Hammer

18

“Why is saving me your job?” It was clear she had been waiting to ask him the question.

Hammer remained silent as he figured out how to answer her. How could he tell her the truth? He didn’t want to scare her.

“I was …” He stopped and thought.

He didn’t need to tell her the whole truth. They’d never be together. It didn’t matter that he lied by omission.

“I was in prison because of a mistake. I didn’t do anything. But they let me out early because they knew I was a good tracker. They also knew I could handle a dangerous situation.”

“Well,” Charlie’s scent was driving him crazy. It enveloped him. And the smoothness of her skin would tip him over the edge. “I think the situation with Ajmal definitely counts as dangerous. I really trusted him. I thought it was a legitimate expedition.”

Charlie shouldn’t have trusted Ajmal as far as she could throw him, Hammer thought darkly. But he wasn’t going to reveal that he knew Ajmal either.

Now wasn’t the time.

“Well, it is a good thing you managed to call for help before they imprisoned you,” he said, his voice noncommittal.

Charlie sighed again, nodding. But instead of falling asleep like he thought she would, she lifted her head to him.

Her blue eyes were so bright. They were like jewels, crowning her exquisite features.

“I really don’t mind taking care of you. You know that, right?”

He had to swallow again. It was becoming difficult for him to breathe again. “Thank you.” His voice was very thick, filled with emotion.

His skin prickled, and his blood burned inside him. The dragon inside him was puffing and unfurling its wings.

It was the heat, Hammer told himself, that drove him to kiss her. It was a soft, quick kiss. He pulled away, expecting her to jump up and beat him over the head.

Instead, she reached for him eagerly. The dragon inside him roared as their lips met.

HAMMER

Charlie’s lips met Hammer’s. Lightning shot through his body.

Her mouth opened to his, and she invited his tongue to dance with hers. Hammer did not suppress his moan.

Years of teaching himself restraint stopped him from ripping her clothes off in one swoop, but it did not stop his fingers from digging into her skin.

Charlie released a gasp but did not pull away. Instead, she pulled him closer and moved her body under his.

Soon, Hammer was pressed against her. His manhood tried to burst from his pants. She tilted her pelvis to meet his, and Hammer ground himself into her until she cried out.

Her noises only taunted him to grow more excited.

Sensations rushing through his body overwhelmed him. He hadn’t experienced this type of pleasure, nor had he given it, in a long, long time. He pulled away to explore Charlie’s face.

Her sapphire eyes looked at him with confusion as to what had happened. She c****d her head, brows furrowed, but the soft smile never left her lips.

“It’s just,” Hammer said, “I haven’t …” He started to pull away even further. “It’s been over ten years.”

Charlie raised herself and placed her hands on his shoulders to stop him from moving away. Care, concern, and compassion rose in her eyes. “We’ll figure it out,” she answered.

Relief washed over Hammer as he realized she was in the same place he was … physically wanting each other. Charlie drew him back to her and gently kissed him before opening herself to him again.

Hammer dug his fingers into the ground beneath them, holding himself up in a push-up position. He wanted to drink every part of her in.

Charlie closed her eyes as Hammer lifted his mouth from hers, kissed the sharp line of her chin down the nape of her neck, and nestled his lips at the crook of her collarbone and throat. She hummed and lifted her neck to encourage him to keep going.

The energy between them sparked, and Hammer’s dragon swelled with the full parts of humanity. He released a low rumble from his throat as he fell into the pool of their entwined ecstasy.

His fingers found the fabric of her shirt, and Hammer swept it off Charlie in one smooth motion. Her firm, pert breasts were exposed to him. Her n*****s hardened against the air’s chill and pressed against her bra’s material.

Hammer dove into her cleavage and took one of her peaked n*****s over the cotton into his mouth. Charlie arched her back appreciatively, and Hammer took that moment to move to her clasp and unhinged it. The loosened material gave way to his fingers, and Hammer removed her bra just as quickly.

He lifted to look at her naked chest. Her skin was pale and freckled. Her breasts rose and fell in two beautiful crests. Hammer’s breath caught in his throat. He did not anticipate such a connection with a mate. He had heard about it but never believed it because nothing was ever really as good as people said.

Hammer blinked at Charlie’s face and stared as he lifted his hand to tenderly cup her breast. He ran his thumb over one n****e, then the other. Charlie closed her eyes at the gentle moment that kept her skin sizzling.

Charlie exhaled a sigh of relaxation as Hammer dragged his lips down to her sternum and kissed back up her neck to meet his lips with hers.

With at least half of her exposed, Charlie’s fingers found the buttons to Hammer’s shirt. She did not move as nimbly as Hammer had, but she was quick, nonetheless. Soon, she yanked his shirt off of one arm and then the other.

Charlie placed her hands on Hammer’s chest to signal him to stop. He listened and backed away. She gazed over his glistening skin, arms, and neck, and how his blond hair brushed against his shoulders. She sat up and then knelt in front of him.

Hammer and Charlie were both on their knees, topless. Although the moment was quiet and soft, Hammer’s hands hadn’t left her naked flesh since he’d ripped her shirt off.