Never Cry Wolf (Night Watch #4)(26)
Author: Cynthia Eden

“You’re here. Where else should I be?” His fingers trailed in the water and slid over her thigh. “Don’t you want me here?”

Yes, dammit. She did. She’d wanted him, secretly, desperately, and quite stupidly, for a long time now. Before they’d ever met.

She stared at his hand in the water. There was no point lying to him. He’d smell her arousal anyway.

Just the touch of his fingers and she was almost trembling.

“I came in just to make sure you were all right.” His voice seemed so deep and dark.

“I’m all right.” Hers was a whisper.

“That’s why I came in . . .” His fingers curled over her thigh. Her ni**les tightened. The warm water was no longer soothing. Nothing could soothe her then. “But I’m here now,” he said, “because I f**king want you.”

Sarah swallowed.

His hand tightened on her. She wanted him to move those fingers, to slide them deeper under the water, to press them against her sex, into her.

He released her. “But you’re the one who has to say—”

Her hand flew up and she grabbed his wrist, held on way too tight. “I don’t want you to leave.” Right then, being alone was the last thing she wanted. Remembering blood, pain, death—no, thank you.

She wanted passion. She wanted pleasure. She wanted him. A muscle flexed in his jaw. “What do you want?”

She rose from the tub, slowly, and the water slid down her body even as the steam drifted around her head. “I want you.” Admissions didn’t get more stark than that.

His lips lifted in a half-smile that revealed the sharp points of his teeth. “Then that’s what you’re getting.”

He pounced. No other word for it. Lucas moved in a blur, grabbing her and lifting her out of the tub. Her hands flew out and clutched his shoulders as she tried to balance herself.

“I’ve got you,” he said and he lifted her higher. Strong wolf. He took her breast in his mouth, licking the moisture away, sucking the aching nipple.

Liquid heat shot straight to her sex. His jeans rubbed against her legs, and she wanted to spread her thighs. Wanted to wrap them around his hips and hold on tight as he thrust deep inside. As deep as he could go.

His tongue worked her nipple, making her twist against him, making her pant, making her want.

His breath blew over her skin as his head lifted. “So f**king sweet . . .” His gaze burned into hers. “Are you like that everywhere?”

“I—”

In four strides, he had her at the bed. He spun, dropping her lightly on the mattress, and then came down on top of her as he caged her against the bed. The mattress dipped beneath their weight and Sarah lifted her hands, wanting to touch him so badly that her fingers shook.

His smile flashed again. “Do anything you want, Sarah. I sure will.” And he licked her other breast. Licked and sucked and when she felt the light edge of his teeth, Sarah bucked off the bed.

Her hips slammed up against his, and there was no mistaking the thick bulge of his arousal. Long and hard. She wanted him inside her. “Lucas!” Her hands buried in the thick darkness of his hair.

The water was drying fast from her skin. Thanks to the thick comforter, his mouth, and his hot flesh. She seemed to burn everywhere she touched him, her body so sensitive, too ready.

Then he started to lick his way down her body . . .

Her eyes squeezed closed and her breath came faster. She heard an eager moan fill the air—me, that’s me. Because the need inside her was blazing out of control. Burning so hot—burning just like Lucas.

She didn’t wait for him to ask . . . when his mouth pressed a kiss to her stomach, she parted her thighs wider. Why pretend? She wanted his mouth on her. No, right then, she needed it. Because her whole body was coiled tight, her sex so eager and hungry, and the pleasure he promised was so close.

How long had it been? How long since she’d just let go with a lover? Trusting him to give her the pleasure she needed? With Rafe, she’d never been able to let go. Not fully.

Lucas’s fingers touched her first. Strong, rough fingertips that parted the folds between her legs and found the center of her need. His lips touched her next, pressing against her clit, sending a fierce, sensual jolt through her body that was so strong that she would have flinched away . . . but his hands were on her wrists—when had he grabbed her?—holding her tight.

Then came his tongue. Wet and warm. Licking. Caressing. Sliding against flesh and then thrusting inside her core.

Her hips arched toward him. More. The whisper in her mind. So close, she was so close and she just needed—

“Even sweeter,” he growled the words against her. Then his tongue plunged deep, his fingers stroked her, and Sarah came against his mouth.

When he growled, a long, ragged rumble, the vibration trembled against her sex and the wave of pleasure lashed through her body.

Then he was moving, shoving off the jeans, jerking on a condom, and coming back to her with eyes that were far too bright for a human’s. But then, she’d known he was more than just a man from the beginning.

He pushed her legs farther apart. The tip of his thick c**k pressed against her sensitive flesh, flesh that was still ready and eager for more.

But . . .

But she could see the edge of his teeth. So sharp. And those eyes were more wolf than man.

A shiver slipped over her as the past whispered around her. Her hands flew up and pushed against his shoulders. Lucas froze.

Pleasure still hummed through her body. Lust had her aching, but—but . . .

“Now you’re scared.” Gravel-rough. He shook his head and leaned in close to her, so close those glowing eyes bored into hers. His lips were just a few inches away from her mouth. All the while, his c**k lodged right at the entrance of her body. Not thrusting inside, not yet, and not withdrawing.

Her nails bit into the hard muscles of his chest.

“You want me,” he said, voice dark and dangerous, “but deep down, you’re scared as hell of me.”

Not deep down. Right then, the fear was on the surface, fighting her need. “It’s not you I’m afraid of.” The damn memories. Her own past.

Not Lucas—not the man anyway, but the wolf she could see gazing back from the man’s eyes. If a wolf got too strong, grew too wild during sex, the man would lose control, he would—

“That f**king bastard hurt you.”

She flinched. He already knew Rafe had tried to kill her but…

Lucas’s mouth pressed against her cheek. A light touch when she’d expected force and fire. “How many times,” he gritted, “do I have to tell you? All f**king wolves aren’t the same in the dark. We’re not all psychotic bastards.”