Autumn Sacrifice Read online

  A slight breeze blew Brenna’s hair, and he caught the scent of vanilla and spice. It took almost all the control he possessed not to bury his fingers in the long, dark auburn strands and hold her head steady as he devoured her mouth. He managed to restrain himself, though. Barely. The restraint vanished as soon as she dragged her fingers through his hair and down the back of his neck. It was the tiniest caress, and yet, it sent need racing through his blood.

  Any pretense of dancing ended as he slid his hand up her back and fisted his fingers in her hair at the base of her skull. The action drew a surprised gasp from her parted lips. Her gaze dropped to his mouth. For a moment, he thought she was about to close the distance between them, but her eyes flitted up to meet his then darted away as if she’d lost her nerve.

  “Bren…” It was all he could choke out. He wanted her so badly. The scent of her arousal mixed with the warmth of her skin and her light perfume. Combined, it nearly swamped his senses.

  At the sound of her name, her tongue darted out to moisten her lips, and she lifted her eyes to his, making contact. She continued to hold his gaze as he lowered his head, finally closing her eyes as he claimed her mouth. He’d intended to make the kiss gentle, to tease her lips open so he could taste her. But the road to hell was paved with good intentions, and he just tossed down another paving stone. Slanting his lips over hers, he delved inside her mouth. Wine and her sweet flavor assailed him as he deepened the kiss.

  Hunger, sharp and needy, twisted his gut as he backed her against the trunk of a huge tree. A soft moan slipped from her mouth to his as he fitted her curves against his body. She gripped his hair and angled his head, kissing him as if she wanted him as fiercely as he wanted her. He needed to slow down, to tell her she was his mate, but he couldn’t find the words. When she slid her hands across his back and slipped her hands beneath the fabric of his shirt, stroking his overheated skin, he was lost to her touch. He groaned as her cool fingers moved, skimming over his stomach, brushing the button on his waistband, making him wish she’d just unfasten the damn thing already and take him in her hand.

  Instead, she smoothed her touch upward and slowly unknotted his tie before tugging his shirt buttons free from their holes. Breaking the kiss, she leaned forward and pressed her lips to his chest. The feel of her hot breath on his skin tightened his balls, and his hips jerked against hers. Her breathing turned ragged, coming out in strangled little bursts as the flesh of his nipple tightened against her lips. Trailing her fingers around the waistband of his pants, she drove his need higher. She flicked her tongue over the sensitive nub then scraped her teeth across it as he stifled a groan. His frayed control nearly snapped.

  In a move so fast, Brenna felt rather than saw it, Caleb grabbed her wrists and pinned her arms to the tree above her head. Breathing heavily, he stood back and stared at her. In the light of the moon, she saw that his eyes were no longer dark brown but shot through with gold as his wolf rose to the surface.

  That realization should have terrified her, but it didn’t. Inexplicably, it aroused her even more to know that his primitive nature had bled that close to release. She half-heartedly tugged at his hold on her, but she could tell it was pointless. He’d let her go when he was good and ready. Or, she suspected, if she asked. But she wasn’t about to do that. She didn’t understand it, but the prospect of being at his mercy was a huge turn on. She’d never wanted to be helpless before.

  Caleb leaned in close and nuzzled her neck, inhaling in a way that sent shivers down her spine. “I can smell your arousal,” he murmured against her ear.

  She clenched her thighs together instinctively at his words.

  “I can feel the heat rising off your skin.” He nipped at the side of her neck. “I can tell how wet you are even without touching you.”

  Straightening, he stared down at her, his eyes slowly traveling the lines of her body. With his free hand, he traced the outline of her mouth with his fingertip. When he ran it across the seam, she parted her lips and drew the tip into her mouth, holding his gaze while she sucked. She couldn’t help the smile that curved her lips when he shuddered and closed his eyes.

  Pulling his finger from her mouth, he dragged it down the center of her sternum, his hand coming to rest between her breasts. Her nipples hardened in anticipation of his touch. Even in the falling darkness, he seemed to notice, his gaze focused on her chest.

  “I need to see you,” he murmured, his voice rough. He quickly undid the buttons of her blouse, pushing the fabric aside until her lace-covered breasts were bared.

  She felt his sharp inhalation deep in the pit of her stomach and her pussy clenched—empty and aching. Pressing against her, pelvis to pelvis, he held her tightly to the tree. The solid ridge of his cock pressed into her cleft. It was impossible not to rub against him. She couldn’t ever remember wanting a man as badly as she wanted Caleb. And so far, the reality was shooting her adolescent fantasies all to hell.

  He drew her hands down below her head and guided them to wrap behind her, around the tree. “Keep them here.” He trailed hot kisses along her collarbone.

  Unable to help herself, she lifted her arms and buried her fingers in his hair. Raising his head, he met her gaze, his eyes bright with mischief. “Such a naughty little brat.”

  The childhood nickname should have sounded all wrong in this context, but with the desire coursing through her body and the rough need evident in his voice, it didn’t. Oh God, it really didn’t. At all.

  Yanking his tie free from his shirt, he quickly bound one of her wrists with it, moving around the tree to secure her other one. He stood back and stared at her. She tugged at her arms, feeling the sudden need to cover herself, but there was no getting loose.

  “I don’t think I’ve ever seen a prettier sight.”

  The heat in his voice coiled in her middle. Her panties grew wetter as she squirmed against the tree.

  Resting his hands on the upper swell of her hips, he brushed his thumbs over her belly sending goose bumps chasing along her skin. He skimmed his palms upward along her ribcage and over the outer curves of her breasts. The way her arms were pinned behind her thrust her chest forward like an offering to the man in front of her.

  It took forever, but finally, he cupped them. His big, rough hands caught at the lace as she tried to push herself more fully into his touch, but he wouldn’t be hurried. He teased her tightly budded nipples, pinching and tugging on them as she bit her lip, trying to hold back her whimpers of pleasure. The last thing she needed was anyone from the reception hearing her and deciding to investigate.

  Caleb’s fingers deftly unfastened the front closure of her bra and pushed aside the cups, baring her to his gaze. “Christ, you’re beautiful.”

  He’d said it so quietly, she wasn’t sure the words were even meant for her. Lowering his head, he pulled an aching nipple into the scalding heat of his mouth. It was almost impossible to keep from crying out, but she managed it. Somehow.

  He dropped to his knees before her and trailed kisses between her breasts, sucking and biting at her nipples before nuzzling his way down her stomach making her tremble with need. He kissed and nipped at her tender flesh while he tugged her narrow skirt upward, his fingernails abrading her thighs as the fabric climbed higher.

  Part of her couldn’t believe this was happening, couldn’t believe that she was in the middle of the woods letting Caleb tie her to a damn tree and strip her. The other part couldn’t believe he wasn’t fucking her already. She was desperate to be filled. By him.

  With every inch of skin he bared, he pressed a kiss to the insides of her thighs. By the time he made it to her core, she’d be nothing more than a pile of unfulfilled need, and her underwear would be embarrassingly wet. She held her breath as he hooked his fingers onto the elastic and dragged the silky fabric down her legs, sliding it off her ankles and letting it drop to the ground. He shouldered her thighs apart, and the cool night air bathed her overheated flesh.

  Pushing her skir
t all the way up, he trailed his fingers over her damp curls, before spreading her lips and exposing her fully to his gaze. Even in the growing darkness, he seemed to have no trouble seeing her. Her entire body shook with the anticipation of his mouth on her cunt. He hesitated for the longest time, but finally, finally, he touched her, dragging the tip of his tongue through her molten folds. Her head fell back, thudding against the tree. Even the sharp smack of wood didn’t lessen the pleasure of his mouth on her. His fingers stroked and teased her needy pussy, carefully avoiding her swollen clit. He moaned against her sodden flesh, and the vibrations of his voice shuttered through her.

  She lifted her hips, trying to get his mouth where she wanted it, but he was apparently determined to take his damn time. He just pushed her back more firmly against the tree and continued exploring her at his leisurely pace. The bark biting into her ass seemed to heighten all of the other sensations racing through her body. She knew it wouldn’t be long before she came.

  She bit her lower lip as she strained against him. Without warning, he drew her clit between his lips, his teeth scraping across it. He’d broken a dam within her and sensation flooded through. Waves of bliss washed over her, enveloping her body. Unable to keep silent, she cried out, splitting the night air. The sound had barely left her mouth before she heard the howling of wolves, their voices burying her own.

  A flush heated her face. She couldn’t help but wonder if that had been Ethan and Jake saving her from any potential embarrassment or if it had just been a welcome coincidence by their wild counterparts. And if it had been Ethan and Jake, had they been watching? Had they been watching their brother strip her? Would they watch him fuck her? And why did that thought send a fresh rush of moisture flooding through her?

  Caleb stood and moved toward her, his lips shiny with her release. Her cunt clenched, still wanting more. Wanting his cock. Inside her. Now. She reached for him only to realize that she was still secured to the tree.

  A lazy smile quirked the corner of his lips as he unfastened his waistband the zipper loud in the night air. As he pushed aside his pants and underwear, Brenna got her first look at his cock. He was huge—thick and long and wet with pre-cum. Her mouth dried, and she tried to swallow.

  Holding her gaze, he watched her as he stroked his shaft from root to tip. “Do you have any idea how fucking hot you are? Tied up like some sort of virgin sacrifice waiting for the dragon?”

  A breathless laugh escaped her. “The dragon…the big bad wolf…”

  His lazy smile turned into a feral grin and his teeth glinted in the low light. Her stomach trembled with nervous excitement as he drew closer.

  Chapter Three

  Caleb released his cock and drove his hands through her hair, angling her head to take his kiss. Her mouth opened beneath his, warm and sweet as he delved inside. He still couldn’t quite believe he had this woman where he’d wanted her for so long. Of course, his fantasies never involved tying her to a tree and making her come. His cock jerked at the memory of her sharp, needy cries and her addictive taste. Reality was so much better than what he’d imagined while frantically jerking off in the shower as a teenager. Reality was warm and soft and more responsive than he’d ever dared dream. Reality made his entire body shake with need.

  He pushed against her, his shaft dragging wetly across her stomach. He swallowed her little gasp of pleasure as he continued to kiss her. It was all he could do not to bury himself inside her immediately. Breaking the kiss, he rested his forehead against hers and tried to catch his breath—to slow down. He needed to tell her she was his mate before this went any further. She pushed her hips against his, tightening his balls.

  “I need you. Inside me,” she whispered, her breath a caress against his lips. “Please tell me you have protection.”

  Blindly, he reached for his wallet and pulled out a condom, letting his billfold and pants fall to the ground. Tearing open the foil packet, he quickly sheathed himself and released one of her wrists from its binding.

  He slipped his arm beneath her ass and lifted her up until the head of his cock was aligned with her heated folds. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and he pushed the air from her lungs as he shoved inside her with a quick, harsh thrust. He groaned as her fiery channel surrounded him, engulfing him. He’d wanted to take it slower, ease into her, but the sensation of finally having his mate in his arms aroused him more intensely than anything he’d ever experienced.

  God, he should have told her already—he shouldn’t have let it get this far. Brenna locked her trembling legs around his waist, and the last bit of rational thought flew from his head. Her nails scored his shoulders as she clutched at him. The sting of pain urged him forward as he slowly pulled back, sliding through her snug passage. Her eyes closed, and her head lolled on her neck against the tree trunk. Slipping his hand up her back, he cupped the base of her skull, cradling her head and protecting it from the rough bark. Her taut nipples rubbed against his chest as he slid in and out of her grasping body.

  In the back of his mind, he knew there was something he should be doing. Something he should be saying. But the taut clasp of her sweet cunt and the breathless whimpers that caressed his neck chased whatever it was from his head. Her intoxicating scent surrounded him. The only thing he could focus on was the welcoming heat of her body and her needy demands for more. His arms tightened around her as he surged forward, pounding into her—filling her completely.

  Her nails scratched at his shoulders through his cotton shirt as she pulled him closer. His lips found the gentle curve of her neck, and his teeth closed over the tender skin before he stopped himself. He couldn’t mark her—not without her consent. But Christ, he wanted to. He wanted to sink his teeth into her flesh. Make her his—permission or no—and damn the consequences.

  He forced himself to look into her eyes. The expression in her gaze was more open, more trusting than anything he ever remembered seeing from her. He couldn’t do it. He couldn’t take the choice from her.

  Instead, he reached between them and brushed his thumb across her clit, pushing her closer to completion. Her pussy began to ripple around him, contracting around his shaft as he continued to power in and out of her. Sensation streaked down his spine to pool at the small of his back. Brenna’s keening cry spilled from her lips, immediately followed by Jake and Ethan’s howls, closer this time. The sound of her release and the feel of her body milking him shoved him over the edge, and he came, groaning her name and empting into the condom that separated them.

  Twining her arms around his neck, she slumped against him, breathing heavily. “Wow. I…wow.”

  “Come home with me.”

  “I should probably—”

  He pressed a kiss to her forehead. “You should probably come home with me.”

  They needed to talk.

  * * * *

  Brenna squinted in the too-bright light hanging in the kitchen of Caleb’s house. What was she thinking? She shouldn’t be here. Somehow, she’d let him talk her into taking her rental car and coming home with him. He’d left his at the reception for one of his brothers to drive back later.

  Her teeth sinking into her lower lip, she glanced across the room to where he stood staring at her, his features thrown into sharp relief by the overhead light. Her tummy fluttered at the intensity in his gaze and desire bubbled back to life. She wanted him again? What the hell was the matter with her?

  It wasn’t that the sex hadn’t been fantastic—it had been better than that. Hands down, the best experience she’d ever had, but it wasn’t an experience she intended to repeat. No matter how much she might want to.

  If she wasn’t careful, her long-time crush could easily become something else entirely. And wasn’t that just the last thing she needed? After all this time, she wasn’t about to cave and fall in line with her father’s twisted little hopes and plans. He would have to find some other way to live out his shifter dreams. He wouldn’t do it by living vicariously through her. If he couldn�
��t love her for who she was, she refused to be loved for who she was with.

  Caleb took a step toward her. “You’re regretting this already?” His tone was neutral, but she didn’t miss the disappointment in his eyes.

  Several deep breaths later, she met his gaze. “Not regretting it, exactly.”

  “But?” he prodded her when she’d paused too long.

  “But,” she continued. “I really think I should be going.” When he opened his mouth to speak, she rushed to say, “It was great. Really, really great, but I should go. Back to my hotel.”

  “We need to talk, Bren.”

  “Nah, we’re good. Really.” She moved toward the door, but he blocked her way glowering at her. The fluttering in her belly increased, and if she knew where her underwear were, she’d bet they’d be damp. She’d probably laugh at any other guy who thought broody and scowly would work on her, but with Caleb, it actually did.

  “Not really,” he countered.

  “We both had fun, right?” she said brightly. Probably too brightly. “No harm, no foul. So how about we make plans to see each other later tomorrow or maybe Monday? Before I fly out Tuesday morning?”

  He shook his head, moving closer. “We really do need to talk.”

  “About what?” she finally asked as she took another step back, crossing her arms over her chest.

  A small smile lifted the corners of his mouth. He reached out and cupped her face, brushing his thumb over her cheekbone. “I realized something at the wedding, today.”

  “What?” she asked, wariness replacing her earlier desire.

  “You’re my mate.”

  The words sank like three separate boulders into the pit of her stomach, each landing with a resounding thud until she thought she might be sick. “No.” She crossed the room in a pathetic attempt to both move away from him as well as away from the memories of everything her father wanted from her. “No way. Not a chance.”