Chapter 182 - Turning To Trust

~ SASHA ~

Zev had begun to tease her. And damn him, she loved it.

He was sitting almost upright, leaned slightly towards her, forcing her to lean back slightly. She had a grip on his shoulders for balance, but she wasn't really thinking about any of that. All she could see was his eyes, and all she could concentrate on were the feelings he was drawing from her skin.

He'd dropped his hands to cup her thighs, his fingertips teasing up the sides of her legs, raising the hair there and making her shiver with anticipation.

But his eyes were locked on hers and his face… he'd never looked quite so much like the wolf that lived in his skin, and yet she wasn't afraid. He was hungry for her—and she wanted to be devoured.

The water splashed and rippled as he raised a hand, his eyes sliding down her face, her neck, lower. His jaw slackened and he drew two fingers along her collarbone, catching the strands of wet hair stuck there and pushing them back over her shoulder, so slowly it almost tickled.

His throat bobbed and his pupils got even bigger as he gazed down on her.

"So beautiful," he murmured, letting those fingers trail down to her nipple again, to circle and tease.

Sasha tried not to embarrass herself, but she knew he'd sense her breathing quicken. He could probably smell how horny he was making her.

So embarrassing.

As he played and teased, Sasha tried to keep her eyes open. But she became so self-conscious, yet she didn't want him to stop. So she closed her eyes and let her head drift back. Zev's breath sucked in.

Every noise he made, every move, made that coil of desire in her belly pull tighter. Without thought, she'd already begun to rock her hips softly against him. He growled and leaned over her, splaying his hands at her back to hold her weight, his lips playing on her neck.

Sasha arched back to give him easier access, shivering with delight.

You like it when I kiss your neck.

"I love it," she breathed, rocking her hips again.

Zev hummed in his throat. You humble me, he said quietly in her head.

His lips had reached the spot just under her ear that always gave her goosebumps and she shivered again.

"Humble you?" she asked faintly.

For a Chimera, our throats are the most vulnerable parts of our bodies. To offer our necks to each other is the ultimate sign of submission.

Eyes closed and wallowing in the warmth of the water, and the tingling tease of his touch and his kiss, Sasha smiled.

"I trust you, Zev."

And she did. That was the problem. She trusted him so much she didn't protect herself—which meant he could hurt her so, so easily.

Zev went very still suddenly, his lips loose and full against her neck. "What's wrong?" he asked hoarsely. "You didn't like that?"

"I love that," she sighed, pulling him close so he would stop. "I just had a thought that doesn't matter. Don't worry."

"But—"

She leaned back, holding his face, and made herself meet his eyes. "I trust you, Zev. I'm scared, but I trust you. Just… don't give me a reason not to, okay?"

His eyes were fierce and protective as he slid one hand up her back to spread his fingers under her hair, at the base of her skull.

Sasha shivered deliciously again.

"You're mine," he whispered fiercely. "No Chimera would dare step between us now. And any human who tries to will face my wolf. I'm never letting you go again, Sasha. Never."

Tears pricked the back of her eyes, but they were tears of joy. And desire for him jangled through her. It was crazy. He was the only man she'd ever met who made her feel this way. She'd tried to escape her feelings for him. Tried to force herself to see someone else. To enjoy another man's kiss, or touch. But it never worked.

He was the only man for her and now, here they were. She wasn't going to let her fears overwhelm the beauty of what was happening to them. So, she pulled him closer, opened her mouth on his, traced his lips, his tongue, her breath sucking in as their bodies began to roll together. She could feel him there, ready, and she wanted him again.

She wanted him. Only him.

And he wanted her.

Was there any more beautiful feeling in the world—in any world—than two people who both needed each other, and both gave themselves over to it?

"I love you, Zev," she whispered, her voice cracking with emotion on his name.

"God, Sash."

Zev pulled her tight against his chest and took her mouth, hard and demanding, his fingers clawing in her hair, his breath sucking in. The water rippled around them, beginning to hit in waves against her back and the sides of the tub as they moved together. As she curled a hand into his hair and held him against her, Sasha was beginning to wonder how hard it would be to do it like this when Zev suddenly pulled away, sitting up straighter, his eyes burning with heat and a fierce light.

"What?" she asked when he didn't say anything immediately.

"I'm just trying to figure out whether to take you here, or on that rug," he said, tipping his head towards the thick rug on the floor in front of the fire. The corners of his lips curled up and his voice purred in her head.

What does my mate want?

Sasha bit her lip and stifled a nervous giggle. The truth was, she wasn't super confident about this whole water, sitting thing. She understood it was done, but the rug…

She let her eyes trail to the thick fur and her smile widened. "I vote for the rug."

The words were barely out of her mouth when Zev lifted her under her arms, making sure she found her feet, before watching her step carefully out of the bath. He followed her quickly, holding both sides of the wide tub and pushing himself up, the muscles of his arms and shoulders going tight as he took his own weight.

Sasha's mouth went dry at the view, but a twist of worry underlined it when he winced at the pain from his side. She was reaching to help him, but he was already up, picking up the towels he'd dropped next to the tub and kneeling in front of her to dry her feet and legs.

"Zev, you don't have to—"

As he drew the thick towel up her leg he opened his mouth on her stomach to lick a drop of water from her skin.. Sasha blew out a breath and curled her arms around his head as he began to kiss his way up her body.