“Just a minute,” came his hoarse reply.
Dear God, was he feverish again? The last time he’d stared at her like this, he’d been burning up.
“Reaper? Are you okay?” she managed to get out.
He didn’t say a word; he just kept coming closer and closer. When he reached touching distance, he threw an arm around her waist and yanked her against his naked chest, his large and very hard erection pressing against her belly. That definitely wasn’t caused by any fever.
“What are you doing out here?”
“Swimming,” she stammered out.
“Naked?” His voice practically vibrated through her. Every single sinewy muscle was digging into her chest and it still wasn’t enough.
“I don’t have a swimsuit,” she said.
And thank goodness she didn’t, otherwise she wouldn’t be feeling this insane pleasure of his bare skin against hers. White-hot desire filled her veins. The lukewarm water lapped against her exposed skin, and his hard chest teased her sensitive nipples. Her fingers curled into his biceps.
“It’s dangerous,” he said in a harsh tone, and then dipped his head to her neck and nuzzled that sensitive spot near her shoulder making her toes curled in the water.
Please kiss me.
He froze.
No. No. No.
“What happened to your neck?”
She grabbed her throat, feeling for a wound.
Reaper continued in a rough, gravelly voice, “This is choke marks. Who came in the hut?”
Caroline closed her eyes and briefly considered lying to him, but she just didn’t have the energy. “You were delusional from your fever. I tried to check your wound and you thought I was attacking.”
His heart thundered against her and she leaned back, watching as his expression turned from fury to pain.
Her chest clenched. “Reaper, don’t. You were out of it. I shouldn’t have messed with you.”
“I hurt you.”
She cupped his cheek, willing him to understand. If he turned away now, she’d die. She needed him more than she need to get home. “I bruise easy. You barely touched me.”
Somehow, her words made his black eyes turn even darker. “Stop lying to me.”
“Stop looking for reasons not to kiss me.”
He shuddered in her arms and dropped his head back to her shoulder. “Caroline- “
His body didn’t feel hot or feverish anymore. Nor was it tepid and sweaty. What would it be like to have him clear-headed and intentionally want to kiss her? His lips brushed the hollow of her neck and she shivered, her thighs clenching instinctively.
“You smell like rainwater.” His hot breath tickled her flesh and she gave in to the urge to wrap her legs around his waist. The movement brought her core into direct contact with his hardness and she gasped at the sensation. If he stopped now, she would lose her mind. A hot, throbbing ache set up in her core, pounding with her heartbeat.
“This is fucking heaven,” he said seconds before he bit down and drew her skin between his lips.
Caroline cried out and threw an arm around his neck, anchoring herself to him so she wouldn’t fall into the water. Pleasure spiked out from her neck and radiated to the rest of the body, so intense she nearly lost it right there. “What are you doing?”
Reaper growled and ground his hips against her. “I’m doing what I’ve wanted to do since I first saw you.”
His mouth slanted over hers, their tongues dancing together in perfect unison. She moaned into him, tightening her grip around his neck, and gave in to the urge to rub against him. The movement caused her shoulder to brush his bandage.
