If he sensed for one moment that his words were too much for her, that his alphaness was going over the line, he would have backed the fuck off, but all he sensed was her inner animal growing soft and giving. She wanted this, and no matter how bad her life had been, she trusted him in the way mates did with each other.
Knowing how she felt toward him, Bram didn’t want to deny himself any longer. He leaned in close and stopped just an inch from her mouth. Their eyes were locked, and he waited until he saw her acceptance in her gaze and the slight nod before he pressed his mouth against hers.
He took her lips in a kiss, softly at first, waiting to gauge her reaction. He wanted to show her how gentle he could be. At first, he just caressed her lips with his, but the desire to take more from her was too strong.
When she didn’t push him away, he went a bit further. Sliding his tongue along the seam of her lips was a sensory overload as he tasted the flavor of her flesh. She was sweet and addictive, and he couldn’t stop, wouldn’t even if his life depended on it. Kenzie was hesitant at first but soon opened her mouth and allowed him entry, and Bram took it all.
Slipping into the warm, wet cavern of her mouth had a grunt of pleasure leaving him, and when she moved her tongue along his, he hardened even further. The lounge pants offered little obstruction as he moved closer to her and pressed his cock into the soft swell of her belly.
The scent of her arousal coated him and brought him to new heights, so Bram didn’t stop his bear from rising to the surface and experiencing this right along with him.
“I want this so bad, Kenzie.” He broke the kiss and trailed his lips over her cheek and down her neck. “I want you so bad, more than I’ve ever wanted anything or anyone before. I just don’t want to go too fast, push you too far, and have you running from me.”
Her answering moan and the way she gripped his biceps, as if she thought he would leave, told him she wanted this too.
“All you have to do is tell me that this is okay.” Nipping and licking at her throat had Bram’s pulse beating frantically at the tip of his dick. “That I can go further, and I promise I’ll be gentle.” He ran his tongue up the length of her throat and then moved it back down again. “I’ll make it good for you.” He slid his hands down her back and over the full mounds of her ass. “And I’ll make sure I am the only male you think of.”
Curling his fingers into her soft, generous ass, Bram felt his shaft grow even harder. God, he really was a bastard for even wanting this from her right after she told him about her abuse, but he needed to help her wipe away the memories of the panther and replace them with only ones of him. He didn’t do any more than kiss her slowly, waiting for her to give her permission to go further.
“I don’t know how this will end up, but I do know I’ve never felt like this in my life, Bram.” He pulled back and looked down at her. In a soft voice, she said, “I want to forget about him, and I want you to be the male to help me with that.” He stared into her eyes, feeling a gentle part of him rise up, one he’d never felt or experienced before. “I want to give you the one part of me I’ve never given to anyone else… the one part Rook didn’t steal from me.”
The air left him violently at her words.
As he pressed his hips forward, the fresh scent of her pussy called to the male in him. It wasn’t lost on him that her scarred past made her delicate and vulnerable, but showing her, telling her that he fucking needed her, that she was it for him, and that he would do everything in his power to ensure she knew that, eased the human and bear within him.
That asshole’s time was coming, and when he faced off with Bram, because there was no doubt the panther would come after Kenzie, Bram would let his bear out at full-force and finally bring his girl peace.
“Bram.” She sighed and let her head fall back, and he continued to lick her like she was the best-tasting treat in the whole fucking world. “I do want this. I do want you, but I can’t.” She put her hands on his chest, and he dragged his teeth up her neck.