I sipped, watching him over the rim of the glass, holding it in front of me as I spoke. “Still. Nothing can beatthe Boone’s Farm Fuzzy Navel, served in your best crystal. In your bed.”
Bruiser’s glass halted halfway to the table. The pulse in his throat sped; his breathing deepened; his face took on color. His brown eyes lost focus for a moment before they snapped to mine, his pupils expanding. His Onorio scent reached my nose, warmer than only a moment past.
I smiled, letting my lips widen slowly. Took another sip. “Not bad. But not as... good.”
“Well. There is that.” Bruiser returned my smile and took my hand in his, running his fingers along my knuckles. The pad of his thumb was heated, slightly rough on the inner side where some weapon had calloused his skin. He held my gaze as he stroked, telling me things he’d rather be doing, very wonderful things. So very, very slowly. The rough area scraped gently across my flesh. Heat spread up my arm and into my body like a slow-moving flood of need. Goose bumps quivered over me. My breasts tightened. My belly warmed and grew heavy. My lips parted and swelled as if Bruiser had kissed me. My breath deepened. My bones liquefied.
Magic... I couldn’t see it. No sparkles. No Gray Between mist of energies. But the scent was all Onorio: spicy, a little citrus, more blood orange and lime than lemon. This time maybe a little smoke, the scent of sweetgrass charred into the glowing embers of a long-burning fire. He kissed me, his lips and tongue heated.
Mate,Beast thought.My mate...
The scent of smoke rose, aromatic with sweetgrass. Bruiser chuckled low, the way men do when they know the effect they’re having on you. At the sound, my body thrummed, a boneless, trembling, shuddering need. I couldn’t have stood without assistance, let alone fight. “Oh, woman. What you do to me.”
“Ditto,” I managed.
“We should perhaps save this,” he said softly, “for the limo ride.”
I blinked. Blinked again. “Limo?”
“Lee postponed our appointments. I thought you mightlike a ride”—his lips tilted up again, his voice dropping on the last word—“around the city tonight. There is a blanket, a spare pillow or two, and a bottle of chilled Champagne in the limo out front. I’d like to be doing this to other parts of you.”
“Oh,” I tried to say. It came out as a sigh.
“And I’d like my mouth on you.” His eyes dropped to my breasts and they tightened painfully. “I’d like to taste you. Everywhere.”
Magic caressed me, velvet and the feathers of hawk wings, the prickle of nettles and dried leaves. Soft and stinging all at once. Icy and heated together. I was breathing too fast.Holy crap. If Eli had been here he would have told us to get a room. “Only if I can taste you back.”
“I’m counting on that. It might be a very... very... long night.”
“I’m counting on that,” I repeated to him.
Not taking his eyes from mine, Bruiser held up his hand. The waitress approached from behind me. Bruiser gave her two crisp bills. “Keep the change.” He stood and pulled me up with him, against him. It was a dance step, and my left thigh pressed between both of his. Torso to torso, hip to hip. Bruiser was more than a little happy to see me. I might have moaned. He chuckled again and everything in my body quavered.
He stepped back. Taking me with him, half holding me up. His arm around me. And then we were outside, sweeping past the driver and quickly inside the limo.Thelimo. The one he’d first kissed me in. I slid along the seat, my eyes on him. Only him. The door closed. The privacy shield was up. The driver, whoever it was, was closed away, unable to see, unable to hear. Bruiser slid his hands along my body, his palms hot and raking. Closing on my cell, taking it and tucking it into the small refrigerator. Adding his. Closing the small door.
“Brilliant,” I murmured.
“I had the limo swept.”
I took his shoulders and pulled him back on the long seat. Yanked off his jacket and then his shirt, over his head, sending collar and sleeve buttons popping.
“No listening devices,” he said. “And the driver’s intercom is disabled. No one can listen in.” He shoved up my tunic and his mouth fell onto my breast, hot and wet, through my silk tee. My nails pressed into his shoulders in shock. He sucked hard.
Magic shot between us, scorching and frigid. Everything inside me clenched. I gasped.
Mate,Beast thought.Want mate. Want more.
“Yes,” I said. “Oh God yes.”
Bruiser bit harder. Just beyond the instant when pleasure turned to pain. Scalded and frozen, pleasure and pain whipped through me. “Come,” he whispered.
I came. Throwing back my head. Growling his name, gasping. Shudders raced through me. Electric and fiery and throbbing.
Mate...
I screamed. It was the beginning of a long, very long, night.
• • •
