Blinking her burning eyes, she headed toward the copse of trees, wishing this emptiness inside her would somehowease.
* * *
Asound pulledShae out of her troubled dreams. Something hit the wall with a dull thud. Her eyelids cracked open. Cautiously, she peered around the dark bedroom. Faint light seeped from beneath the closed door to the nextroom.
He was back. Memories of what had happened earlier that night had her groaning. Normally, she was a get-up-and-face-the-world kinda girl, no matter the setbacks. Now, she buried her face in her pillow, wanting to hide in bed for the next severalmonths.
At a low, harshly muttered expletive, she jerked upright, her heart thudding in apprehension. Was he hurt? With the kind of job he did, chances were he could be…and, no,hewouldn’t seek help. He was as stubborn as the day waslong.
She eyed the adjoining door warily—dammit, she couldn’tnothelp if he washurt.
Despising her weakness, she got off the bed and made her way across the room, her socks-clad feet silent on the granite floor, and opened the door. A dense gloom cloaked the room, but a short, fat candle burned on the nightstand, casting a pool of light over the man on the four-poster bed. She took another step inside and stumbled to ahalt.
Dear sweet Jesus!Shirtless, Dagan rested against the headboard, eyes shut. His bronze pecs and biceps gleamed in the soft light. His one knee was raised, his leathers unzipped, and his big palm was wrapped around his cock as he stroked himself. It was the sexiest, most erotic thing she’d ever seen. He was sobeautiful.
Held in the throes of the sensual spell, she swallowedhard.
His head turned, his movements slowed. Through half-mast eyelids, those molten yellow eyes fastened on her like a sleek predator’s. He didn’tspeak.
Shae rushed into speech, her face on fire. “I heard a noise, and thought… never mind. I’msorry—”
“Don’tgo.”
His low words stopped herretreat.
“The moment you left me tonight, I couldn’t get you out of my mind.” His palm slowly worked his erection in mesmerizing strokes. Up. Down. Up. Down. “The way your body felt against me, your mouth on mine. I thoughtthiswould take away the impossible craving I have for you, but it’s just a poor fucking substitute and doesn’t evenwork…”
“Why? The woman in theclub—”
He shook his head. “Idon’t want any of them.”He didn’t?“I tried to do the right thing and leave you alone, but I cannot. Come here,Shae.”
Her heart stopped then started again, her fingers clenching her nightshirt. However, it was his stare—heavy with desire and edged with yearning—that trapped her. As if under hypnosis, her feet took the steps across the room towardhim.
“Give me yourunderwear.”
“W-what?”
“Now.”
The softly uttered word held an undercurrent of steel. And because she’d lost her ever-loving mind, and he was all she’d thought of since they’d stepped through the portal, she slipped her hands beneath her nightshirt and drew her pantiesoff.
He took them from her shaky fingers and dropped them on the pillow beside him. “On the bed, oppositeme.”
Swallowing hard, she climbed up and pulled her nightshirt down, her knees pressedtogether.
A dark brow rose at her actions, but he didn’t say anything. As his hand moved again, her focus lowered to his groin, and at the sight of him stroking his long, thick sex, heat licked through herveins.
His fingers slowed their pumping motion. Her gaze rushed to his. Those sun-bright eyes burned with carnal heat. He crawled over to her, spread his knees, and caged her—his leathers still undone. With slow, deliberate movements, he unclenched her ice-cold hand from the hem of her nightshirt, put her two fingers into his warm mouth, and leisurely suckedthem.
Her heart tripped. As if it were a direct line to her core, arousal flared as he lapped her fingers. Anxiety fled. Grasping her ankles, he put them over his thighs and pushed her nightdress up, opening her to his gaze. He brought her fingers down between herlegs.
At the sensuality of him—of them both—stroking her most intimate flesh, her breath caught. She became aware then that his gaze wasn’t between her thighs but on her face, watching her every expression. A flush scorched hercheeks.
“Don’t think, just feel.” He ran their fingers up her folds again, his thumb brushing her clit. Arousal grew. He let go of her hand and took over, his fingers stroking down her cleft and up again, slowly circling the bundle ofnerves.
Dear. God.She closed her eyes, lust gripping her in a stranglehold, her fingers fighting for purchase on the baremattress.
“No. Look at me,Shae.”
