Lily POV
The world fell away. There was no Kai, no mate bond, no pack politics or complicated feelings. There was just this moment, this man, this kiss that made me feel wanted and valued and cherished in a way I hadn't felt in so long.
Nathan's kiss was slow and deep and thorough, like he was trying to memorize every detail. When his tongue traced my bottom lip, I opened for him without hesitation. The taste of him – coffee and mint and something uniquely Nathan – made me dizzy with want.
He broke away from my lips only to trail kisses along my jaw, down to the sensitive spot below my ear. I gasped, tilting my head to give him better access, and felt him smile against my skin.
"You have no idea how long I've wanted to do this," Nathan murmured between kisses. "How many times I've sat in my office while you were reading, thinking about what it would be like to touch you, to hold you, to make you mine."
