Page 47 of Damien’s Mate

“You worry too much, hooman.”

“I can’t help it. You keep doing crazy things and damaging yourself.”

“This isn’t crazy.”

He wasn’t listening; he’d become fixated on her breasts. Not too large, not too small, with brown erect nipples that were just begging for his mouth on them. He licked one, and she made a sexy noise in her throat.

“You have perfect tits,” he told her, as he moved from one to the other. He licked the nipples slowly, then sucked, to hear her gasp and moan. “Like, the most perfect anywhere ever.”

The purr in her chest grew louder. Damien kissed her collarbone, her neck, the place under her ear that unexpectedly made her growl. He liked that, so he bit it gently to make her growl again.

He moved his hand between her legs, stroking her slowly, feeling how wet she was. He circled her clit with his fingertips, teasing it gently before sliding his fingers inside her.

Her hands tightened on his shoulders, and he felt a pinprick of claws before she got control of herself. That made him wildly hot, but he had to go slow, not push too hard.

He’d do anything to keep from hurting her.

But she wasn’t having that. With a growl of impatience, she grasped his shaft and moved her hips so that he slid inside her.

This wasn’t quick and dirty like in the bathroom at Salzano’s. This was slow, and careful, but even hotter somehow because he was holding back.

He slowed down even more, each thrust that much more exquisite because of it. He felt every inch of her, slick and soft and hot around him, and he moved against her again and again, the slowest of slow builds, until they were both panting and clutching each other, wanting to let go and go crazy, and knowing they couldn’t.

When the climax came, it was in waves of intense throbbing sensation that just went on and on as they moved slowly together. Damien’s mouth captured Lila’s and welded them together, body and soul, until finally the waves faded, and it was just the two of them in the steamy shower with the water pouring down.

Damien’s legs were like rubber, but he managed to set Lila on her feet and hold her up while he soaped her down. He washed himself as she rinsed, her eyes closed under the shower spray, and then turned off the water, wrapped her in a towel, and carried her to bed.

She was asleep before he had her under the covers.

Damien toweled himself off, found some clean underwear in his go bag, and crawled in beside her, gathering her close before he fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.

Chapter 19

Lila woke up to shafts of sunlight filtering in between the blinds. Damien was still asleep, lying on his stomach with one arm flung across her protectively. She gently eased herself out from under without waking him up.

Sitting up, she looked down at him—this man who had left everything behind to help her.

Asleep, with his hair tousled, he looked younger and more relaxed. She reached out, wanting to trace the curve of his face with her fingers.

She curled her hand into a fist instead.

She couldn’t get all sentimental about anyone, especially not a human. Not when she was so close to having everything she and her father ever wanted.

There was no way this thing with Damien could go anywhere, no matter how hot the attraction was between them. Lion Guard didn’t get derailed by their feelings.

She got out of bed, noting that her broken bones were more like a dull ache than a stabbing pain, and her internal injuries had faded to a deep soreness.

If she could manage not to hurt herself again for a few more days, she should be completely healed. Then she could return to the Lion Guard.

She could go home.

She waited for the tingle of excitement she usually got when she thought about that, but somehow it didn’t come.

She was just nervous, now that it was really going to happen, she told herself. And sad that her father wouldn’t be here to see it. That was all.

Not wanting to think about that, she grabbed the t-shirt Brock had put on her last night. Picking up the bracelet from the bedside table, she sat down on the carpeted floor in front of the artifact case and pressed her palm against the lock, murmuring the spell her father had taught her.

The combination of her DNA and the proper words made the lock pop open. As she opened the case, a shaft of sunlight hit the interior, making the contents glitter.