Dark Taste of Rapture (Alien Huntress #6)(11)
Author: Gena Showalter

“Like I’m already inside you.” A groan—but he didn’t pull away from her.

“Well, if you don’t want to be, all you have to do is resist me,” she taunted. Have to kiss him … She slid her hands up his chest, his muscles jolting in greeting. Heat radiated from him, wrapping around her. Still he didn’t pull away. “Are you scared I might get to you?”

His breath shallowed, sawing in and out of his nose, and his gaze lowered to her mouth. “Scared,” he parroted, as though in a trance.

Doubtful. Nothing would scare the intractable Hector, she would bet. “Give me a taste, then, and we’ll both walk away happy,” she said, licking her lips, playing along. “There’s nothing scary about that.”

“A taste, yes.”

They met in the middle. The moment of contact, the gentle tasting she’d imagined spun out of control. Swept up on a tide of sensation, she ate at his mouth, sucked on his tongue. He flavor was as decadent as his scent, fresh, wild, and stormy, passion spiced with apples.

Though he seemed as wrapped up in the moment as she was, the flicks of his tongue were hesitant at first. But when he decided to go all in, he really went all in. He became the aggressor, taking over, dominating.

He kicked her legs apart and held her up, off her feet, using his lower body to press her into the wall. Her nails scraped along the stubble on his jaw, then his scalp, angling his head for better, deeper contact.

He growled at her, demanding she accept his domination. She liked that. The muscles in his neck pulled tight just before he arced away from her, letting her slide, slide. Then he slammed forward and pushed his thick erection between the vee of her legs once more, this time as forcefully as he could, catching her before her feet could touch the ground.

She trembled violently, gasped, utterly lost in him. Lost in the electric connection.

He arched back and slammed forward again, then again, forcing his c**k against her with so much vigor she though he might break the thing in half. Either he liked things rough, or was too wrapped in his own desire to care about any injury to his shaft. Naughty girl that she was, she liked that, too.

Knowing Hector wanted her as fervently as she wanted him caused the ache inside her to intensify, and moisture to dampen her panties. More, need more. She climbed him like a mountain, winding her legs around his waist, making the rub between them constant.

“More!” she commanded.

Another slam, and she nearly erupted. The sensation … so strong … so wonderfully overwhelming.

“Noelle. Yes, more.”

“Please.” Her nails dug deeper into his scalp as she kissed him with all the passion trapped inside her. Passion she’d long denied herself. Passion she hadn’t known she was capable of feeling.

“More,” he repeated, the word slurred. He bit at her lips, nibbling. “I need more of you.”

“Yes, please. I—”

A car honked, jolting them both. Panting, Hector jerked up his head. He peered down at her, comprehension and horror dawning in his eyes. Why horror? She tried to kiss him again, to help him forget whatever troubled him, but he turned away.

“Down,” he barked.

“Hector, I—”

Again she was cut off. “Down, Noelle. Now.”

Little chips of ice joined the fire in her blood, cooling her down. The moment her feet hit the pavement, he leapt away from her as if she were toxic, ensuring no part of them touched. Her knees were weak and nearly buckled, but she managed to remain upright.

She looked him over. His expression was now chiseled from granite, his jaw clenched, his lips swollen. His erection, gone. And there was a faint blue glow emanating from both of his arms. Arms he quickly hid behind his back.

She must have been mistaken. Surely he hadn’t glowed. No time to reason things out, though. As she inhaled, she caught the scent of burning cotton and frowned. A swift scan, and she realized her tank had been singed at the straps. Her brow furrowed in confusion. How had that happened?

“You’re not being kicked out,” Hector rasped. “You’ve excelled at every exercise, and for that, Mia Snow thinks you’ve earned a second chance. You won’t get another.”

Mia Snow thought. Not Hector. “Thank you,” she replied with only the barest tremor.

“Don’t thank me. Thank Mia.”

He wasn’t going to say anything about what had just gone down between them—and what had almost gone down. Had it not been for that honk, they would have kept going, would have had sex right here, against the wall.

His rejection, when she still trembled with need for him, cut deeply. He didn’t like her, was probably ashamed about kissing her. Probably? Try definitely. That horror …

Despite her money, he probably thought she wasn’t good enough for him. That she was flighty, selfish, and stupid, after all. You pander to that mind-set. You can’t blame him.

I’ve got your number, he’d said. As she’d suspected, he hadn’t really.

“You’ve got two hours to make it back to camp. The tunnel’s been locked, so you’ll just have to hoof it the long way,” he said. “Which means you’re going to need every second of those two hours. I’d get started if I were you. And Noelle?” he added before she could take a step. “Don’t sneak out again, and don’t ever—ever—kiss or touch me.”

“Then don’t kiss or touch me back,” she snapped. “And don’t play this game with me,” he shouted. “Understand?” He didn’t wait for her reply but stomped away.

“Ava,” Noelle whispered, shaking her friend awake. The bunkhouse was dark as hell, and Noelle was drenched in sweat and dirt, but she didn’t want to take a shower until she’d spoken to her friend.

Ava bolted upright, reaching for the razor she kept under her pillow. Then she paused, caught her breath. Her glassy gaze cleared. “Noelle?”

“I kissed Hector.” A murmur of longing, pain, and anger.

A delicate hand scrubbed over Ava’s face. “What?”

“I kissed Hector, even though you had dibs.” And now I think I hate him.

After he’d stalked out of the alley, he’d climbed into a nearby car. He’d followed her back to camp. As she’d run. The entire freaking way. Not once had he checked on her, offered her something to drink, or taken pity on her and allowed her to catch a ride with a stranger.

“First taste is free. You’ll have to buy the second one. So … how was it?” Ava asked, falling back on her mattress. Only curiosity filled her tone.