The knowledge sent heat flooding through her body, followed immediately by a wave of guilt. What was wrong with her? She’d been rescued less than a day ago. She should be focused on survival, not attraction.
Except she couldn’t stop thinking about how his hands had felt when they’d touched her skin. How it would feel to have those hands explore her body. How safe she’d felt when his tail wrapped around her waist.
“What if…” She stopped, suddenly uncertain.
“What if what?”
“Nothing. It’s late. We should both try to sleep.”
His tail tightened fractionally, and she realized he wasn’t going to let her deflect.
“Tell me.”
“What if I want you too?” The words tumbled out in a rush. “What if it’s completely insane and terrible timing and probably some kind of trauma response, but I can’t stop thinking about you anyway?”
Silence stretched between them, heavy with possibility. Then his hand came up to cup her cheek, his touch feather-light despite his strength. She had to tilt her head back to maintain eyecontact. This close, she could see the subtle variations in his skin pattern, the way the tiny nubs covering his skin caught the low light. She could feel the heat radiating from his body and smell that spicy scent that made her want to press closer.
“You are not insane,” he said quietly. “And I do not believe this is a trauma response.”
“What is it then?”
“I do not know, s’kara.” His thumb stroked her jawline, sending shivers through her entire body. “But I want to find out.”
“I do too,” she whispered, but he hesitated a moment longer.
“This is not something I take lightly,” he warned.
Neither did she. David had been only the second man she’d ever slept with, and the first had been a college relationship that had burned bright and fast before flaming out. She didn’t have one-night stands. But this wasn’t a one-night stand. This was something else entirely. Something that felt inevitable and terrifying and absolutely right.
His thumb traced the line of her lower lip, and she parted her lips involuntarily. His eyes flashed, predatory and possessive, and then his mouth was on hers.
The kiss was nothing like kissing a human. His lips were firmer, his mouth tasting faintly of spice and heat. His tongue was different too—longer, more flexible—and when it swept against hers, she gasped into his mouth.
His tail wound more tightly around her waist, pulling her flush against his body, and she could feel every hard plane of muscle through the thin fabric of her borrowed clothing. One of his hands tangled in her hair while the other splayed across herlower back, holding her like she was precious and breakable and infinitely desirable all at once. She’d never been kissed like this. Like she was air and water and everything necessary for survival. Like letting her go would kill him.
When they finally broke apart, both breathing hard, she had to grip his arms to stay upright.
“We should stop,” she said, but made no move to pull away.
“Do you want to stop?”
“No.”
He kissed her again, deeper this time, more possessive. One of his hands slid down her back, over the curve of her hip, then lower still, cupping her ass with a possessive warmth that made her melt against him. She moaned into his mouth, her own hands exploring the broad expanse of his shoulders, the sculpted muscles of his back.
She hadn’t realized how much she’d needed this. The simple reassurance that she was still alive, still capable of feeling something other than fear and exhaustion.
His tail unwrapped from her waist and slid higher, the tip stroking the sensitive peak of her nipple in a way that sent jolts of electricity straight to her core. She gasped against his mouth, her hips rocking involuntarily.
“You like that?” he murmured, the words a deep rumble that vibrated through her entire body.
“I…” She couldn’t form a coherent response. All she could do was feel. The heat of his body, the strength in his arms, the possessive stroking of that unbelievably dexterous tail.
Then a soft mumble came from the bed as Anya shifted in her sleep, and they sprang apart like guilty teenagers. His tail dropped away with obvious reluctance.
“You should rest,” he said, his voice carefully controlled again. “Tomorrow we will discuss our options. But I think… I think you should talk to Anya.”
She nodded, not trusting herself to speak. He moved toward the door, then paused.
