CHAPTER 16 (2)

He pulled her legs around his waist. “Don’t let go. Hold me tight.” She had no choice. Holding him tight was the only thing she could do. The only thing she wanted to do. But instead of just taking her, he braced himself on the hood and pushed her flat against the metal. Stroking between her legs with his hard heat, he played her in slow, mesmerizing circles. Nathalie closed her eyes and let sensation take over the rising pulse of her body. She locked her legs around his waist the same way her arms imprisoned his neck and rose up to meet his touch, rolling with his rhythm. “That’s it, baby, just like that.” Leaning close, he finally moved with a faster pace. “I want you right on the edge when I finally take you.” His words were as potent as his touch, and she shuddered. Her breath puffed with sounds she barely recognized as her own, and her skin heated. “Oh God.” She arched her neck. Almost there. One more second. Just one more… “Now.” He plunged deep. And she shattered. * * * “Nathalie.” The way she came apart for him, not holding anything back, giving him all of her pleasure, was enough to make him lose everything right then. But he wanted more. Wanted to see her, to drink in every detail of her pleasure. She was beautiful in her bliss, her breath coming fast as she arched her neck. The long column of her throat begged for his mouth, but he kept up the slow plunge inside her, forcing her to ride the edge. Her eyelashes fluttered, and sexy little cries fell from her lips. She grabbed his forearms, her nails digging in with the most delicious pain he’d ever felt. “I don’t... I’ve never...” “You will,” he promised her. “Take me, baby.” He needed to get as close to her as he could, needing to erase any distance that remained between them. “Please take me. All of me.” He’d think about the meaning of his words later, but for now, he moved faster, stroked harder, went deeper. So deep he could lose himself in her. Become one with her. With a soft cry, she anchored herself to him, her arms around his neck, her body hugging him, her legs tight at his waist. “Yes, yes, yes,” she panted. “That feels so good. Darius...please...more.” He took her completely then, with everything in him. Pounding hard, his blood racing, his mind fogging to anything but the feel of her hot skin, her breath on his throat, her silky hair against his cheek. He felt her next orgasm begin in the quiver of her limbs. Moments later, he was looking into her blue eyes and calling out her name. And as he gave her everything—and she did, too—he had the strangest sense of being owned. No one had ever owned him. Not since he was a kid, when it felt like his father had wrapped a tight and jagged chain around him. But when he was with Nathalie, it was as though something eased inside him. Like a sweet refrain telling him everything was—finally—all right. * * * Nathalie couldn’t let go. Didn’t want to. Not when letting go meant returning to the world. To reality. She felt so wonderfully engulfed by Darius, his skin warm, his muscles hard and hot. She wanted to stay like this, without thinking or questioning, just indulging her senses a while longer before they let reality seep back in. Only...all the things she’d done with Darius were the wild and crazy acts of another woman. A sexy siren. But she was so not that. And already the jittery nerves were rising again. He’d called her baby. And in the moment, it had sounded so sweet, almost gut-wrenching. But she knew she needed to be honest with herself about the fact that it was a pet name most men used for casual sex buddies. Which should be fine, since that’s exactly what this was. She had to keep that firmly in her mind. “Making love with you was absolutely perfect,” he murmured into her hair. Again, though they were easy words, it felt like Darius was infusing them with so much emotion, almost as though he was saying it had been more than just sex for him. Which, of course, he wasn’t. This had just been weeks of teasing, some really hot pheromones swirling in the air, and a fast ride in—and on top of—his sexy sports car. She needed to remember that’s all it was. Still, she wanted a few more moments in his arms. Just a few more and then real life could start up again. “I must be crushing you,” he finally said, but he rose slowly, swiping his tongue over her shoulder. She’d never known a man like him before, such an innately sensual creature, always touching, licking, kissing. As he eased away from her, he trailed a hand over her skin and said, “The things you do to me.” Except for her bra, she was naked on top of his car, her body still glistening with desire. And when he went to toss the condom, it was cold without him. Cold and exposed. So even though her limbs still felt boneless, she found her panties and dress on the hood beside her, tucked herself back into her bra, then slid off the hood of his expensive car and stepped into the dress. A few moments later, he was beside her again, his hand warm on her back. “I’ll help you.” He did her up with a slow slide of the zipper, the brush of his fingers teasing her skin. “Taking you out here wasn’t exactly what I had planned for our first time.” He was nuzzling her neck, and it did things to her insides all over again. He bit the soft flesh between her shoulder and neck, sending shivers of delight through her. “But it was so damned sexy, Nathalie. You’re so damned sexy.” She’d bought pretty lingerie, a new dress, and made a trip to the drugstore, all in the name of seducing him. She’d had intentions. And now she’d just had the most amazing sex of her life. She would not ruin everything because she couldn’t stop thinking of all the other women before her to whom he’d likely said the exact same thing. She turned in his arms, looped hers around his neck, and said, “It was perfect.” Her voice was too high and bright, overenthusiastic, like Zion's. She needed to bring herself under control. The problem with Darius was that he could make a girl lose her head. But Nathalie couldn’t afford that. * * * Darius changed his torn shirt while Nathalie corralled her brother. As soon as Zion climbed into the passenger seat of her car, he nodded off. “You two should spend the night.” Reluctant to take his arm from around her waist, Darius herded her a few feet away so Zion wouldn’t overhear their conversation, just in case he woke up. “No.” Nathalie shook her head. She could be stubborn, Darius realized. And the truth was that one of the things he appreciated about her was her iron will. No one would ever hurt Zion while she was on watch. She would be the same way about her kids, he knew—protecting them with her life. “We need to get home,” she told him. “Thank you for giving him a fabulous day. And,” she added with another one of those pretty blushes, “for the fabulous evening I had, too.” Fabulous didn’t even begin to cover it.