Текст книги "Black Moon"

Автор книги: J. Tyler

сообщить о нарушении

Текущая страница: 5 (всего у книги 16 страниц)

Five

“Wine?”

Mac shook her head. “I’d love a glass, but I’d better not while I still have half a day of work ahead of me.”

“You’re such a good girl, aren’t you? Never do anything wild or spontaneous?”

She could think of onetime. However, she opted not to go there in spite of his obvious baiting. “Not too often. I guess that’s a hazard of being a general’s daughter.”

“I imagine he was tough.”

“ Istough. You have no idea.” She winced inwardly, thinking of how in the hell she was going to break the news of her pregnancy to her dad. Though she’d love to call him on the phone, blurt the news, and hang up, that wasn’t going to cut it. Not for Jarrod Grant. He’d expect his daughter to face him like a woman, not hide like a kid.

That meant a flight out to visit him. Soon.

“Hey, where’d you go?” Kalen asked, breaking into her gloomy thoughts.

“Just thinking about Dad.” That was no lie. “Being raised by him was no picnic, but he’s a good father and a great man. I learned everything I know from him.”

“You love him,” he said, his tone wistful.

“More than anything.”

Except this child. Your child.

“You’re lucky to have even one parent who dotes on you. I have two, if they’re still alive, and they’re just about as worthless as two people can be. If they aren’t already dead, I’d love to kill them both for the sheer pleasure of doing it.”

She stared at him, taken aback. He’d never spoken against them outright before, and with such anger. “That’s not a healthy emotion to live with,” she said softly. “Have you seen a counselor?”

He returned her stare, started to deny it. “When the hell would I– Hold up. Yeah. On second thought, I guess you could say I am, in a manner of speaking. Someone who’s helping me quite a bit, making sure I never feel like a victim again.”

She paused. “Who are you seeing? Maybe I know the doctor.”

“Didn’t say it was a doctor, did I?”

There it was again. A terrible shadow on his face and in his eyes, a certain unkind vibe that sent a nasty shiver down her spine. Who could it be? Was he seeing another woman? Fucking away his pain at night when he couldn’t sleep?

The awful nausea returned.

“You said you were raised by your dad. What happened to your mom?” he asked, changing the subject. Thankfully he seemed oblivious to her upsetting thoughts.

“She died of leukemia when I was ten.”

“I’m sorry.” His eyes softened.

“Thanks. It was hard on us, especially him. My memories of her are distant now, but not so for him. She was the love of his life. My dad was never the same, and he never remarried. He threw himself into moving up in the ranks in the Navy, but he loved me and made sure I knew it.”

The waitress came and took their orders, lingering longer and smiling more at Kalen than was strictly necessary. Mac tried not to bristle. After she moved off, Kalen went on, probing curiously into Mac’s past.

“How the heck did your dad raise you alone and still have the time to become a general?”

“I stayed with my aunt—his older sister, Gena—whenever he was deployed. She was able to do all the mothering he couldn’t, get me through the painful teen years when a girl needs a strong female in her life. He was gone less and less as the years went by, and now he’s pretty much a fixture in Washington.”

“Do you keep in touch with your aunt?”

“She passed away two years ago. Heart attack at age fifty-six.” Studying her water glass, she swallowed against the sudden burn in her throat. “In many ways, she was my mother. She’s the one I remember being there through all the skinned knees, awkward growing pains, boyfriend drama, and fights with best friends. She’s the one who took me shopping for my prom dress, styled my hair, took pictures when my date showed up. . . . Losing her was the saddest day of my life.”

One of Kalen’s hands reached across the table and covered hers. “You’ve had your share of loss. I’d give anything to change that for you, but I’m a Sorcerer, not a god.”

“I appreciate the sentiment, more than you know.”

He paused. “So, did you always want to be a doctor?”

“Since I was a kid. I used to make dad and Aunt Gena sit for hours while I ‘fixed’ them with my plastic doctor kit. It would be years before I realized that you can’t fix everyone, no matter how hard you try.” Crap, she hadn’t meant to say that last part. And sure enough, his curiosity was further piqued.

“Yesterday you asked me if I ever wondered why you left a perfectly good practice, came way out here in the middle of Bumfuck, and devoted yourself to studying paranormal creatures. And the answer is yes, I do wonder.”

His hand was warm and comforting on hers, his expression open and encouraging. Unlike the tense, smirking stranger from earlier, thisman cared. This was the man who held her heart.

She took a deep breath. “I suppose it doesn’t make a difference telling you, since you could just Google my name and easily get the story.”

“I’ll do that if it’s better for you not to talk about it.”

“No, that’s okay,” she said, giving him a tremulous smile. “I was a psychologist, and a pretty good one, I thought. My practice was successful and I was content, if not totally happy and fulfilled.”

“No boyfriend?” he probed.

“No one serious. I was open to finding someone special, but it was just so hard with me being married to my career. My practice was going so well, I got caught up in complacency. Forgot exactly who I was dealing with—people with problems. Serious ones. A couple of my patients were extremely disturbed, but I wasn’t too worried. I was good, you know?” He didn’t miss the self-deprecation in her tone.

“What happened?”

“I was attacked by a patient, in my office,” she whispered. The memory still chilled her to the bone. “There was no warning. One moment we were having a nice conversation and he appeared fine, and the next he’d knocked me out of my chair, pinned me to the floor, and almost strangled me to death.”

“My God,” Kalen said hoarsely, eyes wide. “How did you manage to fight him off?”

“I didn’t. I lost consciousness, and as I did, I believed I was dead. I thought of my dad and how grief-stricken he’d be to lose his only child, especially like that. Then I was gone. I woke up in the hospital and learned that my secretary had heard the commotion and run in to investigate. She and a couple of patients from the waiting room subdued the man and called for help.”

“Jesus Christ.” His face reflected the horror she had felt back then. “I can’t imagine how terrible that must’ve been for you.”

“It was. I never returned to private practice. Just the idea of being responsible for someone else’s mental health, having all of that suppressed rage explode at me again . . . I couldn’t deal with it, so I ran. Back to school to become a physician’s assistant, and then my dad helped me get the plum assignment at the compound when it opened, just as you guessed.”

He flushed. “I apologize. I didn’t mean to imply you didn’t deserve your position or that you had it easy. I was just being a dick.”

“Yeah, you were. But I accept.” She gave him a small smile, letting him know he was off the hook. Almost. “So, why were you being mean?”

“It’s complicated,” he said, gaze dropping to the table.

Just then the waitress returned with their food and set down the plates, giving Kalen a thorough once-over as she did. “Anything else I can do for you?”

Mac’s blood pressure rose, anger simmering.

But he barely glanced at the woman, then shook his head and answered politely. “No, thanks.”

Taking her cue, the waitress left to see about other customers. The tension in Mac drained as quickly as it had come after seeing the girl devour him with her eyes. Maybe it was ridiculous to be jealous of a man who’d rejected her, but Mac couldn’t help how she felt. The way her hormones were starting to kick in, a certain Sorcerer was damned lucky he hadn’t responded to the bimbo.

“Mackenzie? Hey, where’d you go?”

“Hmm? Oh, sorry. Just thinking.”

“About?”

“You. Gonna let me in on why you’ve been such a jerk to me lately?”

“Ouch.” He winced. “I amsorry, for what it’s worth.”

“If the attitude is simply to keep me from stalking you or something, you can relax. I haven’t been following you around begging you to change your mind, and I won’t.” Not that she didn’t long to leave her pride in the dirt and do just that.

“I’m the one who should be begging for a second chance,” he said quietly. “Are you gonna make me do that? Should I get on my knees?”

She stopped twirling her spaghetti and her heart lurched. “What?”

“I got scared and I ran from you. I’ve fucked up in so many ways, you can’t imagine.” Setting down his fork, he rested both elbows on the table, clenching his hands.

“Why should I believe you?” she asked, barely managing to keep her voice steady. What she wanted to do was grab him, drag his body across the table, and kiss him until he passed out from lack of oxygen. Common sense told her to use a bit more restraint.

“You shouldn’t. I’m a horrible prospect, honey.”

“Because of your past? You knowI would never hold that against you. That’s not who I am.” She touched his hand. “You did what you had to do in order to survive.”

“It’s not the past I’m worried about.” His expression was agonized. “I’ve done something I’m so afraid I can’t take back. I’m up against a force I don’t know if I can fight, much less win.”

“Tell me.”

“I . . .” His inner struggle waged war on his face, and his eyes were bleak. “I went—” Suddenly he grabbed his head, grimacing in pain.

“Kalen, what’s wrong?” she asked in a low voice, glancing around to make sure nobody else had noticed.

After a few quick, shallow breaths, he lowered his hands. His skin was pale and he looked shaken. “I can’t tell you. He won’t let me.”

Fear washed through her like ice water. “Who? Malik?”

With apparent reluctance, he nodded. “Yes.”

Beginning to connect the dots, she gripped the edge of the table. “This is the one who’s giving you meaningfulcounsel, helping you feel empowered?” she asked in a low voice. At his miserable nod, the dread intensified. “What’s this bullshit about him not lettingyou tell? What has he done to you?”

“I can’t explain right now. I wish I could.”

“Can’t or won’t?” Strained silence was her answer. “Is this the part where you ask me to trust you?”

“I can’t ask anything of you, honey. But I’m hoping you do.”

“Why should I?”

“Because without you—” With a sharp intake of breath, he stood abruptly, holding a hand under his nose. “Sorry. Be right back.”

Mac stared after him as he retreated, presumably in the direction of the men’s restroom. Slumping back in her seat, she let out a sigh and tried to calm her racing pulse. Malik was sinking his claws deeper into Kalen every day, and her Sorcerer was losing ground. This was bad. So very, very bad. Did Nick know how far the alliance had gotten between the two of them? He must have some idea. Would he follow through with his threat to execute Kalen? She couldn’t bear thinking about that.

What had Kalen been about to say about why she should trust him, give him another chance? Two things she was almost certain of—Malik had stopped him. And if he had, the Unseelie must’ve had a good reason. That meant there was something specific the creep didn’t want her to know.

Why not simply stop Kalen from being with her at all? Now that he had Kalen, perhaps Malik didn’t consider her to be a big enough threat to warrant denying his new apprentice a bit of pleasure.

“That’s just sick,” she muttered, tracing the beads of moisture on her water glass.

Recalling the night she’d spent with Kalen a few weeks ago, when the horrible Unseelie had come to her in a nightmare and attempted to sway her to his side, haunted her a lot these days. Because now she understood that it had been a ruse to get the Sorcerer to part with his amulet, to give it to Mac for her protection.

Leaving him vulnerable to Malik’s twisted desires.

Why Kalen? He couldn’t be the only powerful magic user in the universe. Why did he, in particular, matter so much to the Unseelie? Mac didn’t believe Malik’s choice was random.

She shouldn’t care about Kalen’s problems after the way he’d dropped her and walked away. But his problems were the whole team’s, and now hers as well.

Okay, if she was honest with herself, concern for the rest of the Pack wasn’t the only reason she cared. If she was a lesser person—or maybe a smarter person—she might walk away from him. Leave him to his fate.

But he was the father of their child. The more she got to know him, the more clearly she could see the kind of man he could be– wouldbe—when he finally found his center. His inner peace. The wonderful lover and friend he could be as well.

She remembered how passionately he’d made love to her. There had been no deception in his touch, only pure need. That night, the man who’d held her close had been a man born to love. A man who’d had so little of it given to him in his life.

Glancing up, she spotted him returning, his gait slow and easy, like his half smile when he saw her watching. A wave of fierce protectiveness took her breath away and she knew one thing—

She was going to be the woman to give this man the love he deserved.

And she’d pray like hell the Sorcerer didn’t crush her trust in his fist.

* * *

Kalen hurried to the men’s room and ducked inside, trying to stem the flow of blood running from his nose. His head hurt so goddamned bad, it was like an ice pick being stabbed right through his temple and into his brain.

Leaning over the sink, he turned on the water. His stomach lurched as he watched the blood swirl down the drain. Ironic that he could kill a dozen Sluagh and not bat an eyelash over the slimy gore, but a nosebleed made him queasy. Not that the stabbing in his head helped.

“Son of a bitch,” he rasped. Cupping the running water, he splashed his face, rinsing until the liquid became clear. Gradually the spike driving through his skull withdrew, leaving him shaken. Tired. Bracing his palms on the counter, he sucked in deep breaths.

You will not tell your woman, my boy. Not until our plan is well in motion. She is too soft to understand what must be done and why.

“You and your damned world domination,” he hissed, anger at himself boiling his blood. He should’ve been stronger. Put up more resistance against Malik’s evil. “What have I sold my soul for, you bastard? Just so you can rule the world, murdering anyone who resists you?”

He received no answer. But he did hear a shuffle to his right, and when he glanced around, he almost groaned to see a man standing uncertainly in the doorway, eyeing him as though he’d lost his mind. Fuck.

“Sorry,” Kalen muttered, heading for the exit. “Not feeling so good, ya know?”

The guy gave him a wan smile. “Hey, it happens.”

Brushing past him, Kalen pushed out into the restaurant again, cursing the man’s rotten timing. He probably thought Kalen was on drugs, or worse.

What do you care for the opinion of some weak human? Today he might sneer, but he is a lesser being. After we’ve taken control of the earth, he’ll get on his knees and vow his allegiance to us both, or he’ll die.

“Shut up,” he said under his breath.

Don’t forget how much you’ll savor bringing low all of those who’ve done you grievous wrong in the past. Remember how your heart gladdened to see Billy suffer for his terrible transgressions, and know that the pleasure will be tenfold when justice is delivered by your own hand.

The hypnotic voice lulled him, the lust for power snaking through his groin. An image was thrust into his head of the redneck tormenting his family. Then getting his just desserts. Yeah, he’d make sure assholes like that never hurt anyone else. God, it would feel so good to wrap his hands around that fat neck and—

“Kalen!”

Someone gave him a gentle shake, and he realized that fingers were lightly gripping his arm. Blinking, he found himself staring into Mac’s worried face. “I’m sorry, what?”

“Where did you go this time? I called your name twice.”

Suddenly he saw that he was standing in the middle of the restaurant like a statue, a few feet from their table. Jesus, he must look like a crazy person to everyone there. He noted a handful of curious stares. Raising his voice a little, he gave a short laugh and said for the benefit of those nearby, “Did you? Must’ve zoned out. I was trying to remember if I left my cell phone in the bathroom.” He made a show of patting his pockets. “I can’t find—oh, wait. Here it is. Stupid, huh?”

Her expression told him she knew what he was doing, but she didn’t pursue it with others in earshot. Taking his hand, she led him back to their table. “Do you want dessert?”

“Not unless you do. Whatever you want, honey.”

“Nah, I’m good.”

He needed out of there. The atmosphere was abruptly claustrophobic and he had to vamoose, now. Not away from Mackenzie, but out of the building. Waving over their waitress, he mustered polite calm and requested the bill. They waited in silence, eyeing each other until it came and he paid, temporarily avoiding the elephant in the room.

Outside, Mackenzie took his hand as they walked to the car. “Okay, tell me what happened in there. Why did you rush to the restroom?”

“Nosebleed.”

“Malik?” Kalen nodded, and her blue eyes went steely. “He did that to shut you up, to stop you from telling me you went to see him last night, didn’t he? That bastard! We’re going to find a way to beat him, sweetie. You just hang on. Do you hear me?”

“Yeah.” Christ, he hoped she was right.

And that was when he realized that the Unseelie wasn’t in his head. That the awful dark thirst for blood and vengeance seemed to have lifted for the time being. “He’s gone. I don’t feel him anymore.”

“For good?” At his look, her spark of enthusiasm vanished. “Of course not. That would be too easy.”

“It’s a ray of hope, anyway.” However thin.

He was sure the reprieve now, and earlier in the car, had to do with the doc. He just had to figure out how, specifically. He mulled it over as his date pulled from the parking lot and onto the road, and for several minutes afterward. Until her sweet scent caught his attention as it had on the way to the restaurant.

Vanilla and roses. That was the tantalizing aroma making his senses tingle and his cock fill. In addition, the scent seemed deeper than before, richer somehow. His panther awakened, stretching, purring in joy at the familiar scent. The beast welcomed it and yearned to get close to the amazing presence of its mate once again.

Mate?

Quickly he envisioned a wall of solid steel around him, desperately trying to seal his thoughts from Malik.

No. She couldn’t be his mate. Could she? Why had that word popped into his head? How could he know for sure? He’d seen what had happened to Jax and Aric when they’d met their mates—they’d gotten sicker until it was either claim their mates or die. But that hadn’t happened to Kalen. He felt completely fine—well, other than Malik’s horrible influence.

Admittedly, as a Sorcerer he was different. So his panther might be wrong about the mate thing.

Inside, it growled in displeasure at the direction of his thoughts. Never had his other half been so vocal, so certain of what he wanted. His cat strained insistently, longing to shift, to rub his scent all over the woman, bite her, mark her for all to see. Kalen imagined doing just that, with his cock buried deep inside her warm, wet sheath. For the first time, instead of having to summon his panther, Kalen had to concentrate to hold him back.

The beast roared and he channeled his energy into soothing it. Imagining a pool of clear blue surrounded by a tropical oasis, he poured a stream of calming light over his cat until it subsided, curling up again with a huff of annoyance. Still not satisfied in its wants, but tame once more.

“You sure you’re all right?” she asked.

He’d been off in his head again, and she’d been studying him the whole time. What did she see when she looked at him? A mess not worth keeping? He shifted uncomfortably. “I am now.”

“Is that the first time that’s happened?” She gestured to his face in general.

He nodded. “Yeah. Seems like he’s got a trick or three up his sleeve to keep me in line.”

“Are you going to talk to Nick about this and about last night?” Mackenzie asked softly.

“I’m going to try. And hope he doesn’t shoot me for real.”

“That’s not funny.”

“Wasn’t meant to be.”

“Do you want me to go with you to see him?”

Not having to face the boss alone was tempting. But the urge to protect her from the ugly reality of his situation was stronger—though it might be far too late. “I appreciate the moral support, but I’d better talk to him alone.”

“Okay. Just know the offer stands.”

“Thanks. That’s more than I deserve from you.”

“Oh, I don’t know about that.” A soft, secretive smile curved her lips.

A spark of light beamed through the gloom. “So you’re not going to make me beg for another chance? You never did answer me, you know.”

“No, I didn’t,” she agreed, sobering some. “To be honest, I’m not sure how to answer because I don’t know where this sudden change of heart is coming from.”

“It may seem like it’s coming from nowhere to you, but it’s not sudden for me,” he admitted, gut churning. “I didn’t want to walk away in the first place. I just . . . I know I’m about the worst thing that could ever happen to you, especially right now. But I can’t stop wanting you.”

The words came out raw, as if scraped with sandpaper. At least they were on the table, whatever she might decide. God, he was so afraid of the horror he could bring into her life. He was even more afraid of living his alone, with nothing but the temptation of evil for company.

“Wanting isn’t the same as needing,” she said softly. Her tone was contemplative rather than accusing. “Anyone can wantsomething they don’t need,or that isn’t good for them.”

He couldn’t refute that, so he didn’t try.

Mackenzie fell silent, brow furrowed in thought as she drove. Kalen wondered if she thought less of him because of his choice of wording, but what he knew about women and how their brains worked wouldn’t fill the toes of his boots.

He’d been so lost in pondering the dilemma of the doc that it took him a few moments to realize she’d turned off the main highway and onto a dirt and gravel road that was little better than a path beaten out of the weeds.

“Um, where are we going?”

“You’ll see.”

“Finally decide to just take me out and shoot me yourself? Save Nick the trouble?”

“You’re awfully preoccupied with being shot.”

Because I deserve it.“Not really. Just curious about where you’re taking me.”

With a quick smile, she guided the car down the path, until at last it ended at a grassy clearing. Nearby was a creek and beyond that, a stand of trees where the forest resumed on the other side. The spot was beautiful, serene, and he told her so.

“This is gorgeous. It looks real peaceful.”

She shrugged, but appeared pleased that he liked it. “That’s why I come here sometimes, just to think. I’ve even brought a small picnic for one a couple of times, complete with a bottle of wine.”

That seemed sort of lonely and sad, but he could hardly cast stones in the loner department, so he kept his opinion to himself. “What about your friends I met at the bar? You haven’t brought them out here?”

“Amy and Shannon? No, they’re good friends, but this place is mine.”

“But you brought me,” he pointed out, puzzled. “Why me and not them?”

“Because it’s the sort of place you share with somebody special,” she said, fixing him with those pretty blue eyes.

“Oh.” His throat threatened to close up nice and tight. “Nobody’s ever called me that, except maybe Grandma.” Of course, that hadn’t been the same at all.

Reaching out, she cupped his cheek. He couldn’t help but lean in to her touch as she stroked, his cat stretching and purring in contentment.

“You are special,” she said quietly, eyes growing moist. “You’re amazing, talented, smart, and caring. And oh yeah, drop-dead gorgeous, too. You should be told those things every day of your life, and I’m sorry no one has until now.”

Before he could respond, she leaned toward him, lips pressing against his. The touch was electric, shooting a bolt of sheer bliss through every cell in his body. Her lips were soft, gentle, searching. He opened at her insistence, met her questing tongue with his own, tasted her sweetness.

There had been no kisses in his life. No joy until Mackenzie. He couldn’t walk away again. He wasn’t that strong.

When at last they broke apart, she gave him a soft smile. “How about we go for a walk?”

“Sounds good,” he managed.

Getting out, they met at the front of the car and automatically joined hands. He let her lead them across the clearing and simply appreciated the scenery—mostly the woman at his side. Just her presence was a balm to his troubled soul and he realized that though he’d forgotten to check his mental shields against Malik in the last few minutes, all was still calm in his head. He had no doubt she was the reason.

At the opposite end of the clearing, under the shade of the trees, was a creek. It wasn’t wide, just a few feet across, and as they approached he saw it wasn’t more than shin-deep. “Great spot. I can see why you like to come here.”

“Isn’t it beautiful? I like to sit on that grassy spot under the trees and just listen to the water, the birds, whatever else is moving. Day music, I call it. The sounds are much different than at night.”

His protective streak reared its head. “You don’t come out here at night, I hope?”

“No, silly.” She patted his chest. “I’m not thatstupid.”

“Of course not. I just want you to be safe.” Well, that was the mother of all ironies, considering she was with probably the most dangerous person around.

“I am. Don’t worry, I never venture into the forest at night alone, unlike your Pack brothers when they have to let their wolves loose. Come on.”

Tugging at his hand, she led him to her preferred spot, which was spongy and comfortable. Putting his back to a tree, he pulled her to sit between his spread legs, her back to his front. After giving him a look of surprise, and a bit of pleasure, he thought, she settled in and relaxed against him. He absolutely loved her warmth against him, her body pliant and trusting in his arms.

“I take it we’re playing hooky this afternoon?” he murmured in her ear, wrapping his arms around her middle.

“Mmm. For a little while, if that’s all right with you.”

“More than. I’m a play hookykind of guy.”

“Why doesn’t that surprise me?”

He heard the teasing in her voice and began to nibble on the shell of her ear. “It shouldn’t. You knew I was a bad boy when you threw in with me.”

“Is that what I’ve done?” she asked, shivering lightly as he nipped her neck.

“God, I hope so.”

Flicking his tongue, he tasted her skin, the salty sweetness of her essence. His cat growled, loving that, ready to play. His cock hardened, lengthening to press along her butt and the small of her back. There was no way she didn’t notice, but she remained relaxed, her body language letting him know that she was very much on board with his attentions.

Encouraged, he let his fingers inch under the hem of her blouse. For a few moments he savored the smoothness of her skin under the pads of his fingers. Her waist was trim, her belly flat. He explored her insy and she giggled some, wiggling in his arms. Chuckling, he let his hands roam to the flimsy fabric of her bra and hesitated. When she merely arched her back in invitation, he grazed the nipples, plucked them through the material until they were hard, tight peaks.

“Oh,” she groaned, reaching around to cup the back of his head. She buried her fingers in his hair.

“Do you need me, baby?”

“Yes, please!”

That was all he needed to hear. Finding the front clasp of her bra, he deftly unhooked and parted the material. Her breasts spilled free and he sucked in a breath of appreciation as he let them fill his palms. Squeezing gently, he enjoyed her squirming against him and realized the mounds felt heavier, more full than they had been the one time they’d been together. But it could be his imagination.

“Spin around, baby.”

He helped her maneuver so she sat straddling his lap, facing him. Before he could reach for her blouse, she stripped it off and tossed it aside, then slipped out of her bra. Her skin was creamy, flawless.

“You take my breath away,” he said in a low voice. “You’re so beautiful.”

Bending, he tasted a dusky nipple, worried it carefully with his teeth. Moaning in pleasure, she buried her fingers in his hair and urged him on. He laved and suckled, first one nipple then the other, until she was writhing on his lap.

Reaching to the waist of her slacks, he hesitated and met her hungry gaze, asking silent permission. She nodded and he unbuttoned them, then helped her stand. Quickly, she shed her shoes, pants, and silky underwear. He stripped his shirt, boots, and jeans, then resumed his position on the grass, his erection pointed at the treetops.

He reached for her hand. “Come here and stand over me.”

She took his hand and straddled him again, feet on either side of his thighs, and remained standing. Her look of eager excitement told him she knew what he was going to do and couldn’t wait.

Neither could he. The first lick of her slit detonated his senses, sent an explosion of pure lust rocketing through his blood. There was nothing as fine as the taste of his woman on his tongue. Warm and wet. Inviting.

Prying her apart with his fingers, he laved her channel, getting as deep as possible. Tongue-fucked her as she pressed into his face, rubbing, needing more. He ate her, slow and easy, enjoying every second. As she made little sounds of ecstasy, he took himself in hand, spreading the seeping pre-cum around the head. After giving himself a few strokes, he couldn’t wait any longer.

“On my lap, baby,” he breathed. “Sit on my cock.”

Kneeling, she positioned herself over him. Then, capturing his gaze with those gorgeous blue eyes, she lowered herself, sheathing him inch by inch. “Ah, shit! Good, honey. So damned good . . .”

Twining her arms around his neck, she gave him a feral look. “You like me fucking you like this, Sorcerer? Want me to milk your big cock so good your balls explode?”