Mine to Save Read online

  My wolf clawed and paced inside me, desperate to claim and own. Rory wasn’t ready for that yet, and I wouldn’t take him until I’d explained everything to him. But I needed more than this. I craved more than touching my mate through a barrier, no matter how thin.

  I tucked my fingers in the waistband of his briefs and peeled them down his legs. Rory didn’t protest; in fact, he spread his thighs so that I could easily remove the fabric. When my palm cupped Rory’s fuzzy balls for the first time, we both moaned.

  I ripped my lips from his, desperate to see every inch of my mate. I moaned again when I took in the sight of his pretty dick. Rory was just under six inches long and slim. The head of his dick was deep pink and glistening from the pre-cum that dripped out of him. Around his base and balls were covered in trimmed, shiny black hair.

  “So gorgeous,” I whispered, and Rory breathed a sigh of relief. I took his length in my hand and gave him a few slow pulls as he trembled against me. “You like that?”

  “Yes!” he exclaimed, clawing at the top of my boxers. I pulled them down with one tug from my free hand and tossed them onto the floor. “Shit,” Rory breathed, staring at my groin with wide eyes. I was nearly eight inches long and thick, and my base and heavy balls were coated in coarse brown hair. My wild and free side gave me a less tamed appearance than Rory, but he certainly didn’t seem to mind.

  I rolled on top of him, straddling his legs between mine and propping myself up on my elbows, keeping my weight off of his body. I rolled my hips and my mate cried out into the quiet room as our erections grinded together. “Is this okay?” I asked breathlessly. I may die if he says no.

  “So...good…” Rory panted as I rocked my hips back and forth. We were both leaking steadily, slicking our skin and allowing our hard cocks to glide against one another. Each time I pivoted forward, our balls kissed together and sent electric shocks throughout my core.

  I leaned in, careful not to put any pressure on Rory’s body, and pressed my tongue to his right nipple, which was peaked from excitement. My mate keened and humped against me as I sucked his sensitive flesh into my mouth, flicking and swirling my tongue over its surface. When I bit down gently on the nub, Rory cried out and arched his back off of the mattress. He immediately hissed in pain and recoiled.

  “I’m sorry,” I said quickly, pulling my mouth from his nipple.

  “No, it’s not you; I felt so good, I forgot about my side. Please don’t stop.” I went back to my laving, but kept to easy flicks of my tongue and gentle kisses. Rory trembled and whimpered as I loved on his beautiful body. “Can...can you suck my neck again?”

  I trailed open mouthed kisses up his chest and onto the opposite side of his throat than I marked earlier. “I love it when you tell me what you want,” I whispered into his ear. I sucked the flesh behind his ear into my mouth and swallowed against it, drawing up another pretty purple love bite. Even if I couldn’t give him my mating mark, I was still claiming him as my own.

  I pushed my hips down, trapping our dicks between our stomachs and giving Rory even more sweet friction as I pistoned back and forth. I ground our flesh together; our balls rubbed and rolled against each other. I kissed the hickey on my mate’s neck and pulled back, finding Rory’s face was frozen in a look of pure ecstasy. His eyes were squinted shut behind his glasses. His mouth was parted slightly and his chest heaved with ragged breaths.

  “Please don’t stop, baby,” Rory begged. My sweet mate was close.

  “Not until you come for me,” I promised. I humped against him faster as he cursed and keened at the ceiling. His fingers clutched the sheet at his sides and sweat beaded on his brow.

  “Phoenix!” Rory’s dick jerked against me and exploded, painting my lover’s abdomen with burst after burst of thick, white liquid. I inhaled deeply, breathing the scent of my mate’s pheromones and release into my lungs. It was the sweetest, most seductive thing I’d ever smelled. It brought me right to the edge.

  “Oh, Rory,” I moaned, snapping my hips faster. My balls rolled and lifted toward my body and I erupted. My cock pulsed as it shot my seed over Rory’s stomach. Though I slowed my hips, I continued to rock against my mate’s softening dick, milking every last drop from both of us.

  Our mixed essence was almost too wonderful to bear. My hips stuttered to a stop and I sat up on my knees. I placed my fingers in our combined cum and massaged it into Rory’s flesh, marking him with my scent as my wolf preened inside my mind.

  “That was incredible,” Rory whispered as he peeled his eyes open. He watched me curiously as I rubbed him down with our seed but didn’t say anything. Not only was I beyond blessed to be my mate’s first and only lover, I was lucky; if Rory had more experience, he’d probably find this to be an incredibly odd thing to do. But I couldn’t help it; my body burned with the need to claim him.

  “You’re incredible,” I countered and my sweet mate blushed. Two minutes ago he was begging me to suck his neck and make him come, but a simple compliment got him flustered. He was a treasure. I smiled once I was satisfied I got all of our scent rubbed into Rory’s flesh.

  “Would it be okay if I took that bath now?” he asked sweetly. “My ribs are pretty sore again. Don’t get me wrong; that was totally worth it,” he added quickly. “But soaking in some hot water sounds amazing.”

  Damn. A bath would surely wash away the scent I so lovingly and carefully marked him with, but I also knew it would help my mate feel better. “Of course.” I leaned in and gave his lips and gentle peck. “I’ll go run your water.”

  Chapter Six

  Rory

  Phoenix climbed off of the bed and unfortunately stepped back into his boxers before disappearing into the bathroom. Once he was out of the room, my mind went into overdrive.

  Holy shit, I just had sex. Wait, does that count as sex? I should ask Dax. Oh my god, I have to tell Dax. He told me to bone that and I did! He’ll be so proud of me! Damn, that felt good. I wonder how long I’ll have to wait before we do that again. Phoenix’s dick was huge! Would it hurt if he put it inside me? Does he even want that? I wonder how he feels about me. He said he really likes me and cares for me; could it ever be more? I’ve never felt about anyone how I feel for him. He’s so sweet and wonderful and I can’t stand the thought of being away from him. Holy shit, I think maybe I love him. Can you fall in love with someone so fast?

  “Rory?” I flinched at the sound of Phoenix’s voice and turned my head to find him grinning at me from the bathroom doorway. Apparently it wasn’t the first time he tried getting my attention.

  “Sorry,” I muttered, feeling a blush take over my cheeks. “I was lost in thought.”

  His smile faltered. “Is everything okay?”

  Shit. I didn’t want him to think I was having regrets about what we did or something. “Everything’s great,” I promised and his grin returned.

  “Good. Your water’s ready; do you think you can make it by yourself?”

  My head wasn’t throbbing or spinning like it had been before, and I had some of Rowan’s healing tea and food in my stomach to give me strength. I was sure I could make it across the room, but I wasn’t about to miss out on the opportunity to touch my sexy boyfriend. Holy shit, I have a sexy boyfriend! That fact hadn’t had a chance to settle in before now and it made my stomach flutter.

  “I might need you to hold my hand.” I tried to keep my voice as even and serious as possible, but Phoenix’s smirk told me he wasn’t buying it.

  “Better safe than sorry,” he winked.

  “Exactly.”

  Phoenix chuckled as he came around to my side of the bed. He took my hands and slowly and carefully helped me onto my feet. “You look great,” he smiled. “You’re not shaking or getting pale like you did when you got up earlier.”

  I snorted a laugh as a funny thought struck me. Phoenix narrowed his eyes and cocked his head in confusion. “You did heal me with your dick,” I explained, remembering Dax’s words from earlier. Phoenix tipped his head
back and laughed at the ceiling.

  “You make me so happy, sweetheart.” I beamed at him as he linked our fingers together and led me into the bathroom. “Here we go, nice and easy,” he crooned as I stepped into the tub and lowered my body into the hot water. “How’s the temperature?”

  “Perfect.” I sighed happily and slid further down into the bath. I rested my head against the wall of the tub and closed my eyes.

  “Would you like me to give you some privacy?”

  “You can stay. I mean, unless this is super weird or boring to just watch me soak in water.”

  Phoenix gave a quiet chuckle. “No way. I like just being with you.”

  I opened my eyes and smiled up at him. “Me too.” I took a deep breath in through my nose and hummed. “It smells amazing in here. Is it the bath oil?”

  “It’s lavender. Rowan said it’s supposed to be relaxing,” he shrugged.

  “How does he know so much about that kind of stuff?”

  “He has a strong connection to nature and spent a lot of time learning from a very gifted healer.”

  “That’s so cool. Do you think he would mind teaching me some stuff? I’d love to learn, but don’t want to ask if you think I would bother him.”

  “I think he would love that,” Phoenix smiled. “And you could never bother anyone. My friends really like you, Rory.”

  “I like them too.” I sighed and let my eyes drift down Phoenix’s incredible body. They lingered on the wolf inked onto his chest. “I love your tattoo. What does it mean?”

  Phoenix gently pushed my hair off of my forehead. “Rowan, Stone and I have the same design. It symbolizes our unity together as friends and family. We look out for each other, help each other and care for each other.”

  “Like a wolf pack,” I surmised, and Phoenix’s smile widened as he nodded. “That’s beautiful. I’ve always wanted a tattoo, but I’m too big of a weenie to actually get one. Did it hurt?”

  “This one didn’t,” he shrugged again. “It felt like a warm tingle.” He booped my nose with his finger. “And you’re not a weenie, you hear me? You walked away from a terrible fall and are handling your injuries like a champ. You’re braver and stronger than you give yourself credit for.”

  His words warmed me even more than the water surrounding me. “Thank you.” I placed my hot, wet hand on top of his and Phoenix kissed the back of my knuckles.

  I soaked in the tub until I was a shriveled prune. I would have gladly stayed there all day long, but the water grew cold. Phoenix helped me out of the basin and dried my skin with a fluffy towel. He led me back into the bedroom, where he presented me with the clothes he bought for me. I had dozens of comfortable outfits to choose from, and I wondered how long he was planning for me to stay with him. Not that I was about to question him; I didn’t want to leave. I chose a pair of black sweatpants and a blue long-sleeved t-shirt. They fit me perfectly and felt great.

  “You look lovely,” Phoenix smiled. “What would you like to do, sweetheart? Do you need more rest? Or do you feel up to watching a movie or something?”

  “I’d love to watch a movie, but would it be okay if I called Dax first? He’ll be going to work soon and I’d like to check in with him; let him know I’m doing better.”

  “Of course.” He retrieved the phone from the wall and handed it to me. “I’ll be in the living room.”

  “Thanks.” I would have asked him to stay, but I wanted to fill my best friend in on my afternoon and thought I’d be too shy to do it with Phoenix sitting right beside me.

  Phoenix grabbed the tray of food scraps and my empty mug from the nightstand before disappearing from the bedroom, shutting the door behind him. I dialed Dax’s number and he answered on the second ring.

  “Oh god, he’s worse isn’t he? I’m on my way.”

  “No Dax, it’s me. And I’m actually feeling better.”

  “Thank goodness,” he sighed. “Jeez, you scared me. You can’t do that; with my cholesterol, I’m a ticking time bomb!”

  “Sorry.”

  “It’s okay.” Dax let out a long breath. “So you’re feeling better, huh? That’s great!”

  “Yeah, Phoenix’s friend Rowan made me some herbal tea and ointment to help my injuries. I’m not one hundred percent yet, of course, but I’m feeling pretty good.”

  “Ointment? Did you get Mr. Hot Ranger to rub it all over you?”

  “Maaaybe,” I drawled, wearing a naughty grin even though he couldn’t see it.

  “What? I need details. Now.”

  I chuckled at my crazy friend, though his nosiness didn’t surprise me. We told each other everything. “He’s been taking such good care of me, Dax. He carried me to the bathroom and made me lunch and drew me a bath. He even bought me a bunch of clothes so I’d be comfortable while I heal.”

  “Aw, he sounds great, but I meant I wanted dirty details. Please tell me you slept with him.”

  “Kind of.”

  “Oh. My. Gawd. I was just joking, but you seriously did?”

  “Well, like I said...kind of. We didn’t actually have sex, but we did get naked and...rubbed our things together.”

  Dax was quiet for a moment before bursting into laughter. “Rubbed our things together!” he repeated through snickers. “You are too freaking cute.” It took a minute for him to calm down. “Ugh, I’m so jealous. That’s more action than I’ve seen in months.”

  “Wait; you and Justin live together. Why haven’t you done it in months?”

  “It’s...complicated.” He cleared his throat. “But that’s not interesting. I want to talk about your news.” I was confused about Dax’s situation, but I was also beyond okay with not discussing his and Justin’s sex life. “So how was it?”

  “Incredible,” I sighed. “It felt so good and Phoenix is huge! And he made sure I was comfortable with everything and that he didn’t hurt my injuries. He’s so strong and tough but he’s gentle and sweet with me at the same time. He’s just amazing, Dax.”

  “Sounds like you really like him.”

  “I think it’s more than that,” I admitted. “I think I’m falling in love with him.” Dax gasped at the same time a crashing sound came from the other side of the bedroom door. I covered the mouthpiece on the phone and called out, “Are you okay?” to Phoenix.

  “Yeah, I’m fine. I just dropped a plate in the kitchen,” he called back.

  “You don’t think I’m crazy, do you?” I asked Dax. “I mean, I haven’t known him long and I did hit my head pretty hard. Do you think I’m just confused?” A pained whimper cut through the air. Does Phoenix have a dog? I loved dogs and couldn’t wait to get my hands on it. Oh, I hope the little sweetie didn’t cut its paw on the smashed plate.

  “I think you’re just nervous,” Dax replied, drawing my attention back to our conversation. “You’ve got a good head on your shoulders and you’ve always been able to get a good read on people. If you feel love for him, I’m sure it’s legit. Don’t get in your own head and doubt yourself.” He sighed. “Just don’t forget about me when you’re spending all of your time rubbing dicks with the hot ranger.”

  I snorted a laugh. “I could never forget about you. Besides, I can’t spend all of my time here. Once I’m completely healed, I’ll have to come home.” The thought made my chest ache and I heard another whimper from the house.

  “Or, you could slowly move your things in and hope he doesn’t notice,” Dax suggested. That might work. I’ve got plenty of clothes here now, so I wouldn’t have to worry about that. I could just bring in a few things at a time so it wouldn’t be too obvious. Dax laughed out loud. “Oh my god, you’re actually thinking about it, aren’t you? That was a joke.” Oh, right...a joke. I guess it would be a little invasive. “Listen, I’ve got to get ready for work, but thanks for calling. I’m so glad you’re getting better. Good luck with your man and call again soon, okay? Love you.”

  “Love you too.”

  I clicked off the call and dialed my boss from the
grocery store. I told him about my injuries and that I’d need some time off. He reminded me that the time off would be unpaid and informed me if I didn’t return to work within 21 days, I’d forfeit my position. Not that it’d be a great loss, but I did need the money.

  I returned the phone and shuffled across the room to the door, noting the slight tenderness on my right side. All in all, though, I didn’t feel too bad, and I was tired of lying in bed. I opened the bedroom door and took a look around the rest of Phoenix’s house.

  The living room and kitchen were joined in one large, open area. The wooden floors and walls gave the home a warm, welcoming feel, as did the fireplace crackling in the corner. The kitchen was clean and filled with shiny stainless steel appliances and cabinets that matched the other wood in the house and looked handmade. The living room held a comfortable-looking sofa and chair, coffee table and TV. There was a large rug with a hunter green and maroon design that tied everything together beautifully.

  “Look at you, sweetheart,” Phoenix said with a smile as he came in through the front door. “You look great.”

  “Thanks. Were you taking the dog out?”

  “No, I was just talking to Stone for a…” Phoenix’s brows tucked in with confusion. “What dog?”

  “I thought I heard a dog whining earlier. Do you have one?”

  “Oh, um…” Phoenix scratched the back of his head, looking away. “No, I don’t have a dog. Maybe you heard something outside? We have all kinds of wildlife here.”

  “Yeah, that’s probably it.” Damn.

  “Do you like dogs?”

  “Love them. I had a chocolate lab named Duke when I was growing up. We were inseparable and it broke my heart when he died. I’ve always wanted another one, but my apartment building doesn’t allow pets.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “Eh, maybe one day,” I shrugged. “I was just looking at your house; it’s gorgeous.”

  “I’m so glad you like it. Rowan, Stone and I built all three of our homes together.”

  “You built this?” I took another look around with a newfound appreciation for the craftsmanship. “Holy cow, I’m impressed. I can’t even figure out Lego sets.”