A moment later, he lifted her leg with one powerful hand, opening her to him. He licked his lips, and Tabitha’s heart stopped. As intimate as they’d ever been, Raiden had never indulged in the intimacy of tasting her. He’d kissed her, yes. But this sort of behavior was common among wizards sampling their mates… or so she’d heard.
Why was he doing this with her now?
Then his mouth latched onto her, and the answer didn’t matter. Gently, he raked his tongue through her slit, sucked the sensitive bead above into his mouth. Gentle fingers caressed her hip with hypnotic rhythm.
It didn’t take long for Tabitha’s entire body to light up. Inside, she tightened, yet expanded. Burning as she hurtled toward climax. And Raiden’s unrelenting mouth seemed hungry, insistent. Thought-robbing. The lash of his tongue against her clit generated the sort of pleasure that robbed her of sanity. Tabitha couldn’t rub two thoughts together, couldn’t find the will to do anything but plant her hands in his hair and try to absorb all the wanton sensations clawing through her.
As her body coiled up and the ache behind her little bud turned to fire, she burst out like a supernova, screaming through the most intense peak in memory. And Raiden’s powerful hands held her in place as he murmured against her sensitive flesh and lapped at her in reward.
“Raiden…” She couldn’t catch a breath, couldn’t believe the stark inferno of pleasure his touch incited.
Suddenly, he raised his lips, pressing a series of soft kisses against her abdomen, which was just beginning to show the bump of the growing baby inside. He smiled against her skin, his palm swiping a caress across her belly. And her heart melted. Yes, he could give her pleasure unlike any other, but he could also touch her heart. This big, proud warrior cared for her and their baby somewhere in that thick skull. He was capable of love and devotion. He had to be. Surely, he couldn’t touch her like this and not be.
With that thought bouncing through her head, she let him back her onto the desk. Tabitha hissed at the feel of cold faux-wood, but didn’t finish the sound before she felt the thick stalk of his flesh pressing at her swollen folds, tucking just inside her body. That hiss became a moan as he began to press in… in… in, until he was so deep that she felt deliciously stretched and filled with him. Completed.
“Oh, God,” he moaned in her ear. “I’ve missed the feel of you.”
She had missed him as well.
Raiden gripped her hips in his large hands and took control of their lovemaking. Swift, sure strokes deep into her heat… right into her heart. He filled her everywhere, rubbing against flesh still swooning from her last orgasm, he built another tsunami of ecstasy so quickly that Tabitha literally felt her head spin.
His fingers tightened on her. He began to pant. His pace picked up. Sweat popped out on his forehead, down his temples, across his back.
“What the hell do you do to me?” He breathed the words into her face, his eyes lost and angry, yet so focused on her.
His question was all it took. The earth shifted beneath her. Her body clamped down on him, convulsed, then careened into pleasure so strong that she cried out, clutching his shoulders for dear life.
“Look at me,” he demanded.
No. If she looked at him, she’d be totally lost. Already, her heart was his. And even after this absolute exchange of pleasure, he’d leave her soon. And even if she mated with Sean Blackbourne, a part of her she’d never get back would be his forever. She shook her head.
“Tabby, now! Please…”
He moaned, all but begging, his hips pistoning in and out of her with rapid force and devastating pleasure, keeping the climax ravaging her endlessly. Though she wasn’t looking at him, his gaze burned her. His plea resonated in her head. Her heart beat for him.
Tabitha opened her eyes. His blue stare looked desperate, wild, hungry… yet so focused on her as he hardened inside her and let go.
He groaned long and loud as he released inside her, his head falling back as he pressed their bodies ever closer and held her tight, as if he’d never let go.
“Tabby…”
The word was like melted caramel pouring all over her, and she sighed. He sounded torn. And what could she say? Raiden knew how she felt.
Suddenly, he stiffened and his eyes flared wide. “Bloody fucking hell!”
In a split second, he withdrew, fastened his jeans, and thrust on his sweater.
She guessed that meant he regretted showing emotion to her or whatever his latest hang-up was.
“Get dressed,” he hissed, shoving her bra back into place.
“Look, if you’re wishing now that you hadn’t touched me or been real or—”
“That isn’t it.” He scowled as he handed Tabitha her shirt. “Hurry! Someone’s coming.”
Chapter Seven
Tabitha struggled into her shirt as Raiden pushed her toward the door, wondering if they’d make it out alive. He understood the reasons the Council had made teleporting in and out of government facilities impossible, even nearly deserted ones like this. Security against the nosy and unexpected was important—but damned inconvenient.
Raiden cursed. This was his fault. If he hadn’t been so dazzled by Tabby, and so drawn to the idea of savoring her sweetness, he would have sensed the intruder’s approach much sooner.
Now, it might be too late.
With efficient fingers, Tabby tied her shirt around her still trim waist, only bothering with the button over her breasts. “Can you hold off whoever is coming?”
Raiden was about to ask what the hell she thought she would be doing in the meantime, but she dashed around the desk and yanked a drawer open, rifling through the contents inside.
“We don’t have time for this.” He grabbed her wrist to pull her to the door.
She wriggled from his grasp and continued on her quest. “If someone is coming, they know we’re here. We won’t get a chance to search this office again, and I can’t let my family have died in vain. My father wanted this family tree protected. If I have to die for it…” She shrugged. “Let’s not argue. Just go!”
“You’re pregnant. If you die, the baby—”
“Dies with me, I know! Do whatever you can to make certain that doesn’t happen.” She slammed the first drawer shut and dove into the second, rifling through one file folder after another.
“Three minutes,” he growled. “If I send up a red spark before then, it means get the hell out now.”
She nodded, and he looked at her one last time, fear for her thrumming through his bloodstream.
Stubborn woman. He understood her need to fulfill her father’s last wish. After today, this opportunity would be gone. But damn it, allowing her to put herself and the baby in danger… Raiden almost couldn’t do it. For her, he tried.
Leaving the office, he crept into the once-bright reception area, staying in the shadows falling across the dusty walls. There were two entrances onto this floor. The one in front of him still showed a door firmly closed. The one around the corner he couldn’t see.
It was a risk, but Raiden closed his eyes and filtered through all the sounds and scents in the building, searching for the ones that signified a living, breathing creature. Or more than one.
There in the stairwell. Footsteps.
A creaking door a moment later confirmed his worst fears. Whoever stalked them had just entered the floor and closed the door behind him soundlessly.
Too late to call for backup now. He had to hope that their surprise visitor couldn’t sense him waiting and counter his surprise attack. Otherwise, he and Tabby were dead.
As the intruder came closer, Raiden sensed more. Male based on the scent. Sweat hung in the air. Excited but not nervous. Raiden would bet his very wand that the encroacher thought he had them cornered.
And he was probably right.
Twenty meters, fifteen, ten… Raiden held in a breath, his wand at the ready. He’d get one clean swipe at
