The Alpha Queen's Mate (Book 5 of The Regal Eclipse Pack Series)

Chapter 13

Noelle woke the next morning very slowly. She'd been in a deep sleep, and it took her a few moments to become aware of her surroundings. Where was she? Seeing the red hearts across the room in her line of vision brought everything rushing back, making her realize that she wasn't in bed alone and, as wakefulness hit her, she froze.

Her back was up against Nick's bare chest and he had both of his muscled arms around her, holding her against him. One hand was resting on her stomach while the other was cupping her breast. One of his legs was pushed between hers, pressed all the way up against her core. Her head was resting on his bare muscled shoulder. She bit her lip. She'd never laid so intimately with a man before. Her breath caught as desire for him swept through her, as she became overly aware of how he was holding her.

Before she could decide what to do, she heard his breathing change, signaling he was awake. His hand tightened around her breast a bit and his leg pushed up against her even harder causing her eyes to widen as she took a deep, shuddering breath. Why did that feel so good? She could feel he was half aroused as well, pressed right up against her bottom.

"Morning, baby," he muttered sleepily in her ear, his thumb rubbing back and forth over her nipple, through her shirt. She was glad her tank top hadn't decided to get all twisted in her sleep. She must not have moved much last night, and wondered how much of it she'd spent in his arms.

Her eyes fluttered in response to him rubbing her nipple. Was this really happening between them? She felt like she was living in the dream she'd just had that he'd starred in. She wanted to pinch herself to make sure she really was awake this time, though going off the way she was feeling, she highly doubted she was asleep.

'Oh we're awake,' Holly spoke up, her tail swishing back and forth. 'Wide awake.'

He rubbed himself against her bottom, his arm pulling her tighter against him, and she closed her eyes and swallowed, feeling herself grow more aroused by his actions. She couldn't believe he was touching her like this. Not that she cared at the moment. He could touch all he wanted.

He pulled hard on her nipple through her top and she gasped at the pain and pleasure. She couldn't help herself.

Nick suddenly froze and Noelle smiled to herself. He was fully awake now, and she knew he was about to pull away from her. She didn't want him to. "Don't move. Let me enjoy this for five more minutes please." She was a little shocked as soon as the words popped out of her mouth but oh well. She was committed now. Though he might get pissed at her. If he did, he'd probably drop her off at school and never take her anywhere again. She waited for him to remove himself from his intimate hold on her.

But to her surprise, he didn't move, nor did he say anything for almost a full minute. He remained frozen like he was trying to process what he was doing to her, his hand still on her breast. Finally, he seemed to accept what was happening between them and he relaxed against her. "If you want to enjoy this, I need to move," he murmured.

Her eyebrows shot up at his words. What? Was he really offering to play this out? His words alone sent another jolt of desire through her. "Okay," she breathed.

His other slowly came up and closed around her other breast, squeezing it and then rubbing the tip in synchronization with the first one, causing her to moan. He pushed his leg up against her again, a bit firmer this time, causing a sharp intake of her breath.

She breathed out slowly, surprised at how good it all felt. He squeezed both of her nipples again, more gently this time, causing her to moan.

"Are you a virgin?" He asked her softly.

"Um .." she couldn't think. Not with his hands on her. "What?"

"Virgin, Noelle," he repeated, his hands still on her breasts, his thumbs rubbing slowly over the tips. She wanted to press them forward for more.

"Yes." She moaned. She hadn't experienced this before, had never let it progress this far, but oh what he was doing felt so good.

He didn't respond after that, but instead moved his leg down, still keeping her thighs open, and slid his hand down her stomach and under the waistband of her shorts and her panties. He touched her gently, causing her to whimper, as he ran his nose along her ear. He began to stroke her slowly and she closed her eyes, reveling in the pleasure he was bringing her. He slipped his finger inside her and his thumb continued to stroke her, as he slid his other hand under her shirt and back up to her bare breast, then continued between rubbing and pulling gently on her nipple with nothing between her and his hand.

The buildup was intense as he began to move faster, his fingers touching her just right. She suddenly tipped over the edge, as he pulled her close, drawing it out as long as he could.

Her head was spinning as she came down from the orgasm. It was the first one she'd experienced from someone else's hands, and it had been so good.

When her body relaxed, he moved his hands, just wrapping them around her waist as he held her snuggly against him, her back still against his chest. She could feel that he was still aroused, could feel him firmly pressed up against her, even more so now that his leg was no longer between hers, but he didn't seem to care that she knew and she let him hold her.

They laid there for a long time, not saying anything. She wondered if he was going to make it awkward and hoped not. She hadn't planned this and hadn't expected him to do what he had. He was the only man to touch her so intimately, and he'd made sure she enjoyed it. Part of her wanted to roll over in his arms and kiss him, but she reminded herself he wasn't her mate and he might not appreciate such an intimate gesture with her. She was still surprised he'd been willing to touch her so intimately.

She'd had such a good time with him yesterday too. If things were different, she would love to date him. Whoever his mate was, she was a lucky woman.

Noelle thought back over what had just happened. "Why?" she finally asked, breaking the silence.

"Why what?" His arms tightened a bit around her, almost like he didn't want this to end.

"Why did you ask if I was a virgin?"

"Because I wasn't going to take that from you in the heat of the moment," he replied softly. "We don't always make the best decisions when we're horny."

She smiled. He was right. She would have let him have sex with her and probably regretted it later. Or maybe not. Part of her wanted to save herself for her mate, but if she had to wait forever, she'd give in to temptation. If something like this were to happen again, she'd be calling Nick temptation in her head.

"As much as I'd love to stay here in bed with you all morning, I have to get you to the ball, Cinderella, so you can find your Prince Charming," Nick said, though he didn't move or let her go.

She didn't want the moment to end either, but she knew it had to. Nick was right; she didn't belong to him. They still laid there for a while longer, then finally, they both seemed to make the decision at the same time to get up.

Noelle turned back to him and looked him over as he stared at her. He was shirtless, and looked very sexy. She'd been resting up against that bare chest just a few minutes ago.

"Don't look at me like that," he muttered, his dark gaze on her.

"Like what?" she asked. She knew. She just couldn't help herself.

"Like you want to eat me alive." He walked around the bed and stopped less than a foot away from her.

"Maybe I do," she retorted and saw his eyes glow. She licked her lips as her gaze trailed down his chest to his abs.

"You're too much of a temptation." He closed the distance between them though he didn't touch her. But he was close, she could feel the warmth from his body. He was still aroused too.

"You said the day before yesterday you hadn't noticed I was a woman," she reminded him, looking back up at his face.

"I lied." Suddenly, he was kissing her. She opened her mouth to him and sighed as his tongue delved in, tasting her and he pulled her against him, his hands tracing up her back under her shirt and he grazed the sides of her breasts.

She stared up at him when the kiss ended and bit her lip, watching as his eyes moved down to her mouth. Maybe she should give in to temptation.