Gage leaned closer, so his lips were only millimeters from hers. “But I’ve found mine. You can’t understand the significance of that until I tell you that none of the werewolves in my pack have ever been in a serious relationship—not one. Sure, they sleep with women, maybe even live with them for a while, but it never lasts. Hell, I’ve never been involved with a woman that I even wanted to be around for more than maybe two weeks at the longest, until I met you.”
His mouth traced along her jawline and settled next to her ear, his voice dropping to a whisper. “I knew from the moment you stepped into the operations vehicle that first day that there was something different about you. I didn’t know at first that you were The One—I never believed in that kind of stuff—but some of the guys knew. Cooper. Xander.”
“Xander?” she repeated. “He didn’t even like me.”
“Regardless of what he tells people, Xander believes the legend more than any werewolf I’ve ever met. But he figured you’d use the irresistible attraction I felt for you against me to get your story.”
She winced. “Which is basically what I did. No wonder he looked like he wanted to bite my head off when I showed up tonight.”
“It doesn’t matter now,” Gage whispered. “We’re together, and I’m never going anywhere. I never could have.”
She wrapped her arms around him and pulled him more tightly against her, burying her face in his neck. “But you were leaving when I got here.”
He lifted his head so he could gaze down at her. “I was, but only long enough to make sure my pack got out of town and someplace safe. I was coming back to make sure Hardy was no longer a threat to you. Then I intended to watch over you from a distance for the rest of my life.”
The look in his eyes told her he wasn’t kidding. She didn’t let herself dwell on the part about making sure Hardy was no longer a threat. She was just comforted by the thought that Gage would have willingly lived on the street outside her apartment just to be near her. It was insane, but romantic at the same time.
She threaded her fingers in his hair, pulling him down for a kiss. He growled, kissing her back with an urgency that left her gasping for breath by the time he lifted his head.
Straightening, he grabbed her ankles and spread her legs wide. Mac did her best to be quiet, but she couldn’t hold back the moan that escaped her lips when he pushed inside her. Right then she didn’t want to be quiet. She wanted to shout her pleasure to the world—and if his pack heard, oh well.
Gage took her slowly, sliding his thickness deep with steady, even strokes that made her whole body tremble. He moved in and out of her over and over, and the whole time, he gazed down at her with those vivid gold eyes.
She was so in love with him that it hurt, and right there in the middle of their lovemaking, she thanked God for helping her repair the damage she’d done and for making this moment possible.
Her orgasm built higher and higher, but it wouldn’t crest, even though Mac was sure she was about to explode at any minute.
“Harder,” she begged softly.
“You sure you won’t scream?”
She nodded.
It was possible that a little cry slipped out when she orgasmed, but she was too busy coming to care. And when Gage stiffened and came inside her? It was like heaven. The closeness she felt with him at that moment was the only thing that could ever rival the pleasure she’d felt from the orgasm he’d given her.
Then Gage was leaning over her, kissing her hotly on the mouth while his cock still pulsed inside her. It was impossible not to whimper a little with the aftershocks of her orgasm vibrating through her.
Mac felt wetness on her face and realized that she was crying. Gage gently kissed away her tears.
“That was amazing,” she said softly.
“Yeah, it was.” He gave her another kiss, then gently pulled her into a sitting position. “We should probably get back out there.”
But he made no move to get dressed. Instead he stood there between her legs, gazing down at her.
Mac traced her fingers over the tattoo of the wolf on his chest. The design certainly held a lot more meaning than it had the first time she’d seen it.
“So, what’s up with this tattoo?” she asked softly.
Gage chuckled. “It’s the ultimate inside joke. For us, SWAT stands for Special Wolf Alpha Team, since we’re all werewolves and alpha-male types. Get it?”
She poked him hard in the ribs. “Yeah, I get it. I’m sex-addled, not slow.”
Gage laughed again.
Mac went back to playing with his tattoo. She’d never get tired of seeing the way the wolf image moved over his well-muscled skin. Who was she kidding? She’d love playing with his chest if there was a hippo tattooed on it.