Dare to Believe

“She’ll wake up.”

He sat on the edge of the bed, unable to leave his mate’s side even for a moment. “Has a human ever survived a bond this strong?”

His mother’s moment of silence only deepened his fear. “Her body is changing, Leo. Her energies are aligning with yours. She’ll share your lifespan. Some sleep is normal.”

“This much sleep?” He looked up at his mother, pleading with her to reassure him.

Aileen looked away, her eyes closing in pain.

Leo closed his own and prayed.

She’ll be all right. She has to be. Lord, please let her be all right.

Ruby sighed. She tugged at the comforter, frowning when Leo’s butt kept it from moving very far.

Leo jumped up, watching with joy as Ruby snuggled under the comforter. She pulled it up to her chin and settled back down.

He allowed his mother to tug him from the room. “Wake her in a few hours, Leo.” She grinned up at him, some of the worries of the last few days leaving her face. “And then wake her properly.”

He leaned down and kissed his mother’s cheek. “I will. Thank you, Mom.”

She nodded and left him to watch over his wife.

The scent of fresh-brewed manna from heaven wafted by her on the morning breeze.

“If you don’t wake up, I’ll drink your coffee.”

The demon’s threat filtered down into her caffeine-deprived brain and she groaned. One hand lifted weakly in the direction the wonderful aroma was coming from.

“That’s it, kitten, open those pretty brown eyes.”

The demon was laughing at her. Ruby opened one weary eye and glared blearily up at the Evil One.

She closed her eyes and groaned.

She could hear him blowing. The scent of the coffee went straight to her nose and filtered into her brain. “Cooo-fffeeeeee. C’mon, kitten, you can do it for coffee, right?”

“Gimme.” She lurched up and grabbed the mug, downing the entire contents in one very long pull, ignoring the sting of heat. She then, very precisely, put the mug on the end table and collapsed, all without opening her eyes. She pulled her pillow over her head. “Go ’way.”

Okay. The demon was definitely laughing at her. “If you get up I can get you more coffee.”

She pulled her head out from under the pillow and glared at him some more. “Promise?”

“Promise.”

She sighed, her natural sense of humor waking up. The caffeine moving through her system didn’t hurt, either. “Okay, fine, I’m up.” After a long, languid, full-body stretch she sat up, running her fingers through her tousled hair.

Leo wasn’t laughing any more. His gaze was riveted to her body, watching her stretch with a hungry expression. With a start she realized what kind of a show she was giving him. She also realized for the first time that she was stark naked.

“Oh, no. No, no, no. Not before two cups of coffee, at least.”

“How about a good morning kiss then?”

“Hmmm. All right, seeing as you brought me my coffee.” Ruby screwed her eyes shut and pursed her lips, waiting for his.

She waited.

And waited.

Finally she opened one eye. “What?” she said from between her still puckered lips.

“You’re kidding me, right?”

She bit her lip and tried to look innocent. “No. You asked for a kiss. Did I do it wrong?” She batted her eyelashes and gave him her most fake innocent smile.

“Yes.”

When he pounced she was unprepared. In less than a second she was flat on her back and giggling like a mad woman.

Leo grabbed both of her hands and pulled them over her head. He gathered her wrists in one large hand, pinning her in place with his weight. He nudged her legs apart and settled his body between her thighs. With his free hand he cupped her cheek tenderly. “Now, let’s see about that good morning kiss, kitten.”

She didn’t get the sweet good-morning kiss she’d expected. What she got was a great deal more. Leo shifted his hand from her cheek to her hair and, with a gentle tug, pulled at her head until he’d tilted her enough to satisfy him. Her eyes widened at the dominant gesture. His mouth swooped down to hers, his lips parting hers with all the force of an invading conqueror. When she gasped he took advantage of it, parting her mouth even further with his tongue, tasting her in a primal possession that had her nipples hardening in anticipation. His tongue began moving rhythmically, fucking her mouth. She moaned beneath him, all thoughts of playing one game gone, taken over by the thought of playing a much more satisfying game.

The hand in her hair began drifting down, reaching for her breast so slowly she thought she would scream. When he finally palmed the weight of it in his large hand she nearly did scream.

“Mmmm, that’s what I call a good morning kiss.” He whispered the words across her lips. His thumb strummed over her nipple, teasing it even more erect.

Once again her sense of humor got the better of her. “I don’t know. That kind of seemed like an average morning kiss.”

One brow rose arrogantly. “Is that so?”

“Mm-hmm. You’ll have to work at it to turn it into a good morning kiss.”

“Oh, a challenge.” His whisper was full of dark hunger, and Ruby shivered, wondering what Pandora’s Box she’d just opened. “I wonder what it would take to make it a great morning kiss.”

She shifted, pulling at her hands. She frowned slightly when Leo didn’t let go. “Coffee.”

“I don’t think coffee is what you need, kitten.” His thumb continued to move over her nipple. Ruby decided it was a good thing she didn’t sleep in panties, since they would have been soaked by now. Being held down by him felt surprisingly erotic.

Although I might not want to tell the big Neanderthal that. God knows he gets off on hauling me around enough as it is. “Oh, coffee’s good. I could really use coffee, Leo.” She looked up at him with hopeful, innocent eyes, all the while laughing inside.

Ruby shivered again. The heated promise in his eyes and smile said she wasn’t going anywhere. “I think I know exactly what you need.”

“What’s that?” The breathy sound of her voice would have shocked her at any other time. But by then, his hand had left her breast and was easing down the length of her body, sending tiny little shivers of need down her spine.

“I think—” his fingers stroked her lower stomach, tracing an erotic pattern that made her breath hitch,

“—you need—” his hand inched its way towards her bared pussy, stroking along the top before delving between the cleft, “—to purr.” One finger inserted itself between her wet lips, stroking her clit so softly she sighed. His head dipped towards her mouth, pausing when she licked her kiss-swollen lips. His eyes flared with otherworldly light. “Purr for me, kitten,” he breathed into her mouth before claiming it.

The light, teasing flicks of his finger over her clit nearly drove her insane. She writhed beneath him, pulling on her wrists, trying to get closer to those teasing fingers of his. He refused to let her go, careful not to bruise her while holding her where he wanted her. He watched her out of hot, glowing eyes, his glamour dropping away from him completely. She bit her lip and moaned beneath him, eager for more of the pleasure he was giving her.

Ruby stared up into his beautiful, nearly-human eyes and groaned. “Leo, please.”

“Leo, please what?” He bent down far enough to brush his lips over hers, a light teasing caress that left her totally unsatisfied.

Ruby shifted, her legs caressing his. The rough texture of his jeans was an erotic counterpoint to her bare, satiny skin. She shivered as his fingers stroked over the entrance to her pussy. She could feel herself growing even wetter as he teased her lower lips.

Ruby decided that two could play at that game. Leaving her hands in his one for now, she began undulating beneath him, beginning an erotic dance designed to set him groaning. She lifted her hips in a silent plea for him to