“Are you okay?” His large palm caressed her cheek. “They didn’t hurt you, did they?”
She leaned into his warmth, her lids half-masted. The sense of peace and belonging that swept through her left her entire body languid. “I’m just fine.” She nodded to the still form of As’ni gripping Grozzik by the neck. “As’ni saved me just in time.”
A sour look crossed Ari’s face, making his full lips twist into a grimace.
She giggled.
“I wanted to be the one to save you,” he grumbled.
Morgan stroked his prickly jawline with her fingertip. “You already have,” she assured him.
In the dimly lit room, the soft hum of the ship’s engines was the only sound as Morgan moved in closer to Ari, their eyes locked in a silent conversation. The tension between them was electric, a palpable force that was unspoken but undeniable. Nestled in the heat of his body, she bathed in the warmth of his masculine scent as it mingled with hers in the small space between them.
Morgan’s heart pounded as she gazed up at him. Her breath caught at the intensity of his gaze. There was something in the way he looked at her now—an unguarded vulnerability mixed with a powerful resolve.
Ari’s hand drifted across her cheek. His fingers traced the curve of her jaw with a gentleness that sent shivers down her spine. The touch was tender, yet with an undercurrent of something more—a promise of the depth of his feelings. Emotions no longer hidden.
“Morgan,” he whispered, her name a breathless claim.
She got the crazy idea he was testing the weight of her name in this new, charged moment.
Not wanting to spoil what was happening between them with mere words, she nodded and leaned into his touch. Her eyes fluttered closed as the world faded away. The only thing that mattered washim. This man had become everything to her.
Ari’s hand slid to the back of her neck, drawing her closer, and then his lips were on hers—tentative at first, as if he were afraid to break the fragile spell woven between them.
But the moment their lips touched, a spark ignited like wildfire.
Morgan responded instantly, her hands finding their way to his shoulders, pulling him closer as she surrendered to the kiss. It was slow and searching, each movement deliberate, as if they were both mesmerized by the feel of each other. A heady rush of conflicting emotions flooded through her—desire, need, and then something deeper. Something she was afraid to name.
Ari’s other hand slid around her waist, and he pulled her against him.
The kiss turned urgent, more demanding. It was as if they tried to pour everything they had into that single connection, to say with their lips what words could never fully express.
When they finally broke apart, Morgan gulped to control her breathing. Resting her forehead against his solid chest, she did her best to steady herself. Struggling to take a deep breath, she licked her lips and savored the taste Ari had left behind. Lifting her head, she let her eyes flutter open to meet his smoldering gaze. In their depths, she saw the same fire, the same overwhelming need reflected at her.
His full lips creased into a wicked grin. “Hi, I’m Arakiba. Pleased to meet you.”
Her answering smirk was just as mischievous. “Hello, Arakiba. I’m Morgan.” She tilted her head and brushed a strand of his loose blond hair from his eyes. “May I still call you Ari?” He would always be Ari to her.
“You can call me anything you’d like,” he whispered close to her ear.
She quivered as he laved the shell of her ear with his tongue.
Her inner vixen urged her to stake her claim.
“Then I’m going to call you mine.”
Morgan grimaced. Seriously? Could she say anything cornier? Jeez, Ari must be growing on her. Throwing her shoulders back, she gave him a winsome smile, hoping he took what she said in the serious manner she meant.
“Ah, Morgan”—his voice deepened—“I’ve always been yours.”
The pounding of his heart under her hands backed his calm statement. Growing up around powerful psychics, she’d quickly learned to rely on body language since she couldn’t read their minds. People could say or do anything, but their bodies always told the truth.
Ari held himself with confidence, but there was a hint of vulnerability in his bearing. Holding her in his arms, his shoulders were relaxed, his stance open.
The corners of his mouth curved into a gentle, almost shy smile that made her feel cherished. His hands pressed her close to him, and his warmth seeped into her very soul. The tenderness in his eyes and the subtle way he wrapped himself around her spoke louder than any words ever could.
The realization that Ari loved her sent a warm, dizzying rush through her entire being. Any trepidation she had melted away.
