ADDISON
In my office, I sat in my chair, my head back as I closed my eyes. When that man walked in, I just about pounced on him. His bare chest, shining from the sweat that beaded on his skin from his training.
His muscles were tight after all the exercise. His face was flushed, and his hair was damp. And of course, he caught me mid stare.
My wolf was going crazy. The mate pull was getting worse. I didnât know how much longer I could hold out.
~âWhy wonât he get all this teasing over with and just mark us?â~ my wolf whined. I shrugged. ~Beats me~, I thought.
As I sat there trying to compose myself so he wouldnât know just how much he had heated me up, there was a tap on the door, and Slade walked in.
âAddison?â
I got up and walked over to the couch. âHey. Come sit by me.â We sat on opposite ends of the couch; the distance helped a lot. Slade talked about what each role I would be taking on would entail.
He told me I had free rein on events, parties, ceremonies, and pack meetings unless there was something specific he wanted to be done.
With the school, he informed me that he hadnât done much because he didnât really know where to start. I rolled my eyes and made a note to meet with the staff.
He told me that he would like to do member transfers, but I was more than welcome to be there and help.
It was an easy talk, and the fact that it was about business eased some of the obvious tension between us.
Things had been so good between us lately that I finally had the courage to bring up a big question. âI have a question for you,â I started.
âHmm?â
âYou donât have to answer, but itâs something I would like to know. Why havenât you marked me yet?â
Sladeâs eyes widened. I could tell he wasnât expecting the question. He rubbed the back of his head. âWellâ¦itâs not that I donât want toâ¦â He trailed off, not sure how to continue.
I put my hand up to stop him.
âLook, you and I both know thereâs something between us. I like to think we are friends, but more than that, thereâs an attraction. At least there is on my side. I obviously canât speak for youâ¦â
âWoah, Addison, youâve got that way wrong.â Slade started to back up, feeling the need to defend himself.
âWell, if you like me and you are attracted to me, you feel that mate pull like I do, right?â
âAll day,â he said, rolling his eyes.
âOkay. Slade, we are mates. So if we are friends and want each other, then what is stopping us? Is it because of your past?â
Slade stared at me, eyes wide. I hadnât planned on using that. It just came out, and now I wished I could take it back.
âWhat did you say?â Slade asked, his brow knotted. I could tell he was trying to figure out how much I knew.
âI donât know what happened to you, Slade. Hannah let slip that you had a hard time in the past. I donât know if it was another girl or some fight or your family. But I donât care.â
I leaned forward and cupped his cheeks with my hands. âI. Want. You.â I said it slowly, emphasizing each word so that I was sure he heard it.
The next thing I knew, Sladeâs mouth was on mine. He kissed me angrily, with a heat I had never felt before. He used one hand to grab my waist and pull me close.
The other hand was behind my head, fingers tangled in my hair. His lips parted, and his tongue teased mine. He grabbed my hips and pulled me on top of him, straddling him.
We kept kissing, jolts of electricity sent through us each time we touched. I wrapped my hands in his golden hair, pulling it gently to keep him from moving away.
Sladeâs hands explored my body, and suddenly I was angry that our clothes were in the way.
Stopping to catch our breath, Slade lifted me off him and got up from the couch. Taking my hand, he led me upstairs.
Pushing open the door, he pulled me through and shut the door, pinning me against it as he locked it.
His lips brushed my neck and shoulder, and I felt my whole body tingle. He started to kiss me again, and I met his passion with my own. I slipped off his T-shirt, revealing his hard, broad chest.
My hand swept across his chest as we kissed, and I could feel him respond to it. He pulled my shirt over my head and let out a breath. Slade swept his hands down to my hips and pulled.
I pulled my legs up and wrapped them around him as he carried me to the bed, our lips never ceasing. He laid me on the bed and was above me, kissing my face and neck and nipping at my shoulder.
He brushed his lips over the spot on my shoulder that would carry his mark. I could feel him rubbing himself on me, letting me know he wanted me. It drove me crazy.
Slade stopped to look at me. Cupping my cheek, he met my eyes. âYou are beautiful.â And pressed a kiss to my lips that made me high.