His eyes widened, but he gathered her closer with only a moment’s pause. “You’ll never need to ask twice.”
All his strength, all his power, his maleness… wrapped around her. Felicity closed her eyes, unable to bear the mixture of emotions threatening to spill over. And when his mouth claimed hers, her hands slid up and she wound her arms around his neck.
Someday,Mantis vowed to himself, he would kiss this woman when she wasn’t on the verge of tears.
“Felicity,” he growled her name even as he claimed her willing mouth.
How many times had he relived that night? Hundreds?
Her fingers worked their way to his hair, tugging, sliding, demanding. Any hope he had of subduing his erection fled when she hummed softly in the back of her throat.
He remembered that sound, practically had it memorized from when she’d made it over and over again while he’d worked himself inside of her.
“Axel.”
They could still elope. He palmed her breast over her bodice, and his heart raced. She pressed closer, and he deepened the kiss, exploring the tender flesh behind her teeth, the roof of her mouth, sparring with her tongue. He wanted to taste all of her.
He slid off the bench and turned to face her. Kneeling on the damp ground, he gripped her thighs.
“I want to take care of you.”
She nodded, her eyes sleepy, her hands on the sides of his face.
“Yes,” she whispered.
“Right now.”
“Yes.” Her hips twitched, unknowingly inviting him. Or was it knowingly?
He slid his hands up her thighs, dragging her skirts along with them, around her waist and then beneath her, squeezing her buttocks, lifting her, and hooking her knees over his shoulders.
Once he had her settled, he moved one of her hands from his hair to the edge of the bench. “Hold on.”
Her eyes widened as he dipped his chin and buried his face between her legs. She was wet, glistening.
Mantis claimed her intimately, just as he’d kissed her mouth moments before.
“Oh,” she gasped from above. And then she moaned.
“So perfect.” He flicked his tongue inside of her, at the same time clutching the backs of her thighs and then the soft mounds of her buttocks.
“Axel.” She widened her legs, clasping the edge of the bench with both hands now.
“Too good for me.” He rubbed his chin along her seam.
It was true. Felicity deserved someone better than him. Someone who would seduce her slowly, on silk sheets in an elegant bedchamber, someone who would take his time pressing kisses up the length of her leg and teasing her gently. Not a giant of a man who would ravish her in a public park.
“I’m not.”
Feeling her sliding off the bench, Mantis adjusted his arms around her thighs and spread her wider, rewarding himself with the prettiest sight of his life.
He was lost, wanting to explore her with his hands, his tongue, but also bury himself inside again.
“What’s wrong?” Her words jolted him.
“I’m—” He flicked his eyes up to meet her gaze. “I don’t deserve you.”
“Don’t stop.” She closed her eyes, tipping her head back. “Take care of me, Axel.” And then, “Please?”
