Light the Fire (Jackson's Hollow #1)

Chapter 68

Jo leaned back against the dresser in Ryker's bedroom, crossing her arms as she tilted her head, studying Ryker. His eyes were almost a stormy gray today–she would never tell him this, but she loved that the hazel color seemed to always clue her in to his mood. Right now, though, there was a touch of wariness on his face, as if he didn't quite know what to expect from Jo.

Fair.

"You told me about marking," Jo said quietly, "but...did you tell me everything?"

Ryker shifted, looked out the window, then back at her. His hand half-lifted as if he was going to reach for her, before he lowered and stuffed it in his pocket.

Ridiculous man.

Taking pity on him, Jo hooked two fingers through one of the belt loops on his jeans and tugged him closer to her. His eyes widened slightly in surprise, but he moved forward, his hands resting on her waist before they slid down and under her thighs. In one quick and easy movement, he lifted her to sit on top of the dresser so he could step in between her legs.

Hmmm. Jo ran a hand through his hair, enjoying the fact they were eye-level for once. She could get used to this.

Ryker closed his eyes for a moment, muscles relaxing as she massaged his scalp, before he reluctantly opened them again. One of his hands went around her waist, tugging her a little closer to the edge of the dresser so that they were pressed together. He bent and kissed her bare collarbone before straightening back up. "I told you what I thought was the important stuff," Ryker said with a sigh.

"Okay, then tell me the rest now," Jo said, moving her hand out of his hair and running it down his chest instead.

She saw desire flare in his eyes for a moment before he repressed it but his voice came out slightly deeper. "It's significant to wolves. Enough so, that technically speaking, once I mark you, it's like...marriage. And, for me, a signal that I'm ready to become Alpha." He hurried to add, "although I don't have to." His thumb rubbed a circle against her waist, sparking her own surge of need. "Normally, it will link you to the pack. In a human, I'm not sure, but it could possibly give you access to our telepathic communication."

Jo blinked, stunned. "You mean there's a possibility I could do the wolfy communication thing?" She grinned a little. "And bug you whenever I want?"

Ryker snorted, a smile teasing at his lips. "Of course that's the part you care about."

"Well yeah, that's the coolest part." Jo arched an eyebrow, smirking at him. "If you told me that at the beginning, I would've let you mark me ages ago."

Ryker groaned, leaning forward to rest his forehead against her neck. He planted another soft kiss there, then bit gently–nothing that broke skin, almost more like a warning nip. "Don't say things like that unless you mean them. You don't know how tempting it is to mark you right now..."

He trailed several more tender kisses along her shoulder, causing Jo to arch back with a sharp inhale. This man...

"You know..."

"No," Ryker said sternly, leaning back. He obviously knew where she'd been going with those words. Pausing to take a deep breath, he cupped her cheek. "Not, here, not right now. Marking is special, and private. Not done in a hurry between whole-family arguments in my dad's house."

Still riding the high from Ryker's kisses, Jo couldn't help the breathless, un-Jo like giggle that left her. "That's not your definition of romance? Are you sure we're mates?"

Ryker narrowed his eyes at her in mock-anger. "Jo." Apparently someone didn't like that challenge.

"I mean, is it possible to make a mistake?" she teased, putting her hands on top of the dresser. The wood was cool against her palms. "That'd honestly make things easier on Lexi if this was all some kind of misunderstanding."