From Rejected Mate to Luna Chapter 166

Julia's POV

I stood frozen, my body pressed against Matthew's still-damp chest. The droplets of water on his bronze skin glistened under the soft hallway light, tracing paths down the defined muscles of his torso. The towel hung dangerously low on his hips, revealing the sharp V-line that disappeared beneath the fabric. His dark hair was still wet, droplets clinging to the ends and occasionally falling onto his broad shoulders.

The scent of my soap on his skin created an intoxicating blend with his natural pine and earth notes. My hands were still pressed against his chest, feeling his heartbeat accelerate beneath my fingertips. The warmth radiating from his body contrasted with the cool air around us, sending a shiver down my spine.

Matthew's eyes darkened as his gaze locked with mine, a slow smile spreading across his face. He leaned close, his lips brushing against my earlobe as he whispered, "It's okay. We'll go at whatever pace you need. You're in control here."

My cheeks flushed with embarrassment, but something else was building inside me—a need so primal and urgent that it overrode all my carefully constructed barriers. Kaia was practically howling in my consciousness, urging me forward.

"I know you've already showered," I said, surprising myself with my boldness as I pushed him backward toward the bathroom door, "but I'm guessing you wouldn't mind doing it again."

Matthew's eyes widened in surprise before darkening with desire, a ring of gold suddenly surrounding the green. "Not at all," he replied, his voice dropping to a seductive rumble that vibrated through my core.

As we stumbled back into the steamy bathroom, Matthew's towel loosened and fell to the floor. My breath caught in my throat at the sight of him—all of him—magnificently naked and clearly aroused. Any lingering doubts I had evaporated like the steam surrounding us.

Matthew reached behind me to turn the shower back on, the movement bringing our bodies flush against each other. Even through my thin pajamas, I could feel every hard plane of his body, every heated inch of skin.

"Are you sure about this?" he asked, his fingers toying with the hem of my tank top.

In response, I pulled the top over my head and let it drop to the floor, standing before him in only my cotton shorts. His sharp intake of breath sent a thrill through me. The way he looked at me—like I was the most beautiful creature he'd ever seen—made me feel powerful and desired in a way I'd never experienced.

"God, Julia," he breathed, his eyes roaming hungrily over my exposed skin. "You're perfect."

Before I could respond, Matthew's mouth was on mine, his kiss deep and consuming. His hands explored my body with reverent urgency, mapping every curve and hollow. When his fingers slipped beneath the waistband of my shorts, I gasped against his mouth.

"These need to go," he murmured, helping me step out of the last barrier between us.

The shower had filled the room with steam again, creating a dreamy, intimate atmosphere as Matthew guided me under the warm spray. Water cascaded over us as his hands continued their exploration, leaving trails of fire in their wake. When his lips found the sensitive junction between my neck and shoulder—that uniquely werewolf erogenous zone—I couldn't suppress a moan that seemed to rise from the depths of my soul.

*Yes!* Kaia growled in approval, her consciousness intertwining with Hati's somewhere deep in our shared minds. *This is what we've been waiting for.*

Matthew's touch was simultaneously gentle and commanding, his fingers tracing patterns on my skin that made me tremble. I found myself exploring him with equal enthusiasm, marveling at the contrast between the hard muscles of his chest and the surprisingly soft skin stretched over them.

"God, Julia," Matthew whispered against my collarbone, his breath hot against my wet skin. "I've been waiting for this for months."

I trembled at his words, realizing just how much I wanted this too. Since the pandemic hit, we'd been constantly working, too exhausted and stressed to even think about intimacy. Then came our separation, weeks of emptiness and longing. My body responded to his touch like a parched desert to rain, desperate and greedy for every sensation.

His hands moved to cup my breasts, thumbs circling my nipples until they hardened beneath his touch. When he lowered his head to replace his fingers with his mouth, the sensation sent electric currents straight to my core. I arched against him, my fingers tangling in his wet hair to hold him closer.

The dual sensation of the warm water streaming down my back and Matthew's hot mouth on my breasts was overwhelming. I felt my knees weaken, but Matthew's strong arms kept me upright, pressing me against the cool tile wall for support.

"Matthew," I gasped as his hand slid between my thighs, finding the center of my desire with unerring accuracy. "Oh god..."

"I know what you need," he murmured against my skin, his fingers working magic that made me see stars. "I can smell how much you want this... want me."

It was true—werewolf senses would tell him exactly how aroused I was, just as I could smell his desire, musky and rich, mixing with the steam around us.

Matthew's lips traveled down my body, kissing a path from my breasts to my stomach. When he dropped to his knees before me, looking up with those intense eyes now ringed with gold, I nearly came undone just from the sight.

"I want to taste you," he said, his voice rough with desire. "May I?"

The question made my heart swell even as my body throbbed with need. I nodded, unable to form words as he lifted one of my legs over his shoulder, opening me completely to him.

The first touch of his tongue against my most sensitive flesh made me cry out, my head falling back against the tile with a soft thud. Matthew was relentless, using his mouth and fingers in perfect harmony, building a pleasure so intense I could barely breathe. My hands gripped his wet hair, alternately pushing him away and pulling him closer as the sensations threatened to overwhelm me.

"Matthew," I panted, feeling the familiar tightening low in my belly, the telltale sign of impending release. "I'm going to—"

He increased his efforts, sliding two fingers inside me while his tongue circled the sensitive bundle of nerves at my center. I could feel myself climbing higher and higher, standing on the precipice of something monumental.

Kaia howled in my mind, reaching for Hati, their connection amplifying the physical sensations coursing through me. Water continued to cascade over us, steam swirling around our bodies like a cocoon, isolating us from the world outside this moment.

My breath came in short, desperate gasps as Matthew's talented mouth and fingers drove me to the edge. Every muscle in my body tensed in anticipation, the pressure building to an unbearable degree. I was so close, trembling on the brink of ecstasy, the world narrowing to just Matthew and the incredible sensations he was creating.

"Let go," Matthew commanded against my flesh, the vibrations of his voice providing that final push toward the cliff's edge. "Come for me, Julia."

My body obeyed, teetering on the very edge of release, every nerve ending alive with electric anticipation. I gasped his name as the first wave began to crest, my fingers tightening in his hair as I started to fall into blissful oblivion.