Page 58 of The Hunter

Though he had neither lips nor experience, Telok’s kiss was confident and demanding. She felt his faux fangs against her lips, felt his breath on her skin, felt heat radiating from him like he was a furnace. And despite everything, she longed for that heat.

Closing her eyes, Lacey cupped his jaw and returned the kiss, brushing her lips back and forth along his unyielding mouth. How many times had she wondered what it would be like to kiss him? How many times had she fantasized about this? Before, she thought it was an impossibility. Now…it was reality.

The scrape of his mouth and the prick of his claws sparked ripples of sensation across her skin, all of which seemed to drift low in her belly, making her core ache with arousal. His intoxicating scent permeated her, branding her senses with rich, earthy jungle and smoke. And she wanted more. She wanted to taste him.

Telok pulled her closer until her breasts were pressed to his chest, stimulating her hardened nipples. A soft moan escaped Lacey before she parted her lips and licked the firm seam of his mouth.

He growled, jaw clenching and claws digging a little deeper. Then he jerked his head back, breaking both the kiss and her hold on him. Tension seized his every muscle as he shut his eyes and breathed, slow and deep, his broad chest swelling with each inhalation.

Lacey touched her fingers to her mouth as she brought her own breathing under control. Her lips were tender from the abrasiveness of his hide.

We kissed. Holy shit, we kissed.

She grinned. “Telok?”

“What?” he rasped.

“Was that your first kiss?”

He opened his eyes. They gleamed with something deep, heated, and barely contained. “Yes.”

Her gaze flicked to his mouth, and she eased closer, voice low and husky when she asked, “Did you like it?”

Telok grunted and adjusted his hold on Lacey, forcing her to lean back again, before striding forward. “Behave, vi’jatai.”

She chuckled.

He absolutely liked it.

As he walked along the stream, Lacey noticed the water was deepening. He stopped when it looked about waist deep.

It was like he’d already known this spot was here and would be ideal for bathing.

Her brow knitted. “Wait… When you went scouting, what were you looking for?”

He dipped his chin toward the stream.

“You found this place for me?”

“Always questions,” Telok said with a huff as he lowered Lacey onto her feet, but she didn’t miss the barely audible trill that preceded his words.

She smiled as she stepped back from him, trying to ignore the flare of pain as her thighs rubbed against each other. “Admit it. You did this for me.”

Telok set Lacey’s things down atop a low rock, standing his spear—the spear she’d made for him—beside them. “Yes.”

All those warm fuzzies came rushing back. Not only had Telok called for a rest for her sake, but he’d searched for this little slice of paradise just so she could cool off and bathe. He’d been listening to her, taking her human needs to heart…

Like a mate would.

Had Cole been right? Was Telok treating her like she was his mate?

Well, he did kiss me.

As though to further prove her suspicion, Telok dropped down, kneeling on his forelegs. He took her hand and placed it on his shoulder. “Hold on.”

Bracing herself, Lacey watched as he bent down, plucked her boots off, and set them next to her bag. She smiled. “I could’ve done that, but thank you.”

Straightening, he moved his upper hands to her vest, swiftly untying the bow at the bottom and pulling the lace free. When her brain finally caught up to what he was doing, her vest was already gaping, with only the highest loops over her breasts still laced.