“Stay longer.” I pressed against his chest as he slipped in beside me. My hands slid under his shirt, travelling the hard ridges of his abs, an ache stirring low in my belly.
“You don’t have to sleep in your clothes, you know,” I murmured and kissed his jaw. I met his eyes and swallowed hard, wrapping a leg around his hips. “Or sleep at all.”
His brows raised, and his hand glided along my waist. “You mean…?”
“Yes,” I whispered, a deep craving rasping through my voice as I took a handful of his shirt. “Please.”
He kissed me hard, and a feral sound rumbled through my throat. He pulled back a centimeter, his breathing rough. “Are you sure you’re… strong enough?”
I tasted his mouth again before saying, “The only thing I’m not strong enough for is going another night without you inside me.”
His jaguar rumbled its desire through his throat, making his brown eyes flash yellow.
“Dammit. We can’t resist you.” His finger stroked my cheek. “I’ve finally made peace with the beast, thanks to you. You bring us together.”
“Good. I want both of you. All of your thoughtfulness and calm, solid presence, and all his wild energy too.”
He growled, his fingers working at the buttons on my pajama top, and I started rolling his shirt up toward his head. We were both frantic, needing nothing between us.
He slipped out of his shirt then ripped the fabric of my top off my shoulders. The second my breasts were free he dove face between them with a hungry growl. I tipped back my head in a soft moan, my hands fisting his hair.
His lips didn’t leave my breast as he kicked out of his shorts, and I reached behind me with one hand to toss back the sheet. I couldn’t wait. I wriggled out of my pajama pants still not letting go of his hair and his hot mouth pulling at my breasts.
He stood back for a moment, his glowing yellow eyes running down my body as I took him in. Faint scars from the Glasshouse ambush made patterns across his muscled torso, his wounds hadhealed within a few days, but I hated to imagine the pain he’d felt, slashed on every side by Conrad’s men while in jaguar form.
Protecting me. He did all of that for me.
My breath and heart rate raced, and my mouth watered as my gaze dropped to his cock.
I wanted it. Wanted all of him.
This was Hunter, the man who’d pushed back the shadows I’d sensed lurking around every corner in New Nebraska since the night I was dumped on the streets.
Sitting on my knees in the bed, I reached up and I traced my fingers over his scars. “I can’t believe everything that’s brought us to here.”
He brushed my hair behind my ear. “All good things are worth fighting for, right?”
“No more fighting anything. I need this connection to be complete between us.” I placed a hand on his heart. “We’ve both been waiting way too long.”
I pushed up so I could kiss his smiling lips. “You know, you were the first man I found attractive, after everything I went through.”
“Oh yeah?” He rubbed his nose against mine.
“Mmm-hmm. The first man that made me burn. I think you’d be surprised by how fast I started having dirty thoughts.” My hand trailed around, as I ran my nails down his back then gripped his toned ass.
His grin grew, and he tugged me flush against him, fingers brushing along the side of my breast.
“Well, you probably aren’t as surprised to know I wanted you from the moment we met. Especially after that dance.” The smile faded a fraction, and his eyes were glistening as he ran his fingers over my back.
“What’s wrong?” I asked, concerning pinching my brow as I rubbed his shoulder.
His Adam’s apple bobbed, then he licked his lips and cuppedmy jaw so I was looking deep into his yellow eyes seeing the concern shine through both Hunter, and his jaguar.
“I’ve almost lost you three times since I met you. I just don’t know what—” He shook his head, looking away.
“Hey, it’s okay.” I turned his face to meet me again. “It’s just me here, tough guy. You can open up to me, as much as you need. Whenever you need. What’s wrong?”
He sighed and pressed his forehead to mine. “I just don’t know what I’d do if something happened to you. You’re my whole life.” He held my head softly in both hands, and warm butterflies flitted through my stomach. “My whole life.”
