“Okay—fine,” she harrumphed, glancing down from her precarious position to the floor. “We can have this conversation with me standing.”
“Conversation?” A dark brow arched. “Who said anything aboutyoutalking?”
A thread of anxiety wound its way through her. She’d never met anyone who could be so quiet in his fury. “Blaéz—”
He simply stared at her with those glacial blues.
Her mouth snapped closed of its own accord. He didn’t want her to talk? Fine. He could speak until the cows came home, she wouldn’t say a word. No matter what he planned on doing, she wouldn’t break.
She glared at him. He slid his hands under her skirt and up her thighs, his callused fingers trailing heat on her skin. Her mouth dropped open.
Oh, crap. She could have held out, except forthat.
She wanted to shove his hands away. But seated on the narrow rung, she had no balance, unless she grabbed him. Yeah, that wasn’t an option, frustration buzzed through her veins. She’d rather hold a snake than that stubborn rock-headed man.
“Why do you imagine I’m angry, Darci?” he asked, tone cool. Expression unreadable. Ugh, she hated that.
“I thought I wasn’t supposed to speak?” she muttered, struggling not to react and far too aware of his fingers stroking her thigh.
That stare again.
She scrambled for an answer. “I forced you to take me.” No response. He waited. Of course, he’d wait. He wanted all her sins spilled out. Damn stubborn immortal. “I should have stayed where you left me…because that man grabbed me and licked my face.”
“There’s a reason I told you to stay hidden.” A dangerous pause. “When thatdemongrabbed you, he could have flashed you out of there—”
“I didn’t know that then,” she protested, “But that fiend stabbed Declan—”
“I dislike getting into their heads to kill them,” he cut her off in that low, ominous tone. “Because of the shit I usually pick up. Isawwhat he and his human pals do to females—would have done to you.”
Shocked, her mouth opened then snapped shut. She had no idea what to say as a shiver of dread spread through her. She’d only thought to help her brother. “I’m sorry.”
“Until I get that image out of my head…”
That’s it? A lecture? Oh, thank God!
She slid her feet to the lower rung to climb off. His big hands grasped her thighs, keeping her there. And he shocked all holy hell out of her as he parted her knees and stroked a finger down her silk-covered center.
“What—” Her eyes widened in disbelief.
With not a hint of softening in his austere features, he rested his booted foot on the last rung and dragged his thumb slowly over her clit like he had all the time in the world.
And he had. Crap! He wasn’t on patrol.
Arousal flared. Her hands squeezed the sides of the ladder. She sucked in a sharp breath and struggled to keep her voice even. “Blaéz, I’m not in the mood.”
“Aren’t you now?”
Her words seemed to have triggered something within him. He teased the edges of her panties. Then holding her gaze, he slipped a finger beneath the silk and stroked her flesh.
“Blaéz, wait-wait—”
He didn’t. With an ease that made her wonder what the hell she’d set herself up for, he removed her panties and shoved them in his back pocket.
Seated at his eye-level, he could see every-damn-thing. She had no way of closing her thighs with him planted there like a freaking pole. Holding her gaze, he parted her folds and ran a finger down her damp core. Just a touch and desire pounded at her. He brought his hand up, his finger gleaming wet with her arousal. Heat blazed across her face in embarrassment, she bit her lip. Slowly, he licked it off.
“Not in the mood? Your body and I beg to differ,” he drawled in that dangerously quiet tone. “But let me work on that anyway.”
Oh, dear God. Her inner muscles contracted at his promise. Darci knew then she was in serious trouble. The cool-eyed man before her wasn’t the tender one who’d made love to her a few hours earlier. He was seriously pissed. “Blaéz, let me down.”
