“I’m going to tell you this once, and I expect you to listen,” he said, his eyes burning.
Was I supposed to nod? I simply arched my eyebrows.
“Do not come to the kitchen in the middle of the night anymore.”
“Why not? If I can’t sleep, the tea helps me relax—”
His lips slammed down on mine.
Oh, God…
He forced my mouth open with his tongue and plunged inside. His kiss was…feral—more feral and animalistic even then the previous ones. Oh, yes, he needed to release tension…and I would willingly help. He gripped my shoulders, bringing us closer and closer together, as if he wanted to disappear inside my skin.
I returned his kiss, not only because I wanted to, but because he seemed to need it so much.
We kissed for several minutes until finally he eased up, and the kiss became softer. He unclenched his fingers from my shoulders and trailed one hand up my neck to cup my cheek.
And I was lost. I could never resist a face toucher. I loved the feeling of being so treasured by someone. I wasn’t laboring under any delusions that Talon Steel treasured me, but oh, the touch of his calloused fingers on my bare cheek… I was in heaven, floating on a magical cloud.
The kiss was still deep, and I still returned it passionately, but it was soft now, almost…loving.
He unclenched his other hand from my shoulder and slid it down my arm, my skin prickling in its wake. My nipples were so hard I felt sure they were poking him. I longed for him to slide his hand up my side and cup one of my breasts, but we were too close together for that. I ached for his touch.
My sex throbbed. I knew I must be dripping, and all I had on were these loose boxers. God, I wanted his fingers on me, in me, stroking me to completion while he continued to kiss me.
Bravely, summoning all the courage in my arsenal, I clasped the hand that was holding on to my wrist and drew it toward my mound.
He broke the kiss abruptly, forcing me backward, his dark gaze burning into mine. “You don’t know what you’re asking for, blue eyes.”
My courage still coursing through me, I regarded him. “I do, actually.”
“I will hurt you.” Sadness laced his voice.
Why would he think he would hurt me? Was he even talking about emotional hurt? Did he actually think he would physically hurt me?
“I’m a big girl, Talon. I can make my own choices. If I get hurt, it will be my own doing.”
“You don’t know what you’re dealing with. You have no idea how much I ache for your pussy right now. I want to stuff you so full of my cock that you can’t see straight. I’ve wanted you since the first time I laid eyes on you, Jade. I don’t know why, but you have a hold on me.”
My skin warmed, my pussy pulsing. Was this truly happening? “Then take me to bed. I’m going willingly.”
“I’ll never love you.”
Bam! A brick settled on top of me. At least he was honest. I could give him that. I responded the only way I knew how. “I’m not asking for your love.”
He let out a chuckle. “Sooner or later, all you women want love.”
I chuckled back at him. “Seriously? Look where so-called love got me. Left at the damned altar.
Humiliated in front of my family and friends. Why in hell would I want to repeat that?”
“Maybe you don’t want love today, and maybe not tomorrow. But you will someday.”
“And who’s to say you and I are going to be together someday?”
Another chuckle. “I can guarantee you we won’t be together someday. I don’t love, blue eyes. I take. I take what others are willing to give to me, but I can’t give anything in return. It’s not in me.”
“I think you’re probably selling yourself short, Talon, but what does it matter? Tonight doesn’t have to make a future, does it? Tonight can simply be about what it is—two people enjoying each other’s bodies and releasing some tension.” I touched his shoulders, gently massaging them. “And damn, you’ve got a lot of tension built up.”
“I don’t want to fuck you to release tension, blue eyes.”
“Then why do you want it?”
“Not because I love you.”
Yes, yes, hit me over the head with it. “You’ve made that clear. What you haven’t made clear is why you want me.”
“Because I crave you. I crave your lips, your tongue, your body pressed against mine. I crave your sweet little pussy, your lips around my cock. I want to take you, own you, possess you for a night. I want to fuck you and fuck you and fuck you until neither one of us can take it anymore.” His eyes glowed, his dark nipples hardened, and his erection was apparent underneath his pajama pants. “I’m so hard for you right now, like granite. And maybe, Jade, maybe if I fuck you and take you, I’ll get this goddamned craving out of my system.”