Page 55 of Poet & Protector

Nev seemed to be possessed by the same impulse because he kissed me fearlessly and desperately. His hands left my face to slide down my neck and shoulders. Then his arms were around me, pulling me tight against him.

I felt every contour of his body, his carved musculature, his…oh god. God, yes.

Groaning, I tangled my fingers in ends of his hair, kissing him harder. He answered in kind, sinking his teeth into my lower lip and tugging lightly.

Nev walked me backward, his mouth caressing my jaw, my neck, until I was pressed up against the broad trunk of a pine tree. He grabbed my hands and lifted my arms over my head. He transferred hold of my wrists to one of his hands, locking them together and pinning them to the rough bark with a low, rumbling growl. That sound and the breathtaking strength of his grip pummeled me with shockwaves of raw need.

He kissed me again, then pulled back, breathing hard.

“Is this okay?”

“Don’t stop kissing me,” I answered. “If you stop I might have to kill you.”

His smile made my heart spin then his mouth found mine once more. As we kissed, he deftly unbuttoned my vest.

“So easy,” he whispered against my lips.

Using his free hand, he tugged my shirt from the waistband of my jeans. His fingertips grazed my abdomen, making me shiver.

“Yes?”

“Yes.”

Nev began to explore my torso, touching me gently. His palm flattened against my chest, stroking the muscles there before sliding to my stomach and around my lower back, up and over my shoulder blades, then repeating the pattern in reverse. His mouth feathered over mine, then caressed my jaw, my throat. He kissed and licked; teased me with gentle bites. I closed my eyes, losing myself in the exquisite sensations until I was writhing in his grasp.

“I need to touch you, Nev,” I gasped. “Please.”

He released my wrists and my arms went around him. I reached beneath his t-shirt to run my fingers up his spine and he shivered. I wanted to feel his skin on mine. An irresistible need to be even closer to him took hold of me.

More.

Growling, I kissed him hungrily. My hands dragged hard over his skin, mapping his body so I would never forget this feeling. Nev responded to my urgency with equal fire. His teeth caught my ear lobe. His fingers dug into my hips and he took us to the ground with a snarl.

We were devouring, savoring each other in our human forms, but we were still Guardians. Our desire became a battle of increasingly frenzied kisses, hunting fingers, grinding bodies. We rolled along the earth, fighting each other for control, giving and taking as new sensations and surges of need overwhelmed us.

I don’t know how much time passed before we ended up on our sides, covered in grass and dirt, our arms wrapped around each other, legs tangled. We were both panting as we gazed at each other. Nev had fire blazing in his eyes and I knew he saw the same hungry flames in mine.

He smiled at me. I smiled back.

We both began to laugh. I snuggled into him and he buried his face in my neck.

“Does this mean you like me now?” I asked, teasingly.

He lifted his head, looking at me. Then his eyelids lowered, as if the question made him self-conscious. “You have no idea.”

I was about to ask what he meant when he spoke again.

“You’re so beautiful, Mason.” His voice was soft, reverent. “Everything about you is beautiful.”

My breath caught. He’d already shown me how much he wanted me with his kiss, his touch. But hearing those words…

“What happens now?” I asked.

When he looked at me, his golden-brown irises were filled with a candle-like glow. “More of this. I hope.”

“Good.” I kissed the tip of his nose. His cheek bone. His chin. “I like more of this.”

He smiled at me and brushed my hair back from my forehead.