Rise of the Gryphon (Belador #4)(97)

“I’ll slow down . . . or stop.” For her, he’d take all the time she needed, even if it killed him, and stopping might.

“No, you won’t.”

He searched her face and saw that she meant what she said. “Tell me what you want, sweetheart.”

The tip of her pink tongue made a swipe along her lips. “You. Only you.”

She had no idea what those words did to him. How deeply she touched him in a place no one else ever had. “I’m all yours and you’re mine.”

Bold possession gleamed in her eyes. “Touch me. Make me yours.”

“Oh, yeah. I’ll touch you everywhere, but we’ll take it easy.”

“Don’t baby me in this, Storm. I’m fine. I’ve . . . got my beast under control.”

“Your beast won’t be a problem because you know you’re safe with me.” He touched his forehead to hers. “I need you more than my next breath. I will never hurt you.”

“I need you, too. I trust you.”

He lifted his head to see her feelings unshielded and honest. “Thought I’d never hear that.”

No one had ever looked at him the way she did right now, as if he was her world. She whispered, “Thought I’d never trust a man the way I do you. Never feel what I do for you.”

Caring this much was dangerous for someone like him, but it was too late to worry about that.

She was his.

He wasn’t giving her up.

Easing up off of her, he pulled his knees alongside her hips for support and eased his hands beneath her sweater, sliding up to lift her bra out of the way and push her top up until he could take one of her nipples in his mouth and brush his tongue over the tip.

She sucked in a sharp breath.

Slow. Easy. “Put your arms above your head, sweetheart.” When she did, he worked the sweater up her arms, stopping when it was halfway off and leaning down to suckle the other breast.

She cried out, trembling. Her reaction washed over his skin and sent blood rushing to his cock.

“Open your eyes, sweetheart.”

When she did, he held her brilliant green gaze with his.

The smooth green emerald glowed on her chest. He’d thought about removing it, but he’d changed his mind. Not until he knew she was safe from the Medb and the witch doctor.

“You’re beautiful, you know that?” he said, talking calmly to her as he pulled off his long-sleeved T-shirt. Her eyes widened, watching him, no doubt expecting the jeans to go next.

He brushed his thumbs over each of her beaded nipples at the same time.

She moaned and arched hard, her body shaking.

Damn, what passion had been buried all this time.

The only time she’d been touched intimately had been by the bastard who’d attacked her. She might as well be a virgin and this her first time. This first time would be all hers. The next time, and there would be many more, he wanted to drive deep inside her and feel the passion thrumming through her when she crested.

Soon.

Running his hands up her arms, sliding the sweater to her hands, where he lifted it off, then held her hands with his. Not an imprisoned grip, but an affectionate one. He kissed her slowly, taking his time to drive her to the point of begging.

He wanted her so overwhelmed she could think only about what she needed. Only then could he take his jeans off.

Smoothing his fingers down her arms, he started kissing her at her neck, then her shoulders. He moved to her breasts, using his tongue to tease her nipple until she trembled.

While he had her focused on that, he unzipped her jeans and eased them down, kissing his way to her belly button, then sitting back on his knees and moving until he pulled her jeans off.

She wore a thin pair of black-and-red lace panties.

Sweet mother of . . .

His throat was too dry for words.

Her hips lifted and he dipped his head, tugging the panties down with his teeth, then pulling them off. What a view. She surpassed his fantasies, and his were pretty damned hot fantasies.

Running his hands along the insides of her thighs, he inched up until he touched her heat. Her legs quivered.

She arched her back, then, amazing woman that she was, Evalle shoved away from the headboard, sitting up. She grabbed him and kissed him. Attacked his mouth.

She never did anything halfway.

He’d suspected she’d be a powerhouse in bed, and she wasn’t disappointing him. He cupped her breasts and brushed his thumbs over nipples crying for attention.

Evalle broke the kiss. “You’re still dressed.”

She was wet, but was she ready for him, all of him? He stepped off the bed and unzipped his pants, shucking out of them and groaning at the feel of springing free.

He climbed back on the bed, kneeling in front of her. “Okay?”

“No.” She shook her head, but the smile on her lips gave away the tease. “I’d call that spectacular.”

“Wild woman.” He kissed her all the way back down to the bed, loving the feel of her under him.

She reached between them, curling her fingers around him.

Muscles tightened across his shoulders with the effort of fighting the urge to thrust. He didn’t have to ask if she was good with this. He’d know the minute anything changed, and right now he could feel desire wrapping both of them.

“I trust you, Storm. Don’t hold back.”