by her nudity, but oh, so curious at the wolf’s comment. “What in mossy misery does that mean?”
“The short stick? You know. When there’s a less-than-desirable task to be done, someone breaks a bunch of sticks and holds them in his hand, with their length concealed in his fist. Whoever draws the shortest stick is the loser.”
“I see. So I’m your short stick?”
He shrugged and offered a wincing nod.
“Peachy.” She swallowed back the scream that vied for release. She’d only hoped he would be nice. Not cruel like her father. Foolish of her to wish for so much.
“Sorry, I shouldn’t have explained that to you,” he said, rubbing a palm against the side of his head. “Do you want a drink? I brought in a bottle of wine.”
“No, I’m cool. And I think you have imbibed far too much already.”
“Mead,” he said with a drunken grin.
“Yeah, from the little I’ve seen at the reception, you mortal realmers can’t handle your mead. Let’s get this done with so the witness can go to bed, and I’m really tired, so...”
“Yeah, me, too. So it’s just business between us? Doing this for the home teams?”
Bea smirked. Some home team she was on. “I’m not even on the team. When teams pick sides, I’m always the one left standing.”
He cast her a curious raise of brow. “I‘ve had that same thought. Huh.”
“Right. For the team,” she agreed with as much enthusiasm as she could muster, which was zero.
The werewolf strode closer, and Bea climbed up onto the bed but didn’t take her eyes from his, which swept over her body appreciatively. Was the wolf actually hungry for her? Good. That would make this go quicker. She could do this. She didn’t have to feel anything for him; she just had to go through the motions. Seal the deal. Worry about the whole happily-ever-after crap in the morning.
He slid a hand below her breast and leaned down to lick her nipple. Bea sucked in a breath as that contact flamed over her skin and tickled her into an appreciative wiggle. Wow. Most men would have started with a kiss and worked lower, but she had no arguments about this mode of attack. Business, and all that. The wolf was already at the getting in the getting-’er-done part.
Stones, but he really knew how to stir her system to alert, all nerves fired and ready to receive. He moved to her other breast and laved her tight nipple, then he chuckled.
Chuckled?
“What the heck?” Bea asked. “Why am I so funny to you?”
“You’re not.” He shook his head, then nipped her skin quickly before giving her another deep chuckle. “I’m just...nervous. This is—”
“Weird?” She raked her fingers through his soft hair but enjoyed the sensation so much she abruptly pulled back. “Uncomfortable? So wrong it’s almost right?”
“Yeah. Don’t misunderstand me. I’m hot for your body, Beatrice. It’s just, we’re doing this backward. Normally a couple gets to know one another before really getting to know one another like this.”
“Like we have a choice?”
He followed her gaze to the alcove by the door. The feet were now crossed at the ankle. “I guess not.”
“I’m nervous, too.” She stroked his cheek. His beard was soft, and she tickled her fingers along it. He nuzzled his face into her palm like a cat seeking strokes. Except he wasn’t a cat. And she was as cool with this moment as she could get. She’d love to take the time to run her fingers over his skin and map out his muscles, but... “The longer we put on a show for you-know-who, the freakier it gets.”
“I agree. I’m hard as a rock. Ready to go. But I want you to be ready.”
“That’s thoughtful. But don’t worry about me. You are some kind of sexy. Just looking at you gets me hot. I’ve been ready for a while now. So come inside me, husband. Let’s seal this deal.”
She lay back against the pillows, sitting half-upright, and beckoned him closer. Kir slipped off the leather pants and his erection slapped up against his stomach. Bea sucked in her lower lip. Great Goddess of Goodness, that was a nice one. She could imagine taking her time with that thick column later. When they were alone.
The wolf got on the bed and knelt between her legs, lowering his body over her. Avoiding eye contact. Oh, stones, did she appreciate not having to stare into his gorgeous brown sparklers at this particularly sensitive moment. Just get it done. You can do this.
She grasped his hot length and guided him inside her. He stretched her sweetly. She bit her lip, thinking she’d gotten the long stick for sure.
Heh. This nervous anxiety was making her silly. But better to go with humor than to turn into a crazy, jittery nerve-bucket.
Slowly, he slid in and out of her, the thickness of him tugging at her pinnacle and teasing her insides to a quivering anticipation. This was already better than ninety percent of her dates back in Faery. Because...well, just because. She didn’t want to go there.
Because surrendering to the moment worked right now. It made her forget. About everything. This was actually...pretty freakin’ awesome.
She moaned, and Kir stopped his thrusts. “Am I hurting you?”
“Oh, no, wolf. What you’re doing feels great. Faster.”
“If I go any faster, I’ll come, and that can’t happen until I shift if we’re going to do the bonding correctly.”
“Right, you werewolves bond in shifted shape. I sense this is going to get interesting.”
“Real fast. You ready for my werewolf, little faery?”
No. And maybe. And, stones, yes, she was ready.
This day had been insane, what with being forced to leave her home with nothing more than her bridal gown and the blade strapped to her thigh. No mementos, but she hadn’t needed any. She’d even stood in the forest and watched as sidhe magic built her wedding dais and this bonding cottage, all the while her heart thudding faster and faster, wondering if this world could be worse than her own.
And then to stand beside the wolf, her heart thundering, and promise to love and honor him without knowing what kind of man he was. Kind, domineering, cruel or, perhaps, weak?
But it was going to end on a high note if she had any say about it. And that note would come from her as she cried out in pleasure.
“Let’s do this,” she said, shuffling back on the bed. She wanted to come right now. She wanted...foreplay and emotion and his hands all over her, both inside and out.
But tonight wasn’t for any of that. “Let’s get ’er done.”
* * *
The faery’s bright pink eyes widened as Kir’s body began the shift. It took only a matter of seconds for
