The erotic pain cascaded along her scalp. Her mind fuzzed and shut down as hunger shot through her. Even so, caution whispered deep inside her. Something wild was being unleashed in Ryker…something she’d sensed but never seen. “Ryker—”
His hold tightened, stealing her breath. His eyes darkened. “Ask. Me.”
Desire spiked to lust inside her, forcing her nerves to riot. God, she wanted him. But pride wouldn’t let her just ask. Not yet, anyway. She reached out to cup the rock-hard erection beneath his jeans. “Maybe you should ask me,” she murmured, using pressure and tapping her fingers along his length.
His nostrils flared.
Quicker than she would’ve thought possible, he grabbed her wrist and snagged the other one in a strong grip as the towel fluttered to the floor. With his hold on her hair and the other hand on her wrists, she couldn’t move.
The reality of that flushed need through her so quickly her knees wobbled.
His hand secured hers against her abdomen. His thigh slipping between her thighs to press against her pulsing core. The hand fisted in her hair drew her back more, elongating her neck and putting her in an even more helpless position.
Delicious heat sparked through her. She bit her lip, but a moan still escaped.
His mouth still hovered above hers. “Ask me.” Each word was punctuated with a flexing of his thigh muscle against her clit. Mini explosions rocked her lower body.
She panted and her eyelids closed.
A sharp nip to her lips had her gasping and opening her eyes. Ryker kept her gaze and soothed the small wound with his tongue. “Now, Zara,” he growled.
Her lips smarted and yet needed more. He wanted the words? Fine. “Fuck me, Ryker.” She lifted up onto her toes and took his mouth, pushing hard against him.
Chapter
10
When her lips touched his, the beast inside Ryker—the one he secretly believed made him different from normal people—roared to the surface. For his entire life, what he’d wanted had been held out of his view, out of his grip.
Including this woman.
Oh, she was flush against him, her mouth working his, the dampness from her skin edging through his T-shirt. Yet she held herself away, wanting to limit what they had. What they were.
Which should be exactly what he wanted. Instead, what he wanted was to blast right into her heart, where it was safe and warm and good. Where he could finally relax and be himself.
But she was refusing to take a chance and wouldn’t tell him why. Unless…she sensed who he really was and knew better. Knew that he wasn’t quite right.
Maybe Zara could be the one person, the one woman, who could accept all of him. The thought brought out a hope, a dangerous one. If he had her, really had her, he’d do anything to keep her. Maybe she was smart to keep her distance.
He took over the kiss, his fingers stretching to release her hair so he could cup her scalp. As his tongue met hers, she made a low sound deep in her throat. A sound of welcome.
Created just for him.
Such a small sound, and it skated right through his heart and straight down. His cock pounded to be inside her…now.
He snaked an arm around her bare waist, twisted, and pressed her down onto the bed. She tasted like mint and something sweet—all Zara. Stretching atop her, he balanced his weight on his elbows. When she opened her legs, allowing him to settle in, his heart skipped.
Then his cock hardened until his zipper caused pain.
Zara was something special, even among good people. She was smart and kind, and she made choices with her eyes open. He wanted to be one of her choices.
Her hands tunneled through his hair, her nails scraping. She reached down and tugged his shirt up. He had to release her mouth as the material was yanked over his head, but the second it was free, he found her again. Soft and succulent, her lips met his.
He wanted to go slow and show her tenderness.
Then she wrenched her mouth away with a small chuckle. A challenging one.
Right or wrong, such defiance burned electricity right through him. It crackled in the air around them. Fine. She wanted to play? Next time he’d go slow. A rumble came from his chest and sounded suspiciously like a growl.
Those stunning eyes widened. Her pink lips gaped in an O, and desire glimmered in her sky blue eyes. A flush covered her high cheekbones, and the smoothest skin imaginable stretched tight across very fragile bones.
“God, you’re beautiful,” he breathed, angling to the side and releasing his jeans. A couple of shimmies and quick kicks, and they dropped over the side of the bed.
She sucked in air. “You are too, and you know it.” The slow caress down his back served to calm him a little.
He nipped under her jaw and kissed her full breasts. It had taken a couple of months to get her comfortable with being nude with him, and he’d fully meant it when he’d assured her he liked curves. Lots of them. “Stunning, Zara.” He took a nipple into his mouth, trying to be gentle when all he wanted to do was bend her over and make her scream.