The terrible hunger that was never sated, that crawled through her night and day without reprieve, had settled on this man. That was a bad thing. A very bad thing. She had to fight herself, her nature, not to deliberately entice him. Not with her voice, her body, her movements.
She moistened her lips with the tip of her tongue and instantly his gaze dropped to her mouth. The impact on her was frightening. She took in a deep breath, struggling for strength. His gaze dropped lower, to the fullness of her breasts, caressing her, stroking her soft skin until her nipples peaked. He hadn’t even touched her.
“Stop.” She whispered it. Implored him. “You have to stop.”
“Pepper, get in the Jeep.”
His voice was low and firm. Commanding. Affectionate. She’d never known affection. He was getting to her in spite of all her resolve. She took two more steps back, wanting to save him. Going with him would be a disaster. He just didn’t understand.
Swift impatience crossed his face. His jaw set. A small muscle ticked there, warning her, and then he was on her fast, so fast, she hadn’t even seen him move. His arms swept around her and he lifted her easily off her feet, swinging her up to his chest.
She caught him around the neck, undecided whether or not it was worth it to struggle. He was enhanced. A GhostWalker. There was no winning in a battle of strength. The heat of his body seeped into hers. She was always that little bit cold. He was always so very hot. She felt as if her skin melted into his. He set her body on fire. Fire.
Fear spread through her on the heels of the flames consuming her. There would be no going back if she gave herself to him. She would be lost. Maybe she was already lost, seduced as much by the idea of family as the man himself. Confusion and fear reigned. Like an idiot, she struggled, even knowing it was futile.
“Babe.”
Wyatt’s voice slipped under her skin, pierced her heart. Did things to her bloodstream. Her gaze jumped to his. His face was inches from hers. A scant two inches. Her fingers curled hard into his shoulders. She was drowning, and there was no way to save either of them.
His mouth found hers and the world shifted away from her, spun out of control. She could spend a lifetime kissing him and never come up for air. He did things with his mouth she hadn’t known were possible. He took complete control of the kiss and just devoured her, his tongue and teeth and all the hot masculine macho sexy energy poured into her, inflaming every cell in her body.
She felt the seat against her back as Wyatt pressed her into the passenger seat, and, still kissing her, snapped her seat belt around her. Only then did he lift his head. She felt dazed. A little drunk even. Her bones had turned to liquid and every brain cell she had was seriously fried.
Wyatt closed her door firmly and she watched him move around the hood of the car to the driver’s side. Even the way he moved, all fluid and easy, was sexy. She had sex on the brain. Maybe that was the trouble and once she gave in, she’d be over him.
Wyatt slid in beside her, smoothly clicked his seat belt in and started the Jeep before looking down at her. “Honey, you’re broadcastin’ loud and clear. You’re not goin’ to be over me. We’re goin’ to have sex, lots of it, often, and you’re still not goin’ to get over me. Just put that right out of your head.”
She closed her eyes against his cocky, sexy grin. “You do it on purpose, Wyatt, and you’re playing with fire. What happens when I can’t resist you anymore and I stop trying to protect you from me?”
“Paradise, sugar, that’s what’s goin’ to happen for both of us.”
He set the Jeep in motion, gave a little wave to Ezekiel and Malichai, who were busy with a new security system – cameras, motion sensors, alarms. The Fontenot property was large and they had a lot of work to do to make it into a fortress.
“I can’t shield everyone for too long, Wyatt. It takes a toll on me. I don’t know why it’s so difficult, but after an hour or two I need a respite. My head feels like it’s going to explode. What do you think is going to happen when we’re in town and I just can’t do it anymore?”
He reached out and covered her hand. She hadn’t realized she’d been rubbing her palm up and down her thigh. At his touch the burning between her legs grew hotter and she snatched her hand away. The Jeep’s interior didn’t allow her to shrink away from Wyatt’s warmth. He was everywhere, surrounding her with his scent, his masculine hunger beating at her every bit as strong as her own.