Today I've decided to grace you with an excerpt from my book,
B*E*A*S*T* OF BURDEN, coming February 1st, 2007. You've read
Noah's story. Now buckle your seatbelts. My story is about to begin...
~~Rogan Wolfe
~*~*~*~
Rogan jerked awake and glanced around the room, disoriented. Sunlight poured through the blue curtains on the window near the headboard, and the sweet scent of Marlie surrounded him, but she wasn't in the bed. He could hear the sound of the shower in the master bathroom.
Damn it, he was going to drive himself insane. Thoughts of what she must look like naked ripped through his head like a freight train. Instantly his body tightened, and he had to grab hold of the comforter to keep himself from flying off the bed.
Last night had been the best night's sleep he'd gotten in a long time. He'd been so warm and comfortable, holding Marlie in his arms; he'd slept like a rock. Now, however, he lamented the fact that his
body was now as hard as a rock.
"Shit," he whispered to himself, swinging his legs over the edge of the bed. Rubbing his eyes, he merely sat there, wondering what the hell to do. The clock on the side table read 8:45 a.m. Good ol' what's-his-name was going to make an appearance in fifteen minutes. Rogan growled at the thought. Marlie had mentioned that her friend Kevin wanted to take their relationship to the next level. Even though Rogan had only been reunited with his wife for barely a day, he felt his protective instincts kick in.
Marlie was
his mate--end of story, damn it.
Dear God, is she humming in there? He swallowed hard, trying not to think about her soapy skin, but it was nearly impossible. He knew he'd probably seen her naked many times during his life before, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't conjure the image in his memory, and his curiosity got the better of him.
Standing from the bed, he limped over to the closed bathroom door and opened it. A wall of steam hit him in the face. Lucky for Rogan, the door didn't squeal on its hinges. The shower was a stall with an opaque glass door, so he could see the vague outline of Marlie's body through it. Growling at himself in the fogged up mirror, he made a split decision.
"I’m gonna regret this," he said under his breath.
He stepped out of his boxers and let his shirt fall to the floor. Bending over, he also unwrapped the bandages on his injured leg and threw them into the trash can. Already his wounds felt better. They were still an angry red underneath Marlie's stitches, but he was able to put more weight on his leg than the night before. It had been awhile since he'd showered, and he couldn't think of a better way to get clean than to share the shower with his extremely beautiful wife.
The moment he opened the stall door, Marlie squealed and turned around in fright, her body wet from head to toe. Her long dark hair clung to her back, and the water splashed over her skin in rivulets. Marlie's breasts were just the right size for his hands--if she'd let him touch her--and the patch of hair between her legs was neatly trimmed. She didn't even bother to cover herself, she merely chewed the inside of her lip.
Rogan had meant to step into the shower with her, but now that he'd gotten an eyeful of her exquisite body, all he could do was stand there and stare. Marlie looked at his face as if she were too afraid to glance down at his own nakedness.
After a few moments of shocked silence, she said harshly, "What do you think you're doing?"
"I'm gonna join you, sweetheart," he said, finally finding his voice as he stepped into the stall.
Marlie swallowed hard. "This… this isn't a good idea."
"Oh?" he countered, raising a brow at her. "What better way for me to remember you than to touch every inch of you?"
She closed her eyes. "Dear Lord, Matt--I mean, Rogan. You're a stubborn man."
He had to grin at her. "Damn right, honey. Are you complaining?"
Marlie shook her head and finally looked down at him. She gasped at the proof of his desire. He grew harder just having her stare at him. With a groan, he pushed her against the tiles of the shower.
"Can I touch you?" he asked.
Rogan knew he was being bold by joining her in the shower, but he didn't want her to think she didn't have a choice. He wanted her to accept him back into her life, but he also wanted her to choose him for herself.
"Can I taste you?" He didn't even recognize his own husky voice. Her hands rested on his biceps as he leaned over her, the warm shower spray slicking his skin.
"Rogan--"
He placed a finger over her lips. "Yes or no," he said, giving her a look he hoped she could read. He was forcing the issue, but damn it, he had to remember her. He had to grab hold of the life he’d once had. And, looking down at her creamy skin once more, he had to put his mouth on her.
Marlie bit her lip but didn't break his eye contact. Her breathing was rapid, and he could smell her desire through the scent of her flowery soap. She ran her hands up his arms to his shoulders. Rogan thought he was going to burst if she didn't answer him soon.
"Yes," she finally whispered.
~*~*~*~
