Constance was shocked by how deep, how hot, how fucking needy the kiss was.
He broke the kiss first, but his lips trailed down her neck, brushing across her pulse, and she whimpered.
His teeth scored across her flesh, the slight edge of pain heightening her own release.
“Do you have any idea what I want to do to you?” he asked.
“No.”
Gage took her hand and placed it right on top of his dick. The hard length of him surprised her. “That is all you, Connie. No one else. I want to fuck you.”
“Then do it,” she said.
“I will, when you’re good and ready.” He put his fingers beneath her chin and tilted her head back. He pressed a quick kiss against her lips.
“You don’t think I’m ready now?”
“No. I will know when you’re ready, and when you are, there is going to be no stopping me.”
His words sounded like a promise. One she wanted him to keep.
This was insane.
Within one week, she’d been rejected and claimed by the man she truly wanted. She couldn’t help but keep pinching herself, expecting something bad to go wrong. Good things never happened to her.
****
Gage had shown a great deal of restraint. Seeing Connie losing control, in the middle of the throes of orgasm, the wolf within him had wanted to fuck her, to start scenting her so no other male within the pack would even get close, not even her mate.
With Tanner under his roof, he knew he had a delicate situation to handle. One he didn’t fucking need right now.
After her orgasm, he’d helped her get dressed and sent her to go prepare for some lunch.
He had every intention of fucking Connie senseless. The cravings that stirred within him were not lessening but getting stronger with every passing second. He wanted her so badly.
In all his years of being alpha, he’d never felt this overwhelming need to claim a woman. Connie had dug her claws in right to his core, and what was worse, she didn’t even know it either.
He headed to the kitchen, intent on cooking to clear his mind.
Tanner was in the kitchen as he entered. His son had a bowl of cereal within his grasp.
They didn’t speak as he opened the fridge and began to pull out some ingredients.
“Do you plan on impressing her with your mad cooking skills?” Tanner asked.
“Why does this bother you?” Gage closed the fridge and turned toward his son. “You were all over Tiffany wanting to be your mate. Now you’re upset about me taking care of a pack female.”
“She’s not just any female though, is she? It’s Connie.” Tanner’s face was all screwed up as if he couldn’t imagine for the life of him why anyone would be attracted to her.
“I hope you’re ready for the consequences of your decision,” Gage said.
“What do you mean?” Tanner put his bowl in the sink and washed it up. At least he’d gotten some things right with his son.
“One day, you’re going to have to look back at this time. You may have kids. Tiffany may calm you. There are no instructions or details in the chronicles about how a rejected continues with his or her life.”
“Look, Dad, I get that you want to take care of her and she’s always been this important person within the pack, but don’t you … she’s big.” Tanner put his hands down by his hips, several inches away.
“Don’t,” Gage said.
“Are you into that?”
“Son, I suggest you start to learn respect or you get the fuck out of my house,” Gage said. “Connie is a very beautiful woman. I’ve seen the way you look at her, but those friends of yours have you so blinded. You lost the one woman who was going to be so damn good in your life.”
Tanner went to open his mouth again, but Gage didn’t want to hear another word. “Out.”
His son sighed. His shoulders slumped and he took off, heading out of the house. Gage stayed tense until he heard the slam of the front door. Hopefully, his son would take the hint and stay away for the remainder of the week.
“Hey,” Connie said.
Gage spun toward the door. He’d been so busy dealing with Tanner, he hadn’t heard her. “How much did you hear?”
“Most of it?”
“If you don’t want me to have him here, I can make arrangements for him.”
She held her hands up, shaking her head at the same time she moved toward the chair she had occupied yesterday. “I’m fine. Honestly.” She locked her fingers together with a smile. “You think I’m beautiful?”
“Yes, I do. I always thought you were beautiful.”
“That’s nice.”
He frowned at her. “What is?”
“You’re the first person to call me beautiful. My parents were obsessed with me looking the part of the pack. They felt I wasn’t working to my full potential.”