Free McKenzie, Cooper - Saving Chloe (Siren Publishing Classic) by Cooper McKenzie Page B

room. She felt awkward and stiff, the plug changing her posture and shifting every time she moved. He, on the other hand, danced smoothly. His moves were coordinated and fluid as he led her around the large room. Obviously, he’d done this a time or two.
    Chloe didn’t feel the awkwardness she normally did when dancing with a partner. With Declan, it felt right to be in his arms and follow where he led, which was unusual since she normally resented anyone who tried to boss her around, though inevitably she gave in. But now she submitted to him easily, allowing him to show her the way, both in and out of bed. With a sigh, she shifted close enough to lay her head on his shoulder.
    Declan tightened his hold as their dance steps slowed. Soon they simply swayed back and forth, turning circles in one spot next to the bed.
    “Look at me, Chloe,” he whispered.
    Lifting heavy, relaxed eyelids, Chloe dropped her head back until she met his blue-eyed gaze.
    “I want desperately to claim ye as my mate, but ye have to be sure ye want this. If I do, we will be mates forever. There will be no other man for you in this lifetime.”
    “Will I become a vampire?”
    “No, little one. Vampires are born, not made. When ye become my mate, there will be some changes. Ye will live as long as I do, which, as ye know, is a very, very long time. We will be able to communicate telepathically. Ye may also gain physical strength and develop the ability to sway others to yer way of thinking.”
    “Wow, I’ve never been able to change anyone’s mind before. I usually just give in or shut down when someone starts a fight,” Chloe said with a sigh.
    She stepped back until he released her. As she paced around the room, she tried to think but couldn’t. All she wanted to do was wrap herself around Declan and hold on forever. But she’d just met him. Was this really the right thing to do?

    * * * *

    Declan watched Chloe walk around the room and waited for her decision like a little boy anticipating the last bell on the final day of the school year. As the minutes extended, he was tempted to grab her and demand she agree. Instead, he locked his hands together behind his back, his fingers clenched so tight he caused himself pain and had to relax them.
    Finally, she turned and walked back to stand two feet in front of him. “Yes, Declan, I want to be your mate. Please claim me.”
    Declan released the breath he’d been holding. “Thank you, darlin’. I’ll do anything and everything I can so yer blissfully happy the rest of our days together.”
    He wanted to grab her, tear off every stitch they were both wearing, and claim her immediately but hesitated. She deserved better. She deserved more romance than he’d shown her up to this point.
    Just then a slow, bluesy piece began to play. “Dance again?” he asked with a smile.
    Chloe nodded and stepped into his open arms again. This time, he focused on using the dance as a tool of arousal. He ran his hand down over her ass to cup and fondle her cheeks. He pulled her closer and closer until she could feel his erection against her belly. At the same time, the twin points of her nipples pressed into chest. That small touch built his own sexual fire even higher.
    When she moaned and began to shift her hips sideways against him, he gritted his teeth to keep from exploding right there. He could take no more before he came himself. Running a hand down her spine, he slid one finger down the valley of her ass to shift the end of the plug. He smiled when her breathing hitched.
    His own hesitated a moment later when she pressed her pelvis harder into his cock before arching her hips back into his fingers. Bending his head, Declan found himself looking at a woman who was so excited she was panting. Her eyes sparkled and flashed at him, and he knew it was time to move to the next level.
    He released her and stepped back, earning a whining growl from his beautiful mate. “Strip, darlin’. I’m goin’ ta