Page 30 of Thunder with a Chance of Lovestruck
Did the woman not understand the sensual picture she presented? Did she not know just how absolutely gorgeous she was or the effect she had on him? At the rate things were going, he’d be hard for the rest of the night. He and his hand were going to get well and truly reacquainted later tonight.
Seizing the moment, Drest adjusted himself while Rachael’s attention was elsewhere. As she wiggled her tush, he tipped his head, biting back a moan. Was the woman trying to get him to break every damn rule there was in the Hunter’s Guild? Clearly, she wasn’t going to be happy until he was stationed somewhere like Siberia.
It wouldn’t be the first time the higher-ups sent a Hunter off and packing to the frozen tundra for disobeying them. They were somewhat known for being creative with their punishments, and he didn’t want to even hazard a guess at what they’d come up with for him if he continued to act on the impulse to be near Rachael Frankenstein.
Siberia wouldn’t be optimal, but he’d survive.
The worst punishment he could think of was being ripped away from Rachael for good—to be banned from being near her. While he’d only known her a few hours, Drest couldn’t imagine never getting to see her again. Hell, he’d not even been able to let her go to the basement to retrieve wine on her own. The thought of being separated from her for only a few minutes had left him rushing to offer to help, only to stand and watch her select wine.
Had she been fully Fae, Drest would have wondered if the stories he and his cousin Stratton, who also happened to be his best friend, had heard were true. The ones about a special person, a mate, who had been born for them. Someone who would make them feel whole. Someone who would tempt them as no other had before. Someone they couldn’t imagine life without.
The stories of old spoke of the loss of willpower around one’s mate. And something called the mating frenzy that the males of his race suffered when encountering their chosen ones. It was a state of being that left them acting on impulse. But all the stories that his uncles, father, and the other elder males of his clan had told them of mates revolved around women who were full-blooded Fae.
The amount of Fae Rachael had in her was small. Too little to qualify her as mate material, so why in the hell were his head and body behaving to the contrary? Maybe he was coming down with something? It was rare for a Fae to get sick, but it wasn’t impossible. Maybe that was it. He’d reach out to one of the healers in the morning and see about getting a full check-over.
That would help.
No, it won’t, he thought as his breath caught when her scent slid over him. He savored it, his mind instantly wondering if she’d taste like strawberries. Her kisses did. Did the rest of her taste like them too? He really hoped so. They were one of his favorite foods.
Pull yourself together.
He jerked upright, swallowing hard as he tried but failed to get his shit together. The woman was a goddess. No two ways about it. And she seemed to be equally drawn to him, only serving to make matters worse.
He knew the smart thing would be to call it a night and head back to the city. To put as much distance between himself and Rachael as possible before he did something stupid.
All right, stupider than he’d already done.
He’d done his Nightshade duties for the night. He’d checked in with his charges this month. There was zero reason for him to still be at the manor. He should leave and not see any of them for another month.
His breath caught at the idea of going four weeks before he could see Rachael once more.
Leave before you lose what is left of your mind, he said to himself, only to remain in place.She’s a temptation you can’t afford to risk. She could cost you everything. The rules are there for a reason.
As he focused on her derriere again, Drest knew that he’d break all the rules for her. That should have left him rushing to his car and far from her. It didn’t. Instead, Drest found himself closing the distance between them. He slid up behind her as she continued to read over the labels. He bent as well, his body curving over hers as if they were lovers in a bedroom pose.
As suspected, she fit perfectly against him.
Her breath caught. “Drest?”
“Yes,” he breathed against her ear, closing his eyes a second in an attempt to gather control of himself.
“What are you doing?” she asked, her voice tentative.
“Do you want me to stop?” he questioned. No matter how far gone his self-control seemed to be, if she didn’t want this, he’d end it. He’d never in a million years force her hand.
“I should,” she replied.
“Yeah,” he breathed with a slight chuckle despite the situation being anything but funny. “You should. Tell me to stop. That you don’t want this. That you don’t want me. Tell me, and I’ll go, Rachael. I’ll get in my car, head back to the city, and I’ll put in a request to get a new Hunter assigned to your family.”
Her hand shot back, connecting with his thigh, sending fire blazing through him. “I don’t want a different Hunter. I wantyou.”
Her words slammed into him, leaving Drest nuzzling his face against her ear. “This is wrong for so many reasons.”
“I know,” she whispered.
“I’m your Hunter,” he stated evenly, needing her to see reason for the two of them.
“Yes,” she replied.
