Wolf's Lady (After the Crash Book 6.5) (10 page)

“You’re so soft,” he murmured, pulling back to look into her eyes. “So beautiful. Look at us together. You’re so pale and sweet next to me.”

She looked down at his brown hand splayed over her white breast. “I think we look terrific together.” She reached to lay her hand, long pale fingers tipped with pink polish, over his heart. “See? But there’s one place you haven’t touched yet. Please, Sand, touch me here.”

He brushed her hand away from her pussy and kissed her, a slow lingering dance of tongues while he petted the slick, naked skin between her legs. His mouth was red and swollen when he pulled away and sat back to watch his finger disappear into her depths. His face wore a wondering, almost pained expression.

“Oh, that feels good,” she told him, panting, amazed at the delicious feel of his finger invading her. “Two fingers. Use two fingers. Oh, yes. In and out now, in and out. Hard, Sand! Oh, touch me here, like this.” She tapped her fingers rapidly against her clit to demonstrate, but he didn’t use his fingers. His hair brushed over her thighs, and then his teeth nibbled her clit while his fingers plunged in and out of her at a frantic pace. “Sand!” she gasped in shocked delight. And then, “
Sand!
” she screamed as she exploded into writhing, trembling bliss.

When she came back to herself, she was half lying in the chair, Sand’s arm anchoring her there. With her head lolling to the side she had a clear view of his groin. The shorts had slipped down even more, and the glistening tip of his cock peeked out over the waistband.

“Oh, dear,” she said weakly. “You’re still dressed.”

“I am?” He glanced down. “Oh. That’s why I’m so uncomfortable.”

She giggled. It was a faint, trembling giggle, but genuinely amused. “Take them off. We’re not done yet.”

He quickly slid them down his lean hips and kicked them off. She stared at his cock. It was long and thick and obviously more than ready to take up where Sand’s fingers had left off.

“God, I want that in me. Are you strong enough to carry me to bed? I don’t think I can make it there on my own.”

*

Sand scooped his mate up out of the chair he’d decided was his very favorite piece of furniture and carried her to the bed. Seeing her —
feeling
her— come apart under his mouth was amazing. She, a woman who had known many men, had been thoroughly pleasured by a man who had never touched a woman before. Such a release couldn’t be faked. He owed Sky for the advice. And now it was his turn.

When he laid her on her back on the bed she gave him a hot glance from under half lowered lashes and reached for his aching cock.

“Come here, husband,” she said.

“Whatever you say, mate,” he returned, rejoicing in the right to call her that almost as much as in the feel of her hand on his hard flesh.

Her thighs parted and he saw that slippery pink place open for him. She guided his cock there. He hesitated, overcome with joy and awe.

“Push,” she whispered. “I want you deep, deep inside me.”

The feel of her hot flesh closing tight around him when he thrust deep squeezed a howl from his throat. He was vaguely aware of his voice muttering something when he dragged himself almost all the way out of her to push back in. He did it over and over His balls, already needy and aching, tightened to the point of bursting, and when they finally did, he screamed what he had been muttering.

“Amanda! I love you!”

His body strangely weak and empty, he managed to roll onto his side so not to crush her. That was the most exhilarating experience of his life. He had pleasured himself with his hand before, but this was completely different. For one thing, his hand didn’t smile at him and tell him he was loved. Amanda turned onto her side to stroke his tangled hair.

“I love you,” she whispered.

“I love you too,” he said, trying to control his breathing. His heart wasn’t merely beating, it zoomed around his chest, bouncing off his ribs and dancing with his stomach. “That was amazing. Is it always like that?”

“No.”

Her eyes gleamed, hinting at tears. His heart stopped dead, frozen with the fear that he had somehow hurt her during his wild lovemaking. His hand had only just seized her shoulder when she gave a watery giggle.

“No, it’s never like that, not unless the people involved love each other.”

“So … it was good for you?”

Her giggle was louder. “It was better than good. You were pulling my leg, right? You weren’t a virgin.”

“Yes, I was!” He swallowed his outrage at her doubt when she laughed again and kissed him. “Amanda, I’ve never been so happy in my life.”

She settled against him, stroking his arm. “Me neither. I’m looking forward to being happy with you for the rest of my life.”

Deep inside, his wolf gave a happy sigh. “We’ll be happy together. We need to make plans. When should we leave the city? I want to get back to the den before winter. We have to go to your dad’s for supper next week, but after that we can leave, right?”

She thought about it, visibly suppressing a yawn. “I have lots to pack, and I need to make some goodbye visits to friends, but I think I can be ready for the Friday train next week.”

“Sounds good.” His eyes were heavy and he felt utterly relaxed, soothed by his mate’s hand in his hair and the utter absence of stress. “I get to bring you back home as my mate! I can’t believe you’ve finally accepted me.” He drew in her lovely scent, heavier now with spent desire. “I’m so—“ he yawned “—glad you did.”

“Me too.” She must have seen the way he fought sleep because she laid a finger over his lips. “No. Sleep, Sand. Sleep. We’ll talk in the morning.” She laid a soft, gentle kiss on his lips. “Good night.”

With her comforting weight curled up against him, he dropped into slumber.

Sand woke, exquisitely aware of his mate pressed against him. She was on her side, her back against his chest and her ass snuggled into his groin, and desire, fresh and hot, rose in him again. He listened to her soft breathing and something Quill had told him a couple of months ago came back. Quill told him the first time he made love with his mate, he’d wept. At the time Sand thought Quill was pretty stupid to cry at a time like that, but now, feeling Amanda lying so close to him, showing such utter acceptance and trust, Sand understood. Tears of joy, awe, and overwhelming tenderness were gathering in his eyes now. After years of silently yearning to have a woman to love, his mate was lying next to him. He burrowed his nose into Amanda’s soft hair and breathed in her scent.

“I love you,” he whispered into her hair.

She didn’t wake, so he lay beside her and enjoyed her scent in his nose and her warmth beside him. She was his mate. No matter how many times he thought it, the joy of it remained fresh and new. He would never be alone again, now that he had her.

Over the next three days, early morning became one of Sand’s favorite times. Amanda always slept long past sunup, so he had plenty of time to revel in her presence at his side. Of course, that was only one of his favorite times. The nights when they shared passion were even better. Amanda told him what to do to please her, and he eagerly followed her instructions, and even embellished them with his own imagination. He delighted in making her scream his name. Later mornings were wonderful too, after she woke up and he made love to her again. Night time was for hot passion; mornings were for tenderness. He loved all of it.

On the fourth morning after their wedding, Amanda stretched languorously after she had gotten her breath back. She looked up at him from the rumpled bedclothes and giggled.  “You look pretty smug, there, husband. You practically ooze satisfaction.”

“You satisfy me,” he told her solemnly. “Making love with you satisfies me, and so does lying here like this, just talking. I’m so lucky. A lot of wolves never choose a mate, and even those who do aren’t always accepted.”

“I love you, Sand.”

He would never get tired of hearing that. Her hair was scattered over the pillow, a beautiful frame for her beautiful face. “I love you, Amanda.”

“Come on!” She tossed the sheet back and got out of bed to stretch. “Tonight we’re going home for supper, remember? You looked fabulous in Sky’s suit. Let’s go buy you one.”

He tried to stifle his horror. “A suit? I need to wear a suit to eat with your dad?”

“Well, no.” She smoothed her face out, but he could smell her disappointment. “Not if you don’t want to.”

She was naked, pale and lovely and soft. He pulled her against him and kissed her hair. “I will if you want me to.”

She leaned back to look into his face. “I can tell you hate the idea.”

Already she knew him well enough to read him. “I don’t like suits, no. But if it will make you happy…”

Her finger was unbearably gently on his lower lip. “How about a pair of slacks and a dress shirt?”

“No tie?”

“No tie,” she confirmed.

“No coat?”

“No coat.”

He kissed her deeply. “No wonder I love you. You can buy me a shirt and pants and I’ll wear them. For you.”

“Thank you. We can go shopping now and if there are any alterations that need to be made…” She paused when he pressed her against his erection. “Again?”

Her voice held a little surprise, but no complaint. “If you don’t mind,” he said, straight-faced.

He loved her laugh, and adored her stroking fingers. “No, I don’t mind. We can go shopping a little later.”

Late that afternoon, Amanda held her husband’s hand as they strolled through the streets of Omaha to her father’s house. He looked handsome in his charcoal grey trousers and brick red raw silk shirt open at the throat. She had combed his hair and fastened it into a sleek tail that hung between his shoulder blades to the skinny black belt around his narrow waist. She decided every man with a high tight ass should have a pair of well tailored dress pants to show off his assets. Any woman would be proud to walk hand in hand with Sand, but no one else would ever have the chance, because he was hers.

It was a beautiful afternoon for a walk, sunny and warm, but not hot, with a light breeze. She had her mother’s hand knit shawl tucked into her bag, since the walk home might be chilly. It was a lengthy walk from The Limit in what was called the Gold Coast to her childhood home in the poor part of Omaha. They arrived and she tugged Sand to a halt at the edge of the bare yard to look at the small house.

“I’m going to miss it,” she said. “I know it’s not a big place, or even very nice, but it was home.”

Sand lifted their joined hands to his lips and kissed her fingers. “If I could, I would bring it with us to the den.”

“I know you would. But then where would my father live?”

“He’d always be welcome to live with us at the den.”

Amanda shook her head slowly. “Since my cousin has been named his legal ward, they couldn’t leave Omaha without paying a huge fee. Well, he could, but she couldn’t, and of course he’d never leave her behind.”

He stared at her for a moment, a strange look on his face that morphed into disgust. “Of course the greedy city fathers of Omaha wouldn’t let a woman out of their grasp without being paid for it.”

Oh, God, she thought, looking around to see if anyone could overhear them. The City Guard didn’t patrol this neighborhood the way they did the more prosperous sections of the city, but anyone could inform on them. When she made frantic shushing motions at him he lowered his voice. “If she wants to leave, there are ways to smuggle her out of Omaha.”

She tugged his hand to get him moving to the house. “No, that would be too dangerous.”

He moved obediently toward the house. “How much is the fee?”

“I think it’s one hundred gold strips. I have a little money left, but not enough to pay that.”

Sand muttered something in Lakota and walked with her up the wooden steps to the front door. She knocked. He asked, “Why are you knocking? This is your home.”

“Not anymore. My home is with you from now on.”

Her father opened the door in the middle of her comment. “Now, that’s not quite true, little girl. Your home is with your husband, for sure, but this will always be your home. And Sand’s too.”

Sand shook her father’s hand and they all walked into the small living room. “Smells good,” Sand said.

Her cousin came in from the kitchen, wearing a smile and her novice uniform. Sand went to her and gave her a kiss on the cheek. “Supper smells delicious, cousin. Did you make some of your famous bread?”

Sara grinned. “No, but I made dinner rolls.”

Amanda went and gave her cousin a hug. “What can I do to help with supper?”

“Supper’s ready, but you could help carry food into the dining room.”

Sara was a good cook, much better than she was, Amanda admitted. The ham was the perfect mix of salty and sweet, and the beans were seasoned with a touch of garlic and butter. She slanted an eyebrow at Sand. “I hope you didn’t marry me for my cooking,” she said. “I suck at it.”

“We’ll eat with the rest of the Pack. The young wolves take turns in the kitchen and we all eat together.”

Sara raised her eyebrows. “You mean my husband cooks?”

“Sure. Stone makes a good steak.”

Amanda lowered her fork. “Tell me about the den. We said we would talk about where we would live, but we haven’t yet.”

Sara kept her face lowered modestly toward her plate, but she had a sly smile on her lips. “Been too busy to talk?”

Sand must have heard her, but he paid no attention. “It’s a great place. About fifteen years ago Taye’s mother left the Clan to live closer to her family. A lot of the young men from the Clan went with her. She picked an old abandoned motel and they fixed it up. The whole Pack lives there now. It’s nice. There are lots of sleeping rooms, and there’s the rec room and the dining hall where we all get together.”

He must have seen something on her face, because he faltered in his enthusiasm. “Amanda? Doesn’t the den sound nice?”

“Yes,” she said carefully. “But I’d like a place of my own. A house. It doesn’t need to be big.” She waved a hand to indicate her childhood home. “Just a simple place for us and someday, our children.”

Sand’s face warmed with a tender smile. “We could live with the Clan. My father and brothers are there. Some of the men have built houses for their mates in the Sacred Lands where we stay during winter.”

Her answering smile stuttered. “Winter? What about summer?”

“Oh, we travel during the spring and summer, following the hunting. Tara and the other women will help you make our lodge.”

Camping? That sounded horribly like camping. “Um. Sand, I don’t think I’m cut out for that kind of life. I’m a city girl, you know. I’m soft.”

His eyelids drooped. “Yeah, I know,” he purred.

A flush heated her cheeks. She saw her dad was blushing too, and the heat in her face intensified. Sara giggled. “Sand! Quit teasing her! She thinks you’re serious.”

“I am serious! About her being soft, at least.” Sand picked up her hand and squeezed. “Sorry. It was just the look on your face. I couldn’t help teasing you a little.”

While Amanda heaved a sigh, Sara shook her head. “I don’t remember you having a sense of humor like this.”

Sand chuckled. “It’s new. I think Amanda gave it to me.”

She remembered how he joked on their wedding night and smiled. “Don’t scare me like that!”

He raised his brows in exaggerated surprise. “But my sense of humor is one of the things you love about me! You said so.”

“Ha! I take it back.” But she smiled to let him know she was kidding. “So you don’t really expect me to live in a tent? Or a motel room?”

“No, not if you don’t want to. Ellie and Quill are already having a house built inside the wall around the den. Maybe we could build one too.” He squeezed her hand again. “We’d probably have to live in the den for a while, until the house was ready. Would that be okay?”

“Sure.” She almost reached out to touch his cheek, but her dad was watching, Oh, the hell with it. She put her hand behind his neck to pull him close for a kiss. “I love you.”

An hour later, Amanda leaned back in her chair, feeling pleasantly full. Her husband and her father were deep in a discussion about rat control. Amanda made a face at Sara, and the girl smothered a giggle behind her hand.

“Let’s leave them to it,” Amanda suggested. “I can help you with dishes.”

Sara accepted the offer. Amanda stood in the familiar kitchen, on the rug her mother had made laid over the section of worn out linoleum in front of the sink, and dried the supper dishes while Sara washed them. The kitchen hadn’t changed a bit in the past fifteen years. It was so familiar and cozy, and yet, it would soon be only a memory.

“This is the last time I’ll do this,” she said quietly. “At least, for a very long time.”

Sara smiled at her as she set the last pan into the drying rack. “I remember how hard it was for me when my dad died. I haven’t seen our place in Kansas since.”

That was a reminder to Amanda to be thankful. Her father was still alive, and she hadn’t been sold to be a prize in a Bride Fight. “I’m sorry. That must have been so hard.”

Sara was quiet for a few minutes, her face furrowed with sorrow. “It was. But at least I’m safe here for the time being.” Her face brightened. “And I got a letter from my husband. It was only a few lines long, but it means he’s thinking of me. He hasn’t forgotten me.”

From the entry to the kitchen, Sand spoke. “He hasn’t forgotten you. No wolf would ever forget his mate.”

“Even if he wanted to?” Sara’s smile twisted. “Never mind. When you get back home be sure to tell Spot hi from me, and tell him I’m waiting for him.”

“I’ll tell him.” His voice softened when he turned to Amanda. “Darling, we need to leave.”

Amanda hung up the dish towel and sent a lingering glance around the kitchen. It was time for her to leave. She would be on the next train to go to her new home in Kearney. She was looking forward to that, but …

“Daddy,” she whispered, feeling the tears start. ”Daddy, I’m going to miss you.”

Her father’s arms closed around her, not quite as strong as they had been when she was a girl, but just as warm and loving. “I’ll miss you too, little girl. But I’m glad to know you’ll be away from Omaha with a fine man for a husband. Now don’t cry. You’ll get me started.”

“You’ll come live with us someday,” she said fiercely. “In only a couple of years, you’ll be free to come west. Right, Sand?”

“Yes.” Sand put a hand on her father’s arm. “You’ll always be welcome in the Pack.”

Sara’s eyes were streaming, but she tried to stop. “I think you two are going to be the happiest couple ever. I wish Stone…” She cut herself off with a strangled sob. “I know you have to go, but I wish you didn’t. It’s a long walk back to Sky’s house and it’s dark. Will you be safe? You should stay here tonight.”

“Of course I’ll be safe.” She draped her mother’s shawl over her shoulders and caught her cousin in one last hug. “Sand is with me.”