94 - Ryker
The soft glow of an early summer sunrise gently stirs me from sleep, but the lingering warmth from being close to Kennedy keeps me rooted in ce. This moment feels like pure bliss-right here, right now. I pull her even closer, and a faint, sweet giggle escapes her lips.
"What''s so funny, Lamb?" I murmur.
"We have training to get to, you horny fool," she replies with a teasing smile.
"They can wait just a little longer," I say, shifting my weight and rolling on top of her, nuzzling into the delicate curve of her neck. Another softugh bubbles up from her.
"You know it won''t be just a few minutes. Besides, you have to set a good example," she insists, though her eyes sparkle with mischief.
"I''ve been setting a good example my entire life. They can manage without me for a bit." I press my hips against her, eliciting a low, delicious moan that sends a thrill
through me.
"Well, when you put it that way... maybe we can sneak in a little fun in the shower. If you think you can handle it without reinjuring yourself, that is,” she says with a yful smirk.
"Is that a challenge, mate?" I ask, raising an eyebrow.
"Is it working?" she teases back.
She squeals as I leap off the bed, lifting her effortlessly into my arms. I swiftly peel off my t-shirt while carrying her toward the bathroom. Turning on the shower, I wait for the water to warm up before pressing her back against the cold tile. I capture her lips in a fierce, bruising kiss. Her body arches away from the chill, but she''s trapped against me, trying to scold me between kisses. I swallow her protests, and soon she''s moaning softly again.
Her entire body seems crafted just for me. Every gentle curve fits perfectly against my harder lines. My hands wander, unable to settle in one ce. I need to feel her everywhere, all the time. Thankfully, she doesn''t seem to mind—the little sounds she makes only encourage me further.
By the time we finally move on to washing, the water has cooled. Thankfully, we''re about to train and will be sweating plenty soon enough.
***
"It''s about time my favorite girl showed up!" Danny grins as he sidles over, looping his arm around Kennedy''s neck. She giggles, but it''s not the same sound I coaxed from her earlier. I shake the thought away quickly-no way I''m letting my warriors see how I really feel about Kennedy.
"You good, Boss?" Be asks, a knowing glint in his eyes.
"Yeah, let''s get this started. Oh, Kennedy," I say, catching her attention. "My dad brought you a gift. He heard you''ve been training with Jeremiah and the others on weapons. When he visited my sister, he picked up a few extras and added them to your collection. Why don''t you spar with Be and Danny to see how well they work?” I sh a wicked smile as their faces pale.
"Watch out for the silver-tipped ones, assholes. And quit flirting with my mate-go find your own," I warn, linking arms with them and Josh, who bursts outughing.
The training session flies by. I don''t even break a sweat while the rest of the team is drenched and gasping for breath. They''ll recover soon enough, but I can''t help wondering if the mate bond is giving me an edge. If I feel this strong after two hours of intense work, what will my stamina be like once I''ve fully marked Kennedy?
Unfortunately, I don''t get to discuss these thoughts with her. My mother steps in, pulling Kennedy away to focus on nning and then to meet some pack members from the East side. I forgot she hasn''t even seen the entire pack yet. I''ll have to fix that-soon.
Later, my dad joins Josh and me to go over the books we took from ude. I''ll let Kennedy decide what to do with them, but yesterday ude seemed desperate for something, and I''m determined to uncover what it was.
I''ve assigned two of my most stealthy warriors to watch ude''s every move. He''s bound to slip up, and I''m hoping that taking his research has thrown him off enough to make a critical mistake sooner rather thanter.