Once back in Nik and Emma's apartment, Grace got Mojo settled while Aiden went to reclaim his room from Heather.
"She's not here," he told Grace when he came back out.
"What?"
He handed her a piece of paper.
Don't freak out, Gracie. I took off. I'll be fine. I'm a big girl.
Call me when you get a new cell.
Love ya,
Heather
Grace turned the paper over, but there was nothing else written on it. "That's it? That's all I get? Where's Brock?"
"The wolf? Not anywhere near here if he knows what's bloody good for him."
She rolled her eyes.
"This is your fault," she told Aiden, waving the note at him.
"My fault? How is it my fault? And how do you know this Heather?"
"She's my best friend. I went to her place after...well, she came with me. She had to..."
"Come shower with me," he interrupted her.
Thrown off guard by his suggestion, Grace could only blink owlishly at him. She cleared her throat. "I'm sorry? What?"
"Come along, poppet. I need a shower after that flight. And so do you. You reek like that wolf."
"I do?" Grace smelled her forearm. She didn't smell anything. "I'm not showering with you."
"Why ever not?" he asked as he walked towards the bedroom, pulling off his shirt on the way.
Why ever not indeed? Grace eyed the expanse of pure muscle rippling across his back and could not think of one single reason why this was a bad idea. "Uh...umm...okay, I'm coming."
Following the sound of the water, she found him in the bathroom. He laid out two towels and closed the door behind her.
"Come here," he ordered huskily.
She stepped closer, vaguely wondering but not really caring where the hell her sanity had gone.
His grey eyes were bright as he grabbed the hem of her shirt and he yanked it up and off.
Whoa. Wait. Just wait. "Aiden, what if he comes back?"
"Who?"
"Waano."
His hands stilled in the process of untying her pants.
She watched his face, but he gave no indication of what he was thinking.
Finally, he lifted his head. "I can't promise that he won't appear, love. Does that frighten you?"
She wasn't going to lie to him. "Yes."
He pressed his palm to the side of her face and then ran his hand through her hair. Sighing, he kissed the top of her head. "Let's just clean up, yes? And then we'll talk some more." Tilting her chin up until her eyes met his, he confessed, "I want to shag you in the worst possible way. If we can't do that, at least give me the honor of seeing how lovely you are."
Wow. That was possibly one of the most romantic things anyone had ever said to her. "Okay," she whispered, and closed her eyes as he pressed a kiss to the tip of her freckled nose.
"Okay," he whispered back.
She stood in her bra as he finished untying her pants and let them fall from her hips. Kicking off her shoes, she held onto his shoulders while she lifted one leg and then the other as he knelt in front of her to pull off each pant leg.
Next, he hooked his fingers in her panties and slid them down too. She stepped out of them and he tossed them into the corner with her pants.
His palms were warm as he slid them up the backs of her legs and grasped her by the hips. He held her still and leaned in to place a kiss just above the line of soft curls that covered her.
Her hips lurched forward and she gasped, a surge of desire slamming through her.
"So lovely..." he murmured against her skin. With a soft moan, he kissed her there again, inhaling deeply. "I want to taste you here," he said huskily, running the tip of his nose down to her slit.
Grace's knees nearly buckled, but his hands on her hips kept her from sinking to the floor.
Rising smoothly to his feet, he reached behind her and unsnapped her bra. As he pulled the straps down, he stepped back, taking the bra with him and tossing it into the pile of clothes.
She fought the urge to cover herself as he ran his eyes over every single inch of her, taking his time, pausing hungrily at her breasts and the V between her legs.
Her skin began to burn everywhere they touched, and her blood rushed through her veins in anticipation.
His eyes grew brighter still as he continued to gaze at her, and a low growl rumbled in his throat. She caught a glimpse of his fangs as he declared: "MINE."
"What does that mean?" she asked.
But he only smiled, and quickly stripped off the rest of his clothes.
Grace watched him, forgetting her shyness as he unwrapped his body like a gift that had been created just for her.
She'd seen him in nothing but a tee shirt and boxer briefs, but the magnificence of him completely naked was not something she was ever going to forget.
He stood still, allowing her time to look her fill as he had done to her.
Lean, powerful muscle covered latte colored skin from head to toe. His shoulders were just broad enough, his arms and chest powerful. Lean, sculpted abs, marred only with a nasty looking diagonal scar, led down to narrow hips where his manhood jutted out thick and proud from a nest of dark curls.
Her mouth actually began to water just from looking at him. She hadn't had sex in so long.
"Let's get clean, shall we?" he indicated for her to get in first.
She pouted a little but did as he suggested, stepping underneath the cascading water. As the water hit her, she gasped, every drop a caress to her sensitized skin. The shower door closed, and she felt Aiden standing behind her. Turning around to face him, she closed her eyes and tilted her head back. She could feel the heat of his stare on her breasts as she lifted her arms to wet her hair.
"Spin around, love," he rasped when she lifted her head again.
She did so, and he began to work shampoo through her long hair. Guiding her by the shoulders, he turned her around again to rinse it out.
When that was done, he picked up the body wash. "May I?" he asked.
Grace could only nod. But he didn't pour the soap into a cloth as she expected, he poured it directly into his hand.
Her breath caught, desire pooling between her legs before he even touched her.
Rubbing his hands together, he lathered them up and then reached for her arm.
Disappointment flooded through her, and she thought she saw him smirk right before he dropped his chin to his chest.
As he washed one arm and then the next, she waited breathlessly, anticipation building inside of her as she waited for him to get to the more intimate parts of her.
Running his hands up both arms, he paused only for a second before running them over her shoulders and down around her breasts. He cupped their fullness in each hand, skimming his thumbs across her nipples.
He wasn't playing fair. Grace swayed towards him, unable to deny her longing for him anymore. "Aiden..." she breathed.
"Yes, love?" he answered quietly.
Looking directly into his eyes, she told him, "I want to be yours."
His hands stilled for a moment, then glided down her stomach and around her hips, where he grasped her hard.
Running her palms up over the ridges of his stomach to his chest, she stepped closer until barely an inch separated them, and wrapped her arms around his neck.
Sliding his arms around her bare back, he pulled her up against him until she was on her toes. His moan joined hers as her soft breasts were crushed against his chest and his hardness pulsed against her belly.
Gripping him tight, she pressed her lips to his collarbone, and then she kissed her way to his neck, biting him gently.
He shuddered in her arms. "Grace, love," he moaned. "I feel I've waited forever for you."
He ran his hands up her back and into her wet hair. Pulling her head back, he captured her lips with his, kissing her gently, reverently. Leaving her mouth, he pressed hungry kisses down her chin to her throat.
Grace moaned and tried to lift herself higher on her toes so he could reach more of her.
Loosening his tight hold, he stepped back into the water, pulling her with him to rinse her off fully. He ran his hands over her breasts and stomach to help the water while she clutched at his upper arms. When she was clean, he stepped back out of the spray.
Grace went to follow him but he suddenly stopped her with a hand around her arm.
"Wait," he snarled.
The hair at the nape of her neck rose at the tone of his voice. She stopped where she was. "Aiden? What's wrong?"
He glanced down at her, breathing heavily, and a jolt of fear shot straight through to her bones.
Shadows were darkening his eyes.
Aiden closed his eyes, fighting the now familiar feeling of his demon attempting to rise.
Not now, you bloody twat. Not now!
It must have heard him, for a moment later it was gone. Surprised, he waited a few more seconds, just to be sure, before he opened his eyes again.
His lovely Grace trembled before him, her face white with terror as she watched him. His heart ached to see her like that.
"It's all right, he's gone," he assured her.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes. Come here. Hurry," he urged.
She did, and he wrapped her up in his arms, groaning aloud at the feel of all of her delicious softness pressed against him. Lowering his mouth to hers, he kissed her over and over, overcome with a sense of urgency in the wake of what had just happened. Gradually, he felt her become pliant in his arms again, and she hugged him to her as her blood rushed through her veins and he again scented her desire.
Turning her until her back was against the wall, he lifted her with one arm under her luscious derriere. "Wrap your legs around me, love," he ordered against her swollen lips.
As she did, he skimmed along her slick softness and found her entrance. With one quick thrust, he impaled her on his throbbing cock.
She cried out, and he tore his mouth from hers, worried that he had hurt her.
"Don't stop," she breathed urgently.
The scent of her blood and her desire wafted in the air, and he threw his head back with a hiss as he began to move within her. He ached to sink his fangs through her supple flesh, but knew if he did, there would be no going back for them.
But gods, she felt so good. He'd never been so wound up by a female.
Bracing his legs apart, he gripped her hips and lifted her up, then slid her back down hard. He did it again, and again, until she was clutching at his shoulders, begging him for relief. With a growl, he maneuvered one arm behind her back and palmed the back of her head to protect it. The other he wrapped around her bottom.
"Hang on to me, love," he ordered, then began to thrust into her hard and fast.
She fit around him like a glove, tight and wet, and he felt her start to tremble as he moved within her.
"Aiden!" she cried, throwing her head back against his hand.
He hissed again at the sight of her exposed throat, crazy with thirst and desire for her. Slowing his thrusts, he growled, "I want to taste you, Grace."
Her eyes opened and saw where he was looking, saw his elongated fangs. "Do it," she groaned, tilting her head away again. "Aiden, please..."
Aiden began to shake as he fought the blood lust. The power of it was all consuming and very nearly overwhelming. Her artery pulsed before him, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. He was overcome with an unusual sense of decency. He couldn't bring her into his world without her understanding what she was getting into.
With a roar of frustration, he quickened his thrusts, losing himself in her body until his sexual hunger pushed back the thirst.
Pressing his forehead to hers, he tried to hold back to extend the pleasure. But when she cried out and began to convulse in his arms, squeezing every inch of him with each pulse of her orgasm, he lost his control.
Slamming into her over and over, he exploded with a roar.
"MINE!"
The power of his orgasm shook him to his core.
He held her close, moving slowly in and out of her as they caught their breath.
"I think we need another shower," she said when their hearts had both calmed and their breathing had returned to normal.
With a roguish grin, he agreed enthusiastically, and grabbed the body wash.