Strange. She had been wanting him to call her that for so long, but now she only wanted him to use his nickname of Connie.
****
“I don’t want to leave,” she said. “Can we stay here forever?”
Gage chuckled. They had moved into the lake where he had cleaned the blood and semen from her pussy and his cock.
Seeing the evidence of her first time, the fact he’d claimed it, he’d only wanted to do it again and again. To put his mark on her, but he held himself back.
“Tonight. We can stay out tonight but no other time.” He stroked his fingers down her back, placing his palm at the base and pulling her against him.
She pressed her head against his chest. “I don’t know how I’m going to face them. What if they fire me?”
“You didn’t put the kids in danger. They were already outside when it got worse, am I right?”
“I went to the ground and … I didn’t know I felt her. It was the most horrible feeling in the world. I never want to go through that again.”
“You will.”
She jerked up. “What?”
“You’re a new wolf. These things take time, and I’m not going to pretend it will be a one-time occurrence. There is a risk it will happen multiple times.”
“Is there anything I can do to stop it?”
“Embrace it. The pain will not be as bad.”
She wrinkled her nose. “I don’t mind the pain. I was thinking about helping to ease it. What if I had hurt a child? I would never have been able to forgive myself.” She shook her head, and he sensed her fear.
Putting his finger beneath her chin, he forced her to look up at him. “Stop it. Do not, I mean this, do not think that way.”
“How can I not? I could … I … there is no way I ever want to … I’m sorry.” She covered her face with her hands, and all he wanted to do was tell her it would be okay, but he wasn’t going to lie to her.
“Don’t say you’re sorry.” He cupped her face, forcing her to let go and focus on him. “I will always be there for you. You have nothing to fear.”
“What if … you’re not?” She bit her lip and tears filled her eyes.
His wolf wasn’t happy about that. He didn’t want her to feel fear. “I will always be close to you. All it took was for Lana to come to me. I was there.”
She nodded her head. “Lana again.”
“No jealousy now. I don’t need it.”
“What does this mean exactly?” she asked. “Does this mean … with Tanner, and the whole rejected mate claim?”
“It means we’re on track for you to become my mate. Do you want that?”
Her eyes went wide. “Are you being serious?”
“Yes.” He ran his thumb across her bottom lip. “Completely serious.”
Going down to the ground, Connie spread her legs, and he found her center. Once he’d lined his cock between her thighs, he felt her heat.
Slowly, he thrust inside her, taking his time, watching her gaze as he fed her his cock. She whimpered.
“Fuck. I don’t want to hurt you,” he said.
“You’re not. It feels so good. Please, don’t stop. I don’t want you to stop.”
She thrust up against him, and Gage knew he only had so much control. She pushed him to the edge and truly felt like he was going to snap.