Was it really something she needed to get all the details about right now?
The steam built around them, thickening the air on every breath she took, and clouding the sight of his smooth flesh only inches away from her. Slicking her fingers over his skin made the connection between them burst upward, a longing for his touch overwhelming the need for answers.
Gem leaned her cheek against him, her hands resting on his hips. He threaded his fingers through hers, his thumbs rubbing gently back and forth.
One small lean brought their bodies into full contact, her breasts pressed to his back.
“Gem…”
She shushed him, gyrating an inch at a time, letting the moisture of the shower become the only barrier between their flesh. Shaun tilted his face upward and let the spray hit him fully in the face.
Gem snuck her palm forward, leaving his hip. His hand stayed behind for a moment, his fingers stroking her forearm, tightening into a firm clasp as she made contact with his groin. She continued until his erection filled her hand, the hot, heavy length pulsing as she closed her fingers and stroked.
The splash of the water against the tiles faded into the background as his moans filled her ears.
“Gem…”
The timbre of agony mixed with ecstasy in his voice made her smile. “Like this?”
He nodded, his hand covering hers and tightening. Increasing the length of her stroke, then shortening it. His fingers urged her on, forceful, then relaxing away as he rocked his hips, thrusting into her hand.
There were too many sensations to keep track of them all. Touching him made her achy inside, and the noises from his lips made her even hotter. Knowing she brought him pleasure after the pain he’d received—giving to him filled an enormous need.
This was another part of being mates. She took a deep breath through her nose, thrilling at the mixture of their scents. He squeezed her left hand where it rested on his hip, pressing harder into her right hand. He shuddered, and his shaft jerked, the heat of his seed splashing her fingers.
Shaun turned and half-collapsed against the shower wall, his head resting on the tiles as he pulled her into his arms. “When my brain comes back online I’m planning on making your world spin at least as hard as you just—holy fucking hell.”
He gasped for air, and Gem bit back the giggles. His swearing didn’t upset her this time. Neither did the fact he’d kept a secret from her. In fact, she was sure right now there wasn’t much that could upset her.
When he kissed her, his hands pulling back her hair and beginning a slow seduction of all her senses, she felt as if life was pretty much as perfect as it could get.
Then he slipped to his knees, and the moment got even better. Gem closed her eyes and let her mate love her.
Part Three
I wanted the gold, and I sought it,
I scrabbled and mucked like a slave.
Was it famine or scurvy—I fought it;
I hurled my youth into a grave.
I wanted the gold, and I got it—
Came out with a fortune last fall,—
Yet somehow life’s not what I thought it,
And somehow the gold isn’t all.
Chapter Eleven
There were aches on his pains when Shaun woke, but the physical ailments weren’t the first things to catch his attention.
Nope, it was the way Gem was all snuggled up tight against him, her cheek resting on his chest. One hand wrapped around his biceps as if she was never letting him go. The list of shit to figure out remained huge, but the list of things he liked about the mating deal grew bigger all the time.
He kissed the top of her head and eased himself away. She wiggled and sighed drowsily, burrowing back into the blankets. He didn’t have the heart to wake her since this would be her last day in civilization for a while. She refused to abandon her research project.
No matter how much he’d come to admire her, ensuring she knew the realities involved in their upcoming trip was going to be nasty.
Shaun stretched one arm, then the other, pleased with the result. The damage was minor relative to how he could have felt. He had been beat up, torn up and kicked around a lot worse before. If he had taken the time last night to change into his wolf and back he would have been less stiff this morning, but Gem hadn’t wanted to shift, and she’d been far too enticing in her human form to leave for long.
The sex had done wonders for making him feel better.
Add in the fact the pains were from performing a totally unselfish act of kindness—he was still grinning when he caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror. He’d done something because it was the right thing to do. Not to screw anyone, or get screwed, even though that had been a bonus side effect. Yup, the fight had been pretty damn cool.
There was just one cloud hanging over his head. Somehow in the next couple days, he needed to decide both the best time and the best way to double-check that Gem understood the road was about to get a lot rougher.
He chose wrong.
“What do you mean ‘if I want to cancel the trip’?”
Shaun cringed, glancing around the hangar to see if anyone else had heard the outburst. So she did have a volume other than soft and gentle. “Gem, we can’t disturb the caribou. There’s a minimum fly-by radius we aren’t allowed to break—the cows are more susceptible to loud noises when they’re pregnant, so the government increased the permissible space between any public disturbances and the animals.”
Gem stepped back, crossed her arms and glared at him. “I’m not an idiot. I’m well aware of the rules regarding the herd. Research paper, remember?”
“Right. Then you know that while we can approach the birthing grounds ahead of time to get your information, we need to retreat to a protected location to make further observations. We can’t take the chopper. We have to land and hike in.”
Her eyes narrowed to evil slits. “Are you deliberately trying to be offensive, or is this just coming naturally to you?”
Shaun studied the ceiling in the hope inspiration would strike. He thought through all his words, attempting to figure out what he’d done to piss her off this thoroughly.
Nope. Nada.
“I can honestly say I don’t have a freaking clue what you’re so upset about.”
Gem gave her head a violent shake. “You basically told me that after being in the north for nearly two weeks, you don’t want me to complete the research I came to do. At least, that’s what I heard.”
“Wait, no, I just wanted to be positive you know the specifics. This isn’t going to be a one-day stroll in the park.”
“Shaun, I’m well aware the only way in and out of the area is on foot. Why do you think I brought hiking boots? Why I’ve been training for the distances we’ll need to travel?”
She had? “Really?”
“Why is that so impossible to believe?” Gem crossed her arms and glared at him. “Just because I don’t cuss and slouch all over the place doesn’t mean I’m not an intelligent, capable woman.”
“I never said you—”
“Asking me if I want to bow out at this point is like saying it.”
“But I—”
“And assuming because I have soft hands that automatically means I’m a spoiled, lazy creature is insanity on your part, not mine.”
“Right, and I’m sorry—”
“Plus, you did agree to guide me. If you had an issue there should have been a formal complaint made way back even before I arrived.”