“Feet on the bed,” he ordered.
Her brain was a muddled mess. She planted her heels on the mattress without question. Muffled a cry when he lowered himself to kiss her again, pushing her thighs wide in the process. His tongue snaked over hers, drew her deep and released with the erotic promise of what she knew he’d soon be doing to her body. A little voice in the back of her mind warned rough, angry, forceful sex wasn’t a good idea, but as his mouth moved south to nip and suck and lick, she had a hard time listening.
His hand found her right breast, his lips, her left. He drew her deep into his mouth and sucked hard until electricity flooded her system, raced to her core, and she arched her back, seeking release. As if he could read her thoughts, his lips blazed a trail down her abdomen, lower still. Until she felt his hand on her ankles, holding her tight in place so she couldn’t move as his head dipped low and his tongue made a long, possessive sweep down her cleft.
She shuddered. Had to bite her lip to keep from screaming when he did it again. Her hands clenched the comforter at her hips as his tongue licked and laved. But when he suckled her, it was too much. Stars exploded behind her eyes and the world shook.
He didn’t let up. He took her to the edge again and again with that talented tongue, with those teasing lips, until she was quivering beneath him.
When he finally released her and she came back to herself, that incredible mouth of his was kissing her hip, her belly button, her ribs just beneath her breasts. Softer this time. Less frantic. Like he had a thousand years to do only this and was memorizing every second.
Nearly too limp to move, she muttered, “Wh-What was that?”
He turned his cheek against her stomach. Drew in a deep breath. “I didn’t hurt you, did I?”
The change she sensed in him was so dramatic, she didn’t know what to make of it. One minute he’d been out of control, crazy for her. The next, utterly still.
That tingling returned. “Theron?”
“Yeah?”
“What’s wrong?”
Silence enveloped them. Then finally, he said, “Nothing. Everything’s good. Just the way it should be.” But he didn’t sound good. If anything, he sounded…sad.
He eased up on an elbow to look down at her. “Are you sure I didn’t hurt you?”
How could she tell him his secrets hurt her more than anything? “No. I liked the way you touched me. It felt good. Like you wanted me.”
His eyes darkened. “I do want you.”
“Then show me.”
He hesitated just long enough to make her think he’d changed his mind, but then he leaned down and kissed her, and all her doubt slipped away.
She tasted herself. And him. And a lust she’d never known, as his mouth met hers. As he nibbled on her lower lip, sucked the tender flesh between his teeth, she remembered what his lips felt like on her nipples, licking, circling, drawing them deep in his mouth. Shivers of anticipation raced down her spine, and goose bumps jumped out on her skin all over again.
Her fingers found the snap on his jeans as he slanted his mouth over hers and deepened the kiss. He was hard and hot when she dipped her hand inside, and so much bigger than she remembered.
“Take these off, Theron.”
“I don’t need to,” he said against her shoulder, pressing a kiss to her skin. His hand returned to her breast. “I get more than enough pleasure just watching you come.”
That tingling kicked up a notch. And in the silence between them, she realized what was going on. “Is this about that whole soul mate thing?”
He kissed the inside of her right breast. “No. I already know the answer.”
He did? She waited to hear the rest, but he only kept on kissing her. And when it was clear he wasn’t going to fill her in, a little of her temper returned. Fine. He could keep all of his secrets. That wasn’t what she wanted from him right now anyway.
She grasped his face and lifted so he was forced to look at her. “I want you inside me. Right now. So either lose the pants, or I’ll have to remind you about that whole slitting-your-wrists thing.”
He searched her face. “Are you sure? I don’t—”
“Theron. Either get naked now or I’ll go find Cerek to finish the job.”
His eyes flashed. “Don’t tease about that, meli. Not unless you want to see the guardian dead.”
His kiss was hard and possessive, but so good. Knowing she’d won, she grasped his shirt and broke free long enough to pull it over his head. He pushed up on his hands, never leaving her mouth, and wriggled out of his jeans.
Miles of roped muscles filled her hands. When he pulled back and moved as if he were getting off the bed, she sat up and grabbed on tight. “You’re not going anywhere now.”
He wrapped one arm around her waist and tugged her with him as he leaned toward the nightstand. “Condoms.”
“You have condoms here?”