Once they reached his SUV, she turned in her seat. “I thought I could do this but I can’t. I’m sorry.”
He tipped up her chin and kissed her. The tight confines of the SUV left him little room to touch her, but he skimmed his fingertips along her arms, a light stroke meant to soothe her. It seemed to. Her muscles eased. He kept kissing her, arousing her until she linked her hands around his neck. He pulled back.
“You want to. I see it in your eyes, feel it in the way you touch me. One night. Let me love you.” She opened her mouth, but he pressed a finger to her parted lips. “We’ll see what happens. Okay? If you decide you don’t want me, I’ll back off. Promise.”
“That’s the problem. I thought I’d be okay with one night, but I can’t do it.” She shook her head and smiled wryly. “I want more. Many, many more nights. It’s better not to know what I’m missing.”
“I never said I only wanted a night. If I did, there were plenty of women in that bar I could’ve taken. I didn’t.”
She worried her bottom lip between her teeth. “But you’re not from the area. You’re here on business and—”
“Business that won’t be completed anytime soon.” He assured her. “I’ve never wanted a woman as much as I want you. That’s not a line either. I feel as if I might die if I don’t get inside you.”
He didn’t understand it. Didn’t want to question it more. If Rafe did, he’d run in the opposite direction for the possibilities it brought—that she was his true mate, that she could be the one to bridge him and his cats, that he’d have to hurt her, bringing her to the point of death. And if she refused to accept his cats or they refused her or if your life slipped away before he could tie it to his…
No. He didn’t want to think about those outcomes.
Rafe slid his hand from her chin down the length of her neck to rest over her shoulder. The soft skin under his palm teased him. He wanted to feel her body against his.
“Give us tonight. I want to finish what we started yesterday.” He nibbled her earlobe. “I need you. Don’t deny me.”
“I shouldn’t. My boys—”
“Are with your neighbor. They’re safe. I’ll even send my twin, Kade, to watch their house so you won’t have to worry about them. He’s here working a case with me. He’ll sit in the woods. They won’t know.”
“I was going to say my boys will get attached to you if we get involved. There’s no reason to have your brother sit in the woods.” Her brows scrunched. “And why exactly would he even do that?”
His desire to get Jasmine naked had left him stupid. He tried to think of something believable to say and settled on the truth.
“Because my brother wants me happy and would do anything for me. I haven’t stopped talking about you, and that’s not like me.” He blew out a rough breath. “Besides, surveillance is what we do. It’ll be a typical job. I’ll even pay him if he doesn’t want to do it.”
“Oh,” she breathed. “That’s sweet but—”
“Call me selfish, but for tonight, I want your focus on me. Only me. Not your responsibilities, not tomorrow.”
Her breaths quickened. “I want that to, but what if you decide you—”
He yanked her close and kissed her hard. His gums ached with the pressure of his fangs pushing to be released. He fought their emergence. He didn’t want to frighten Jasmine with them, but the thought of her walking away from him brought out his possessive instincts.
The more she denied him, the stronger his urge to tie her to him became. It was his nature. Once instincts kicked in, a shifter was often lost. Focused males didn’t always think through their choices. It became imperative they claim their female and would use any means they could to do so. Even seduce her until she agreed to anything.
He broke their kiss and brushed his thumb over her swollen lips. “So what’s it going to be? Are you going to take a chance on me?” Remembering what human females needed to hear, even if it wasn’t a concern for them, he added, “You’re safe with me. Do you understand? I don’t have any diseases. I haven’t even been with a woman in months.”
“Me too. I’m safe and on birth control.”
“Is that a yes?”
She blew out a breath. “Yes. Let’s get a room.”
He skimmed his hand over her chest, teasing the points of her nipples, then slid his fingers lower to rest over her belly. “No, I’ll take you home. Love you in your bed, in every room in your house.”
Panic flared in her wide-eyed glare. She shook her head. “No. Not my house. If we’re doing this, it’ll be in a hotel.”
He didn’t want to be with her in a generic hotel. He wanted the memory of their lovemaking to be in her bed so she’d think of him every time she went to sleep, but he wouldn’t argue. It was her choice.
Rafe kissed her once more, a soft brush of lips, and eased back. “Then, let’s find the closest place. I’m hungry for you.”
Chapter 13
The closest hotel was fifteen-minutes from town. Jazz had settled in for the drive and allowed the music playing to fill the silence. She couldn’t have engaged in small talk even if she tried.
Her belly churned. Nerves caused her unease. For one, she was planning to have sex with a man she’d only met the day before. There’d be no blaming it on getting caught up in the moment. She knew exactly what
