This was woman, what she could bring to his life. A different way of looking at everything, a lightness of spirit he didn’t possess, a frequent smile despite the scars that streaked over her breasts and abdomen. He knew she’d been tortured and here was the evidence. In that sense, they’d both endured similar pain and suffering.
She sat down on the flat portion of the pool’s edge, carefully swung her legs over then slid into the water.
He approached the grotto, still stunned. The pool was a few feet deep. She fanned her arms to keep herself afloat. An herbal smell rose from the water, a witch’s concoction. His senses told him it kept algae from forming. There it was again, more of a warlock’s ability to detect things than a wolf’s. “You keep the pool pure with a potion.”
“I do.”
Her long brown hair floated around her shoulders. He took his boots off first then began to strip out of his clothes. As he did, she slowly gained her feet so that she stood with her shoulders visible.
When he lost his shirt, her gaze fell to his chest and got stuck there. The air became perfumed with her floral scent. His nostrils worked like bellows, laboring to take as much of it in as he could. Fur sprouted on the backs of his hands again, then over his chest and along his cheekbones.
In that moment, he stopped thinking about anything except what his wolf wanted. As he started unzipping his leathers, he flexed his pecs for her. When her mouth fell open and she licked her lips, desire poured over him in heavy waves.
~ ~ ~
Kiara had longed for this day since she could remember. From the first time she’d seen Warren so many years ago, she’d wanted him.
Now he was here and about to fulfill at least one of the many fantasies she’d had about the man.
Slowly, she moved to the edge of the pool just to watch him. Even though she had a good imagination, she really hadn’t pictured the actual size of his chest and the shape and strength of his pecs and abs. She lifted her chin and felt a howl form in her throat. Odd, except Maeve had experienced something similar. The more she had aligned with Alpha Braden, the more she took on his wolf characteristics.
Kiara accepted that the same thing was happening to her, though in her case she couldn’t see where it would lead. Whatever was happening between her and Warren right now, a future with him was impossible. He trusted witches about as far as he could throw them, and she could not see herself living with wolves permanently. They were just too different.
But that didn’t change how much she wanted to have sex with him.
He slowly and carefully lowered his black leather pants, especially keeping the teeth of the zipper from biting his arousal.
Her gaze became fixed on his erection, the large head and the long, thick stalk. He would fill her and then some and she couldn’t wait.
His thigh muscles were angled and powerful. She found it hard to breathe.
“Like what you see?” His voice had deepened.
She shifted her gaze to his face. “You’re magnificent.”
The emerald of his good eye glinted as he followed her lead and sat down on the edge of the pool. She moved back in the water to give him room as he swung his long, powerful legs over the side. He dropped into the water and submerged just as she had.
The pool was a good depth for an indoor grotto, five feet at the shallowest end, and nearly ten where the water splashed from boulders into the pool. It gave her what she needed. A place to float, to relax, and to rest. And in extreme cases, she would bring a suffering wolf here for several rehab sessions.
She didn’t go to Warren right away. Instead, she let him enjoy the water. She kept the temperature regulated so that it wasn’t too cold or too warm. She had a sophisticated pump system that heated the water as it made its way back to the top of the boulders.
He eased back and floated. His arousal had diminished but she liked the partially-erect view.
She decided to follow his lead and once more stretched out and let the water support her.
She felt Warren move in her direction, and her heart rate sped up. He moved in behind her then slid his arms around her waist. He kissed her cheek then her neck.
His resonant voice hit her ear. “Thank you for this. You’ve overwhelmed me and that doesn’t happen often.”
Her chest warmed up. After all this time, Warren had his arms around her. What she’d desired for so long was finally here.
She turned slowly to face him and slid her arms around his neck. She reached up and petted his face and the scarred side of his head. She wasn’t surprised when he tilted his head and kissed the scars on her neck. They shared this much in common. Witches had tortured, scarred and nearly killed them both.
“I’m sorry you were hurt.” He kissed her neck again.
“I’m sorry a witch almost killed you when you first arrived in Five Bridges.”
He leaned back and slid his hand to the back of her neck, beneath the heavy weight of her damp hair. “My scars don’t bother you, do they?”