He crawled up her body and clamped onto her nipple again, sucking and tugging until intense heat built inside of her once more. She didn’t know how much she could take before climaxing again. From the way his golden scales were flashing and his eyes contained swirls of turquoise along with other delicious colors, he was on the edge too.
“Take me,” she begged.
He grinned. “I thought you’d never ask. Do we need a condom?”
“I’m on the pill.”
Tanner crawled up her body, cupped her face, and kissed her with power, passion, and determination, causing Ella to melt under his sensual assault. She couldn’t say exactly what it was—his hooded lids, his increased breathing, or the light he was radiating—but being with Tanner felt right. Oh, so right.
She wrapped her legs around his waist and kissed him back with every pent-up emotion that had been brewing inside her for years. Tanner was her lifeline, her road to freedom, and her future.
With one quick movement, he slipped inside her and drove straight to the end. Spikes of need erupted all over her body, and she threaded her arms around him and hung on for dear life.
His thrusts, grunts, and moans were in sync with everything she desired. She wanted all of him—his lips, his cock, and his hands on her body. It was as if some alien being had taken over and was determined to make this union the most important event in the realm. That was silly, but Ella believed it.
“You are amazing,” he said as he hammered into her again.
Ella planted her feet on the mattress and lifted her hips to meet his every thrust, needing them to be equal in every way.
Her teeth sharpened, but she wouldn’t bite him tonight. She wanted to be sure they were compatible in every way before she took the ultimate and irreversible step of mating.
Tanner broke the kiss and dragged his lips to her neck. She tensed slightly, and he nibbled his way to her ear. “You are mine,” he whispered, and then she was lost.
While she wanted their lovemaking to last forever, every cell in her body was ready to burst again. Tanner must have sensed that, because he too plunged in and then held still until their climaxes arrived at the same time. Waves of ecstasy washed over her as his cock expanded and then ebbed over and over again.
He rolled onto his back, taking her with him. “Please stay the night,” he said.
“I guess since you are my transportation, I’m kind of trapped here.” Ella had no doubt that he’d take her back to the hotel if she asked.
“I’m glad you think that.” He grinned to let her know he was kidding. “Let me see about cleaning us up.”
When Tanner slipped out of bed and stepped into the adjoining bathroom, she sensed a loss. She had it bad. Tanner was a considerate and sexy lover, and Ella wondered how long this glorious feeling would last.
When Ella awoke the next morning, Tanner wasn’t in bed, but the smell of bacon and eggs implied he was in the kitchen. She thought about putting on her own clothes but decided it would be easier, quicker, and more exciting to throw on the white button-down shirt he’d worn yesterday.
Before she buttoned it up, she lifted the material to her nose and inhaled. Mmm. His scent drove her leopard crazy with need.
Wanting to see if he needed any help with the meal, she put on her panties and then headed out to the kitchen.
When he spotted her, Tanner grinned. “That shirt looks a hell of a lot better on you than on me.”
“It’s comfy.”
“I’m glad. Coffee is ready.” He nodded to the pot on the counter with two cups next to it.
“I’ll pour.” She didn’t have to ask how he liked his coffee since she’d made him some from the breakroom a few times. “Here you go.”
“Thanks. Have a seat. Chef McCarson will serve you.”
Where had this light-hearted man come from? She liked both versions—the serious business man and the super-hot-in-bed man. “I’ve been thinking,” she said.
“About?”
“Your offer.”
His brows rose. “Does that mean you’d be willing to move in here?”
“Yes, but only if I get to share your bedroom.”
He stopped stirring the eggs. “Are you serious?”
Uh-oh, she hoped she hadn’t overstepped her bounds. “Is that a problem?”
“Problem? Hell no, except that my eighty to one hundred-hour work week might end up at forty if I know you’ll be here waiting for me when I finish work.”
She laughed. Ella had never met a man like Tanner McCarson. “We can come up with a plan.”
He dished out the scrambled eggs. “I really like how you don’t let anything stand in the way of what you want.”
“What does that mean?”
“You are a solution girl. If there is a problem, you will find an answer.”
He had no idea how true that was. Moran wanted to mate with her, and Ella figured out a way to dodge that bullet.
The aroma from the food caused her stomach to grumble. Even though her family employed the best chef in Thedia, Ella bet this meal would taste better.
When they finished eating, Tanner wouldn’t let her clean up. “Not going to happen,” she said. “If I live here, I want to do my share.”
“Fair enough, but since we both work, we should hire a maid,” he said.
She chuckled. “A maid for only two people? I can keep this place up. If not, we’ll go the maid route.”
“See? The solution girl.”
“Maybe you’re right.”
Tanner suggested they head back to the hotel so she could check out.
“Sounds like a plan.”
This whirlwind romance seemed too good to be true, but Ella was optimistic that since she’d found her mate, all would be well. Her only worry was making sure no one in her family found her.
Chapter Nine
The next two weeks at work were surreal. Ella had checked out of the hotel and officially moved into his place. There were
