The female had no idea how close she was to becoming his. Forever. His fangs started to drop on their own, and he wrenched his mouth free, licking along her jawline to the pounding pulse in her neck.
He nipped hard enough to make her jump and then stood, lifting her. “Are you sure?”
“Yes,” she breathed, wrapping her arms around his neck and biting lightly.
The immortal inside him roared with hunger.
* * * *
Mariana had lost her mind but she didn’t care. Not one bit. The man carrying her into her bedroom was strong and wild, and she wanted more. She wanted all of him. She licked beneath his jaw and then nipped as hard as he had. God, he was delicious. Every movement of muscle against her only made her crave everything he could give her.
He set her on the bed and used his thumbs to slide her sweater up and over her head. Then he pulled her closer into a blood-stirring kiss, turning even her bones to mush. Her lungs seized, and she breathed him in. Then he pulled her sports bra over her head, baring her breasts.
“God, you’re beautiful,” he murmured, gently tracing each breast and scraping the pads of his thumbs across her nipples.
Electricity zagged from his touch to her core. She moaned and reached for his zipper.
“Not yet.” He leaned down and pulled her jeans down her legs, his talented thumbs caressing her skin on the way. Her panties came next, and then she was completely nude. His wide palms spread across her thighs, and then he dipped his head, kissing her right on the sex.
Her legs trembled. “Raine.” Every inch of her was hypersensitive and ready for him. Just for him.
He chuckled and slid his fingers into the wetness of her sex. She sucked in a breath and opened wider for him, her body rioting with a need so great she couldn’t think. When he took his touch away, she swore.
His chuckle was a dangerous tease.
“I don’t want slow this first time,” she ground out, levering up on her elbows. “Later.”
“Hmmm.” He leaned down again and kissed her, this time running his tongue between her folds. He found the aching bundle of nerves and sucked. Hard.
She cried out at the searing pleasure and bucked against him. His strong hands went to her hips, and he held her to the bed, licking and sucking without mercy. Without giving her time to breathe, his wicked mouth drove her so high she could only fall over the cliff. She cried out, the orgasm rippling through her with a sharp edge she could barely ride.
Sighing, she came down, even as her body was still on fire. For him. “Raine.”
“Yeah.” He stood and shucked his pants, leaving his exquisite body on full display. A tattoo wound over his right arm, crested with an M with a bunch of spikes—much like the one on his hand but not quite as brutal looking. “You taste delicious, and we’re going to do that again tonight. A couple of times.” He moved up her body, his skin touching hers and his masculine scent surrounding her.
She tunneled her hands through his hair, pulling the thick waves away from his face. Oh, she liked this face. She liked him. Maybe more than like, but that didn’t make sense. How could he be dying?
“None of that.” He took her mouth, pulling her out of her sad thoughts and right into desperate passion. One wicked hand moved down her body and stroked her—demanding this time and not gentle. “You’re ready.”
God, she was ready. “Yes,” she said against his mouth, her nipples hard against his even harder chest.
He positioned himself between her thighs and pressed his thick head at her opening.
Desire rushed through her, different than ever before. She held her breath, wanting something. Wanting him. Needing him.
He kissed her again while pushing inside her, stretching her tight. Oh, there was so much of him. She held on, her heart beating wildly in her chest. Slowly, he kept pushing, not stopping. Taking her. Definitely taking her. Finally, he drove the last couple of inches right to the hilt.
She arched at the overwhelming sense of him. Of invasion and of something else. Something that felt complete and whole. He pulled out only to power back inside her, setting up a slow and steady pace that had her fingers digging into his scalp.
“You feel so good,” he ground out, his unreal green gaze capturing hers.
He felt amazing. “Please don’t stop,” she whispered, her internal walls clamping down on him as if she’d never let him go.
“I promise.” He drove harder, deeper, more.
She came close to shattering several times, and the second she caught her breath, he paused or slowed down, keeping her on the edge. They rode that fine line, sweat dotting her forehead, her thoughts incoherent. Finally, she released his head and dug her nails into his chest. “Now, Raine. Now.”
“Now,” he whispered, hammering into her with fierce power.
She clamped her legs to his thighs and spiraled into a climax so wild she could only open her mouth silently. The orgasm shattered her, taking her thoughts and leaving a blinding pleasure behind.
He followed a second later on a rough groan, his body jerking against her. His head dropped to her neck, and he scraped his teeth along her jugular.
She caught her breath and turned her head instinctively, giving him better access.
He stilled and then gently kissed her. “Oh, baby. You have no idea,” he murmured, nipping her earlobe.
She caressed down his sides, so content she wanted to purr. That was the most incredible sex ever created. She opened her eyes just as he lifted his head. For the briefest of seconds, his eyes looked like a pure silver. She blinked and then squinted. Nope. Green. A startling green, but definitely green. She grinned. “I think that blew my mind.” Now she was even seeing things.
“Just wait,” he said, kissing her nose.
She laughed. “I like that you’re close to your Grams.”
“Me, too,” he said. “She’s a spitfire and reminds me of you.”
Now that was the sweetest thing. “I get that from my mom. She’s a journalist right now in South Korea working on a story.” She’d like Raine quite a lot, actually.
“What about your father?” Raine ran a lazy hand down her arm.
She shrugged. “He left my mom when I was young and created another family. I know him but we’re not close. It’s my mom and me, and I had a great childhood and played tons of sports. Mom often coached whatever sport I was playing at the time. Then I went to college on a golf scholarship, which was pretty cool.”
“I like that about you.” He kissed her forehead.
She smiled and then blinked as she realized he was hardening inside her already. Wow. Just wow. “Are you a machine or what?” she murmured, her body perking up for another round.
“Or what,” he confirmed, his mouth already on hers.
Chapter 9
Raine stared at the burned-out carcass of his truck. The silver paint had bubbled into black blobs, the interior was crusty, and the windows were all shattered.
“It’s totaled,” Evan muttered, crouching down to peer beneath the sidewall.
Raine looked at the demolished engine compartment. “Yep.” He measured the distance from the truck to the front door. “The guy could’ve just as easily thrown the projectiles through the front window.” The thought that Mariana had been that close to danger the night before tightened the muscles in his neck until his head ached.