Surrounded by Aaron's warmth, by the living energy of his heart beating against her own, Hope realized she couldn't live without him.
As the realization rippled through her, she shut her eyes and slid into the psychic plane where her dragon's energies swirled.
There it was. The cobalt blue of Aaron's spirit folded around the green-gold of her dragon fire…except the strands were woven over each other like a double helix.
It was as if since she'd last seen the bond it had solidified, their spirits intertwined with each other even more.
Sparks of gold zinged across the helix, this time in both directions. It was mesmerizing. Just like that, all her doubts fell away.
Turning in the circle of his arms, she pressed her lips to his. The taste of him called to her. Firm, strong yet soft.
Giving in to the temptation, she licked his lower lip, and was rewarded by his arousal thrusting against her.
Just as she was about to deepen the kiss, his eyes flew open, and she froze.
51
Aaron
The sensation of soft skin, the rustle of clothes, the scent of vanilla and hot spice, and then a surge of heat in his lower belly had Aaron fumbling up through layers of darkness.
His arm tightened around the curves that slithered under him. Sensations of need coursed through him, stiffening his desire.
That ever-vigilant part of his mind, which had been trained for battle and which never slept, knew it was his mate.
She was here in his bed. He was supposed to take care of her.
Except his skin was on fire with needing her. All the pent-up desire that he'd subdued since the day he saw Hope surged to the fore.
When his eyes focused, it was to meet those startling emerald-green ones. The flares of gold in them sparkled and swirled. A man could get lost in those eyes and never find himself.
She leaned in closer, so close her breath whispered over his cheek.
"What are you doing?"
"Isn't it obvious?" Her lips turned up in a smile.
Hope was in his arms, in his bed. All he could think about was kissing her, possessing her, burying himself in the soft cradle of her thighs. Yet he had to ask her. "Why?" he heard himself and cursed inwardly.
"Why not?" She smirked.
And that pushed him over the edge.
Ignoring the pain from his still-healing ribs, he flipped her, so he was above her, on her, surrounding her. Making sure she could feel the full impact of his desire.
"Don't play with me, Hope," he grated out through a throat that felt like it was lined with sandpaper.
"I love you, Aaron."
His heart simply stopped.
"All this time you were there, and I kept turning you away. I used the mating bond and the chance of hurting you as an excuse." Leaning up, she touched her forehead to his.
Aaron found he couldn't breathe. His heart beat fast, the blood pounding in his ears.
"I was afraid that you would tie me down, cage my dragon. When I woke up next to you, I realized I am exactly where I should be." She gazed into his eyes.
Aaron couldn't look away.
He wanted to say something but found his throat was all clogged up with a big ball of emotion.
She wet her lips, a pulse fluttering at her throat. "My dragon soars high, safe in the knowledge it has a home here with you. You are strong enough to take the impact of the psychic bond—"
He grabbed her chin and then fitted his lips to hers.
When he pressed his thumb against her chin, she opened her mouth.
His tongue slid right in, tangling with hers, sucking on hers.
Just like that, he wanted more.
He cupped her breast, squeezing her pebbled nipple, even as he swallowed the moan that bubbled up from her.
The feel of it vibrating down his throat was so erotic he found his arousal surging toward her.
Tearing his mouth from her, he gazed into her eyes. "I love you."
She leaned up and bit his lower lip, and damn but he almost came right then.
Hope wanted him as much as he wanted her.
A surge of adrenaline had him tearing her shirt open, the buttons flying around the room.
Her body trembled.
That pleased him and turned him on even more. Dipping his head, he bit down on her nipple, and her upper body arced off the bed. It drove him a little mad with wanting.
Placing a trail of kisses up her neck, he once more captured her lips, even as he slid his fingers down the zipper of her pants. Then, he was pushing aside her panties, and dove his finger into her wet heat.
A scream was torn out of her. Her nails dug into his shoulders.
Her eyes were unfocused with desire and passion and a want that was so intense he had to stop himself from sinking into her right away. Not yet.
A second finger joined the first, and he slid his fingers in and out of her, rubbing the heel of his hand against her center.
He had the satisfaction of seeing her throw back her head, exposing the underside of her neck. He didn't stop himself.
He bit the side of her neck—not enough to draw blood, but just deep enough to mark her as his.
He captured her mouth with his, and dove his tongue in again, even as his fingers plunged, taking what was his.
She came apart in his arms, her leg twined around his, her fingers buried in his hair.
52
Hope
Heat from him poured into her. Her dragon strained toward him on the psychic plane.
Both dragon and woman didn't hold back.
When Hope looked into his eyes, the blue poured over her, bathing her in a flood of desire so intense she knew she had to have him.
Reaching out, she fumbled with the buttons of his shirt to push it aside, only to have him swing off her.
Standing by the bed, Aaron pulled off his shirt and then his pants, and the breath caught in her threat.
He was so beautiful, her immortal.
All hard planes and muscles. His chest sculpted like an impossible dream, tapering down to a stomach so flat she knew if she touched it, her hand would slide down toward the proud hardness that thrust up toward her.
"You are so big." Her cheeks flushed with warmth.
Hope was no prude.
Yet even as her dragon rose inside and spread its wings and wanted him, the woman in her worried she wouldn't be able to take all of him in.
Reaching down, he held himself, running his hand over the length of his hardness, and a thrum of desire sparked inside. The jolt was so fierce she felt herself go wet.
Wordless, unable to articulate the anticipation and the excitement of finally being with him, the slight hesitation only making the wanting more powerful, she opened her arms to him.
Aaron dropped to his knees in front of the bed. Holding her hands, he kissed each palm in turn, the sweetness of his gesture intensifying that liquid want inside. She simply had to have him.
"Trust me." Letting go of her hands, he hooked his fingers on the waistband of her pants and then drew them off, along with her panties.
The air against her naked flesh had goosebumps rising. Or maybe it was the intensity of his gaze which raked over her skin as she lay there.
Dropping between her legs, he clasped his fingers around her ankles, yanking her closer.
She squeaked.
He threw her one leg and then the other over his shoulders. Leaning in, he blew gently over her melting core.