And in a way…she knew that was true.
Taylor almost whimpered but she squeezed her thighs together, trying to prevent him from scenting how turned on she was just thinking about it, just remembering her dreams.
Damn, she wanted him.
She chalked it up to sexual frustration and being around him for the past two days straight.But Taylor had always known what she wanted.And right now it was him.
Even she knew that would be a terrible idea.
“You fight it,” he noted, pausing in his work to look at her.His thigh pressed into her own and she didn’t move away.“Why?”
“Because we hardly know each other!” she exclaimed.“Because I’ll be leaving soon anyway.”
Vikan’s nostrils flared and in a low voice he murmured, “Let us pretend that you chose to stay with me.”
She shook her head, “Vikan…”
“Let us pretend that youwantedto stay.Would being with me be so terrible?”
Taylor’s brow furrowed.“No.I just…everything has happened so fast.And I don’t know what’s happening half the time.Hell, I don’t know what I’m feeling half the time.”
“You promised you would be open to this,” he gently reminded her.“At least until we reach my outpost.”
“It’s not that easy,” she told him, but then swallowed.He’d been so different that day, not as tense as he’d been before.More…open.And she hadn’t held up her end of the deal.She let out a heavy sigh, looking into his eyes.“But you’re right.I did promise.”
“Then for tonight,” he started, “let us pretend.”
“I…I don’t know if I’m ready for sex,” she admitted, a flush rising up her neck.
He shook his head.“We will not mate this night.Let us just see how it can be between us without any distractions.”
As she looked at him, his skin glowing from the fire, she wondered if she could do that.Could she really forget everything, all her worries, and pretend with him?Just for one night?
When he reached out to touch her collarbone, feeling the softness of her skin there, as if he couldn’t help himself, her body seemed to answer for her.Her muscles loosened, her heart jumped with anticipation.
I’m due a night of fun, she reasoned.She didn’t remember the last time she’d just relaxed with someone, no strings attached, no expectations of sex or the awkwardness of unspoken things.
Her dreams rose in her mind, remembering how carefree, how happy she’d been with him.She wanted to see if she could feel that way right then.
And if she could?She acknowledged it would complicate things.
But she’d never know if she didn’t take the chance.
“Okay,” she said, giving into him once again.Why was he so damn persuasive?“Just for tonight, we can pretend.”
Vikan purred.
And Taylor got the sense that what she just said would be classified under ‘Famous Last Words’ by the time he was finished with her.
THIRTEEN
“THAT WAS SO good,” Taylor said, sighing contently.Her belly was full of delicious, freshly caught seafood, she was warm and dry, and once she allowed herself permission to lighten up, to not overthink everything when it came to Vikan, she was enjoying herself with him.Immensely.
“More?” he asked her, plucking a section of the hearty white fish-like meat from one of creatures he’d brought back with him.He presented it to her and he purred when she obliged him, letting him feed her.
Surprisingly, Taylor didn’t mind it.With anyone else, she would’ve balked at the thought of a man, boyfriend or not, feeding her.But with Vikan, it felt…natural.And it seemed to please him so much, to be able to provide for her, that Taylor found herself even liking it, enjoying his reactions and the way he looked at her with masculine satisfaction after every bite.
That time, however, she couldn’t help but let the edges of her tongue graze his fingers, swiping at the delicious flavors and savoring them.
