Black and Blue

“Okay?”

“Feels so good. You’re so big.”

Killing me. “Gonna make it feel even better.” He reached between their bodies, found her little bundle of nerves, pressed and rubbed until her hips began to rock.

“Yes!” she cried. “Oh, yes.”

He thrust the rest of the way in, as hard and fast as he’d wanted, and she came instantly, arching her back and screaming his name.

He’d never felt anything as rapturous as her inner walls clenching on him. So perfect. “Tell me you can take a rough ride, baby.”

“Yes. Please, yes.”

Never get tired of hearing her say that word. He grabbed the headboard, pulled most of the way out of her, then slammed in with so much force the entire bed rattled. A picture crashed to the floor. And maybe his Arcadian powers had caused the furniture to levitate, because a lamp tumbled from the nightstand and shattered.

He would pay for the damage. Gladly.

He kept moving. In, out. In, out. The pressure must have mounted inside her, because she clutched at him, urging him to give it to her harder, faster. He couldn’t have stopped or slowed to save his life. Never had he been so overwhelmed, so overcome. So taken over, where only pleasure mattered.

Here. Now. This woman. Mine.

His rhythm became brutal and punishing. Exquisite. Evie grabbed him by the hair and tugged him down for another kiss. The moment their tongues met, she climaxed again, and as her inner walls squeezed him this second time, he joined her, coming, coming so hard. He roared, giving one last thrust, feeding her that last bit of his release, until finally he collapsed on top of her, utterly spent.

He wasn’t sure how much time passed before he realized he hadn’t moved, that he could be suffocating her with his heavy weight. Gathering her close, he rolled to his side. Sweat formed a slippery layer over both of their bodies, and neither of them could catch their breath.

Thing was, he only wanted more.

* * *

Evie reeled. Sex had never been that good for her. Sex had probably never been that good for anyone, and she almost wished she hadn’t experienced it. Almost. How was she supposed to let Blue go now?

For the first time in years, she felt no sense of dissatisfaction. Only peace. As though all of the pieces of her life had finally lined up correctly.

But that couldn’t be right. Ultimately, no matter how wonderful Blue was as a person, he was bad for her. They would never want the same things.

Have to put some space between us. “I feel foolish for bringing this up now, considering my profession and my past, but in all the excitement I honestly never gave it a single thought. Although, that’s not really an excuse, is it? I should be totally ashamed.” And even panicked.

But she wasn’t panicked.

His eyes twinkled merrily, as if he were fighting a laugh. “I think that’s the closest you’ve ever come to rambling, sugar puff.”

“Well, what I was trying to say,” she continued, forging ahead, “is that I’m not on any kind of birth control.”

“No probs. I can’t get you pregnant.”

Ever? “First, no probs? Seriously? Second, what about disease?”

“First, yes. That is what I said. No probs. I think we should abbreviate more. It’s sexy. Second, I don’t have an Arcadian disease, and even if I did, I couldn’t pass it to you. Also, I’m immune to human disease.”

“Well, just for your peace of mind, I don’t have one. I checked.”

He kissed the tip of her nose. “Thank you for telling me.”

She sat up, pushed her damp hair from her face. “So . . .”

He arched a brow. “Is this the part where you try to kick me out of your bed? Sorry, hotcakes, because that’s just not happening. We’re snuggling.”

Wait. What? Peering down at him, she said firmly, “We are not snuggling.”

His bottom lip stuck out in the most adorable pout.

Was he teasing her?

He had to be teasing her.

Stupid, adorable man!

“So now that you’ve used me,” he said, “you’re going to abandon me?”

Gah! Guilt trip. “I don’t really have a desire to snugs. With anyone. Ever.”

He barked out a laugh. “Did you just say ‘snugs’?”

Her cheeks flamed as she realized that yes, yes she had. “What. I was giving the abbreviation thing a try.”

“You did good.” Grinning, he said, “Have you ever tried to ‘snugs’?”

Her eyes narrowed to tiny slits. “No.”

There was a softening around his eyes and mouth, as if he’d just spotted a kitten in need of help out of a tree. He cupped the back of her neck and massaged. “Let’s try it, then. You and me. We might like it.”

She closed her eyes in bliss, even as she inwardly cursed him. This was the charming seducer thousands had fallen for, guaranteed. “?‘We’?”

“I’ve never done it before, either, and I want to see what it’s like.”

She would be the first? Bollocks! How was she supposed to resist now? “You’re serious? Never?”

“Never. I took what I wanted and left . . . or forced the women to leave.”

“And they put up with you?” she asked, incredulous.

“Of course. They even tried to come back for seconds and thirds.”

“Of course,” she mocked. “But . . . why now? Why me?”

He shrugged, unabashed. “You smell too good, feel too good, and I’m going to want you again very, very soon. Might as well have you nearby and save myself the trouble of having to hunt you down.”

She should resist. One sexcapade had nearly killed her. No telling what a second go-round would do. And what if she actually enjoyed the whole snuggling thing? She’d start craving it—and when it came to Blue, she couldn’t afford any more cravings.

Who knows, maybe you’ll get lucky and hate it.

True.

Her silence must have provoked him, because he said, “Don’t make me caveman-up and club you over the head to get what I want.”

She rolled her eyes. “Okay, all right. Fine. We’ll do a little snuggling.” She draped herself over his chest, and he enfolded her in his arms. His heart pounded against her ear, fast and hard, pleasing her mightily.

She wasn’t going to hate it, was she?

“We can do this for an hour, and maybe, if you’re lucky, I’ll get a little handsy,” she said. “But after that we need to go our separate ways, okay?”

He combed his fingers through her hair. “Nope. Not okay. I need at least six hours. And definite hand play. No maybe about it.”

They were bargaining about this? Seriously? “Two hours,” she said. “And I won’t beat you to death.”

“Eight. And you’ll caress.”

Bloody hell. “That isn’t how you negotiate, Blue.”

“My bad. Ten hours.”

Just to be contrary, she twisted his nipple.

“Ow!” He pried her fingers loose and kissed her knuckles. “Just for that, I’m not going to tell you how I ranked you.”

She jolted upright and met his gaze. “You do not rank your women.” A pause. “Do you?”

“Not usually. But this time I made an exception.”

“I don’t think you know how close you are to having your spine pulled out through your mouth,” she said,