The Darkest Passion (Lords of the Underworld #5)(54)
Author: Gena Showalter

“How?” The word was a snarl—but that snarl wasn’t laced with anger. “With those kisses you mentioned?”

“That was the fee five minutes ago, and you refused to pay it. Therefore, my price has now gone up. If you want to know anything else, you’ll have to warm me with your body. I’m cold.” I’m so hot, I’m on fire.

He gulped. Straightened. His gaze traveled the length of her, lingering on her br**sts, between her thighs. His breathing became choppy, shallow. “Holy hell. Dying. I’m dying.”

So am I. “Aeron.” Give me. Take me.

“There…there isn’t time.”

“Make time,” she said, and closed the remaining distance between them. Must…touch…

He could have scooted her out of the way, and she wouldn’t have been able to stop him, but he didn’t. His big hands settled on her waist, his fingers digging deep. Finally!

“I shouldn’t,” he said. “Told myself I wouldn’t, even though he won’t—”

“He?” More. “Who won’t what?”

At first, he gave no response, made no reply. “My…demon,” he finally said in a hard tone, his fingers spreading to cover more ground. From lower back to bu**ocks, he touched her. Burned her. “He won’t…hurt you. For once, I don’t have to worry.”

“He,” not “it”? What had changed between the two beings?

Who cared? Progress! “So why shouldn’t you be with me?” If he’d hoped to dissuade her from this path, he never should have introduced her to passion. His mistake, and one she would take total advantage of. “There aren’t any obstacles.”

“Obstacles…” He floundered on the word, his gaze glued to her lips. “We are…”

She flattened her palms on his chest, unwilling to listen to him rattle off an entire list of problems. As he’d probably planned. His heart was drumming harder and faster than hers. A good sign. Still. Wanting it even harder, even faster, she arched her lower body into his and moaned. Oh, yes.

“You like getting answers, don’t you, Aeron? That’s important to you? For the good of you and your loved ones. Just pay me.”

He licked his lips, leaving a glistening sheen of moisture. One taste, that’s all she needed…. “Who would have thought an angel would be such a manipulator?” he asked huskily.

“I’m fallen,” she reminded him. Yet again. “Now, enough talking. More paying.”

“Yes…”

He leaned down just as she rose on her tiptoes. Their lips smashed together, and at first, he didn’t respond. She had to force her tongue past his clenched teeth, but the moment it touched his, he groaned and took over.

Oh, did he take over. His arms banded around her waist and hefted her up. She had to wind her legs around him and lock her ankles, otherwise she would have simply dangled there. The new position was delicious, exactly what she’d needed, placing her aching core at the tip of his hard, thick erection. An erection peeking past the waist of his pants.

Stupid pants.

His hair, cut so close to his scalp, tickled her palms as she rubbed them up and down. One of his hands cupped the base of her neck and angled her head for deeper contact. Contact she felt through every inch of skin, every cell rushing through her veins, every bone screaming for more.

“You have on too many clothes,” she told him between deep breaths.

“Not enough,” he shot back. His lips settled on her collarbone and sucked. Lower still. He licked a nipple, finally making good on his promise to kiss her there, and she moaned. His other hand moved to her neglected breast and massaged. “I don’t think a shield of armor would protect me from your appeal.”

Such a sweet admission.

“We should slow down.”

What? No! “Speed up.” She twisted his ear, earning a growl.

Again he sucked on her other nipple, and the sting made her gasp—then she moaned as he licked where he’d nibbled. She arched into him, rubbing just the way she liked.

“I’m going to get you all wet.”

“And that’s a bad thing?” he asked.

Bad thing, bad thing. The words were an echo in her brain, and she remembered how she’d tried to lick his penis the last time they’d kissed like this, but he hadn’t let her. Had thought her too pure.

She dropped her legs, feet hitting soft carpet.

He frowned. “What are you—”

She sank to her knees, tugging at his pants until his shaft broke free. Thick, long, so magnificently hard.

“Olivia…” A moan, as if she tortured him. “You shouldn’t.”

Her mouth watered as she pressed her cheek into the satin-smooth flesh. Hot, imprinting. His fingers tangled in her hair. She pulled back only slightly, opened wide, then sucked him in. His girth stretched her jaw, an uncomfortable fit, but the salty-sweet taste of him thrilled her.

“I was wrong. You should,” he croaked out. “You really should.”

Up and down she rode him with her mouth, hands playing with his heavy sac. She enjoyed him, enjoyed doing this, destroying his reluctance, spurring him into enthusiastic abandon. But he didn’t let her take him all the way. All too soon, he gripped her shoulders and yanked her up.

“No more.” Sweat glistened on his face as he swung her around and crowded her against the wall. Without a word, he next dropped to his knees. His strong hands parted her legs, and then he was there, licking at her, sucking on her, devouring her.

She needed an anchor, but couldn’t find one as her hands clawed up and down the wall behind her. As her head thrashed from side to side. As her hair tickled her back. Everything was a stimulant. And she was close…so close…just needed…

He stormed to his feet, panting, lapping at the moisture she’d left on his face, eyes at half-mast, liquid. “Want to take you…can’t take you…taste so good…need more…can’t have more…”

More. Yes. “Aeron.”

He shook his head, all hint of his resistance fading—only to be replaced by determination. He reached between their bodies and stroked his erection. The other hand gripped her waist. “Can’t…can’t…have to remember…”

“What? Remember what? Are you going to…are we going to…” Please, please, please.

“Can’t.” He stilled. Their raspy pants were the only sound in the room, tangling together wildly, just as she wanted to be with him. “Can’t. We’re going to—” Another growl. He tore his hand away from her to scrub down his face. As that hand descended, revealing his features, she saw the change in them. From determined to enraged. “Most humans have to walk around unfulfilled. If you want to be a human, you should know how that feels.”