Dark Desire After Dark

He broke away, but only to trail his lips along her neck. 'That's it, pet,' he rasped with a lick against her skin. 'Let me kiss you. I'll do it till your toes curl.'

They already were. And her nipples throbbed. She felt herself growing wet between her legs, aching to be touched there—

Without warning, he spread the top of her robe wide to her waist, revealing the black cami she wore. When he brazenly pinched her nipples through the silk, she nearly came out of her skin, jerking with a cry that turned to another moan.

'Silk's the only thing that should ever cover breasts this beautiful.' His palms settled around her sides, his thumbs lazily brushing over her hardening nipples again and again until she was arching to his touch. She bit her bottom lip hard, struggling to keep from moaning.

'Sensitive halfling. I could make you come so quick. Do you want me to?' he asked, settling back into the kiss. As he licked her tongue so wickedly, she realized she did. So much.

Too fast…losing control. She couldn't stop kissing him. Oh, God, I'm losing it. Why couldn't she stop kissing him?

Already, she battled overwhelming impulses to sink her claws into his body, to force him closer so he couldn't get away from her.

She was about to tell him that he could do anything he wanted when he pressed his erection against her, slowly thrusting.

Even as the rational side of her brain was reasoning that his size simply couldn't be right, the other side of her mind was filled with disturbing images.

She saw herself tearing off his jeans to get to the swollen shaft he rocked against her. Then, when he was lying back on the bed, she'd guide his erection inside her body, impaling herself on it as she squeezed the rippling muscles of his chest….

When her hands dropped, claws poised to rip off his jeans, fear coursed through her. These urges weren't her own. Her eyes went wide and she broke away, shoving at his shoulders. 'Stop…no!'

He pulled back, his chest heaving, his horns straightening. He looked dangerous and wicked and tempting.

'I figured you'd stop me.' His lips curled in a smile that robbed her of breath. 'But I got further than I thought I would.'

Flinging herself away from him, she demanded, 'What is this?' Her thoughts were scrambled, her body screaming for relief. 'Why would you want to get far with me at all? What is the purpose?'

'I made a run at you.'

She yanked her robe closed up to her neck. 'A run? Why? Because you wanted to teach me a lesson, or because you're attracted to me?'

'Maybe a little of both.'

'Why would you be attracted to me? It isn't logical.'

'You're not just a nerd's wet dream, you know.'

'What does that mean?'

'Means I find you sexy. I'm not going to lie to you about this.'

'Sexy?' she said in a strangled tone. 'But…but you like tarts. With more meat on their bones. That's what you said! And I've done nothing to try to attract this attention from you! I don't wear makeup or low-cut tops—'

'Do you think just because you don't try that you'll be unattractive?'

Well…yes.

'Face it, Holly, you're a natural.'

This would not do. She pointed her forefinger at him. 'No more kissing me, Cadeon. That's not part of this deal. I have a boyfriend.'

'No, you don't. You've got a friend. The two of you don't sleep together, or do anything couples should do. And that's because you don't know better. You have no idea what you're missing.'

She didn't have the heart to deny his words.

'In the short time that we're going to be together, I intend to keep trying to seduce you,' he said. 'Why not use me to ease your curiosity while we're stuck together? You can take a vacation from your boring life, get all this craziness out of your system, then go back to normal.'

She hesitated, tilting her head…then railed at herself. Was she was actually considering getting lured into his sensual world? The dark side. Just like her dream.

When she parted her lips to speak, he said, 'You don't have to answer right now. Just keep the offer in mind. And one thing I can promise you: What happens with the demon, stays with the demon.'

'How considerate an offer.'

'That's me. Always thinking of others.'

She squinted at him suspiciously, having the sense that he was excited, even… happy with her.

'I'm going to sleep.' With her robe still firmly in place, she crawled under the covers.

'Ah, come on, halfling, you don't have to keep your robe on like a shark suit.'

'I do when there are still sharks in the water.'

'You can trust me not to do anything to you. I give you my word as a mercenary.'

She glared at that. 'Where are you going to sleep?'

He crossed to the couch and sank down, stretching his long arms along the back. 'Here, unless you're wanting to share your bed with me.'

'Ha!' She turned off the lamp. 'In your dreams, demon.'

'Admittedly, halfling,' he rumbled from the dark.

16

When she woke near sundown, Cadeon was exiting the bathroom wearing only a towel, displaying far too much of that muscular body. Her lips parted with appreciation.

His tanned skin was taut and smooth over his rigid muscles, showing no signs of being shot just yesterday. His broad chest and back were damp from his shower.

Acting as if she still slept, she watched him moving about the room. She'd just been dreaming about him, the same vivid dream she'd had before. She swallowed, eyes riveted to that intriguing bulge behind his towel that swayed when he bent for his bag—

He abruptly turned, catching her staring at that part of his anatomy before she yanked her gaze up. He gave her a grin, and the blond stubble on his strong jaw glinted in the low light.

Even with the horns, he was too gorgeous for his own good. Worse, he knew it.

She resolved then that he'd never know that she found him handsome.

'Good, you're awake. I'm in need of your services.'

'Pardon?'

'I need you to extract a bullet from me. I haven't been able to shed it.'

She sat up, rubbing her eyes. 'How would I do that?'

'Dig it out with your claws.'

For all her phobias, she wasn't afraid of blood. But helping him would entail touching him. No way. It was too soon after their kiss this morning.

As she'd tossed and turned, trying to get to sleep, she'd decided that she would stay as far away from him as possible, biding her time until they stopped sharing rooms. 'This is just one of your ploys to seduce me, isn't it?'

'Look, I wouldn't ask, but it's high on the back of my thigh and I can't easily reach it. Hurts like hell.' He held her gaze as he said, 'And, pet, I did catch it saving your life.'

Guilt flared. He was in pain and needed her help. 'You're right.' She reached for her glasses, then tightened