Chapter 16: 16: Heat [E]
It was as though someone had poured gasoline all over my body and set me on fire. My body felt as though it was in flames, both inside and out. There was a heat that twisted and swirled through my body like a winding snake, and I exhaled loudly, trying to stamp down this sensation as much as possible.
Concentrate! I had to. If I lost focus for even a second, this unquenchable thirst would take over me.
It didn’t help that the room was filled with my fated mate’s scent, too. Every bit of this room had Rowan’s scent lingering on it. It clung to the furniture and now had taken root in my lungs.
"Fuck..." Rowan trailed off. His eyes looked bloodshot. But to be very fair, I could barely see what’s in front of me. My eyes were glazed over, and everything looked to be a blur. "What are you doing?"
"Rowan..." I trailed off, my voice cracking at the end. I was so delirious that I couldn’t even remember to address him by his title.
As though my body was no longer my own, I began to move. I couldn’t control my limbs. I slowly made my way over to Rowan’s side, and my fingers hesitantly reached for the lapel of his suit. He was already dressed, practically ready to take his vows with Violet.
Just the thought of it made my blood boil even further.
When he made no move to push me aside, I licked my lips, bold. Courage — or raging stupidity — coursed through me. My fingers dug into the fabric, crumpling it before pulling it apart.
To my surprise, Rowan’s shoulders moved as well. He shrugged the suit jacket off, aiding me. When I looked up in surprise, his eyes were dark, and he stared down at me hungrily.
My breath caught in my throat at the sight.
His lips were slightly parted, and when he noticed my eyes on him, his Adam’s apple bobbed in his throat. I watched the little movement while his eyes were trained on my lips. Every breath that he took looked as though he was struggling to restrain himself.
The air was thick with his scent. I couldn’t smell it myself, but I was sure that my pheromones filled the room as well. Rowan’s cheeks were a ruddy red, and when his tongue darted out to lick his lips, I felt the last strings of restraint snapping.
Apparently, his did as well.
Without a word, he suddenly leaned forward. Rowan’s hand moved, his long fingers curling around my neck to grab me forward. He didn’t use too much force― just enough to close the distance between us, causing our lips to collide.
The second our lips touched, I felt fireworks explode in my head. Goddess, everything that I had ever overheard was true. One kiss from my fated mate, and I felt my body melting into his touch.
Rowan must’ve felt the same as well, for he groaned against my lips, quickly pressing himself harder against me. His kisses turned rougher, hastier, almost as though he was desperate to swallow me whole.
His other hand held the small of my waist, pinching and kneading at the flesh for a few short seconds before he ripped the clothes off. The fabric tore apart easily, and I gasped as a chilly cold rushed against my skin due to the sudden nudity.
Goosebumps instantly rose all over my skin, and his hand began to roam across my bare body. His fingers danced across every peak and valley until they arrived at my breasts, cupping them tenderly. The pad of his thumb brushed against the sensitive bud there, and I shivered.
"Wait..."
The brief second I pulled apart to murmur the word gave me a chance to look at Rowan’s face. I couldn’t read his expression beyond one word― lust. It was as though he was driven mad by it. His eyes were all but glowing in the darkness, and he looked more wolf than man.
With the hand that was around my neck, he pushed me back, and I fell against the mattress, bouncing. His body loomed over me almost immediately, recapturing my lips in a forceful kiss.
"Mine," he growled, his deep voice sending tremors down my body. The way he spoke, the way he claimed me made my lower belly clench in want.
I sharply inhaled when he pulled the rest of my clothes off, tossing it haphazardly over his shoulder. He didn’t care the least bit about the dress that he was hounding me about just minutes prior. In fact, it was nothing more than tattered rags that lay on the floor, completely forgotten.
Without the wedding dress on me, I was in nothing but my panties. Rowan’s hands had found my breasts once more, pinching at my nipples as I cried out. My back arched off the bed, and I could feel him smile against my lips before finally pulling his lips off mine.
That brief respite only lasted for a few seconds before I felt something clamp down on my sensitive peaks. When I looked down, I met his eyes, glowing hungrily in the dark. One of his hands worked on one side, while he had claimed the other with his lips. His tongue darted around me, and I writhed under his touch, especially when his teeth nibbled gently.
"You started this," he murmured against my skin, his hot breath fanning against wherever I was most sensitive. My chest rose and fell as I attempted to even my breathing, but to no avail. "And now, you pay the price."
I didn’t have the time to properly ponder his words before I felt something press against my core. I stiffened― not in fear, but in desperation.
"You’re already so wet," he said raspily with a tut.
Rowan had already unzipped his pants in one fell swoop, and even through the dark, I caught sight of the impressive member that sprang free. He kneeled between my legs, his shirt crumpled, and a mess with the first couple of buttons popped open. One of his hands held onto his erect member.
I swallowed, my air knocked out of my lungs when I caught sight of his arousal. There was even a bead of precum that sat at the reddened tip, threatening to trickle down to the side.
The sight of it made me instinctively clench, my core throbbing.
I no longer saw reason. All I could think of was my fated mate, undressed and ready, standing in attention because of me. There was no human rationality left in my head.
All that was left was animal instinct and carnal desire.
