Page 74 of Red Fire

“Oh, no!” I run a hand through my hair. “I’m so fucking sorry. When?”

“A year and a half ago. Just before Christmas. She was decorating the tree and fell down dead. The doctor said she was gone before she even hit the ground.” Her eyes well with tears. She blinks a few times, sniffing. I wait until she pulls herself together.

“It was a terrible time. It was so unexpected. My mother was young and full of life. We were close. I’m an only child. They say that tragedy will either bring you closer together or pull you apart. For Joshua and me, it was the latter.”

“He broke up with you because you were sad and hurting? Is that what you’re saying?” My voice is gruff. I sit up a little in bed, my eyes on her.

“No…I mean, he was great about it at first – very supportive and understanding – but I think he got tired of me being in such a bad place. He tried, but—”

“Not hard enough. You lost your mother.”

She smiles at me, looking at me in a way that has my heart feeling funny. Maybe it’s my chest…my ribs, yep, it’s my injured ribs. Octavia keeps looking at me in that way.

“What?” I narrow my eyes.

“You’re a nice guy. You’re not as big and gruff as you make yourself out to be.”

“I am! I’m strong and—”

She giggles, going up on her elbows, leaning in and kissing me. “You’re strong, too. And brave. You were willing to die for me. No one has ever been willing to do that for me.”

“It was the honorable thing to do.”

“I don’t need any more time.” She kisses me again, harder and deeper this time. “I’m ready now.” She bites on my lip, making me groan.

“You shouldn’t bite a shifter.”

“Why? I was just being…trying to be sexy. Don’t you like it?”

“Youaresexy. You don’t have to try. Biting is mating behavior.”

“Oh! Crap! Sorry. I didn’t mean it like that.”

“I know. I thought I should tell you, since it is the second time you have bitten me. We will be as good as engaged if you do it again.”

“Holy shit! You’re right. I won’t do it again. Shit! I didn’t know.”

I grab a condom, rip it open, and roll it over my length. “You sure you don’t need a minute or two more?”

“I’m very sure.” Her voice is husky. “I’m ready.” Her cheeks are flushed. Her eyes are hazy. Her lips are puffy. “I want to do that again.”

“You really are after my heart,” I joke, but it comes out sounding serious.

She stiffens under me.

“I’m teasing,” I say as I pull back. “I know you’re leaving soon. I know this is just fucking. I get it. I promise.”

She smiles. It doesn’t quite reach her eyes. Then she wraps her legs around me, and I forget everything as I lose myself in her.

26

Octavia

I groan so deeply my throat hurts, but I can’t stop. My channel spasms around him as I come hard for a second time. My back bows. My hands slide up the wet marble. My breasts jerk in time with his hips as they hit my ass repeatedly.

Creed makes a small noise that tells me he is losing control, and then he groans; his fingers tighten on my hips. His strokes become harder as he jerks into me. I feel his cock grow bigger, touching me everywhere as we both come.

It’s heaven.