a/n sooo I don't include many author's notes, and they're usually at the end... but just wanted to give a heads up that this chapter has some mature content. Nothing crazy, but you've been warned. xoxoxo

RAFF

When the sun went down, the rain was still falling, moving from a gentle soaking to a window lashing storm. The woman stretched out across Raff's bed didn't move as thunder rumbled, her dark hair a mass of wild curls around her head. In sleep, all of the tension had melted from her face, and he found himself wishing he could keep her like this forever. Sweet, innocent, but most importantly, safe... if not as pure as before... His wolf puffed with pride, though thinking about the sounds he'd elicited from her earlier was enough to make him consider waking her. Slowly, starting from the top and working my way up...

"Get it together," he muttered, padding to the kitchen for a drink. His body was conflicted. On the one hand, his masculine ego had been thoroughly satisfied. He'd worshipped her with his hands and lips... she was so damn responsive, coming with just the lightest touch, and if he only ever got to give her pleasure, he'd die a happy man.

But he remembered what she'd told him that day on the beach, about never allowing anyone close, and he'd surmised correctly that she was a virgin. And while that was now only true in the strictest sense, he had no intention of changing that until she trusted him and was completely honest. Because she was still hiding something, and until the secrets came into the light, he was going to be damn uncomfortable.

Taking a deep drink from his beer, he picked up his phone from the counter and nearly choked at the number of missed messages.

Lincoln: WTF dude. I came back to the beach and u were gone. Where r u.

Lincoln: I hope ur not dead somewhere.

Lincoln: Call me. I have deets.

Lincoln: Getting pissed.

Lincoln: Duuuude. Never mind. I apologize. Just stopped by ur house and I know what

ur up to. Ur girl is loud... Call me when ur done.

Mariah: Hope you still have the same number. Want to get a drink sometime?

Unknown Caller: Have you talked to Meribella? She went for a swim and hasn't come back. She left her phone at home.

Unknown Caller: Please tell me she's with you?

Unknown Caller: Look, if I don't hear from you in the next hour and she doesn't show up, I'm calling the cops. I heard about the crazy killer.

Unknown Caller: Just ran into Lincoln. Gross. Take care of her Raff. Remember, I told you what I'd do to you.

Unknown Caller: This is Thorne, btw.

He dropped the phone and cursed. He would've preferred keeping this step in their relationship

a secret, but Camden was a small town. Hell, Harold had probably told half the town that Raff had kidnapped a woman. There'd be a text from the chief of police soon asking him what he was up to. Good thing they were buddies.

"Raff, where'd you go?" Shimmering turquoise eyes peered around the wall separating the living area and the kitchen. He couldn't see the blush staining her cheeks, but he picked up on the change in her body temperature as she rocked back on her heels.

"Just thirsty."

"Oh," she said, walking around the bar and taking the bottle from his hands. She pressed the rim to her mouth and tipped it back. The movement exposed the smooth lines of her neck and hiked the t-shirt she was wearing up to her thighs, reminding him she wore nothing under the cotton fabric. "And a beer was what you picked to quench your thirst?"

Gods, she was a minx. Exploring her sexuality was so new to her, but as her confidence grew, it became clear she'd been born to manipulate weak willed men like himself. Men who couldn't stop dreaming of jasmine drizzled in honey and cinnamon because each one of those fragrances was uniquely hers.

Gripping her hips, he lifted her on the counter and pushed against her inner thighs so that his access was unhindered. Taking the beer from her before she could drop it, he set it beside her and dropped to his knees. Her delicate fingers wound through his hair, pulling until it was almost painful as he dropped kisses along her thighs, moving towards her center just as he'd imagined doing while she was sleeping.

"Raff, oh gods. Raff, you shouldn't do this."

He jolted to a stop, her protest enough to worry him. "Are you okay? Did I hurt you?"

She shook her head until her face was hidden by a curtain of black silk. "No, it's just--"

When she didn't speak again, he prompted, "Just what Meribella. We can't do this, have this, if you can't tell me what you want and don't want."

"Oh, gods no I want it. I just feel guilty. You've made me feel so good. I want to make you feel that way."

He shot to his feet and kissed her hard. "Baby, making you feel good is all I need right now. We'll get there, but we've already moved faster than I think we should. Meribella..." She dropped her hands to his boxers and those mischievous fingers were attempting to slip beneath the elastic. Any trace of shyness was gone as she caught his lips in another kiss and continued her perusal of his anatomy. "Baby, that can wait."

Poking out her lip, she wrapped her arms around her waist and hunched her shoulders. "Do you not want me that way?"

This woman gave him whiplash, but it was exhilarating. "I think you just felt how much I want you, but let me prove it to you." Moving his hand back to the heat between her legs, he dipped a digit into her wetness. Crying out, she put her hands on the counter and dropped her head back as he circled the sensitive bud.

Raff had thought the sound of her singing was the most beautiful sound in the world, but that was before he'd heard these whimpers. Increasing the pressure, he watched as she thrashed, so close to her release, but he wasn't ready. Removing his hand, he dropped back to a crouch and gave her a wicked grin she couldn't see because she'd collapsed in puddle on the counter.

"Hurry... please."

"Whatever my lady wishes," he replied, his hands gliding underneath the t-shirt, across her soft curves as he dipped his head towards heaven.

"I've waited as long as I can you two! We've got to talk!" Lincoln's words were followed by pounding fists on the solid door.

"I'm gonna kill him," Raff snapped, beginning to wonder if Lincoln was psychic and used those powers to always interrupt him at the most inopportune moments.

"You're both gonna die if you stop. And then I'm gonna die."

Chuckling, he lifted her and carried her to the bedroom. "Oh you're not going to fight me now?"

"I like the direction we're going."

He dropped her so she was sprawled back on the bed, her skin flushed from arousal and her scent filled with it. His wolf snarled, unhappy with his refusal to fully make her theirs. But it just wasn't right. No matter how tempting.

She flipped on her hands and knees, giving him a full shot of her delicious backside as she crawled to the edge. "Fine, you meany."

He swatted her, making her cry out. "I'm getting good at making you scream."

"Oh you cocky bastard," she said, but there was no heat in the words.

"Put some clothes on before you come out. Otherwise, I might actually have to kill him."