I'm pretty sure a jury wouldn't convict me if I'd caught you and taken matters into my own hands." Calder laughed, a loud bellowing sound that filled her small house with a warmth that made her smile despite the seriousness of their situation. "I'm serious, Calder. You need to understand boundaries." He eased away from her and put some space between them. Something that both relieved her and made her bereft at the loss of his touch. She shook her head trying to figure out why her emotions were all over the map when it came to him. When it came to her beautiful bear, she seemed to have emotional ADD. "Message received, babe. Do you want me to move my stuff back out? I can keep it in my duffel." "I don't know. This whole moving in thing is still kinda freaking me out." "I'm not leaving you alone. And I sure as hell am not allowing someone else to watch over you." She took a slow breath. As much as she didn't want to come across needy or overly into him, she really wanted to know more. "Why? Why can't anyone else watch over me?" Ashamed that the question came out so breathless, she ducked her chin and looked down at the floor. He placed his finger under her chin and lifted her head until their gazes met. "Because you're mine." He leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers in the most delicate and gentle kiss she'd ever experienced. His tongue licked her bottom lip and her body nearly melted on the spot. "You taste like honey, Jessa." "It's the pancakes," she said blindly. "And the bacon. You put honey on it all." He shook his head. "It's more than that, babe. I've always wanted to know what a mate would taste like and now I know." He pressed her back against the wall with the bulk of his weight and took her lips with a fierce and stormy kiss this time. One that went so deep she was confident he could look into her soul and see all of her deepest and darkest fears. She had a well of them she kept hidden. It wouldn't do much good to let them out now though so she slammed her mind shut and focused on the great kiss. If she tasted like honey, then he tasted like a man. A virile, strong one that seemed to know what he wanted and how to go after it. Who was she to try and stop what felt like fate? Had everything she'd been through these past few months simply been a precursor to this? He sucked on her tongue and she lost her train of thought. His hands sifted through her hair and tugged at the strands of her bun. Her hair tumbled down and he moaned as it covered his hands. Jessa squirmed as heat gathered between her legs. She wanted him so damned bad. To the point being with him felt as necessary as breathing. He broke the kiss and brought his forehead to hers, his heavy breaths caressing her face. "This isn't supposed to happen yet," he said. "But you're so perfect and beautiful and you want this. It isn't in me to deny you." "Then don't," she whispered.
10 C alder's bear pushed at his mind. He wanted control and he wasn't going to have anything to do with this denial shit. He wanted his mate. He let his hands drift down Jessa's side until they gripped her hips and pulled her tighter against his body. He was hard, harder than he'd ever been in his life and to deny it would hurt. "I need you," he whispered against the edge of her ear. "I need you too." She kissed his neck and the last thread of his control snapped. He palmed her ass and lifted her until her legs wrapped around his waist. Their mouths met in a frenzied kiss and he rubbed his cock against her heat. Even with the clothes between them, her warmth seared him and clogged up his brain. Instinct took over and everything else fell away. Shifting his hips up and down, he stroked Jessa's core with his dick. She moaned louder when he hit the top and he smiled, pleased with her response. "More," she urged, panting for breath. "It feels so good." "You think that's good, baby. Wait until there's nothing between us but skin." She shook her head,