Page 55 of Lycans & Lattes

I let out a growl. “Willow,” I warned. “You don’t know what that’s doing to me.”

“I think I have an idea.”

“You don’t understand the extent of it.”

“Then tell me,” she whispered between my kisses. “What do you need?”

I broke our kiss to search her face. “What?”

“I know what Wyatt needs. What does your wolf need?” she asked again, a purr to her voice that made my cock harden. I clenched my jaw. “What does he desire from me?”

It took everything in me not to move, but she already seemed to know.

She cocked her head, eyes piercing straight into my soul. “Does he want to chase me?”

“Yes,” I gritted out, barely able to contain myself. I had another warning prepared, a million reasons at the tip of my tongue to explain why this was a terrible idea, especially now, but then Willow arched her brow and looked at me defiantly.

That wickedly sexy defiance. A pure, headstrong goddess.

I already knew the words before they fell from her lips.

With one last grin, she said, “Then chase me.”

Ceramic shards shattered across the wet pavement as she dropped her mug . . . and ran.

26

Willow

With my heart in my throat, my shoes hit the pavement then damp earth as I raced into the forest.

I wove through the trees and attempted to put as many of them as possible between Wyatt and me. I knew I couldn’t outrun him, but I was seizing the head start. A giddy thrill I’d never known before raced through me when I heard the beat of his distant strides. He’d given me a generous lead but was already catching up.

Blood thudded against my eardrums and adrenaline flooded my senses. It was dark, but there was enough light from the moon to make the path visible, meaning anyone could see us if they were also taking an evening trek through the woods. What would they think was happening if they saw me with a wide, lust-drunk grin and Wyatt wearing what I hoped would be the feral gaze of a hunter?

He was getting closer; I could feel him. I gasped as my body zipped with static. Oh, I liked this game. Maybe a little too much.

Daring to peek behind me, I found him less than a hundred yards away and stalking closer. Somewhere between town and forest, he’d taken his shirt off, giving me the pleasure of seeing his rippling torso through patches of light.

“I’m going to catch you, Willow,” he called out, and the sound of that promise made me lick my lips. “And when I do, I’m going to make you howl my name.”

My pulse picked up and I started to run again. I couldn’t believe how badly I wanted to feel Wyatt unleashed. I’d seen glimpses of it the other night, but he’d been so careful, too careful. All those years of kind, sweet, loving Wyatt had been hiding a side of him I wanted untethered. I craved the dark parts of him that he worried would be too much for me.

Because I was drawn to both, to everything he was. And having respectable, town baker Wyatt by day and ravenous wolf Wyatt by night brought me to such an ecstatic peak, I thought I might combust.

“Ready or not,” he called again.

He was so close that I could feel his body heat behind me. I let out a screech, quickening my pace to a sprint, but it was too late.

I was caught.

A strong arm banded around my middle and hauled me back against a firm torso. My feet barely touched the ground as he held me there at his mercy.

“My mate.” The words vibrated from his bare chest, setting my core ablaze.

One hand slid up to my neck, circling at my pulse points and squeezing. The other slinked down my stomach, into the elastic waistband of my sweatpants, and stroked the moistening fabric between my thighs.

His hard length pressed to my ass through his jeans, and if there were any time to use werewolf claws, it would be now to rip off our clothes.