“Oh, Jake,” I whispered, cuddling close to him and putting my head on his broad chest. “It’s so good to be close to you again!”
“I feel the same way, baby,” He stroked my back and shoulders gently. “Missed you so damn much these past few weeks.”
“It’s been terrible—wanting to be close to you and pretending we barely noticed each other at the same time,” I told him, nestling closer.
Somehow my towel fell open and then my bare breasts were pressing against this side but Jake didn’t say anything about it, so I didn’t bring it up either. I just pressed my face to his neck and breathed in his Alpha scent, loving the feeling of being close to him for the first time in weeks.
I couldn’t help noticing that this closeness was doing something to me, however. During all the craziness at the pack grounds either my Heat Cycle had shut itself down, or else I was too busy with everything else going on to notice it. Now, though, it was definitely ramping up again. Maybe because of being so close to Jake and the feel of his bare skin against mine or maybe because of his scent or maybe a combination of the two.
I didn’t know why, but it felt so good to be with Jake, I didn’t care—didn’t want it to stop. I knew that in a few minutes he would probably push me away to keep us from doing what we shouldn’t, but for now, I just wanted to be near him.
“Mmm, baby,” he murmured after a moment. “You’re starting to smell kind of hot over there.”
“Am I?” I asked innocently, pressing closer to him. Any minute he was going to push me away—I just knew it! And I so didn’t want him to.
“Yeah, you are.” Jake turned his head to look at me, his eyes glowing a pale gold in the dimness. “Are you feeling in need? Is your Heat Cycle ramping up?”
I bit my lip and looked down, unable to meet his eyes.
“Yes,” I admitted. “But please, Jake—let me stay in your arms just a little while longer! It feels so good to be close to you and you don’t have to do anything else—just hold me.”
“I love to hold you, little Ani,” he murmured. “But I don’t want to just hold you—I want to give you what you need to. Tell me—what do you need?”
I shifted against him, filled with uncertainty. It seemed like he might be willing to help me out but how much should I ask for? I knew he wouldn’t knot me—but would he be willing to do something else?
“Maybe…maybe if you just touched me,” I whispered. “I mean, without the towel.” I shed it completely at this point, pushing it over the edge of the bed and getting even closer to Jake. “Would that be all right?”
“Mmm, more than all right. Lay on your back, baby—let me touch you.”
I did as he said, my whole body tingling with need as he propped himself up on one arm and leaned over me. Gently, he began to stroke one big, warm hand down my bare body. He stroked my arms and shoulders and the tops of my thighs and then back up to my trembling belly, but somehow he always seemed to avoid the areas I needed him most.
Then, finally, he cupped one of my breasts and massaged it gently. He tugged lightly on the nipple, sending sparks of pleasure straight down between my legs and making me moan. But still I needed more.
“Please, Jake!” I gasped at last, wiggling desperately against him. “Please, that’s not where I need you the most!”
He gave me a half-lidded smile and tugged my nipple once more.
“Oh no? And where is it that you need me, baby?”
“Here!” Taking his hand, I brought it between my legs. Shamelessly, I spread my thighs so that he was cupping my open pussy which was hot and wet and ready for him.
“God, baby,” Jake groaned as his long fingers slipped into my folds. “You’re so damn wet down here!”
“I can’t help it!” I whispered, looking up at him. “Please, Jake—my Heat Cycle has been horrible lately! Please, can’t you help me with it like you did before?”
“And how do you want me to help you?” he murmured, stroking lightly around my aching clit with his fingertips.
“Oh!” I gasped as pleasure forked through me like lightning. “Like that! And…and other ways!”
“What ways are those?” Jake wanted to know. “You know the only thing that’s going to really help is if you get knotted, baby. You need a Were’s knot to fill you up and his seed deep in your pussy to ease that ache you’re feeling.”
I felt the breath nearly stop in my chest. Was he really offering me that? But surely not, I thought—I knew how against it he was.