Page 90 of Shifted Desire

Relief.

I could tell how nervous she was at the start of the scene. How much it mattered to her that this went okay. And even if I hadn’t been so shockingly into getting cuckolded and watching her with others, that concern would’ve been enough to make me enjoy it.

Samantha pretends as if she doesn’t care about so many things. That she’s impervious to what people think about her and doesn’t need anyone else’s approval.

The truth is so much more. She cares more than the vast majority of people, to her detriment. The walls she’s erected around her heart aren’t because she wants to keep people out, but because she has to put up a shield to protect it from more damage.

She let those walls down tonight. She trusted me with this integral part of herself, and I’ve never been more certain of my feelings for her.

I’m falling for Samantha.

Every moment we spend together, every time she lets me in, it makes me ache with the need to keep her. To do everything in my power to have her in my life and make her happy.

“Alright, be honest. Was that okay?” Samantha’s blunt words lack her usual teasing. “I know you can’t run for the hills because we’re stuck together.”

I nuzzle against her throat, holding her closer. “It was a hell of a lot more than okay. You’re stuck with me even when my knot goes down. Sorry.”

She chuckles. “I like the sound of that.”

It’s not a confession of feelings, but it might as well be from how my heart flutters. I swallow my words down and kiss her, hoping she understands what I know I can’t say.

33

Nathan nuzzles against my neck, letting out a disappointment-tinged sigh when his knot releases.

“Wish we could stay like this a little longer…” His lips press to my shoulder, in that same spot he pays particular attention to. Judging by the state of the foam pillow he bit a chunk out of, I’m guessing it’s where he’d want to bite me.

I wish he would.

It’s not like I can get his curse through a bite. My blood is already far too infused with magic for lycanthropy to take hold. The thought of him sinking his teeth into my flesh in a moment of ecstasy makes me shiver, but he has his reasons for resisting the urge.

The prime one being that biting someone usually means something to werewolves and shifters. A claiming. Wearing a bite like that signals to everyone that you belong to them.

An annoying and insecure part of my brain tells me that he hasn’t bitten me because he doesn’t want to claim me. The man literally told me that I’m his and he’s mine, but there’s this horrible voice in my head that never goes away. Telling me day in and day out that I’m not enough, that even my family hates me and wishes I’d go away, and that I’ll never be worthy of something good.

I shove the toxic thoughts as far into the recesses of my mind as they’ll go, refusing to let them ruin what has been a perfect night.

I sigh and place my hand atop the one he has resting between my breasts. “Me too, but they’ll want to clean up the room for the next scene.” Hesitating for a moment, I force myself to ask for what I want. “We can go back to your place and snuggle more there.”

A deep, purr-like rumble reverberates from Nathan’s chest. “Yeah? You’d come spend the night with me again?”

“Sure. Your mattress is amazing.”

He huffs out a soft laugh and kisses my hair. “It is when you’re there.”

My heart squeezes at the sincere affection in his words. Ugh, this man needs to stop, or I’m going to fall in love with him.

Nathan rolls away with a soft groan, getting out of bed to grab some supplies from a cabinet in the corner to clean us off with.

The fluttering in my chest only increases as he oh so gently cleans the mess of cum from my overused pussy, stopping every few moments to smile at me or kiss my thigh. It’s practically vibrating through me, and I’d think it was the high from all the energy I got from group sex, but when our eyes meet and he gives me a long, slow kiss, I know it’s not.

Fuck.

I’m not at risk of falling in love with him. I already fucking am in love with him.

I’m in love with my dad’s best friend and my boss, and it’s too late to stop it.

Clinging to his shoulders, I kiss Nathan back, needing to ground myself through the panic.