Archangel's Enigma (Guild Hunter)(105)

Time passed at a snail’s pace when she wanted it to race.

Night fell at long last, whispered past midnight into the quietness when the entire world seemed asleep.

Throat tight at the thought of seeing Naasir again, she changed into a pair of simple black pants and a pretty pink tunic embroidered with fine blue thread around the vee of the neckline. She left her hair to do what it would, just pushed it away from the sides of her face using two jeweled combs Jessamy had gifted her.

Naasir liked her hair down.

Walking to stand on the cliffs, she watched for a familiar prowling stride, for a glint of silver under starlight. Only after she’d been watching for two hours did she realize Naasir might go straight to his home rather than coming here.

Her stomach dropped.

They had so little time and if she missed tonight, there would be no more nights. Tomorrow, she had to leave for Africa. “Naasir,” she whispered into the wind. “I’m waiting for you. Please come.”

As if he’d heard, he appeared in the distance, loping easily over the stone of the mountain. Her nose grew stuffy, her eyes gritty. Seeing her, he lifted his arm before disappearing from sight. It didn’t matter. She knew where he was going. Lifting off, she flew to the spot where a delicate stone bridge connected the two sides of the gorge.

He was already on it, and jumped dangerously high to catch her ankle and haul her down as she hovered above him. “Naasir!” Laughing, she wrapped her arms around his neck.

Drenched in sweat and with heat coming off his skin, he was wild and beautiful and she wanted him so very, very badly. “Are you sure you don’t want to take me up on my offer?” she whispered in agonizing hope.

He rubbed his nose over hers. “I will. You owe me many bed favors for my frustration and patience.” That last was said on an impatient growl. “But I will collect the right way.”

“What if you don’t find it in time?”

“I’m good at finding things.” Snapping his teeth at her, he said, “I want to bathe.”

Leading him to her aerie, she drew him inside and shut the door. She had a scholar’s home, full of books and art, and he was a beautiful, not-at-all-tame creature who didn’t appear to belong. Then he tugged off his jacket, sweater, and T-shirt, and threw them on a chair as he kicked off his boots and socks, and suddenly, it was as if he’d always lived here.

He found his way to the bathing room without her help, since she was too tongue-tied at seeing the sleek, muscled beauty of him to give him directions. Leaving the door open, he said, “You ran the water.”

She could hear rustling as he got out of his jeans. “Yes.” Her throat was so dry she had to cough to clear it. “It was two hours ago, but I ran it close to boiling, so you should only need a touch more hot water to warm it up.”

A splash of sound as he got in. “It’s warm enough. The stone keeps it that way.”

About as able to resist him as a child could a sweet, she walked to the doorway and looked inside. He was dunking his head and when he came up, he shot her a sinful smile. “Come wash my back, Andi.”

Andromeda didn’t even attempt to deny him, deny them both. Not only did she run the soap over his back, she washed his hair, massaging his scalp until he purred, his eyes lazily closed. The stripes were visible under his skin again, fine fur delicate under her fingertips when she explored his nape and shoulders.

“What are you thinking?” His lashes snapped up, nostrils flaring. “Your smell changed.”

Cheeks hot, Andromeda went to lie, stopped herself. If these were to be her last hours of freedom with him, she would tell him every truth she could. And she would try to seduce him. Honor be damned. “I was wondering what it would feel like to rub my naked body against yours.”

His eyes gleamed. Closing one big, wet hand over her thigh where she sat on the edge of the stone bath, he hauled her closer, leaned forward until he was dangerously close to the pulsing, swollen flesh between her thighs . . . and bit her hard on her inner thigh. She yelped even as liquid heat pulsed between her legs. “You didn’t like my idea?”

Growling up at her, he bared his teeth. “We can’t have those thoughts. You took a vow. Be good.”

Her mouth fell open. “I can’t believe you’re telling me to be good.”

“I won’t steal your honor,” he said stubbornly. “I’m going to find your very stupid Grimoire book so we can rut without guilt.”

Every time he said the word “rut” it made her entire body hum. It was such a carnal word, so raw and unashamed. “I want to know what you’d do to me,” she whispered, leaning in until her lips were a bare inch from his. “Tell me.”

A loud chest-rumbling growl was her only warning before he tumbled her into the water.

When she came up, spluttering and pushing her hair out of her eyes, he glared at her. “Behave or I’ll turn on the cold water.”

At the end of her rope, she bared her own teeth at him. “Try it and see what happens.”

He laughed and pounced on her, dragging her over to his chest. Another rub of his nose against hers. When she threatened to bite him, he grinned even harder. “I always knew my mate would be as wild as me.”

No one had ever called her wild; she decided she liked it.

When he kind of snuggled her against his naked body, her wet clothes sticking to her, she stayed. Because being held by him, being affectionately petted as they spoke about their adventure, it was so wonderful it made her aching heart pulse in unfiltered joy, her eyes burning until she had to shut them lest her tears fall and give her away.