The water turned off, and he heard her climbing out of the tub. Closing his eyes, he blew out breaths and panicked as he heard her groan. The sound of her vomiting along with the stench hit him. Rushing upstairs, he entered her bathroom to find her leaning over the toilet. She wore a towel. Her long hair trailed down her back as she heaved.
Marshall didn’t think. He acted.
Going to her side, he gathered all of her hair in his hand, covering her back with his. She was shivering, and he covered her body to help her warm up.
“What are you doing?” she asked.
“I’m giving you my warmth.” He reached around, stroking her stomach over the towel in an effort to soothe her.
She groaned, heaving once again.
“It’s okay. I’ve got you.” And I’m never letting go.
Marshall felt his wolf calm as he held their mate. She was the other half of him and would always be protected. He loved her, and there was no fight within him.
“I’m so sorry,” she said.
“Don’t you worry about it, baby.”
He helped her to her feet, handing her a toothbrush. Keeping an arm wrapped around her, he forced other body parts to stay quiet. She didn’t need to feel his growing cock while she’d been vomiting.
Once she was done, he helped her to her room. She sat on the edge of the bed as he searched her drawers to find some pajamas for her.
Marshall glanced over toward her when she started giggling.
“What’s up?” he asked, discovering a pink set with a teddy bear on it.
“If someone was to have told me I’d be sitting naked with a towel on while the Marshall Briggs was hunting for something for me to wear, I wouldn’t have believed them.” He saw her cheeks were a lovely shade of red.
“Well, you’ve got to believe them now.” He approached her holding up the pajamas.
She stared up at him, and something changed between them. He noticed her pulse racing, smelled the arousal coming off her. It was the first time he’d ever smelled anything so intoxicating coming from her. The scent of her illness combined with her arousal, though, and squashed all of his arousal.
“Lift your arms up,” he said. Marshall wanted to do anything to prolong this experience with her.
Scarlett lifted her arms one at a time, and he worked the shirt over her body. He eased her hair out of the back of her shirt. Going on the floor, Marshall wished he could tear the towel from her body and make love to her.
“Step inside.”
“You don’t have to do this.”
“I do.” The need to care for her was strong. He couldn’t ignore it and refused to walk away to leave his mate in pain.
She stepped into the bottoms. When both of her feet were inside, he eased the pants up her thighs. His fingers skimmed her ass, and it took all of his control not to grip her, tease her.
Breathing in, he inhaled her sweet scent, loving the smell coming from her. Resting his hands on her curvy ass, he stared into her brown eyes.
“Why are you being so nice to me?”
“I want to be nice to you. I’m not going to bully you anymore, Scarlett. I want you.”
Tears filled her eyes as she stared back at him. “I don’t believe you. No one wants to be with me. I’m not, I’m not like the others.”
He brushed her tears away, keeping an arm around her waist. “You’re the only one I want.”
“But you like Cheryl and her friends. I’m nothing like her. I’m not pretty or thin.”
Marshall didn’t want to hear anything more. Cupping her cheek, he closed the distance between them, claiming her lips. She froze in his arms as he continued to kiss her. Scarlett gripped his arms as he stroked his tongue over her lips.
She whimpered, and he stroked at the base of her back.
Deepening the kiss, he opened his eyes to see hers were closed. She responded to his kiss, and euphoria filled every part of him.
When it was over, he rested his head against hers, panting.
“I’m sorry,” she said.
“Why are you sorry?” he asked, loving the feel of her lips on his.
“I’m not very good at this. I’ve never, erm…”
“You’ve never done what?”
He looked into her brown eyes, wishing he could do a hell of a lot more with her. His cock was straining against his zipper.
“I’ve never been kissed before.”
“Never?”
“No.” She shook her head.
“I was your first kiss?”
“Yes.”
He liked that.
He liked that a hell of a lot.
Smiling, he cupped her cheek. “Then you better get used to my kisses because I’m going to be kissing you often.”
Her stomach chose that moment to do a somersault, and he eased her in bed.
“What does this mean?” she asked.
“It means you’re my girl and no other man is ever going to get the pleasure of kissing you.”
Once she was inside the blanket, Marshall lay down on top of the blanket, wrapping an arm around her waist.
“Your girlfriend?”
“Yes.” Marshall smiled. He couldn’t wait to have any excuse to touch her. “It means you run beside me on the track, I take you around to your classes, and you sit with me at lunch.” He rubbed her stomach, trying to soothe out the knots. “It also means you’re not alone with Trey anymore. I don’t like the way he’s been sniffing around you.”
“You’re throwing down a lot of demands.”
“You’re mine, Scarlett.”
She was silent. “I don’t know if I’m dreaming this or if it’s really happening.”
“It’s happening, baby.” He kissed her cheek. “Sleep. I’ve got you, and I’m not going to let you go.”
Scarlett relaxed against him and didn’t push him away. She fell asleep in his arms, and the wolf within him loved the feel of her against him.
I’ve got you, Scarlett, and I’m never letting go.
Marshall stayed with her throughout the afternoon into the night. He left at night as she heard her parents say goodbye to him. Scarlett missed his warmth around her. Her lips still tingled from the kiss they shared. Running her fingers across her lips, she wondered what it would be like to actually be his girlfriend.
Mate.
Something tingled inside her, and she rubbed at her temple. Climbing out of bed, she made her way into the bathroom. Washing her face, she stared at her reflection, wondering what he actually saw inside her. There was nothing pretty about her.
Don’t do that.
She didn’t want to feel sorry for herself, but thinking about Cheryl, she did wonder why Marshall wanted her. He’d been with Cheryl as she heard the other girl talking about her time.
Pushing those thoughts to the back of her mind, she entered her bedroom and froze. Outside of her bedroom window Marshall stood.
It was freezing outside.
Opening her window, she stared at him. “What are you doing?”
“Your parents didn’t say I couldn’t come back.” He climbed into the window, being careful to take it easy.
“They’ll see you,” Scarlett said, scared in case he got found out.
“Don’t worry. I’ll know when they’re coming.” He cupped her cheek. “You should be in bed. You’re too ill.”
Shaking her head, she closed the window. Marshall dived under her bed as her bedroom door opened.
“Honey, what are you doing out of bed?” her mother asked.
“I, erm, I was a little warm so I opened the window for some fresh air.” She was babbling, but she saw Marshall under her bed. Would her mother find him?
“I’m so sorry we couldn’t be here.” Her mother entered her room.
Walking to her bed, Scarlett slid underneath aware of Marshall beneath her. She hoped he wasn’t thinking about how big she was.
“Marshall was here. He took care of me.”
“He’s such a sweet boy, and I think he’s got a soft spot for you.”
“Mom!” She tucked some hair behind her ear. The last thing she wanted was this conversation with Marshall listening in.
“I’ve seen the way he looks at you, Scarlett. He wants to be with you. I know you’ve never had a boyfriend, and you’re too young to be having sex—”
“Mom!” She snapped the word out hoping her mother would be quiet. Marshall was listening, and she didn’t want him hearing this kind of stuff.
“You’re going to be eighteen soon, and I was a young girl once. I had sex.”
“Mom, seriously, you do not need to have this conversation. I’m not having sex.”
“Well, when you do I want you to be careful. I don’t ever want to see you in my office, honey.”
“Mom, you’re a pediatrician. You wouldn’t see me but any kid I have.”
Her mother stroked her cheek. “You’re a beautiful girl, Scarlett.”
This couldn’t get any more mortifying.
“Can I go to sleep?” Scarlett asked, just wanting her mother to stop talking.
“Of course. I’ve got the message from the school. You’re not going back until next week.”
Nodding, Scarlett shuffled down underneath he covers.
Her mother finally left, and Marshall appeared out from under the bed, smiling. “Your mother likes me.”
“Please stop. I didn’t think she’d leave.”