Chapter 45

Hugh’s POV

There’s something wrong with my mate. Not physically, mind, because I can personally attest that her body is reacting to each of my touches with absolutely delectable reactions.

But, even after I’ve pleasured her thoroughly with my tongue, fingers, and dick, when she usually would be filled with enough bliss to be a giggling happy mess. Right now, her expression seems to be as sour as it was when I first arrived and set to brightening it.

I succeeded for too short a time. More efforts will likely be needed on my part, and I will be happy to provide.

But seeing her so downtrodden is somewhat… troubling.

I’m not sure why I care. After all, we’ve both said that we only want sex out of this relationship, fated mates or no. And until now, that’s worked well for both of us. Meeting up, fucking each other’s brains out, then going our separate ways.

No strings. No attachments. No problems.

My current dilemma isn’t even her fault for the most part, other than her being the one feeling down. She hasn’t tried to push it on me at all. She hasn’t even mentioned it. I’m the one who can tell she’s a million miles away even while she’s here with me.

I’m the one who’s curious about it, when her silence says she won’t bring it up, even if I push.

I shouldn’t push. I shouldn’t care.

I don’t.

And yet, it’s just so damn infuriating. My fated mate should feel nothing but joy and pleasure when she’s with me.

Frustrated, I roll over, pull her into my arms, and kiss her soundly. We’ve only just finished our second round, but I can get going pretty quickly, especially with a woman so beautiful and so naked in my arms. I delve my tongue in and out of her mouth, a mimicry of what I’ve just finished doing to her pussy, and will soon do again.

As we break for air, she looks up at me, focusing on me, returning from her daydream a thousand miles away.

“Where did you go?” I ask before I can stop myself.

“I’ve been here the whole time,” she says.

I hum. That isn’t fully true and we both know it. Sure, she’s been here physically, but mentally? She might as well have been on the moon.

Still, even though I’m curious, pushing for more – caring – is not my place.

We are just here for the sex. She can keep her secrets and her sadness, even though it stirs something that sits otherwise dormant in my chest. I feel it for just a moment, a pang of dismay.

My mate shouldn’t be unhappy. I need to fix this. I need to –

I abruptly shut off those thoughts. My mate’s problems are not my responsibility.

We are only here for the sex.

Speaking of…

I roll more fully on top of her and she spreads her legs for me. Such a delightful mate, so eager to please me again. Or find pleasure herself.

I’m quite happy with this give and take.

Maybe this time, if I fuck her good enough, I can push away the rainclouds from her mind and keep her trapped in blissful pleasure where I want her to be.

Hours later, she does seem happier, if not a bit love-drunk. That’s what five orgasms in a row will do to a person, I suspect. I’m feeling very proud of myself.

To keep her smiling, I lean into her ear and whisper, “Can I keep your panties?”

Her face goes red as a cherry tomato. I watch as it spreads down her chest, then place a few soft kisses where it stops, right at the swell of her delectable breasts.

“You can’t be serious,” she says.

“Why not?” he asks. “I like having something to remember you during those dark and lonely nights…”

Her gaze softens at that somewhat, even though I was mostly joking. I don’t have lonely nights. If I’m ever feeling melancholy, I go out and find a woman to fuck. My mate’s panties won’t stop me from doing that…

Though I wouldn’t mind having some of her scent on the cold mornings when I take myself in hand…

As well as the times I don’t like to admit to myself that I experience, when I feel the pang of desire that only thoughts of my fated mate can silence…

“You are ridiculous,” she says in a whisper, but I can already tell I’m winning her over.

“That’s not a ‘no,’” I tease.

She sighs dramatically and covers her face with her hands. Between her fingers, I can see her blush persists.

“Fine. Take them. But if they turn up on the internet or something, I’m going to end things so fast, your head will spin,” she says.

Her threat is cute when she’s so embarrassed, but she should know that I would never share them. Just thinking of a stranger sniffing her vulernable, pleasure-laced makes a growl emit from the back of my throat.

I’ve made her cum five times, but I’m suddenly desiring to do so a sixth time.

“Again?” she asks, as she feels my dick swell against her thigh.

“Do you object?” I reply.

She lowers her hands. Her face is still red but her eyes are darkening with lust now. “No,” she says, so I press into her once more.

Later, with my prize in my pocket, I attempt to sneak through the house unseen – and unscented. My mate’s panties are tucked into my pocket, yet I know it’s not enough to keep my brothers from scenting them, if I get too close.

I purposefully pick a time when I know most of the house will be empty.

Conrad and Declan should be at the gym, and Wes should be cooped up in his study working on one of his hobbies. Model ship building, or the like. His focus should be such that he probably won’t even notice when I –

“What’s that smell?” Wes asks, immediately behind me. I have only just come through the entrance. I’m not even to the stairs yet.

“It’s nothing,” I say and hurry my pace.

Wes keeps up. “You’re lying. I smell our mate.”

“You are imagining things.”

Wes grabs my arm, stopping me. “Have you been meeting her?”

“Come on, Wes. You know me better than –”

“You smell like sex,” Wes says. “And like her. Either explain yourself right now, or I’m telling Conrad and Declan.”

We might all be quadruplets, but Wes acts like the youngest child.

“Don’t tell them,” I sigh.

“So you have been meeting her…”

“Briefly,” I admit, turning to face him once more. “But only for sex.”

Wes’s eyes go a little wide. I sense jealousy in him, but not because of the sex. I think he’s angrier that I’ve been seeing her at all.

“You have a way to contact her?” he asks.

“Yes,” I say.

“You have to tell our brothers,” Wes says. “We should all be included on this…”

“And scare her away? No chance in hell,” I tell him. “Our mate is skittish. She doesn’t want romance. She hides her face every time we’re together, I don’t even really know what she looks like. You think Declan and Conrad would be okay with that?”

Wes frowns because he knows the answer. “I wouldn’t break her trust,” he says then. “She could keep her mask on with me.”

“Yeah, well. Good luck with that.” I start to turn again, ready to dismiss Wes, but he stops me with a threat.

“I will tell our brothers what you’ve been up to,” he says. I look back at him, just as he adds, “Unless…”

“Unless?” I prompt, raising a brow.

“You arrange a meeting for me.”