The red curls covering her sex were wet with arousal, telling him that she was just as ready for him as he was for her. He joined her on the bed and began to coax her into climax, his fingers stroking her nub, his tongue stroking hers. Hot satisfaction raced through his blood as she arched and moaned at his rousing touch. He was torn between wanting to bring her to fruition at her own pace and wanting to drive his cock deeply into her—because then the mating would be complete and they would be together, a mated pair always.
Calla was going to die—and she had never thought it would happen like this. Never had any man made her feel this special and loved. As much as she’d been fighting this attraction between them, worried it was too soon, she knew now he was perfect for her. She was so close to the edge, her pulse and his racing as if they were wolves running across a glen. She was so wrapped up in the way he was making her blood sizzle, his strokes undoing her. She tried to continue to knead his muscles, feel the delectable way they moved beneath her touch, and smell the delightful muskiness—hot wolf, man—making her all the more turned on.
And then she felt as though she was racing to the top of the highest peak in the Highlands when she cried out. Guthrie belatedly covered her mouth with his, but it was way too late. She was certain everyone in the castle had heard them.
She was still on her sex-filled high when Guthrie eased into her and began to thrust.
This was it. The mating Guthrie kept thinking he’d have, but that had never come to pass. He was so glad it hadn’t and that he and Calla were finally together. Being with her like this felt better than right. Her body arched against his as his mouth sought hers, and he penetrated her with his tongue. She moaned and he continued to surge deeply into her, stroking her tongue with his to build the sweet, painful anticipation. He could feel her tensing, her inner muscles clenching, and nearly smiled when she cried out again, his own release following. A feral growl of contentment, satisfaction, and fulfillment slipped from his throat.
She smiled up at him, then nipped at his shoulder. “Everyone in the whole castle heard me.”
“Well, not everyone. Most likely,” Guthrie said.
She frowned up at him.
“Probably most,” he said smiling, “but not all. I’m sure somebody was fast asleep.”
She groaned. He snuggled against her, kissing her cheek and wanting to do this again and again.
“You know you’ll have to leave and return to your own bed, or everyone will think we are mated wolves for certain.”
“Hmm, all right,” he said, sliding the covers over them and then pulling her against him.
“This isn’t returning to your bed.”
“Aye, I will.”
But he didn’t. And he had no intention of doing so. And she didn’t insist.
***
When it was nearly midnight, Calla woke, her stomach grumbling, and that woke Guthrie too. He smiled at her.
“I’m hungry. But…you don’t have to go with me.”
He sighed. “I told you I would also be hungry after all that loving.”
She was glad. Despite knowing how to get there on her own, she really loved his company. He got out of bed and threw on a pair of boxers. She slipped into a tank top and shorts, and pulled on a robe. Hand in hand, they made their way to the kitchen.
They had made chicken sandwiches when they heard light footsteps approach. Calla wanted to slip out a back way, but Guthrie got her a glass of milk and then kissed her cheek and led her to the kitchen table.
Julia walked into the kitchen and smiled. “I’m glad to see you’re eating, Calla.” Then she proceeded to fix some hot cocoa for herself. “Everything all right?”
“Just…hungry,” Guthrie said, and Calla wanted to poke him in the ribs.
She couldn’t help feeling so anxious. None of this—the mating or the financial difficulties—had been discussed yet with Ian and Julia, and she was afraid she’d blown the secret about their mating when she’d cried out while they were making love. Not to mention, here it was midnight, and Guthrie was in his boxers and she was in a robe. What was she thinking?
Thankfully, Julia didn’t say anything more. She just got her cocoa, smiled broadly, and said cheerfully on her way out, “Good night.”
When they had heard her footsteps fade toward the stairway to the bedchambers, Calla let out her breath. “She knows, doesn’t she?”
“I didn’t even have to skip into the great hall for breakfast.”
Calla groaned.
***
Julia rejoined Ian in bed and he quickly pulled her into his heated embrace. “You are so cold, lass.”
“Aye, and you can warm me up.”
“So what did you learn?” He kissed her cheek.
She looked up at him, smiling. “I just got some cocoa.”
“Aye, after you heard two pairs of footsteps leave Calla’s guest chamber.”
Julia snuggled against Ian’s chest. He was too much of a wary wolf. “I don’t know what was bothering Calla at the evening meal, but I suspect it was nothing too terribly bad, or Guthrie would have said something about it to you already. They were eating sandwiches. Which made me think that Calla was okay.”
“And?”
“And?” she parroted, teasing Ian, knowing just what he truly wanted to know, just like she had wanted to learn.
“Ah, lass, you can’t hide your other reason for checking up on them.”
“I went to get a cup of cocoa.”
He chuckled and stroked her hair. “After you heard them leave Calla’s room.”
Julia let her breath out. “All right. Yes, they’re mated.”
“Good.”
“You’re glad, then?”
“Aye, no more of Guthrie being upset over losing the wrong she-wolf, and this means you’ll stop leaving me in the middle of the night to get cocoa. Right?”
“You love warming me up,” she reminded him and started kissing him, and he said something about how much he was going to love doing so.
Chapter 18
The next morning, Calla was sleeping soundly—too soundly, after making love half the night with one hot, sexy wolf—when she realized the time. Guthrie’s leg was resting across hers, his arm lying on top of her breasts, and there was no moving him.
“We…I’ve got to go to the bank. I need to shower and get ready.” Already, she was feeling blue again about the whole money situation. She wished she could take care of this on her own and not involve the MacNeills.