“Are we still fighting?” she asked, her fingers tracing patterns on my chest that made my skin burn.
“I hope not.” I captured her hand and pressed it flat over my heart. “Because I have much better ideas for how to spend our time.”
“Show me.” She pulled me down for another kiss.
Chapter 19
Allie
His mouth met mine with a tenderness that made my heart surge, but beneath it was a hunger that matched my own. Late day sunlight turned his green skin golden, highlighting the strong line of his jaw and the width of his shoulders that blocked out half the world when he leaned over me.
Every nerve in my body felt alive, hyperaware of every point where we touched. His weight pressed me into the mattress, solid and warm and utterly male, and I’d never felt safer or more desired in my life.
“Are you sure?” he asked softly, his dark eyes searching mine for any hint of doubt.
The question sent warmth through my chest. Even now, even with desire burning in his gaze and his body hard against mine, he was thinking of me first. Making sure I was ready, that this was what I truly wanted.
“I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life.” I stroked his face, marveling at the contrast between his powerful frame and the gentleness in his touch. “I love you, Hail. All of you.”
His breath caught at my words, and for a moment he just stared down at me like I was the most precious thing he’d ever seen. The expression on his face, full of wonder and love and barely restrained desire, made my throat tighten with emotion.
“I love you too. So much it sc-sc-scares me sometimes.”
“Then show me. Show me how much.”
He kissed me again, deeper this time, his hands threading through my hair as I melted into his embrace. Every touch sent fire racing through my veins, and every caress was a promise of what was to come. I could taste his desire on his tongue, could feel the barely leashed control in the tension of his muscles.
His fingers found the hem of my shirt and slowly lifted it over my head. The cool air hit my skin, but his heated gaze warmed me from the inside out.
“Gorgeous,” he said, his voice rough with desire as his hand skimmed over my side with a reverent touch. “So incredibly beautiful.”
The way he looked at me, like I was art come to life, made me feel powerful and cherished all at once. I reached for his shirt in return, eager to feel skin against skin, to explore the body I’d been dreaming about for days.
He helped me pull it over his head, and I caught my breath at the sight of him. His chest was broad and muscled, his green skin marked with scars that reminded me this male could wield a sword. The mate bond mark on his wrist caught the light, a perfect match to my own.
“Your turn to be beautiful.” I ran my hands over the warm expanse of his chest, feeling his heart race beneath my palms.
He chuckled, the sound vibrating under my touch. “I don’t think that’s how it works.”
“It is for me.” I traced a scar that ran along his ribs, feeling him shiver under my exploration. “You’re the most beautiful male I’ve ever seen.”
His eyes darkened at my words, his pupils dilating with desire, and he captured my mouth again, this kiss hungrier than before. His hands explored my body, learning every curve and hollow as if he were memorizing me for all time.
When his fingers found the clasp of my bra, I arched against him, eager for more contact. The anticipation was killing me, every second stretching like honey.
I was drowning in sensation, in the feel of his mouth on my skin, his hands mapping my body like I was territory he wanted to claim. Every kiss sent sparks shooting through my nervous system, every touch making me bend myself closer to him.
When he reached for the waistband of my jeans, I lifted my hips to help him, suddenly desperate to have nothing between us. The fabric felt like a barrier I couldn’t stand for another second.
“Eager?” he asked with a teasing smile that made my heart skip.
“Dying,” I said. “I’ve been thinking about this for days.”
“Only days?” His hands stilled on my zipper, his eyebrows raised in mock concern. “I’ve been thinking about it since the mo-moment you walked into my pottery barn.”
“Liar.” I laughed, then gasped as his thumb brushed against the sensitive skin of my hip as he worked my jeans down my legs. “You were too flustered to think about anything that first day.”
“Flustered, yes. But still th-th-thinking about how perfect you’d look covered in clay and nothing else.” His voice had gone rough again, and the mental image he painted made heat pool between my thighs.
