. I want to make sure Jax is okay,” she interrupted. She pulled her hair back. What she wouldn’t give for a brush right about now. A hand covered hers.
“Leave it. I like it down.” His voice was so close to her ear, and it was as if she hadn’t been swimming in a natural pool at the base of a constantly flowing, constantly chilled waterfall.
She shook her head and continued to plait her hair. “I’m too hot. I think I might be coming down with something, or else that imprint business is really doing a number on me.” She glanced over her shoulder to look at him as her fingers entwined the lengths of her hair. “When is it supposed to go?”
Matthias grimaced, and scratched his head. Her gaze was drawn to the bunching of his biceps. “Uh, about that...” he began, “there’s something—”
A loud explosion rent the air, followed by a rumble.
Trinity’s eyes widened, and met Matthias’s frown. She knew that sound. Blood drained from her face, and she took off running toward the base of the rock face.
“Trin, what is it?” Matthias said, catching up with her.
“I need to get to high ground,” she said, hauling herself up, double time. His hand on her arm halted her.
“Careful. We have no ropes here, no support. I don’t want you to fall.”
She frowned, the need for action pumping through her. “I have climbed these walls a hundred times, Matthias. I’m not some delicate flower. Knowing every inch of my territory is part of my job, now move.”
She dug her toe into a crack, pushed and grabbed onto a ledge. She had to see. God, she hoped she was wrong, but she had to get up high and see.
“What is it, Trin?”
She firmed her lips as she climbed. “My worst nightmare.”