“Why not? You barely know me. You’ve got no skin in this game.”
The beast rumbled within him and he flashed his fangs. “Don’t do that.”
“Do what?”
“Push me away.”
“Why shouldn’t I?” She pulled her hand from his.
Her tone was cold, but he knew it was only a defense mechanism, because he felt her desperation to be near him even as she said it.
“And really,” she continued. “Why wouldn’t you want me to at this point?”
Her question made him pause. Why wouldn’t he?
He ran a hand through his hair. She was right about one thing. His suggestion was crazy. There was no way he could take her back to the coven. Even if by some miracle he could talk the Master into it, he’d never be able to leave her alone. Not without worrying he would come back to find her cold and drained and thrown in a heap in a corner somewhere. Sneaking her in was out of the question, they’d smell her as soon as she entered the caverns, if not before. He exhaled. “Fuck. You’re right. I can’t take you back with me.”
She sighed heavily. “I’m sorry.” Then she took his hand with both of hers. “I appreciate your concern, but I’ll be okay, Kohl. I have a friend across the hall. I’ll let him know what happened. He’s at my apartment or I’m at his most of the time anyway.”
Kohl suppressed the surge of possession that rose within him. One kiss did not mean he had any claim on this gorgeous woman. He was here to get information from her, and he’d done that. He would take what he’d learned back to the Master, and maybe they could figure out why the shooting had happened. In the meantime, he’d do everything he could to make sure she didn’t become a target for the vampires as well, and could continue to live her life in peace.
Something inside of him twisted painfully at the thought of never seeing her again, but it was for the best. For both of them.
However, tonight, she was still with him.
The breeze picked up, and he brushed loose tendrils of hair from her eyes. “I want to kiss you again.” The confession came from the truest part of him.
There was a sharp intake of breath, a loaded pause, and then Devon practically threw herself at him. He caught her in his arms, feeling her excitement and her desperation as intimately as he felt his own. Her desire flooded through him, heating his blood. She wanted him as much as he wanted her. His muscles tightened and swelled, his fangs descended, and his cock threatened to bust through the zipper of his pants. From one second to the next he went from wanting to kiss her sweetly to wanting to force her onto her hands and knees in the damp grass and ripping her jeans from that ass so he could be inside her.
Of course, he would do no such thing. Would never treat her that way. He just wanted a kiss. Just one more taste of that luscious mouth…
His entire body shuddered as he cupped the side of her face and lifted her lips to his. The first touch was sweet, vulnerable. Kohl pulled away just far enough to search her face. He knew what he must look like—fangs, glowing eyes, sharpened features—but it only seemed to excite her more.
Her heart pounding fast and hard, she pulled his head back down to hers and Kohl returned her kiss with a moan of surrender. Lips and teeth and tongue clashed and dueled as the beast purred with pleasure deep within him. Her scent filled his nose. Her taste filled his mouth. And her curves filled his hands until there was nothing else but Devon.
Devon reached between their bodies and found him. His hips bucked forward, his cock swelling beneath her touch despite the restriction of his pants. She rubbed her palm up and down his length, squeezing when she reached the head that rose above the waistline. Rubbing her thumb over the top, she spread the drops of moisture that had accumulated in his excitement.
Kohl broke off the kiss and threw his head back, baring his fangs to the night sky as she worked him higher and higher. Her touch undid him, even through his pants, and too soon, he had to grab her wrist and stop her.
“I want to touch you,” she whispered with ragged breaths. “I want you to touch me.”
His upper lip lifted, his fangs tasting the air for the scent of her blood even as he shook his head. But he didn’t release her. Rather he pulled her back in for another kiss, holding her hands trapped behind her. He couldn’t handle her touching him like that again. Not if he wanted to have any chance of getting her home unharmed. But he wanted this moment. He needed this moment.
So, he kissed her. He kissed her until the scent of her blood and the taste of her mouth was the only thing in the world. He kissed her until he felt every inch of her body and yet he couldn’t get close enough. He kissed her until the beast was fully awake and stretching its wings, watching with interest.
He kissed her until he was forced to stop.
With one last touch of his lips on the corners of her mouth, he touched his forehead to hers. They stood that way, breathing the same air, his hard body weeping with disappointment, until he could speak somewhat coherently. “I need to take you home.”
Devon pulled away just enough that she could look up at him. “I don’t want to go.”
An ache filled the center of his chest. “I don’t want you to go. But you have to.”
She took a deep breath. Eyes filled with disappointment, she stepped back.
He was glad she was the one to break the connection, because honestly, he didn’t think he was capable, in spite of his insistent words.
They packed up the picnic in silence, eyes full of longing catching and holding every now and again. Then Kohl drove her home, taking the back roads to prolong the feel of her body pressed against his back and her arms tight around his waist. When they reached her apartments, he walked her to her door and watched her walk in and turn on her lights. Assured no one else was there and she was safe, he made her promise to keep her door locked and though he knew he shouldn’t, he gave her his cell phone number with instructions to call if she so much as saw an unfamiliar face anywhere near her place. Then he waited as she shut and locked her door.
