His robe fell all the way open. Kenzie halted at the foot of the bed, her heart pounding swiftly.

Bowman was stretched out full length, bronzed skin and dark hair against the white robe. The scrapes and abrasions he’d obtained last night had faded into light red lines across his skin, and his face was shadowed with new beard. In all this darkness, his gray eyes stood out like many-faceted diamonds.

Something else stood out prominently. The pale splint couldn’t take away from the beauty of him spread out for Kenzie, his cock dark and hard, rigid against his abdomen.

She wanted him with a wild longing—she still burned from their interrupted encounter last night.

Kenzie slipped her shirt over her head without a second thought and tossed away the camisole beneath it. A few more quick movements had her out of her jeans and underwear. Now she was as bare as he was.

Even with her wanting, she hesitated. “You sure you’re going to be all right?”

“Goddess.” Bowman growled again. “Are you trying to kill me, Kenz? Get over here.”

CHAPTER NINE

Kenzie obeyed, but only because she decided to. The alpha called his mate, but Kenzie took her time walking to the side of the bed, putting one knee on the mattress. As soon as she was within his reach, he’d haul her to him, and she knew it. She liked the thought, but he was injured.

“I don’t want to hurt you,” she said.

Bowman didn’t wait. He heaved himself up and seized her, pulling her onto the bed. He hooked his hand under her left thigh, and Kenzie landed straddling him, bracing her weight on her knees, hands splayed on his chest.

“I don’t want to hurt you,” she repeated.

Bowman thumped back down to the mattress, transferring his grip to her wrists. A feral smile spread across his face. “You can’t hurt me, Kenz.”

His arrogant confidence heated her blood. “Want to bet?”

Bowman rose on his elbows, his eyes glittering. “Give me your best shot.”

Kenzie very carefully moved her hips forward. The brush of his cock at her opening made her shake, and she started to lose all her good intentions.

“Come on,” Bowman said impatiently. “I can’t lie here all day.”

He’d said a similar thing to the pseudo-groupie last night. His gruff command had flared Kenzie’s anger then, but now that he directed the words to her, it excited her beyond belief.

The feral in her responded to the wildness in him, his need to have her, never mind the pain.

“Touch of a mate, Kenzie,” he whispered.

Kenzie lowered herself slowly, the feeling of him sliding inside her blurring all thought. She sucked in a breath, remembering in time to not rest her full weight on him.

“That’s nice,” Bowman said, his eyes growing heavy. “I feel better already.”

Kenzie had no answer. Bowman was big, filling her, finding her empty spaces. Her head went back in silent joy, and he rocked forward and curled his tongue around her nipple.

The heat of his mouth warmed, banishing winter. Kenzie raised her head so she could look at him as he lay back again on white robe and sheets, his warrior’s body beautiful despite the incongruity of the splint.

Her innate need to heal him worked through even her lust. She made sure she put no weight on his hurt limb, and she reached back to touch his leg, hoping that would help.

Bowman’s growl broke through her fog, his gaze intensifying, the lines of pain leaving his face. He focused on her, and her alone, his eyes gray like the winter sky.

Kenzie’s body felt heavy, her breasts full; where he filled her felt stretched and wonderful. Bowman flicked his tongue once more over her nipple, pulling it between his lips, releasing it after one tug.

His powerful hands caught her hips, urging her to ride him. His raw body and intense strength was trapped beneath her, but Bowman wasn’t tamed. Far from it. His fingers gripped her thighs, his hips moved in time with hers, his gaze held hers and wouldn’t let go.

“I thought you said you could hurt me,” Bowman said as he thrust hard up into her. “Not even close, sweetheart.”

Challenging her, was he? Kenzie increased her own thrusts, Bowman’s words fading as she sped up to meet him. He got up on his elbows again as he thrust into her as hard as he could.

He was proving he wasn’t debilitated, Kenzie realized. Kenzie could stagger outside afterward, looking sated and content, and the story would spread through Shiftertown that Bowman’s wounds hadn’t slowed him down one bit. And, if any of his enemies decided to burst in, hoping to catch him when he was vulnerable, they’d see him servicing his mate at full strength.

They’d certainly get an eyeful. Kenzie’s head went back once more, her hair brushing her shoulders, the silken touch of it erotic. Just as erotic was Bowman, now gripping her thighs, his fingers tight on her soft flesh. Her breasts moved with their rhythm, and every time she looked down at Bowman, he caught her gaze in his strong one and held it.

He was holding her with his gaze when Kenzie’s climax overtook her. She forgot about being gentle and ground away at him as wave after wave of joy flooded her.

Bowman snarled—a long wolf snarl, the sound tearing out of his throat. The next moment, Kenzie felt his seed flood her, the life of a strong male Shifter filling her and completing her.

Perhaps another cub would come of this, Kenzie thought in hope as she collapsed on top of him. Bowman caught her, his arms coming around her to cradle her and keep her safe. A cub, she repeated to herself muzzily. She longed for that most of all.

* * *

Kenzie was heavy on top of him, and Bowman’s leg itched like crazy, but no way in hell was he going to push her away.

The most beautiful thing in the world was Kenzie stretched out on him, her dark golden eyes half closed in afterglow, her tight body relaxed in a way she didn’t relax any other time. She was a fine armful, her breasts cushioned against his chest, their heartbeats on top of each other’s.

Bowman held his breath, waiting for the warm spike in his heart that other Shifters had told him about, the almost-pain that meant he and his mate were bound forever.

It didn’t come. It never had. Exhaustion was there—he and Kenzie always tore it up in the bedroom—but the mate bond eluded them. The Goddess testing them, maybe? Telling Bowman he wasn’t building enough bonfires to the God or meditating hard enough?

Whatever reason the God and Goddess and the wide universe had for denying Kenzie and Bowman the mate bond, it hurt. He knew it hurt Kenzie too—she was simply good at hiding it. Their Shifters also weren’t happy that their leaders shared no bond. Instability could come of that, and they knew it.