His gaze raked her. Sweet flesh. Pale. Smooth. The plain black bra hugged her curving br**sts …
In mere moments, the bra hit the floor. So did her boots, her socks, her jeans … the soft cotton panties.
Steam began to rise in the ice-cold shower—the steam rose from his flesh.
“You have to cool down,” she whispered.
The sight of her naked body wasn’t going to cool him off. Right then, he didn’t think anything could.
Flat stomach, flaring hips. Legs that were long, sensual …
She stepped into the shower. Her ni**les—dark pink—pebbled at the lash of cold water.
Take. Taste.
He wanted her so badly, but when he looked down, he realized that he’d clenched his hands. The better not to touch.
She shivered at the cold even as she came closer. Her br**sts brushed against his chest.
His eyes closed. The touch was agony. A sensual hell.
More.
He wanted her ni**les in his mouth. He’d seen humans f**k. Once, he’d thought it looked messy. Hot.
Now he wanted that—the shove of bodies, the pant of breath, and the hot clasp of her sex.
He wanted it all.
“You’re not cooling down,” she said, voice husky, and her hands rose to clasp his shoulders.
Keenan laughed, a rough bark of sound. “When you touch me, there’s no way I can’t burn.”
She rose onto her toes. “Maybe—maybe that’s what you need to do … just let the fire out.”
Her lips were so close he could taste the sweetness of the kiss that would be. “And if it scorches you?”
Nicole shook her head. Her dark locks were already soaked. “It won’t.” The icy water had her trembling, but she still leaned in ever closer to him. “It won’t.” Her words sounded certain, but there was so much she didn’t know.
Her lips—cold from the kiss of water—touched his. Her mouth was open, her lips soft, and her tongue pushed into his mouth.
He was lost. But then, with her, he always had been.
His hands were rough with need as he held her tight. He wanted every inch of her body against his. His tongue met hers and tasted. His mouth opened wider because he needed more of her. Wanted everything.
Her hand slid between their bodies. Slick, sure. Her fingers skated over his ni**les and a growl vibrated in his throat. She pushed between them, sliding her hand down, down …
When she touched his cock, his body jerked.
“Easy,” she whispered as she pulled back and lifted her gaze to meet his. The water wasn’t as cold now. He’d made it hot. Couldn’t control it.
No control.
Her fingers wrapped around his cock, curving over the base of his erection, and she began to pump. Long, slow pumps as her lips skimmed down his neck.
Bite. He wanted her mouth on him as her hands squeezed his flesh. Because her touch … burning hell … nothing had ever been so good. The pressure was just right, her fingers tight and sure, and now, moving faster, faster.
“It’s okay,” she said, her voice stronger, and she pushed him back so that his shoulders hit the tile. “You won’t hurt me.” Her lips curved in a wan smile. “I’m stronger than I look.”
So am I. He was strong, but still, with her, close to breaking.
His breath came harder and his heart thudded against his chest. Her tongue licked his throat. A hot lick that had his need spiking.
Then she began to slip down his body. Steam rose off her, and her lips feathered down his chest. Down his abdomen.
His muscles locked and when her lips closed over his c**k …
The pleasure erupted inside of him. One lick of her tongue, just one, and Keenan lost control. Lost everything.
His vision dimmed to red. A distant roar filled his ears. The pleasure mixed with the fire in his body, burning, sweeping away his past, sweeping him into the maelstrom of need and hunger and …
Yes.
Pleasure.
So much pleasure.
She licked him again. Trailed her fingers over his c**k and looked up at him.
He knew then he wouldn’t get enough. That lash of wild pleasure—it had only been the beginning and he needed, had to get more.
Everything.
No wonder humans lied and killed for sex. No wonder.
He caught her under her arms, lifted her up high, and barely felt her weight.
“Keenan, we should—”
He kissed her, thrusting his tongue deep and loving the soft moan that trembled in her throat.
His arms moved to cradle her, and, keeping his mouth crushed to hers, he carried her from the bathroom.
The heat that had seemed to burn his body from the inside out had channeled, focused now—and the focus was on her.
Easing her down carefully, he put her on the bed. His gaze swept her body, noting every curve, every small freckle, every inch of perfect skin.
Her legs shifted on the bed, parting, and he swallowed. “I want …”
Her right hand eased down her stomach, but paused over the light covering of hair that shielded her sex from his view.
The roar was back, filling his ears. No, not a roar this time. His heartbeat. Pounding so fast.
“I want you,” Nicole said, and with that, nothing would have kept him from her.
He leaned over her and his right knee pushed down on the sagging mattress. He didn’t touch her, was almost afraid to. After having her haunt his dreams—just like this—he didn’t want to risk reaching out and having her vanish.
But this wasn’t a dream. Or a nightmare. This was real. He could just glimpse the edge of her fangs and her eyes were still pitch-black.
Not quite like his fantasies.
But she was still Nicole.
His fingers trailed down her arm. He’d always loved her skin. He bent and his breath blew lightly over her nipple.
She arched toward him. “Keenan!”
That was how a woman should say his name. With need and lust and hunger.
Not fear.
His tongue snaked out and licked her nipple. Sampled it and he found that he loved the taste. His mouth opened wider and he closed his lips over her flesh. Sucking. Tasting.
More.
His teeth scored her flesh. Perhaps there was a reason why vamps liked to bite so much. The biting was … pleasurable.
Her legs shifted as her breath came faster. He liked that.
His fingers found her other breast and lightly caressed the nipple. But then he had to taste it, too. Her br**sts were sweet, the tips like ripe strawberries—a new temptation he’d discovered.
The world was meant to tempt.
The scent of her arousal filled his nostrils. She wants me. This wasn’t a game. No trick. Nicole wanted him just as much as he wanted her. His head lifted. He stared into her eyes.