Nothing in the world could have made him leave her. Even if Marcus had wanted to, his protective instincts wouldn’t have allowed it. What he wanted to do was hold her, but he knew Roni well enough to know that physical affection would simply make her uncomfortable. He didn’t know how to help her, and it was making him crazy—every instinct he had told him to do something. He covered the distance she’d created between them. “I’m staying, sweetheart.”
That slow, languid drawl was unintentionally seductive—he was there to comfort and calm her, Roni knew. But that wasn’t what she wanted right then, it wasn’t what her wolf wanted. Roni’s eyes once again settled on his mouth, remembering how talented and hungry it had been. She gave a quick shake of the head, hoping to shake off those thoughts. “Really, Marcus, you need to go.”
“Why?”
The truth burst out of her. “Because I like to fuck when I’m angry!”
Just like that, the atmosphere changed, thickened, and became charged with that same old sexual tension that never seemed far away.
“I know that’s not normal,” she continued. “I know most people like to be cuddled and all that stuff. Not me. No. I like to fuck—hard, fast, rough, and deep. In which case, you really need to go.” Or she’d use him, just like so many females had used him before, and then she’d hate herself for doing it because he wasn’t the shallow smooth-talker she’d thought he was. He knew he looked good and knew how to use that raw charisma to get what he wanted. But he wasn’t vain or arrogant or superficial. He had much more emotional depth than she’d given him credit for. He was . . . good.
He was also exciting her wolf with the hungry look on his face. Roni was no less affected by him; her nerve endings sprung to life as that lazy, hooded, sensual gaze fixed on hers—the hunter was awake again. “Don’t.”
His mouth curved. “What?”
“Don’t look at me like that.” She backed away.
“How am I looking at you?” He moved toward her, and she immediately backpedaled. Not wanting her to back away any farther, Marcus halted. So did she. And so they both stood there, caught in the grip of an escalating sexual tension that had them both fairly panting.
“Just go.” But he didn’t. He stayed totally still, his electric-blue eyes focused completely on her, glittering with a promise of sexual satisfaction she’d never experienced before. She felt her cautiousness slipping away, replaced by a need so fierce and hot it was frightening. It was also beginning to drown out the rage.
“I’m not going anywhere. Not just because I want you so badly I ache with it. But because if this is the only form of comfort you can take from me, that’s what I’ll give you.” A growl rumbled out of him as her tongue flicked out to lick over that bottom lip he wanted to bite. “Come here, Roni.”
She wanted to. Really, really wanted to. But using him would be wrong. Besides, the guy was living, breathing junk food—he’d taste good, he’d fill her up and leave her satisfied, but he’d also leave her wanting more, craving him again and again. To go to him now would be stupid and reckless. Still, it was so unbelievably tempting, especially when he was looking at her like that—like he could eat her up and lick every inch of her.
But would he continue looking at her like that if he saw her naked? Probably not. Marcus had been with countless beautiful females; she’d pale in comparison. Her wolf, however, was aloof to Roni’s human concerns—she pushed at Roni to go to him, to take what he offered.
“Come here,” Marcus repeated, sensing her uncertainty beginning to crumble. “I’ll give us both what we’ve wanted since day one.”
“I never said I wanted this. I don’t want this.”
“One thing I really like about you, Roni, is that you don’t bullshit. But you’re bullshitting me now. Why?”
Pinned in place by the dark heat in his eyes, she couldn’t lie. “I don’t want to be another female that uses you.”
She just about broke his heart with that. “Ah, sweetheart, that’s not how I see it.”
“My body . . . it’s not anything like what you’re used to.” It wasn’t all curves and soft skin. It was all battle scars and smooth muscle. It had never made her feel self-conscious or insecure before—she wasn’t vain. But with him . . . it was different somehow.
“You’ve shifted around me, remember. I’ve seen your body. And I want it. Now.”
Fuck it, she thought. Both moving at once, they collided; their bodies instantly locked together—desperate, frenzied, out of control. His mouth was greedy and demanding as it dominated hers, licking and biting and tasting. His tall, powerful body pressed her back against a tree, crowding her, trapping her. Rather than prickling her dominant instincts, it made her even more frantic for him; so frantic that she ripped at his T-shirt as she yanked it off—revealing a broad, hard chest covered in sleek, tanned skin.
“I have to be inside you.” In seconds, Marcus had her completely naked and pinned against the tree with her legs wrapped around his waist. No finesse, no preamble, no smooth words—he was simply too caught up in Roni, in the feel and scent of her. He retained just enough sanity to remember he needed to be sure she was ready for him.
Not the passive type, Roni tackled his fly, wanting him inside her more than she’d wanted anything in a long time. Then his cock was in her hand and he was groaning as she gripped him tight. She would have pumped him, but she couldn’t concentrate. The brief sting of his teeth on her nipple, the soothing flick of his tongue, the feel of sure, strong masculine hands roaming over her . . . it was too much sensation, but she wanted more. He gave her more, repeatedly pumping two calloused fingers inside her, sucking on her neglected nipple so hard it hurt, and fluttering his thumb over her clit, making it tingle and—