Dark Hunger

right above his heart. 'Why should that bother you?'

'Juliette, we are bound together. I would know if you had sex with another man. You could not hide it from me.'

'I wouldn't try to hide it from you.' She pushed at the wall of his chest but he was a rock, and even with her unusual strength, she couldn't move him.

'I would kill him.'

'Why would you kill him? He isn't the one bound to you.'

'Exactly.' Riordan turned away from her, a black anger he didn't understand enveloping him. To cool off, he waded into the pool and looked back at her. She stood there with the moonlight spilling over her luscious body, her expression a mixture of amusement and exasperation. She was so beautiful he hurt just looking at her. 'I am not human, Juliette and you can never think for one moment that I am. I am a predator and I will protect what is mine.'

'Did I say I wanted another man? No! I was thinking no one else could compare with you. I was not thinking I wanted someone else. How could I, after what we just shared? Are you going to be an idiot and act jealous all the time? That would make me crazy.'

He ducked under the water to rinse the heat from his skin. He stood up, the water lapping at his hips. 'Come here.'

'You didn't answer me.'

He sighed. 'Yes, I am going to be an idiot and act jealous all the time. The idea of another man touching you, making love to you, makes me want to tear out his heart.'

'Well.' Juliette smiled and waded out to him. 'I'd want to tear out the heart of any woman that tried to seduce you.' She reached him, tipping up her face for his searing kiss. 'We'll both have to work not to be jealous idiots. I can't see myself wanting anyone else when I have you.'

'I will not mind if you wish to seduce me.' He kissed her again, long, addictive kisses that had a bite to them.

'How lucky for me.' She bent down and hit the water with her hand, sending up a spray that doused him thoroughly. Laughing, she dove away from him, swimming beneath the water to the center of the pond.

Chapter 6

Riordan watched her swim, her pale body slipping sensuously through the water. The clear liquid shimmered over her feminine form, enhancing every curve and secret hollow. Catching the glimpse of another man in her mind had been a shock, and he wasn't certain why it would be. She was a very sexual woman. She was bold and knew what she wanted. He wanted that kind of woman, as sexual as he knew himself to be, yet the thought of another man leaning down to suckle her breast or plunge deep into her body made the beast in him rise. It was dark and ugly and utterly dangerous.

Juliette would attract the attention of men with her shapely body. She was the epitome of a sexual creature. Riordan dove under water and began to swim laps, back and forth, driving himself to keep his fury at bay. If she ever wanted another man…

I thought lifemates wanted only each other. There was curiosity in her voice.

You are the only lifemate I have ever had. I am new at this.

He sounded so disgruntled she laughed and swam to the other side of the pool. There was a smooth shelf formed from boulders beneath the surface near the edge of the water. Juliette sat on it and watched him swim back and forth like a shark. Does it really bother you so much?

Riordan heard the soft tremor in her voice. Of course it bothers me. I am a possessive man. But it matters little, Juliette. We are lifemates. We are bound from this time forward and there will be no other.

Is that a decree? She didn't know why she was suddenly close to tears. She wasn't ashamed of her past. She didn't want any other men now, but she couldn't help that she had been born into a species that made it nearly impossible not to have sex at certain times. She wasn't about to apologize for who she was.

Riordan caught the echo of her thoughts, the painful tightness in her chest, and knew he hurt her. Had that been his intention? He hoped not. He would despise himself if his newly acquired emotions were so out of control that he could punish his lifemate for something she did before he met her.

He swam slowly across the pool until he was directly in front of her. 'I do believe I am the idiot you called me. I apologize for my jealous streak. I also find I have a rotten temper which I shall do my best to control.' He grinned at her, a sudden melting smile that brought life to his dark eyes. 'It is the passion in me. My blood runs hot and I am caught. Fortunately…' He moved closer to her, his hands circling her ankles. 'I can make up for my shortcomings in other ways.'

'Don't you dare.' She could see the mischief on his face.

He yanked on her legs, catching her by surprise, so that she slid toward him, her legs over his shoulders. I thought I would find out how you taste. If you're as tangy and spicy all over as I imagine you are. Without giving her the slightest opportunity to squirm away, he lowered his head between her thighs.

Juliette jumped, but his hands cupped her bare buttocks, fingers digging deep to hold her still. His teeth scraped the inside of her thigh. She heard herself moan softly. Felt the first surge of moist welcoming heat.

'Lie back for me,' he said softly, 'relax, float. Just feel. Just feel this time, Juliette.'

She loved the way he said her name with his peculiar, very sexy accent. She loved the way his eyes went dark and smoldered and hungered and burned over her body. His hair touched her sensitive skin, her body trembled. She felt his hand pushing against her heat. She stared up at the night sky, watched the droplets of rain come down in slow motion. Some landed on her face, some on her bare breasts. Water from the pool slid over her stomach, a silken blanket arousing her further. Juliette gave herself to him completely.

His finger pushed into her, stroking deep caresses, teasing and dancing until she moaned with pleasure. His mouth replaced his hand, a hot pulsing of fire that left her breathless, unable to scream, unable to breathe. Pressure built fast and hard and raged through her body for release. When her orgasm hit, it was explosive and violent and shook her to the very core of her being.

Riordan slowly lifted his head from between her thighs, holding her secure when she might have drowned, might have just sunk to the bottom in a heap of heated feminine flesh. He pulled her through the water to him, rocked her gently while her body continued to sizzle and spark and ripple with pleasure.

Juliette wrapped her arms around his neck and laid her head on his shoulder. 'I accept your apology.'

His arms tightened possessively. He floated over to the small shelf near the water's edge. 'I hoped you would feel my sincerity.'

'Do you think a woman can fall in love with a man she barely knows?'

'I do not know, but she can fall in love with a man after she has walked in his mind and knows who he is and what he stands for.'

She kissed his neck. 'I never once dreamed I would have a man in my life. Never once.'

'That is only because you could not conjure up the image of such a charming man.' He sank down onto the shelf looking pleased with himself and pulled her onto his lap, cradling her close. 'I have four brothers.' He pushed the wet hair from the side of her neck and threw it back in a long, wet trail over her shoulder. 'Our prince sent us out so many years ago this country has become our home. I am the youngest in the family, and my brothers worry for me, all of them. Nicolas and Rafael are out of the country at the moment so you are safe from meeting them en masse. We have very close ties to a family of humans…'

'The ones who work your cattle empire,' she interrupted.

'Ranch. It is large, but it is no empire. Yes, they run the ranch. They have young orphaned relatives in the United States and two of my brothers went to help them smooth the way to bring them home.'

She looked up at him suspiciously. 'What does that mean? Smooth the way. By using their voices with hypnotic suggestions? Their eyes mesmerizing people?'