Born of Ice

God, she didn’t deserve his attention, yet she had it. The hardness of his chest pressed against hers as his lips commanded hers. The tip of his tongue tangled with hers and all she could do was revel in the taste of him.

Devyn moaned into her mouth as Alix’s hands moved over his chest and down. If the ship was in danger and it was the end, he’d have one last pleasure.

Alix.

He groaned as she pressed her thighs closer. Damn, he was so hard, he could burst. Sucking in air, Devyn ground his teeth at the feel of her hips brushing against his cock. He fingered her long, soft hair, drawing her face closer to his, tasting her.

Sampling her.

Alix groaned deep in her throat. The feel of Devyn’s erection against her body reminded her of what pleasure was. He was the only man to ever give her an orgasm, and the reminder of it played heavy in her mind with the feel of him brushing against her.

The man was pure heaven. Maybe not a piece of it she could claim forever, but didn’t she deserve one tiny morsel?

All while kissing her senseless, Devyn slid his strong hands down her body to pause at the heat between her legs. She was wet instantly. He rubbed lightly—just enough to make her body ache for more. She sighed into his mouth as his kisses grew more possessive. In all her years, she’d never dreamed it could be this way.

What had she done? What was she doing now? Maybe her father was right after all. She was just a stain on humanity. Not worthy of anyone’s love. With all she’d done to Devyn, with the danger she’d put him and his family in, he still touched her as if she were royalty.

The weight of her guilt was too much.

Pulling back from his touch, “I-I can’t.”

Devyn scowled at her. “Why not?” He appeared insulted as she pulled away from him. “Did I do something wrong?”

She could weep. After all she’d done, he was worried he’d done something to offend her.

“No, it’s not you.” Alix stepped back from him. It was too hard to think when he was so close. Whenever Devyn was near, she wanted him to be on top of her, inside her.

She moved to the table, sitting on the edge. She had to get her composure if she was going to get through this.

“What is it, then?”

“How can you bear to look at me?”

Devyn was puzzled. “What do you mean?”

“I . . . This is all my fault. All of it.”

“I won’t argue with that.”

Alix sighed. “We could all die any second. For all I know, they’re listening to us right now.”

“Yeah.”

She wanted to punch him for taking this so well. He should be throwing insults at her, making her feel like the scum she was. Instead, he was agreeing with her?

She sank down, resting her hands on the table and feeling like total crap.

“I don’t deserve your kindness. None of it.” The truth was harder to admit than she’d realized. It was certainly stinging as it came out.

Devyn deserved someone to love him and his son. He was such a good man.

The kind of good man who could blast someone into smithereens if they looked at him wrong, but nevertheless—a thoroughly good guy.

And good guys didn’t want filth like her.

He walked over to her, feathering a single finger down her cheek. “Baby, deserving has nothing to do with it.” With the most delicate of lips, Devyn dipped down and kissed her with such tenderness she wanted to weep. Warmth splayed over her entire body, and at that moment, she became putty in his hands.

Devyn couldn’t believe how little she thought of herself. She was the most amazing woman he’d ever met and then some. She deserved more than she could ever imagine. She deserved to be loved for who and what she was—amazing.

Slowly, Devyn undid the buttons on her shirt and slid it from her shoulders. The sight of her standing vulnerable in front of him caused a protectiveness to build in him so strong, it was scary. No one would ever hurt her again.

Not while he drew a single breath.

Alix couldn’t believe the intensity with which Devyn looked at her. His lips captured hers again before trailing to her neck. He took her nipple in between his fingers and toyed with it. She threw her head back and closed her eyes, enjoying the way his hands felt on her body. She sucked in a sharp breath as he moved from one breast to the other.

With his other hand on the small of her back, he laid her back onto the table, all the while kissing and fondling her.

His cock, hard through his pants, teased her as he rested it between her thighs. The material separating them was driving her insane.

Devyn hissed as Alix grabbed his cock through his pants. How it ached to be free and in between her warm, welcoming embrace, but this wasn’t about him. This was about making sure she felt what it was like to be cared for. For once in her life—and if this really was their last moment, he wanted to make sure she experienced love. It was the least he could do.

He continued rubbing her until she made tiny moans into his mouth. He pulled back from her for only a short time—just long enough to free himself and her from the material separating them.

Once he did, he allowed his gaze to trail over her body.

Delicious.