SableI’m not even aware of falling asleep wrapped in Ridge’s arms. But as his warmth and that crisp, woodsy scent so unique to him wash over me, my eyelids fall shut. A short while later, I give in to dreams.I’m back in the mating cabin, standing in the middle of all four men: Ridge, Dare, Trystan, and Archer. I don’t have a care in the world—there’s no magic around us, nothing but the desire rising between us. Ridge’s lips meet mine, and Trystan’s hands move over my bare skin. Dare presses into my back, evidence of his arousal hot against my ass, while Archer places a dozen tiny kisses to my collarbone, moving with agonizing slowness. I close my eyes, my skin humming with need.Then I’m on a bed with them. This is where it changes from memory to fantasy, as Ridge’s naked form rises over me and settles between my legs. I don’t know what it feels like for a man to be inside me, so in my dream, I can’t even make out the sensation. Trystan and Dare are on either side of me, fingers on
sable His voice is soothing, and his hands on my arms ground me. The calmer I become, the more the black marks fade, until they’re gone entirely. All that’s left is Ridge.He’s leaning over me, our gazes locked as his hands gently rub up and down my arms. My skin begins to tingle beneath his fingers, and then suddenly, heat rises inside me.I recognize this heat.This need.It’s the same consuming fire that took over me in the cabin, that I felt before the witch transition. But I’m not going into heat this time either—at least, I don’t think so. It’s more like a powerful desire to make Ridge my own.“Don’t stop touching me,” I murmur, a little breathlessly.“It’s helping?” His brows pinch together as he puts a little more strength behind his hands.I close my eyes and focus entirely on the sensation of his hands on my skin. I relish the heat rolling off him, and the hard press of his hip against mine as he leans over me. He’s so close. I silently urge him to widen his playing field.
sableIt’s just me and him.I suddenly do feel a little shy, but I don’t let that stop me from reaching out and resting my hands on his chest. His pecs are muscular and slightly rounded, and they flex under my touch, as if it’s taking all his restraint to stay still while I explore him. Butterflies flap around in my stomach and my breath picks up a little as I drag my palms downward, feeling the slight prickle of his chest hair against my skin.My fingertips drop lower, tracing the contours of his abs, and when my gaze flickers down to the bulge in his pants, my mouth goes a little dry.He seems so big compared to me. Large and imposing in every sense.My fingers graze the skin below his belly button, following the small trail of hair that disappears beneath the waistband of his pants, and Ridge’s breath catches. I see his hands curl into fists at his sides, but he still doesn’t move, allowing me the freedom to touch him and explore him however I want.Fuck, there are so many ways I w
sableTwo large fingers catch my chin, turning my head back so that he can meet my gaze. Banked heat still burns in his irises, but I see concern in them too.Fuck. I knew it. That wasn’t normal. I made it weird because my body couldn’t wait.“Sable, are you all right? Did I hurt you?” he murmurs, his voice a rough burn.I blink. “No.” Not even a little bit. I swallow. “I just… I didn’t want to come like that. I wanted… I wanted you…”My mouth stumbles over the words. I’m starting to feel even more embarrassed, but then understanding dawns in Ridge’s eyes—and the heat in them flares like an inferno.“Are you sure?” His eyes bounce between mine as if he’s searching for any hint of doubt.I nod quickly, some of my awkwardness banished by the feelings rising up in me as I take in his dark, intense features. Maybe it doesn’t matter that I already came once just from rubbing against him. I still want him inside me. I still want more.And from the way he’s looking at me with a mixture of d
SableI’m too boneless to move, too exhausted to think, but Ridge crawls off the bed and grabs a washcloth from the bathroom. He cleans me up a little, and I think I murmur something like thank you before he hovers over me and presses a soft kiss to my lips.Then he lies down beside me and draws me in toward him, tucking me against his large body.Somewhere in the house, a clock chimes the late hour. Ridge’s chest rises and falls beneath my cheek in time with the gentle, lulling sound. Ten distant chimes, each of them haunting, beautiful… and as lazy and satiated as me.I feel amazing.Perfect.Changed.I’m a brand new girl, still reveling in one of the most life-changing experiences a woman can have. My body aches all over, but this time, it’s for the right reasons and in all the right places. I’m still coming down off the high, although I wish I could stay there forever.Ridge’s arms are warm as he holds me, trailing his fingers over my back. Even though he’s no longer inside me, I
SableAn absolute silence settles over the room at Archer’s question.Shocked, I have to readjust my grip on the edge of the bed as my knees go weak. Is it over? Have I chosen? A pang hits me right in the chest, and I press my fingers to the spot, trying to massage it away.Having sex with Ridge felt right. It felt incredible, and not just physically. It was the perfect expression of the feelings growing between us.But it didn’t feel like some kind of magical “mating” ceremony. And I don’t feel any different about him now than I did before it happened. If we completed the mating and cemented the bond, wouldn’t I know? Wouldn’t I have picked up some kind of special mate feeling? Wouldn’t Ridge know or have mentioned it in those moments after we finished?“No. It’s not over,” I say quickly, glancing at Ridge with my brow wrinkled. “That didn’t happen. Right?”Honestly, I’m looking for reassurance that I didn’t miss something important. I try to imagine what it would be like to just be
SableI awake in a cocoon of warmth and limbs.Light spills through the break in the curtains over the window, arcing across Archer’s face. He’s lying in front of me, one hand resting on my hip as he sleeps. He looks almost angelic in the golden morning sunlight. It turns his blond hair luminous, like a halo around his sharp, handsome face. In sleep, his expression is just as soft and kind as ever.All four men slept in the bed with me last night, refusing to leave my side. I got the feeling they all wanted to reassure me that they wouldn’t leave me. Staying with me seemed like a kind of promise that they’re serious about not driving me away, even if I’m unable to pick just one of them to be my mate.Lying in a giant pile was a bit awkward to get used to—arms, hands, and legs in weird places, like we were a pack of puppies trying to find the right way to lie on top of one another in a basket. But after a while, I got used to the feeling of sharing my space. Now, I don’t think I ever w
SableI chance a look at him, sitting across the picnic table and staring down at his empty plate. He had a great appetite that morning, and he’s not walking with a limp anymore. Some of his strength seems to have returned, which I’m grateful to Camilla for. But no amount of healing or time is going to change his mind about my witch powers.“You guys don’t have to go,” I say, my voice barely loud enough to penetrate the sound of Trystan and Archer talking about strengthening the sigil boundaries.Dare looks up and sees that my gaze is on him as I speak.He shakes his head, drains the last of his coffee, and then says, “Let’s do it.”I can’t stop the warmth that floods through me. Even if he’s doing it just to make me feel better, he’s still doing it for me. Maybe that means my bond with him isn’t a lost cause, after all.The training barn is a large, red A-frame structure with white accents that sits a half-mile outside the village. I’m nervous about coming out here to practice. What