He grunted, and went to check the bathroom anyway.
“I told you so,” she said when he re-emerged, wombatless. “Are you done?”
He grabbed the edge of his desk, muscles flexing. “Almost.”
Honey watched in increasing disbelief as he hauled the desk over in front of the door. “Oh, now you’re being ridiculous. Don’t you think that’s a little over the top?”
“With those kids?” He stood back, surveying his impromptu barricade with an expression of mild disgruntlement. “Not even remotely. I’m only sorry I haven’t got time to put up an electric fence.”
“Come back to bed, Buck.”
“Couldn’t keep me away.” Despite his words, he hesitated. “We’re both meant to be howling at the moon right about now. If anyone does come snooping around, we want it to look like nobody’s home. Much as I want to admire every damn inch of you, we should turn off the light.”
She would rather have been able to admire him too, but he was right. With a pang of regret, she nodded agreement. “Good thinking.”
He gazed down at her for a long moment more, as though trying to imprint the sight in his mind. Then he flicked the light switch.
“Well now,” he said in the sudden darkness, sounding both surprised and pleased. “Never thought I’d say this, but this damn curse is good for one thing, at least. Forgot I could see in the dark.”
“I wish I could.” Even knowing exactly where Buck was, she couldn’t make out as much as his silhouette. “I can’t see you at all.”
A whisper of movement. His hands closed over hers. Gently, he guided her hands up, flattening them against his body.
“I’m right here,” he whispered.
Hard muscle flexed against her palms. Tentatively, she moved her hands across the planes of his chest, still hardly able to believe that this was happening.
Buck’s hands stayed spread over hers. Not guiding her exploration, or urging her downward; just keeping her there, pressed against his skin.
His mouth brushed her cheek. She turned into the kiss, opening to him as she learned the shape of his body. She followed the line of his collarbone to the hard swell of his shoulder. Her fingertips brushed his scar, and she felt him flinch.
She pulled back immediately. “Sorry.”
“Don’t be.” Buck drew her back to him, returning her hands to his torso. “And don’t stop.”
She let her hands slide lower. He sucked in a sharp breath, abs clenching tight under her touch.
“I knew it,” she teased him. “Youareticklish.”
“Not even remotely.” His hands left hers, finding the edge of her t-shirt. “And I’m not patient, either. Take this off.”
She obediently raised her arms. Soft cotton slid over her skin as he pulled the t-shirt over her head.
“Damn,” he breathed, making the curse sound like a prayer. His fingertips skimmed down her waist, her hips, tracing her outline. “Honey.”
Her eyes were starting to adjust to the faint moonlight filtering through the closed curtain. She could make out the line of his shoulders now, and a little of his face.
“I wish I could see you properly,” she murmured.
“Next time.” His hand ran up her spine. “Believe me, you’re going to have plenty of opportunity.”
He pulled her closer, finding her mouth again. She gasped, pleasure shooting through her as her nipples brushed against his chest. Buck made a low growl, tongue thrusting into her with greater urgency.
His hand moved lower, gripping the curve of her ass. He pulled her tight against his body, dragging another gasp from her lips. She could feel how hard he was through his jeans. His hips flexed, grinding against her, and a fresh wave of need clenched her core.
She was too impatient to fumble around in the dark for his fly. Instead, she hooked a finger into the waistband, tugging. Buck didn’t need any further encouragement. Never breaking the kiss, he stripped off so fast, she wondered for a split second if he’d made his clothes vanish with shifter magic.
The thud of denim hitting the far wall showed he hadn’t. And then all thought disappeared, because he was pressing against her again, bare this time, so she could feel his whole glorious length.
