The Finding by Nicky Charles Page A

the street with nowhere to
go and I made a promise that I’d never let anyone else go through
something like that if I could help it.” He gave her a sheepish
grin. “You’re my way of making amends for some of the stuff I’ve
done in my life, okay?”
    Eventually
she’d realized that Kellen was speaking the truth, and as the
months passed he never made any demands on her. Naturally, there
had been hugs and brief caresses, even a few kisses, but he never
expected more than she was willing to give. It was one of the
things that made her love him; the way he’d gently kiss her as if
testing the waters and then drawback to study her expression. When
there’d been no answering passion in her eyes, he’d smile softly
and squeeze her hand or shoulder before moving away.
    He was so
patient with her and at times Cassie had despaired of herself
wondering why she didn’t respond. She wanted to; she wanted to give
him something back after all he’d done for her. That probably
explained why, when a sudden rush of need inexplicably developed in
her, she hadn’t questioned the abrupt change too deeply.
    It had been
near a full moon, a time she always dreaded for fear the wolf
inside her would break through the drug induced cage it was in. Her
supply of ‘migraine’ pills was almost gone and she was trying to
make them last by stretching the interval between each dose.
    Looking back
now, and given what she’d learned through her internet research,
she knew what had happened—she’d let the medication get too low in
her blood stream and her wolf had come to the fore, in full
heat—but at the time that possibility hadn’t occurred to her.
Waking from a vague, but incredibly erotic dream involving a
well-endowed man, she’d been sweating and restless. Tension had
coiled low in her belly and an aching need was growing between her
legs.
    Unsure as to
what was going on, she’d thrown back the covers and crept down the
hall, intent on getting a glass of water. Her skin felt as if it
was crawling and she’d rubbed her hands up and down her arms,
trying to ease the sensation. As she passed by Kellen’s room, a
pain had stabbed her belly and she’d gasped, inhaling deeply. That
was when it hit her; Kellen’s enticing scent had drifted by
tickling her nostrils and sending her senses into overdrive.
    Instinct took
over and she found herself in Kellen’s bed, crouched beside him,
nuzzling his neck, kissing his jaw, easing the covers off his
sleeping body.
    “Kellen?”
    “Wha..?” He’d
groggily opened his eyes, raising his hands to her shoulders.
    “Kiss me.”
    “Sandy...?”
He’d blinked at her owlishly, obviously confused.
    She’d stopped
any further comments with a kiss, for once enjoying the wet slide
of his lips against hers. He’d responded briefly, before breaking
the embrace and capturing her face in his hands and holding her
away even as she struggled to get closer. “Sandy, what’s going
on?”
    “I need you,
Kellen.” Unable to break from his grasp, she’d run her hands over
his chest feeling his muscles twitch in response. Her palms
revelled in the feel of the smooth warm skin and her body ached
even more, wanting to feel him pressed against her full length.
    “This is
awfully sudden. Did you have a bad dream or something?” God bless
him, Kellen had done his best to try and figure out her sudden
about face, but she hadn’t relented. Need had driven her to
straddle him, to grind against him. She recalled how excited she
felt to be finally responding to him like he deserved.
    Turning her
face in his grasp, she managed to nip then lick his wrist. “I...I
just want you, Kellen. I can’t explain it, but I need you, now.
Please? I...I hurt.”
    “Sandy...” Her
name was a groan on his lips. She wiggled against him, feeling his
body responding despite the material separating them. Slowly, he’d
loosened his grip on her face, sliding his fingers through her hair
and bringing her face closer to his.