Tuesday Teaser 10/14/14: Sky & Rose

So sorry this is late. I had my Word Weavers meeting last night and didn’t get home until after my usual bedtime. I forgot all about the Tuesday Teaser and just fell into bed. My apologies. I hope you’ll find this (unedited!) snip was worth the wait.

Sky stood up from his chair, setting the newspaper aside and staring hard at his mate. He didn’t know why she was so damn mad at him, so how could he make things right? Rose stepped into his office until she was only a few feet away from him and seemed to fumble to find the right words to say. “Sky, I’m sorry. I didn’t understand. What will happen to Lily?”

Tension, knotted like a rope in his chest, eased slightly at her troubled voice. He resisted the urge to close his eyes in relief and instead looked at her with a steady gaze. “We’ll keep her safe. No matter what it takes, we’ll make sure she’s never hurt by a man again.”

The tears gleaming in her blue eyes made his hands clench. “Sky.” It was all she said before the tears spilled over and ran down her cheeks. Finally he listened to his wolf and put his arms around her to draw her close to him. The feel of her body against his summoned a tremble that rose from his knees and spread out to his fingertips. He buried his face in her hair, claiming the scent that was uniquely hers. Her arms reaching up to curve around his neck eased the tremble in his fingers. He had never felt anything as welcome as his mate’s arms wrapped around him. She’d slept beside him because he gave her no alternative, but she never touched him voluntarily. As far as any relationship or love was concerned, she might have been back at the Den.

“Rose,” he whispered, aching with unspoken gratitude at her embrace..

She cut him off. “Sky, I didn’t understand what you were doing here in Omaha. No, I knew what you were doing, but I didn’t understand how important it was. How many girls have you rescued? Girls like Lily who might be dead . I feel awful for doubting you. Please, forgive me?”

He clenched her to him, not ashamed of the tears burning his own eyes. “There’s nothing to forgive. I should have told you why I stayed in Omaha instead of coming to court you. Can you forgive me?”

Her answer stunned him. Her arms tightened, and she pulled his head down so she could kiss his lips. Maybe she meant it to be a gentle, friendly kiss, but the warmth of her mouth made him want more. Passion swept through him like fire in dry grass. He demanded more by opening his mouth on hers, and she responded. The kiss multiplied until all he was aware of was the heat of her mouth, the claim of her tongue on his, the feel of her hair against neck, and the shape of her lithe body under his hands.

He wasn’t sure how long their kiss lasted. It seemed to last an hour, yet when he felt her begin to withdraw, it might have been only seconds. It was a heroic effort to allow her to draw back and release her mouth. He kept his arms around her loosely, not willing to let her go completely.

He looked down into her face and saw her normally pale cheeks were flushed and her lips were as red as strawberries. “Love,” he murmured. “I’ve waited so long for you.”

Rose wiggled free from his arms and seemed to have trouble looking him in the eye. “I guess you need to get going. You don’t want to be late for the mayor’s poker game.”

What do you think? Worth the wait?