The Mane Squeeze
Page 105
Gwenie? Maybe you should
At the sound of Mitchs worried voice, her big brother still trying to protect her, Locks head snapped around, his gaze latching on to the crowd of concerned shifters blocking the doorway. He roared and Mitch shoved Bren forward. Take him!
You
bastard! Bren shouted at his brother.
Lock roared again and everyone took off running, bolting up the hallway and back to the club. Once they were gone, Locks arms went tight around Gwen and he lifted her up, lumbering out after the retreating shifters and carrying her home.
CHAPTER 26
Lock snapped awake and found himself naked in bed. Normally nothing to get worried over except he had no idea how he got there.
Youre awake. Good.
He looked over at the doorway and Gwen stood there wearing one of his Tshirts, her arms crossed over her chest.
Sitting up slowly, he studied her close until he nearly begged, Please tell me I didnt hurt you.
Of course you didnt.
But I scared you?
No.
Not even a little?
Gwen shook her head. No.
Oh.
You did terrify everyone else, though.
Locks shoulders dropped a bit but he couldnt help it. Oh.
Do you even remember what happened?
Sort of. Or maybe not. It was all a jumble right now, which only meant hed really lost it. Boar-rage lost it.
I dont Lock shrugged. Bits and pieces.
Well, no ones dead. If thats got you worried.
It did, and he let out a relieved breath.
Although at least one will need massive reconstructive surgery.
Shit.
Lock
Its all right. He stretched his shoulders out, the flesh between his blades sore, which meant his grizzly hump had grown while he was still human. Rare and
not good. Really. Its all right. And I can understand if youre not comfortable staying here tonight. He looked up at her. Or if you want some space orif youif youwhy are you getting naked?
Not that he minded, but still. Shouldnt she be trying to ease her way out the door or keeping a healthy distance between them instead of pulling off the T-shirt and crawling onto the bed?
Why am I getting naked? Did you really just ask me that?
I did, but only because Lock closed his eyes, his entire body trembling as Gwens skin brushed against his own. So much soft skin on such a lethal feline was making him crazy. He swallowed and tried again.
Id understand if youfeeluh
Oh, God. Shes purring. A little scared about what happened earlier.
I dont feel scared. Im actually kind of turned on. She licked his ear with the tip of her tongue. Does that make me a kinky girl?
No, no. Of course not. Its just His eyes crossed as she dragged her nails across the mass of sore and ultrasensitive muscles between his shoulder blades.
Its just what, Lock? she purred into his ear. Because if theres one thing we both know, baby, is that the one person who was safe in that room was me. I know youll never hurt me. I know youll always protect me. And I know Ill never stop loving you.
Did she know that was all he needed to hear? All he needed to
know?
Wanting to show her, he turned fast, his hands digging into Gwens hair and tilting her head back before he ruthlessly took her mouth with his own.
No ones hands had ever felt so good on her before. The way Lock stroked her, petted her, his hands gentle but firm.
She hadnt been lying when she told him she knew shed never been safer. Everyone else was at risk from Locks vicious boar-rage, but not Gwen, not his friends, not his family. Hed, in fact, been protecting her more than himself. It was the danger she was in that had sent him into battle mode.
Her grizzly had felt the need to protect its mate.
Not smother her,
protect her. There was a difference between those two things that a lot of guys never understood. Mitch sure didnt, which was why he had to find a female who fought him every step of the way. But Gwen had found Lock, who was there when she needed him to be, and backed off when she didnt.
At the moment, though, he needed
her. The mighty bear might be comfortable with his power, but he wasnt comfortable losing control. Unlike most shifters, he got no enjoyment out of hurting others, and she could tell hed never dismiss anyone or anything as merely collateral damage.
How Gwen ONeill found a man of integrity, shed never know, but she would be eternally grateful.
Gwen pulled out of their kiss, her hands brushing Locks shoulders, his chest. She made sure to involve her nails because, as much as he may complain about them, she could tell they drove him crazy in other ways.
Lay back, she said, her hands flat against his shoulders. He did and Gwen slowly ran her nails down his chest, across his stomach, lingering over the tight abdominal muscles. He moaned and moved restlessly on the bed. She smiled at his reaction, enjoying his response to her touch.
She dragged her hands down his thighs, always amazed not merely at the size of them, but at the strength.
At the sound of Mitchs worried voice, her big brother still trying to protect her, Locks head snapped around, his gaze latching on to the crowd of concerned shifters blocking the doorway. He roared and Mitch shoved Bren forward. Take him!
You
bastard! Bren shouted at his brother.
Lock roared again and everyone took off running, bolting up the hallway and back to the club. Once they were gone, Locks arms went tight around Gwen and he lifted her up, lumbering out after the retreating shifters and carrying her home.
CHAPTER 26
Lock snapped awake and found himself naked in bed. Normally nothing to get worried over except he had no idea how he got there.
Youre awake. Good.
He looked over at the doorway and Gwen stood there wearing one of his Tshirts, her arms crossed over her chest.
Sitting up slowly, he studied her close until he nearly begged, Please tell me I didnt hurt you.
Of course you didnt.
But I scared you?
No.
Not even a little?
Gwen shook her head. No.
Oh.
You did terrify everyone else, though.
Locks shoulders dropped a bit but he couldnt help it. Oh.
Do you even remember what happened?
Sort of. Or maybe not. It was all a jumble right now, which only meant hed really lost it. Boar-rage lost it.
I dont Lock shrugged. Bits and pieces.
Well, no ones dead. If thats got you worried.
It did, and he let out a relieved breath.
Although at least one will need massive reconstructive surgery.
Shit.
Lock
Its all right. He stretched his shoulders out, the flesh between his blades sore, which meant his grizzly hump had grown while he was still human. Rare and
not good. Really. Its all right. And I can understand if youre not comfortable staying here tonight. He looked up at her. Or if you want some space orif youif youwhy are you getting naked?
Not that he minded, but still. Shouldnt she be trying to ease her way out the door or keeping a healthy distance between them instead of pulling off the T-shirt and crawling onto the bed?
Why am I getting naked? Did you really just ask me that?
I did, but only because Lock closed his eyes, his entire body trembling as Gwens skin brushed against his own. So much soft skin on such a lethal feline was making him crazy. He swallowed and tried again.
Id understand if youfeeluh
Oh, God. Shes purring. A little scared about what happened earlier.
I dont feel scared. Im actually kind of turned on. She licked his ear with the tip of her tongue. Does that make me a kinky girl?
No, no. Of course not. Its just His eyes crossed as she dragged her nails across the mass of sore and ultrasensitive muscles between his shoulder blades.
Its just what, Lock? she purred into his ear. Because if theres one thing we both know, baby, is that the one person who was safe in that room was me. I know youll never hurt me. I know youll always protect me. And I know Ill never stop loving you.
Did she know that was all he needed to hear? All he needed to
know?
Wanting to show her, he turned fast, his hands digging into Gwens hair and tilting her head back before he ruthlessly took her mouth with his own.
No ones hands had ever felt so good on her before. The way Lock stroked her, petted her, his hands gentle but firm.
She hadnt been lying when she told him she knew shed never been safer. Everyone else was at risk from Locks vicious boar-rage, but not Gwen, not his friends, not his family. Hed, in fact, been protecting her more than himself. It was the danger she was in that had sent him into battle mode.
Her grizzly had felt the need to protect its mate.
Not smother her,
protect her. There was a difference between those two things that a lot of guys never understood. Mitch sure didnt, which was why he had to find a female who fought him every step of the way. But Gwen had found Lock, who was there when she needed him to be, and backed off when she didnt.
At the moment, though, he needed
her. The mighty bear might be comfortable with his power, but he wasnt comfortable losing control. Unlike most shifters, he got no enjoyment out of hurting others, and she could tell hed never dismiss anyone or anything as merely collateral damage.
How Gwen ONeill found a man of integrity, shed never know, but she would be eternally grateful.
Gwen pulled out of their kiss, her hands brushing Locks shoulders, his chest. She made sure to involve her nails because, as much as he may complain about them, she could tell they drove him crazy in other ways.
Lay back, she said, her hands flat against his shoulders. He did and Gwen slowly ran her nails down his chest, across his stomach, lingering over the tight abdominal muscles. He moaned and moved restlessly on the bed. She smiled at his reaction, enjoying his response to her touch.
She dragged her hands down his thighs, always amazed not merely at the size of them, but at the strength.
