Scent : Animal Senses Series Book 2

Chapter 28

Chapter 28

Passing the window, Gage told himself he was just checking for unknown scents near the house. Even he knew it was a lie. He'd already checked all but one, and hadn't spotted Kelsey anywhere in the house. Maybe she was in the shower... He came to an abrupt halt at that thought. Don't think about her naked. Too late. Groaning, he forced his foot to move and inhaled again, searching for unfamiliar scents.

As he passed the kitchen window, his heart stopped in his chest. Kelsey was leaning over the counter, pressing her face against it. Frowning, he stepped closer. What was she doing? She had changed into some sort of sundress that left most of her back bare. His groin tightened again.

Snapping his teeth together, he was just about to step away when she moved and pressed the other side of her face to the counter; a look of pain etched on her face. Without pausing, he was around the corner, leaping up over the railing, and rushing into the kitchen.

Moving toward her, he tried to ignore the bare legs on display beneath the little dress she wore, "Are you all right?"

She continued to press her upper body and face against the cold tiles. "No." she panted, "no, I think I need to go to the hospital."

Panic hit him in the gut. "What is it?" He leaned on the counter, afraid to touch her.

"I'm burning up, Gage. I've tried everything. My stomach is cramping, my skin is so hot..." she hissed out a breath and spread her arms across the tiles. "My clothes even hurt..." she made a sound of distress.

Gage fought his panic and took a deep breath, the last thing she needed was him freaking out. A scent hit him and his body almost convulsed when he recognized it. Her body was emitting pure female cat scent. It was one he'd only smelled a few times before when he'd been visiting Bruce and it usually meant... his brain shut down as his cat fought him for supremacy. Shit.

Kelsey made another sound of distress and both his man and cat froze. Slowly he went to stand right behind her. She may not shift yet, but he'd learned his lesson years ago when he'd almost lost half his face to a female's claws. "Let me help you, honey." He kept his voice soft and gentle.

He blew gently against the bare skin on her back. She stilled beneath him. His hand was shaking as he brushed the tips of his fingers from her shoulder along her stretched arm until he reached her hand. He held her hand flat against the countertop, feeling more confident now that she wouldn't be able to turn suddenly on him.

"Gage," her voice was filled with fear.

"Shh," he leaned forward, trying hard not to press his hips into her as he did. That took willpower he didn't realize he possessed. "I can make this more bearable for you." He ran his other hand down her back, blowing softly over the skin across her shoulders as he did.

She made a whining noise.

He knew he'd brought this on by kissing her, which is why he'd tried so hard not to. The dormant cat inside her knew she was near her mate, even if Kelsey refused to admit it.

"I don't know what's wrong with me."

He couldn't believe how badly his hands were shaking; his cat lay just under the surface knowing how cautious they had to be, lest they be rejected. "I do, honey," he whispered against her shoulder. Her skin was like satin. "Your cat needs something..." he didn't know how to explain this to her without being vulgar.

She groaned as he brushed his lips over her skin again. "Why? Why now?"

Her voice was riddled with pain and need; he doubted she realized the latter. "The change is close, Kels, she knows I'm near..." he paused as he ran his hand down the heated flesh of her rib cage, gauging her reaction.

She stilled, barely breathing. "I couldn't handle the water on my skin..." she gasped as he opened his hand and touched her with more than his fingertips. "How can you..." As he touched her hip, she pushed back into him.

Gage had to clench his teeth to fight against his need to pin her against the counter.

"Gage?" She whined, the panic in her tone causing him to sweat.

"Shh, honey, just let me help you." He lowered his bare chest against her and had to bite back a growl when her soft flesh felt like it was burning. He ran his hand up her bare thigh, Christ, I'm going to die here... placing it under her skirt. When she didn't freeze under his touch, he kept inching higher until he reached her hip. His fingers skimmed over the edge of the elastic of her underwear, resting over her hip. Swallowing, he traced his way along it to her stomach.

His cat was running wild, wanting to push, but knowing they couldn't go faster. Brushing his mouth along her throat, he paused against her ear. "Is this helping?"

His only answer was a soft mewling noise that sent more blood rushing to his already painfully throbbing groin. Running his finger under the edge of her underwear, he clamped down on the images flashing through his mind. One wrong move and her cat would reject him, and Kelsey would hate him.

As his hand moved under the material, she started clawing at the counter. Pausing, he released the the hand holding hers, then and grasped both of her wrists firmly. "Easy, honey," he murmured, moving his lips back to her neck.

Every instinct told him to mark her, but his cat paused knowing what a mistake that would be. Moving his hand between her legs, he cupped her lightly. She tensed and he froze, giving her time to adjust and, hopefully, accept him. When her legs opened further, he took that as consent. Barely able to remember to breathe, he moved his hand over her swollen flesh and almost swallowed his tongue when he felt how wet she was. Soaked would not have adequately described it. She hissed out a breath and pushed into his hand.

Fucking. Killing. Me.

Sliding his finger through her heat, he slid it slowly inside her. Her muscles clamped down. She was so tight his knees shook, her scent enveloping and choking him.

Moving his finger in and out with great care, he pressed his face into her throat, reveling in the incredible scent of her skin. So tight... he bit back a groan. A thought hit him like a splash of cold water. "Are you a virgin, honey?"

She thrust against his hand and moaned what took him a moment to realize was a yes.

Christ...

That helped keep his restraint in check. His heart pounded with an emotion he could only label as triumph. She would only ever be his.

Torturing himself while pleasing her, he thrust two fingers into her tight wetness while trying to keep his mind focused and distracted from taking her right there, right now. His cat was prowling under his skin now, knowing he'd have to show her tenderness before a true mating would happen.

Her erratic breathing and throaty moans were almost his undoing. He bit her shoulder and then froze and turned away quickly. The noises she made as her body clamped tight on his fingers as she came almost brought him to his knees.

Waiting as long as he could, he released her, kissing the side of her neck as he pulled his hand free from beneath her clothes.

Not trusting himself to speak, he straightened and backed up, leaving her sprawled on the counter as she attempted to catch her breath.

He turned and stumbled to the bathroom. He leaned back against the closed door, rubbing his shaking hand over his face, only to pause when he realized it was the same hand that had been inside her.

"Fuck." The scent made his body shudder. Hastily he kicked off his boots and ripped his jeans from his body. He grasped himself in a tight, almost painful grip as he fumbled to get the shower turned on and get into it as his hand began stroking the rigid flesh. He wasn't going to survive her change.