Large welts covered her back and the skin was broken in several places. Even with the protection of the blanket, he’d still hurt her. He pulled her into his arms, stroking her back carefully. “God, Paige, why didn’t you tell me?”
“It’s nothing, Quinn.”
“It damn well is something.” His voice was grim and his face closed. He let her go and stalked to where he’d removed his clothes before he shifted. He jerked on his jeans, then bundled her into his shirt. Her panties were shreds of satin at the base of the boulder. Without a word, he picked her up and carried her through the woods to where he’d parked the truck.
Paige studied the firm line of Quinn’s jaw as he made his way through the woods. She knew he was upset about the scraps she’d gotten on her back, but what had he expected? He’d taken her on top of a boulder. The strange thing was she hadn’t felt the bite of the rock cutting through the blanket and into her skin. Had felt nothing except the press of his body as he’d taken her. Driving her to a place she’d never been. She wanted to tell him that. Tell him she was right where she belonged. Right where she wanted to be. She wanted to say she loved him.
But she couldn’t. She didn’t want to bind him to her with words of love. Make him feel responsible for her happiness. The words that should have been the sweetest to share between lovers would weigh him down with a mantle of responsibility. Why? Because he still needed to find his mate.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Paige woke the next morning before her alarm sounded. Usually, the clock made progressively louder noises before she finally smacked it into silence. This morning the warmth at her back had her waking up quickly.
Oh man, she thought, that was a hot, hard cock pressing against her lower back. As she became aware of her position, she realized she not only had a cock pressing against her, but a heavy hand cupping her breast and a large thigh thrown across her hip. She was surrounded by a bear shifter.
“What time is it, sweetheart?
Paige’s heart turned over at Quinn’s question. It was so normal, so couply. So something she wanted every morning of her life. It was almost too rich to bear, waking up with Quinn by her side, instead of all alone in her bed.
Before she could answer, he was kissing her shoulder, pushing her hair out of the way to expose the side of her neck. His teeth scraped across the bite mark he’d given her last night. With one smooth movement, she found herself turned belly down on the bed, his hard body covering hers. Last night after he’d bathed her, he’d licked each individual wound on her back until she’d been hurting with wanting, and not from her wounds. He hadn’t taken her. Not then. Instead, he’d used his hands and oh-so-talented tongue to bring her fulfillment. But later, deeper into the night, he’d reached for her. Again. And again. Each possession had gotten sharper, the last almost brutal because she’d been so sore. She’d loved it. She’d taken him inside each and every time and had begged for more.
This morning, his lips moved over her back tending to each bump and bruise again. He licked down the indentation of her spine, one inch at a time. Without warning, his hands gripped her hips and pulled until her ass was in the air, her knees pushed forward and her legs spread wide. Her wet pussy was exposed to his hungry gaze.
“Oh, yeah, baby, that’s what I wanted to see.” He gave her a soft kiss at the base of her spine. “You wet and wanting.”
His hands spread across her cheeks, his large palms easily covering most of her flesh. It made her feel so feminine because her ass was not small by any means. Yet his hands were palming her butt like a basketball. His thumbs brushed her outer pussy lips and Paige shivered. She’d never had sex this way. The men she’d been with—all two of them—had never initiated it and she’d been too shy to suggest it. Pulling her pillow close she hugged it to her breasts.
Quinn fell forward supporting his weight. She felt the press of his hard body all along hers. And his engorged dick. She could swear she felt it throbbing where it pressed against her slit. “Are you sure?”
“What?” she turned her head until the side of his face was visible. Concern shone from his eyes.
“I don’t want to hurt you.” Even as he spoke, he bumped against her as if he couldn’t control his body’s natural instincts to mate.
“You won’t.” True, she was sore this morning. He was not a small man and last night in the woods had been the first time she’d taken him. Not to mention the times during the night. This morning she felt empty. She needed him. She moved her hips, thrusting into his shallow movements.