Small Moments Read online

  He stood so fast, the barstool tipped over with a thump, but again he didn’t notice. His hands were on her waist, his mouth was on hers, and he was positive that this was what heaven felt like. He indulged the madness for a moment more as he devoured her kiss, reveled in the feel of her small hands stroking the hard plains of his abdomen underneath his sweater, before he mentally leashed himself. This moment had to be savored, enjoyed, a moment to be remembered, not rushed through, blinded by need.

  Gentling his kisses, he moved his mouth over her velvety soft cheek and breathed in the scent of her hair. He nipped lightly at her earlobe and relished the shiver he felt quake her form just before his tongue stroked the goosebumps that had formed along the column of her throat. “If you want me to stop,” he breathed against her ear, inducing another shiver, “just say the word.”

  He was about to assure her that she could trust him, that he would never try to rush her, but the words locked in his throat as those wandering hands of hers cupped his erection through his jeans. Mike clamped his teeth together to keep from growling, his jaw clenched so hard he thought for sure it would break.

  “I don’t want to stop,” she whispered while her hands moved to push his sweater up. “I want to feel you.”

  Mike whipped the pullover off in a burst of speed, and threw it across the room uncaring of where it landed. A groan escaped him as Rin’s lips latched onto one of his nipples and then he was panting, his vision going amber as his wolf tried to push through and take control.

  Rin’s mouth left his nipple to skate oh so carefully over the bruising on his ribs, and then down his abdomen. It was too much. He was going to spontaneously combust into a ball of flame if he didn’t get himself under control.

  Bending, he scooped Rin into his arms, using the short walk across the apartment to the bed to bring his body back under control while he nuzzled at Rin’s neck. The urge to bite her, to mark her as his, was nearly overwhelming, but he reigned in the urge. To mar that perfect skin would be an atrocity. Laying her out on the bed, he took a moment to just look his fill, to drink in the sight of her, her skin flushed with passion – passion for him. He had done that to her and he wanted to howl his triumph to the world.

  Almost reverently, he reached out a hand and skimmed his fingers over her cheek, down her neck, and down the center line of her torso. “You are so beautiful.” The words were said with all the awe he felt for the female. How he wanted this moment to last forever…

  Rin had other ideas, however. With surprising strength, her hand latched onto his wrist and with a yank, she sent him tumbling onto the bed to join her. Mike was still trying to recover from the shock of this unexpected turn when Rin was suddenly straddling him, looking down into his surprised face with a grin, and a decidedly naughty twinkle in her eyes as she reached behind her to unhook her bra. Her breasts freed, she gripped each of Mike’s hands and placed them firmly on the small mounds. “Touch me.”

  All of Mike’s good intentions went out the window as he happily complied.

  Chapter Twenty

  Rin moaned as Mike pinched her nipples between his ring and middle fingers of each hand while cupping her breasts. Her head was thrown back in ecstasy as she availed herself of that stiff bulge pressed against her center. Perfection. Mike’s previous hesitation had been a bit disconcerting, but she recognized it for what it was: concern for her. It had been obvious she needed to do something more than vocalizing her desire. She would need to show him. And she’d be lying if she said that taking control of the situation wasn’t incredibly thrilling. She’d never been so turned on in her life.

  Pushing his hands away, she crawled up his torso, and lowered her body so that the erect peaks of her nipples hovered over Mike’s mouth. Eagerly, his head came up to suck one into the heat of his mouth while his hands had moved on to stroke over the skin of her back and down to her backside, squeezing and rubbing by turns. Her moans quickly turned to gasps of pleasure, her hips bucking almost wildly. Mike needed no further encouragement, his mouth switched to the other nipple to pay it equal attention while one hand slid between their bodies to stroke her where she was aching so badly.

  With another gasp, Rin pulled her breast free from Mike’s mouth and sealed her lips to his in a voracious kiss. She needed more; was nearly desperate to feel him inside of her. She nearly sighed with relief when she felt his hand move to the side zipper of her trousers and felt the slide as the tab was pulled down.

  Breaking the kiss, Rin sat up and eagerly set to work on the closure of Mike’s jeans. She couldn’t wait to see that erection she had, until now, only felt. Crawling further down his thighs, she gripped the stiff denim and gave a hard tug revealing a pair of gray boxer briefs and the outline of a very hard erection. Rin couldn’t resist running the tip of her fingernail over that bulge and was rewarded with a hiss from Mike as he threw his head back, his hips rising off the mattress in appreciation of her ministrations.

  With a decidedly wicked grin, Rin leaned forward to lick at Mike’s belly just above the waistband of his underwear. That action, apparently marked the end of Mike’s control. He let out a small bark of sound, his upper body left the mattress, and he was gathering Rin up in his arms and turning them over so that he was once more in control.

  Rin certainly wasn’t going to complain, his weight on top of her felt wonderful, and she eagerly wrapped her legs around his waist to keep him there as his mouth moved over hers hungrily, his tongue sliding against hers in an exquisite dance. The only thing she might complain about was that she hadn’t gotten her pants off before he’d rolled them over. She wanted to be naked, to feel all of that hot skin – and he was incredibly hot – against her own.

  Mike’s mouth broke from Rin’s on a gasp and he took a shuddering breath as he kissed his way once more down her neck, across her chest, licking each nipple in passing as he moved down her rib cage to her belly. There he stopped for several heart pounding moments to dip his tongue into her sensitive navel before continuing on to the loosened waistband of her pants. With gentle fingers, he pulled the fabric down, kissing the silk covered mound of her desire before he pulled the pants free of her legs.

  Rin thought for sure he would return and dispense with her panties, but instead he lay beside her, the tips of his fingers skimming over her exposed flesh so lightly that her nerve endings were practically sizzling with awareness. It didn’t matter how hard she pulled on him, tugging for him to cover her completely with his body, Mike was on a mission – set to torture her with pleasure.

  “Sadist,” she gasped out, and Mike laughed. Finally his fingers moved down to the scrap of white lace and she nearly sighed with relief as he moved to slide them ever so slowly down her legs, his lips tracing a return path as he crawled back up her body. Rin waited with bated breath.

  His hands, on the sensitive skin of her inner thighs, pushed her legs further apart, his thumbs making contact with her wet heat, and she could feel his breath against her flesh. The anticipation was killing her. That first lick of his tongue against her passion swollen bud sent her hips shooting off the mattress and a strangled gasp left her throat. It was the most incredible torture ever, and Rin never wanted it to end. His tongue continued to stroke, alternating between slow, leisurely laps and rapid flicks while the tension built inside. Rin’s entire body was strung as tight as a bow, and when Mike slid a finger into her tight channel, the climax finally hit, and she could do nothing to hold back the scream of pleasure.

  Mike stayed with her through every pulsation, satisfying her need for pressure as her body continued to throb deliciously. Then he was kissing the inside of each of her thighs, her belly, her breasts, before finally settling his body firmly between her legs, his erection nudging against her swollen folds and bringing forth another answering throb of pleasure. His beautiful hazel eyes were hot with passion as he looked deeply into hers, but his fingers were ever so gentle as he smoothed her hair back from her face. The kiss he bestowed on
her lips was almost hesitant. “We can stop if you don’t want to go any further.”

  His voice was a deep growl, testimony to the height of his arousal. Rin was rendered nearly speechless, while her heart filled with such love and respect for this male. She could hear his need, see his need, feel his need – in fact, a slight nudge with her hips had that need settling into perfect position for penetration, yet he was willing to stop after ensuring her pleasure, leaving himself high and dry. Lifting her head, she kissed him in thanks and then nipped his bottom lip before soothing it with the slide of her tongue. With absolute certainty Rin told him, “I want to feel you inside of me.”

  It was all the encouragement Mike needed. Reaching for his nightstand, he pulled out a strip of condoms. It was the work of a moment to sheath his throbbing length and then he was pushing into her waiting heat, slowly, exquisitely, he filled her, kissing her the entire time. Every thrust of hips was carefully measured. He was being so cautious not to hurt her, but Rin wanted more. In fact, she broke free of his mouth and said the word against his shoulder in a breathy moan. “More.”

  A low growl broke free from Mike’s throat and then he was gathering Rin even closer, his thrusts becoming erratic, her moans and gasps of pleasure feeding his excitement as he buried his head in the crook of her neck. She felt his teeth against her throat as her climax built, dug her nails into the sweat slick skin of his back as he took her over the precipice and heard her own scream echo through the loft, rivaled only by the sound of Mike as he threw back his head and howled.

  Rin would have thought she’d be tired, but she was wide awake. Best orgasm ever. She couldn’t help but grin. Her male was an absolutely fantastic lover.

  Mike pushed some of her hair back from her face, a pleased smile on his face as well. “I hope that smile means you’re thinking about me.”

  “Nope. Work.” Rin tried to say the words with a straight face, but she failed miserably which sent her into a round of giggles until she noticed Mike staring at her neck, his face furious.

  Her humor fleeing, she lifted a hand to the area in confusion. “What?”

  The expletive that left Mike’s mouth had Rin’s ears burning. He rose jerkily from the bed and stomped toward the kitchen giving her a spectacular view of his naked body – a sight she would have appreciated more if she wasn’t so worried about what had caused his sudden anger. When he returned, he was holding a white first aid box. His face still looked like a storm was brewing as he settled down on the bed next to her and snarled, “I bit you.”

  Rin looked at her hand expecting to see blood and was surprised to find it clean. She took his hand that was pawing through the medical supplies in agitation and assured him, “It doesn’t hurt, I can’t even feel it, and it’s not bleeding.”

  Mike wouldn’t meet her eyes as he growled, “I’m such a bastard.”

  Rin sat up fully and cupped Mike’s cheeks to force his face toward her though she could do nothing about the direction he kept his eyes. “Hey, I’m fine. I’m sure it looks worse than it is.”

  Mike tried to pull his head away, but Rin gripped it harder. “Look at me.”

  When he continued to focus on the box in front of him, Rin repeated the order louder, “Look at me.”

  Finally he did, and what Rin saw in the depths of his hazel eyes nearly broke her heart: pain, disappointment, misery, and self-loathing. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she squeezed and buried her head in his shoulder. When she looked up at him, her eyes were brimming with tears. “You didn’t hurt me. We may not have known each other for very long, but I see your heart. You would never purposely hurt me.”

  Mike cupped her cheek and used his thumb to catch one of her tears, his own eyes looking misty with emotion. “I love you, Rin. I can’t stand the thought that I’m going to screw this up.”

  Rin’s breath caught, her heartbeat sped up, and a whole bunch of butterflies started dancing about in her belly. Gripping his face, she kissed Mike for all she was worth. She smiled against his mouth and the words “I love you too,” tumbled out in a rush of happiness.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Rin felt like she was floating on a cloud and it seemed like everyone noticed, not that she was trying to hide her joy. But she may as well have been carrying a neon sign that said ‘Rin Hayashi had sex and it was fantastic’. Though, to be fair, not everyone attributed her good humor to sexual release. Margaret Tully commented, “Well, aren’t you a chipper little thing this morning.” David Tully had chuckled and added, “Glad to see you so happy, Rin. Things must be going well at work, but then, Ginny’s a great lady.” While Ginny, had taken one look at Rin and her smile had turned positively evil as she’d sized up the situation. “Only one thing puts that kind of satisfaction on a female’s face. Remind me to congratulate Mike on a job well done.” Rin had felt her cheeks go hot, but her smile had also grown in size. Yes, she was absolutely satisfied and couldn’t wait for a repeat performance.

  If Rin’s face hadn’t tipped everyone off, the love bite on her neck certainly would have, but a turtleneck sweater had easily covered the area. She had expected it to be much worse than it was considering Mike’s reaction, but when Rin had examined the mark in the mirror, she had found only a crescent of red at the juncture of her shoulder and neck, with some darker purple spots where his canines had sunk into her flesh. He hadn’t even broken the skin.

  Rin didn’t mind the mark at all. Truth be told, it amped up her excitement since she recognized it for what it was – a mating bite. Mike’s wolf had chosen her despite her being a fox; a high honor indeed. But Mike wasn’t upset because he’d marked her, wolves were far too possessive for that. No, he was upset because his human side had lost control and he could have accidentally hurt her.

  “Are you ready?”

  Rin felt those butterflies swirl in her stomach at just the sound of his voice, but the sight of him, well, that sent the swarm into a frenzy. He looked amazing. He was dressed casually in jeans and a leather jacket with a t-shirt beneath, after all, they were only going to the DMV, but he looked good to her in grease stained coveralls, so there was a possibility that she was slightly biased.

  “Let me just check in with Ginny.”

  Grabbing her coat, Rin didn’t even make it to the door before she heard Ginny call out, “I’m fine, go, get your permit. Hopefully they won’t be too busy.”

  Unfortunately, they were. Not as busy as movies and TV shows portrayed the place, but still quite a crush of bodies waiting for their number to be called.

  Mike used the time to quiz her, and Rin appreciated the help. With the knowledge fresh in her mind, the test was a breeze, and before Rin knew it, her photo was being added to a Vermont state learner’s permit and as soon as they were out the door, Mike was handing her the keys to the sedan. “At least the roads out here are properly plowed and maintained. Cake,” he added with a wink.

  This time, Rin actually got her speed up to twenty miles per hour before her foot was hovering over the brake – so, progress – but she still didn’t feel comfortable behind the wheel. “Am I ever going to get the hang of this?”

  Mike’s hand reached across the space to settle on her knee and give it a little squeeze. “It takes time. You’ll get there,” another squeeze, “and if you decide driving just isn’t for you, I’ll be your chauffeur any time.”

  Rin wanted to turn and look at him, wanted desperately to see his face, but she didn’t dare take her eyes off the road. Especially when up ahead, there was a big truck, a very big truck, a tractor trailer truck, and it looked like it was coming straight for her – fast. Letting out a little squeal, Rin wanted to close her eyes, to brace herself for impact, “Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God!”

  Mike did his best to calm her with his assurances that the truck was on the other side of the road, in its own lane, that she was doing fine, that no one was going to crash, but she’d managed to work herself into such a state that she thought for su
re she was going to hyperventilate. As soon as they were able, Mike had her pull the car over.

  Once the vehicle was parked, Mike unclipped his seatbelt, wrapped his arms around Rin, and smoothed a hand down her hair and back. “Are you okay?”

  “I don’t think I can do this.” Rin’s words were muffled against Mike’s jacket, but he heard them.

  “Then you don’t have to.” Pushing her slightly away from him, he smiled gently and kissed her forehead. “You have your permit now if you change your mind, but no one is going to force you to drive if you don’t want to.”

  Rin nodded, her breathing starting to even out now that the danger had passed and the car was no longer moving. She and Mike switched places, and within moments they were on the road again, music filling the space now that she was no longer behind the wheel. “Do you think I’m a coward?”

  Mike turned his head to glance at her, the look of confusion on his face telling. “Of course not. Driving isn’t for everyone.”

  The words were nice to hear, but Rin still felt like she had somehow failed, and it wasn’t sitting well with her. She was about to suggest she try again, but another approaching truck had the words sticking in her throat. Okay, maybe not on this road and maybe not today, but she would get a handle on her fears and try again. Her chin lifted with determination. She was not a coward.

  “Hey, we still need to celebrate your achievement.” Mike’s words pulled Rin from her silent pep talk and she felt the vehicle slow as he put on his directional to turn into the parking lot of a restaurant. “Cake?”

  “Good,” Mike called out holding his hands up in front of him, a thick pad attached to each, as Rin worked on her punches. She was sweating, her breath coming in hard pants and her shoulders were burning, but it felt good too, and helped her work out her frustrations of her earlier display of cowardice. Jab, jab, she moved around Mike as he turned, another jab before he called out again, “Okay, mix it up now.”