They say money can’t buy happiness, but it sure as hell can buy some pretty spectacular vacation homes.

Investing in Eli’s private security firm has given me a nice steady income, but my mate refused to dump a bunch of cash into a lavish wedding. Cassie wants to start a family right away, and we’re going to need more than a one-room A-frame. Her idea was to save money on the wedding and put it toward building a bigger place.

I’d do anything to make my mate happy, but I was not going to skimp on our honeymoon. Being alpha means I can’t shirk my responsibilities to spend a week making love to my mate . . . unless I just got married, that is. So I found us a house in Sedona, booked our flights, and told everyone to fuck off.

The house is actually Devlin’s vacation home, but he’s letting us stay here as a wedding present. The living room wall is entirely glass — bulletproof, naturally — and looks out on a sun-soaked deck with infinity pool. The entire property is surrounded by a tall stucco wall that lends some much-needed privacy.

Beyond the courtyard, red-rock formations stand out against a pale blue sky. Normally, I’d be content to lie by the pool and watch the sandstone spires change from dusty pink to brilliant orange when the sunset hits them, but right now the only view I’m interested in is five three and topless.

Cassie is reclined in a lounger by the pool, strumming her ukulele in nothing but tangerine bikini bottoms and a pair of overlarge sunglasses.

She was already tan from all the time she spends making jewelry outside the small studio I built for her, but in the three days we’ve been here, her skin has deepened from Colorado gold to a rich copper. Dark waves spill over her naked shoulders, the ends teasing her nipples.

The notes bounce off the stucco facade of the house, resonating in our little honeymoon paradise. I recognize the melody she’s strumming as the intro to “From Eden.” Hozier is one of my mate’s all-time favorite artists, and I’ve become familiar with his music.

Since we basically haven’t left the bedroom except to skinny dip, I’m trying to give Cassie some space. But watching her cross and uncross her legs as she works out the notes is more than I can stand.

Mine.

It doesn’t matter that we’ve been mated for seven months. My wolf hasn’t toned down the possessive urge to claim her.

In the pool.

On the couch.

In the shower.

On the washing machine.

Splayed out on the dining-room table.

I’m not sure it will ever be enough, and I’m fine with that. I’m content to spend the rest of my life with my head between Cassie’s legs, making her come over and over and over again.

Sliding open the tall French doors, I prowl toward her with predatory intent. Cassie’s shades are too dark to make out her eyes, but I can sense her watching me. 

Setting her ukulele on the ground, she rests her head against the lounger and lets her legs fall open. 

Fuck. This woman is going to be the end of me.

I can see I’m going to have to spend the next hour worshipping her perky little breasts and coaxing her out of those bikini bottoms. Then we’ll see where the night takes us. My guess is it’ll be to the king-size bed at the back of the house and then maybe the shower.

“You take care of what you needed to get done?” she asks.

I nod. I stepped away to make a quick phone call to Sebastian, but my brother is handling what needs to be done. 

Not that it was weighing on my mind all that much. The beauty of getting away from Gold Creek is that it’s allowed me to focus on the most important thing in my life — the spectacular female in front of me.

Planting a hand on the lounger, I slide between Cassie’s legs and hook my arms under her thighs, tugging her closer. My mate lets out a little gasp of surprise, and her tits bounce deliciously.

From this position, I have a perfect view of her pussy — at least I would, if it weren’t for the damned bikini.

“It’s beautiful here,” my mate observes. It’s meant to be a casual comment, but her voice is slightly breathless. “We should really get out and do some sightseeing.”

“I thought that’s what I was doing.”

Cassie cocks an eyebrow. “Perving on me doesn’t count.”

“It doesn’t?”

A smile twitches at the corners of her mouth, but she sighs and pretends not to notice the erection tenting my shorts. “You want to go hike up to one of the vortexes tomorrow? Vortexi? Vortices? There’s supposed to be one close by . . .”

“I’ve already found a vortex,” I growl from between her legs. “And I think it’s ‘vortices.’”

Hooking a finger in the gusset of her bikini bottoms, I pull them to one side and stare at her gorgeous pussy. My mate is perfect in every way. It’s as though she was made just for me.

A shudder goes through her as I lick a trail up her seam, and my wolf growls in delight. She tastes like coconut, desire, and Cassie.

Glancing up at her face, I see that her eyelids have fluttered closed, and her nipples are two hard peaks.

I can’t help but reach up to tease one pert nipple, and Cassie arches into my touch. Slipping a finger into her channel, my cock throbs in anticipation of sinking into her slick heat. 

I insert another finger, and Cassie lets out a shaky moan. I start to pump in and out of her as I lick slow, deliberate circles around her clit.

A deluge of cream gushes out of her, and I pause to watch it glide over my fingers. 

“You’re so wet for me.”

“Mmhm.”

Shit. I’m not sure I’ll be able to wait. She is dripping wet, and my dick is almost painfully hard.

But I take my sweet, sweet time. There’s nothing I love more than watching my mate come apart, except making her beg. I can’t help it; it’s the alpha in me. And my beautiful, stubborn girl plays along.

Gently withdrawing my fingers, I kiss a path up her hip to the outer swell of her breast. I let my tongue dart out to lick her nipple before lavishing attention on the other rosy bud.

Every once in a while, I allow one hand to slide down her center and make torturous circles over her clit. Each time, Cassie lets out a low moan and lifts her hips to meet my touch.

A cool raindrop lands on my arm, and I glance up at the sky. Dark rain clouds are gathering above us, and I hear thunder rumbling in the distance.

Vortex, indeed. 

Within minutes, it’s raining in earnest, and my mate is writhing beneath me. Her skin is flushed, and her lips are parted as she chases her release.

This time, when I reach down to pleasure her, Cassie grinds into my fingers. I bring my hand down in a playful smack over her throbbing clit, and Cassie lets out a guttural cry.

“My beautiful girl is impatient,” I growl, lapping up the raindrops along the swell of her breast so that the edge of my tongue teases her pretty pink nipple. “If you want my mouth elsewhere, mate, all you have to do is ask.”

To entice her, I reach down and pinch her clit lightly between my fingers. She squeals in frustration and bucks her hips, desperate for more sensation.

“Cassie . . .”

“Please,” she whispers. It’s so soft I almost can’t hear it.

“Please, what?”

“Please, Adrian. I need you.”

My wolf howls in delight.

A low snarl is my only reply, and I’m so keyed up that I don’t bother to restrain my preternatural speed. Cassie squeaks as I roll onto my shoulder, flipping her so that she’s straddling my face.

Hugging her thighs tightly to me, I slip my tongue inside of her. Cassie moans and grinds into my stubble, taking her pleasure from me.

Her essence coats my lips and tongue, and I lap it up. The rain continues to patter our bodies, adding a cool, interesting sensation to the heat that’s building inside me.

Cassie’s hand slips beneath my waistband, pulling my aching cock free. She bends forward and takes me deep into her mouth, and I almost black out.

I reward my mate by feasting on her sweet little cunt, and she moans around my shaft as she comes all over my mouth. I continue to lave her with my tongue, drawing out every wave of her pleasure.

Once Cassie’s orgasm is spent, I reach under her arms and plop her down on the lounger. Turning onto my stomach, I rip the bikini bottoms off her and toss them into the bushes. 

I want to bury myself in her tight heat.

Rising onto my elbows, I slide my shaft along her slick center, studying her flushed cheeks and heaving breasts.

Fuck, she’s beautiful. She’s also cold, but the bedroom feels unbearably far.

Nudging at her entrance, I enter her in one hard thrust, and Cassie throws her head back with a savage howl that could give my wolves a run for their money. 

Outwardly, I’m silent, but my animal is howling right along with her.

Wrapping Cassie’s legs around me, I carry her to the edge of the pool and step down until we’re up to our chests. The pool is thankfully heated, and Cassie shudders with relief as the warm water spills over her breasts.

Gripping my face between her hands, she smashes her lips against mine and kisses me with that feral need that turns me on like nothing else. I hold her close, plunging in and out as our kiss becomes wild and frantic.

I explode inside of her with a guttural moan, filling her with my cum. When Cassie pulls back and I catch a whiff of her scent, I know that it’s her time. I have no idea how I didn’t notice before, but judging by the mischievous gleam in her eye, she knows she’s in her fertile window.

A shiver of excitement crackles between us as I imagine my seed burrowing deep inside her womb, creating new life from our love.

I shouldn’t dare allow myself to hope, but somehow, I still do. That’s what this woman does to me. She pushes me to fall harder — faster — and all the while, I’m falling for her.