Lover Eternal

didn't know what she would do if he touched her again.

Rhage didn't even try.

He sat on the bed, a towel around his hips, his hair damp. He dragged a hand down his face, across his jaw. He looked like hell, but his body was still the most beautiful thing she'd ever seen. She pictured the hands of other women grabbing on to those powerful shoulders, just as she had. She saw him pleasuring other bodies as he had hers.

She was torn between wanting to thank God she hadn't slept with him, and being pissed off that after all the women he'd done, he refused to have sex with her.

'How many?' she demanded, the words so hoarse they barely carried. 'And tell me, was it good for you? I don't have to ask whether they liked it. I know how talented you are.'

'Sweet… Mary,' he whispered. 'If you'd let me hold you, I would. God, I would kill just to hold you right now.'

'You are never coming near me again. Now how many were there? Two? Four? A six-pack?'

'Do you really want the details?' His voice was soft, sad to the point of cracking. Abruptly his head dropped down and hung loosely from his neck. For all appearances, he looked like a ruined man. 'I can't… I'm not going out like that again. I'll find another way.'

'Another way to get off?' she snapped. 'You sure as hell won't be sleeping with me, so are you thinking about using your hand, maybe?'

He took a deep breath. 'That design. On my back? It's part of me.'

'Whatever. I'm leaving here today.'

His head twisted toward her. 'No, you aren't.'

'Yes, I am.'

'I'll give you this room. You won't have to see me. But you aren't going anywhere.'

'How are you going to keep me from leaving? Lock me in here?'

'If that's what it takes, yeah.'

She recoiled. 'You can't be serious.'

'When's your next doctor's appointment?'

'That is none of your business.'

'When?'

The hard anger in his voice cooled her temper down a little. 'Ah… Wednesday.'

'I'll make sure you get to that.'

She stared at him. 'Why are you doing this to me?'

His shoulders rose and fell. 'Because I love you.'

'Excuse me?'

'I love you.'

Mary's control evaporated under a blast of fury so great she was rendered speechless. He loved her? He didn't know her. And he'd been with another… Her outrage boiled over as she pictured him having sex with someone else.

Suddenly Rhage sprang off the bed and came at her, as if he felt her emotions and was energized by them.

'I know you're angry, scared, hurting. Take it out on me, Mary.' He grabbed her waist to keep her from running, but didn't stop her from trying to shove him away. 'Use me to bear your pain. Let me feel it in my skin. Hit me if you have to, Mary.'

Damn her to hell, she was tempted to. Lashing out seemed like the only recourse for the kind of power surging through her body.

But she was not an animal. 'No. Now let go of me!'

He took her wrist and she struggled against the hold, throwing her whole body into the fight until her shoulder felt like it was going to pop. Rhage stilled her easily and flipped her hand around so her rigid, curled fingertips faced him.

'Use me, Mary. Let me bear this for you.' With a flash of movement, he raked his chest with her nails and then clamped his palms on either side of her face.

'Make me bleed for you…' His mouth stroked against hers. 'Let your anger go.'

God help her, she bit him. Right on his lower lip. She just sank her teeth into his flesh.

As something sinfully delicious hit her tongue, Rhage moaned with approval and pressed his body against hers. A buzz, like she'd had too much chocolate, hummed through her.

Mary cried out.

Horrified by what she'd done, scared of what she might do next, she fought to get away, but he held her in place, kissing her, telling her he loved her over and over again. The hard, hot length of his arousal pushed into her belly through the towel, and he rubbed himself against her, his body a sinuous, pumping promise of the sex she didn't want, but needed until her insides were cramping.

She wanted him… even though she knew he'd fucked other women. Tonight.

'Oh, God… no…' She jerked her head to the side, but he caught her chin, bringing her back to center.

'Yes, Mary…' He kissed her frantically, tongue in her mouth. 'I love you.'

Something inside of her snapped and she hurled him away, ducking out of his hold.

But instead of running for the door, she stared at him mercilessly.

Four scratches streaked down his chest. His lower lip was cut. He was panting, flushed.

She reached out and ripped the towel from his body.

Rhage was shockingly aroused, his erection straining, enormous.

And in the breathless moment between them, she despised all his smooth, perfectly hairless skin, his tight muscles, his fallen-angel beauty. Most of all, she loathed the proud length of him, that sexual tool he used so much.

And still, she wanted him.

If she'd been in her right mind, she would have backed away from Rhage. She would have locked herself in the bathroom. Hell, she would have been intimidated by the sheer size of him. But she was pissed off and out of control. She seized his hard flesh with one hand and took his balls in her other, both overflowing her palms. His head snapped backward, the cords in his neck straining, breath exploding from his mouth.

His voice vibrated, filled the room. 'Do whatever it takes. Oh, God, I love you.'

She led him to the bed roughly, letting go only so she could force him back on the mattress. He fell on the messy covers, his arms and legs splaying out as if he were giving himself to her with no reservations, no restrictions.

'Why now?' she asked bitterly. 'Why are you willing to do me now? Or is this not about sex at all and only because you want me to draw more blood?'

'I'm dying to make love with you. And I can be with you at this moment because I'm level. I'm… spent.'

Oh, now there was a lovely thought.

She shook her head, but he cut her off. 'You want me. So take the pleasure. Don't think, just take your pleasure from me.'

Crazed with lust and anger and frustration, Mary yanked her nightgown up around her hips and straddled his thighs. But once she was on top of him, looking down into his face, she hesitated. Was she really going to do this? Take him? Use him for nothing more than getting off and getting back at him for something he had every right to do?

She started to move off of him.

In a quick surge, Rhage's legs shot up under her, toppling her onto his chest. As she fell on him, his arms wrapped around her.

'You know what you want to do, Mary,' he said into her ear. 'Don't stop. Take what you need from me. Use me.'

Mary closed her eyes, turned off her brain, and let her body go.

Reaching between his thighs, she held him up and sat on him hard.

They both shouted as she took all of him, right to the pubic bone.