His Lucky Moon Mate (The Macconwood Pack Tales #14)

Chapter 5

S hivers.

The Wolf gave her shivers. It was as simple as that. Shannon snuck a peek at him, driving with an air of confidence she could not even feign to possess. He took her directions well, turning off the highway on a service road that was not visible to most normals as they sped down the Garden State Parkway. As a Shifter, Binder did not have any issue with that.

“Stop here,” she said, biting her lip. “Look, there are a few things about the Fae Realm you should know going in.”

“Okay,” he nodded, shifting the car into park behind some trees where no one would see it.

“I already told you no food. Seriously, not one crumb or the consequences could be dire.”

“Got it. How long will we be there?” he asked.

“The portal is only open from three AM to six AM our time. It’s always multiples of three. So unless we find Da by then, we will have to wait to get in. After we go into Fairy, we will be stuck there for a bit.”

“Stuck? Why?”

“Time moves differently there. What seems like minutes could be days. Anyway, we will have to be quiet and invisible. The place where I believe my Da might be holed up will keep us until the portal opens again,” she murmured.

“Okay. Anything else?” he asked, brown eyes inquisitive as he stared at her.

Geezus. He was so damn handsome it was difficult to concentrate. Shannon blinked and sucked in a breath, the next part needed a bit of tact to get through.

“Well, you see, Binder, the thing is sometimes folks from the Earth realm have mighty powerful reactions to Fairy’s moon cycles. Um, well, what I mean is it being the end of winter and all, the new moon rises tonight and with it certain feelings, whether or not they existed before, might be, um, encouraged or heightened,” she said, settling on the word.

“I see,” he whispered, his voice taking on a husky note. “You’re saying my attraction to you will feel different there, stronger.”

“I wasn’t saying you were attracted to me at all?—”

“No point in sugar coating it, Butterfly. I want you. But I won’t turn into some rutting animal because of a moon.”

“Shite, Binder. I sound like a real ass, don’t I? I apologize,” she blurted, her cheeks heating. “I didn’t mean it like that. I just meant you don’t have to worry about me taking anything you might say or do in there seriously, okay? It’s likely to result from the moon and the magic in Fairy. Anyway, I just wanted you to know, so you didn’t think I was going to hold anything against you. Shite, I am mucking this all up, aren’t I?”

She stole another glance at him, wanting to gauge his reactions to what she’d been telling him. It wasn’t everyday Shannon O’Doyle made trips to Fairy, never mind with a sexy Wolf Shifter who’d already been flirting with her the past few hours. He needed to understand whatever playful, harmless coquetry he’d been up to might appear stronger once they were there.

“Shannon, do me a favor, two actually,” he said, and the grin on his face matched that in his voice.

“What?” she replied, turning her head to look out the window.

Could she be any more awkward? She felt flustered and out of sorts. Sure, she’d had men and women flirt with her before, but she never took it seriously and it never bothered her. In the casino business, Shannon had to deal with all kinds of supes and some of them were randy bastards. But none had ever affected her quite like Binder.

Still, she didn’t want him to think she had false expectations. And knowing how the Fae Realm affected most others, she needed him to understand it was to be expected. But that did not stop her from feeling equal parts flustered and foolish.

“First, look at me, Butterfly,” he commanded, and obedient thing that her body was when it came to the Wolf, it complied. She turned back to face him, biting her lip.

“Good girl,” he growled, reaching for her, and tugging the abused flesh gently from her teeth. “Second, I think it’s best if we just dispense with formalities and denials. I’m a lawyer, Butterfly, but mincing words is not my style. From the first time I caught your scent, set my eyes on you, my Wolf has been snarling at me to claim you.”

“Claim me?”

“That’s right. When I said I wanted you, I meant it. My Wolf thinks you’re my fated mate, Shannon Rose. In fact, he’s sure of it. Still, I won’t rush you, and I would never force you. Since going to the Fae Realm might encourage certain feelings of attraction to come to a boil, you might as well know I am already there.”

“Y-you’re saying you want me, er , sexually, I mean?” she asked, her disbelief was written all over her face.

“If I thought you wouldn’t kick me right in the balls, Shannon, I’d let you feel how much I want you right now. My cock has been rock hard since I’ve met you. I want to drag you into the back seat, fuck you silly right here, make you come all over my cock, give you my claiming mark,” he growled, voice deepening.

“But you won’t do that, right?” she asked, breath coming in faster as excitement sizzled inside her veins.

“I won’t. Not right now. I’m resigned to going slow for your sake, Butterfly.”

“Okay,” she whispered, breathing a little bit heavier.

Whatever she’d been expecting, a full confession from the sexiest man she had ever met, and him stating he wanted to fuck her and bite her at the same time was so not it.

Gulp.

“Are you ready to go?” he asked, dark eyes glowing gold with his Wolf.

“Um, yeah, but where? The portal isn’t open yet.”

“I know, and since we have time, I thought we could spend it doing some research at Crescent Moon Books. Maybe find something on Supernatural law or the Shifter Council that could help your situation with the casino.”

“That’s a good idea. Um, in the event we don’t find him, what happens?”

Binder exhaled and narrowed his brows, he didn’t look all that happy. But she could tell he was thinking carefully before answering her. Shannon nodded. She had no idea if she was ready, but if she stayed in that car with him one more minute, she was liable to do something stupid. Like ask him to proceed with that detailed description he’d given her of what he wanted to do with her body.

Holy. Shite.

Shannon was hardly one to conjure passionate responses like that from men. Sure, she’d had a couple of encounters, but none that had ever made her heart pound inside her chest like he did. What the devil was wrong with her? A few measly words from a Wolf and she was ready to bend over and say have at it big boy.

Her pulse was galloping, and she pressed her cool hands to her cheeks to cool them off as Binder opened his car door. But before he got out, he reached across the console and cupped his hands over hers on her face, tugging it towards him.

“Make no mistake, I want to fuck you. But I won’t. Not until you ask me to,” he said, his face so close she could see tiny flecks of gold shining in his dark brown eyes.

Then he kissed her, and Shannon felt the whole world tilt on its axis.