His golden gaze never left her face, but he said nothing.
She glanced away and traced her finger over her sheet-covered thigh. “You’ve done so much for me. You took me away from Gus’s diner. Bought me clothes. Offered me a job and a place to stay. Found my family.”
“So it’s gratitude.” His flat, unemotional words made her jerk her head up. James’s face was like stone.
“Yes. No.” She cupped his stubborn jaw, feeling the stubble brush her fingers. “It’s gratitude but so much more.” She withdrew her hand and curled her fingers in her lap.
She licked her dry lips and continued. “I didn’t remember ever living in a pack before. Didn’t know what it was truly like until I came here.”
“You’ve seen it at its best and worst.”
“I have,” she agreed. “It’s not always pretty, but there is a sense of belonging, of being part of something. I never had that before.”
James closed his eyes and sighed. “You always had a home here, Shelley. You didn’t have to mate with me in order to secure your place.”
Oh, she was doing this all wrong. He didn’t understand.
“I love you,” she blurted.
His head jerked up and his eyes popped open, pinning her in place. “Say that again.”
“I love you.” Determined to lay everything on the table, she continued. “I know I’ve got problems. Will probably always have some issues, but I’m strong enough to deal with them.”
“We’re strong enough,” he corrected.
Those words settled inside her heart, warming it and soothing old hurts. “We are,” she agreed, sensing he needed to hear the words. “You gave me the courage to meet my family, to begin to put my past behind me. To embrace the other part of myself. My wolf. Without you, I’m not sure I’d have ever found the courage to shift into my other half.”
“You did all those things yourself. My God, Shelley, I’ve never met another creature—human, werewolf or otherwise—who’s as courageous as you. The things you survived.” He shook his head.
She felt her cheeks warming and knew she was blushing at his praise. “I did what I had to do.” She was no hero.
“You did more than that. You overcame all those years of captivity. And it’s only been a matter of months, Shelley. It’s going to take time.”
“I know.” Pulling her legs tight to her chest, she rested her chin on her knees. “I was leaving when it finally occurred to me that I was hurting myself and you. I can work on my problems here just as easily as I could in Chicago.”
“You can do anything you want.” His confidence in her made her believe. “You’re strong and beautiful in both forms, female and wolf.”
“I want to be worthy of being your mate,” she blurted out. “You’re alpha, leader of this pack. You need a mate others will respect.”
He growled and grabbed her chin, angling her face toward his. “You are worthy. I’m the one who’s not worthy. You’re a prize. Any male would be proud to call you his mate. My Lord, woman, what you survived is nothing short of a miracle. One of your own making. All those years and you never gave up.” James pressed his forehead against hers.
A weight she was carrying on her shoulders and in her heart seemed to fall away. She traced the contours of his cheek and he nuzzled her nose with his.
Werewolves were very tactile. Always touching. She’d never had that before. Hadn’t realized what she was missing.
“I’ll have good days and bad days,” she warned. She knew a few months weren’t near enough to put the past behind her. She still had nightmares, although those had all but disappeared since James had started sleeping with her. His mere presence seemed to chase them away.
“So will I.” He kissed her nose. “I’m not an easy man to live with.” His lips grazed her cheekbone and her jaw.
“No,” she teased. “Really?”
He laughed and the rough sound sent shivers down her spine. She shuddered as his breath warmed her face.
He stilled, sensing her growing arousal. “Tell me again,” he demanded.
She knew what he wanted and gave it. “I love you.” He hadn’t said the words back and that caused a pang in her heart. But he’d already given her so much. And she knew he cared deeply for her. It was enough.
“God, woman.” He caught her in his arms and rolled them across the large bed. She laughed as he shoved aside the tangled sheets and tugged her on top of him.
Laughter fled as he slid his thick shaft inside her without warning. She gasped and then moaned as her moist channel stretched to accommodate him.
There was no rush, no words as he wrapped his arms around her and rocked them both to completion. Her orgasm flowed over her, comforting and somehow deeper than any other time they’d come together. Maybe it was because she’d said the words, said she loved him.
Still quivering from aftershocks, she snuggled close, struggling to catch her breath.
“I love you.”
She stilled as the harsh whisper reached her ears. She raised her head, not certain she’d heard correctly. His gaze was fierce as he captured her face in his hands. “I love you,” he repeated. “You’re mine. You belong to me. I promise to always protect you.”
Tears pricked her eyes. She struggled to keep them from escaping, but it was no use. They seeped out of the corners of her eyes and trickled down her cheekbones.
He swiped at them with his thumbs. “Don’t cry, baby. Don’t cry.”
“Oh, James.” She kissed him then, hard and deep. She never wanted this moment to end. Their tongues twined, mated. His cock flexed, still deep inside her, making her laugh. He was insatiable.
He rubbed his hand over her butt, squeezing gently. “That’s what you do to me.” They lay there a few more minutes and then he sighed. “We have to get up. There are still a lot of loose ends to deal with.”
Shelley sat up and eased off James. She shuddered as his semi-erection slipped from her. “Okay.” She was determined to stand by him, to be the kind of mate he needed. His responsibilities were many and vast. She didn’t know them all, but observing him this past week had been an education. An alpha was much more than a figurehead. He was like the CEO of a major corporation and mayor of a town, plus the Chief of Police.
James rolled out of bed and padded to the window. “They’re all waiting.”
Shelley lowered her head into her hands. “They’re all going to know what we’ve been doing,” she wailed. She’d been so caught up with what was going on between her and James she’d forgotten they’d all seen them enter his home together.
James laughed. “They’ll only have to take one look at you to know.” He came to stand beside her and brushed his finger down her neck. “You have beard rash.”
“I do not.” She rushed to the dresser mirror to inspect her face and neck. “It will fade.”
He came up behind her and nuzzled her neck. The prickly stubble brushed her skin. “Not if I don’t stop doing this.”
She laughed. She couldn’t help herself. He was incorrigible. “I’ll wear a turtleneck sweater.”
“They’ll still be able to smell me. I marked you during our joining. Humans might not be able to detect it, but other werewolves will.” Satisfaction tinged his voice. “They’ll all know you’re mine. We’ll have the formal ceremony as soon as possible.” He stilled and raised his head.
She was coming to know him well and knew he was waiting for her agreement. He was all alpha male, but he wanted her to be happy. “That sounds fine.”
He dropped another kiss on her neck and straightened. “Get dressed. I’ll be back.” She watched the play of muscles in his tight butt as he walked away.