One touch of his mouth and she went off, crying out his name. He let her ride out the waves. “Let’s hear that again,” he murmured against her, nipping at her clit.
* * * *
Mariana tugged on Raine’s hair, trying to get him up her body. Three orgasms was enough. He growled against her core, and the low rumble carried through her entire body. She jerked and sighed, taking more of him.
He licked and nipped, bit and sucked. Somehow, his hands and mouth were everywhere. She felt herself driving up again and then fell over with barely a whimper, her body undulating with crashing waves stronger than her voice.
Finally, he let her rest as he kissed her thighs, her hipbones, her abs and then her breasts. Taking his time, killing her, he suckled each until her nipples were just aching nerves of need. Then he kissed her clavicle, her neck, and her cheeks. When he took her mouth again, it was with a lazy passion that turned wild way too fast.
How did he do that?
He held her in place, claiming everything with just his mouth. He commanded her response, and she gave it to him, her body too attuned to his to do anything else. His firm hand grasped her butt, and he pushed inside her, going slowly but taking no quarter.
Her body softened and stretched around him, slick after the multiple orgasms. Even so, she had to catch her breath at the exquisite pressure until he was balls deep inside her. It was more than she could’ve ever imagined.
He started moving then, in and out, setting up a rough rhythm she could only hold on and ride. Each scrape of nerves inside her had her quaking as she built up to yet another climax. He went faster and harder, partially lifting her off the bed, controlling them both. With the slightest twist of his hips, he hit her G-spot, and the entire room sheeted white as she climaxed. She arched against him and shut her eyes, taken over by the exquisite pleasure. “Raine,” she sighed, coming down and going limp.
He kept pounding mercilessly, driving her up again. This time, her body was a jangle of nerves that all held breath. It was too much and yet, she needed more.
He pulled out and flipped her around, yanking her up on all fours. Then he shoved inside again and hit a spot that shot electricity through her limbs.
Grasping the back of her neck, he forced her head to the pillow and then wrapped an arm around her waist and lifted her against him. She turned her head to breathe and let him position her, crying out in pleasure when he angled over her clit somehow.
He was behind her, in control, and she’d never felt safer in her entire life.
One of his talented hands found her well-loved nipple and tweaked it with two fingers.
She jerked and then moaned as more need rushed to her core. It was so much. He hammered harder, pistoning inside her, laying claim in a way she would’ve never believed.
He released her waist and manacled his hands in her hair, tugging her head and forcing her to arch her back as he continued to pound inside her. “Tell me you’re sure about this.”
“I’m sure,” she whispered, unable to say anything else. She wanted him. Forever.
A blinding pain sizzled into her hip just as he leaned over her and sliced his fangs into her neck. She catapulted into an orgasm so intense she could only close her eyes and sob his name. Over and over, there was only Raine Maxwell. Finally, her body released her from the whirlwind, and she went lax.
He ground against her and came, his body bucking violently. His fangs retracted, and he licked her wound clean before releasing her.
She flopped to the bed with her eyes already closing. Exhausted. “Raine.”
“I’m here, sweetheart.” He wrapped around her, settling the bedcovers over them. Then he gently kissed her head and smoothed her hair away from her face. “Are you all right?”
“Sleepy,” she mumbled, already falling into dreamland. He spooned her from behind, and safety had never felt so good or warm. “Love you, Raine.”
His breath caught against her back, and he held her tighter. “I love you, too. No matter what, Mariana. It’s you and me forever.” He caressed her arm to hold her hand, his big and broad around hers. “Trust me.”
“I do,” she said, meaning every word, trying to fight sleep. She should enjoy this moment. It was a big one. “Am I immortal yet?”
His chuckle stirred her hair. “No. That takes a little time. You are mated, though.”
Yeah. Her hip felt like it was on fire. “You transferred the marking?”
“Yes. I’ll still have one on my hand, but it’ll be lighter and won’t burn me so often.” He kissed her head again. “Go to sleep.”
He was already getting bossy with her. On that thought, she grinned and went to sleep.
Chapter 15
Mariana stretched herself awake against a hard male body. She was sore in all sorts of interesting places but had never felt more alive. “Do you still love me?” she murmured.
“More than ever.” His lips were still against her head. “Want me to show you?”
She stretched again and then winced. “I might need a break.”
He kissed her. “No break.” Then he chuckled. His phone rang, and he stretched one long arm over her to take it from the bedside table.
Little tingles erupted where their skin touched. Maybe she didn’t need a break.
“Maxwell,” he answered. Then he sighed and stiffened. “No, Sheriff. You can talk to my attorney.” He listened for a while. “Are you serious?”
Mariana turned over to face him and then definitely felt like she didn’t need a break. A lock of dark hair had fallen on his forehead and sexy scruff covered his decidedly sculpted jaw. His eyes were a mellow moss green in the morning.
He rolled those eyes. “Fine.” Then that jaw hardened. “Mariana is fine, thank you. She does not need to attend.” He ended the call.
She indulged herself by running her palm along his whiskers. “What’s going on?”
“The sheriff assures me that charges won’t be filed but one of his deputies has a new lead on your stalker and somehow I’m involved so he wants to talk to me. He assures me I’m a victim and not a suspect.” The dryness of Raine’s voice made her chuckle.
“You’re a victim? Ha.” She leaned in to kiss his jaw.
“Right. I’m going to get this over with.” He sat up and pressed the phone to his ear. “Hey, Cade. I mated Mariana last night. Could you get the word out to the Kurjans that they’re too late? I think they’re wrapped up enough with other fights that they’ll let this one go. Yeah. Agreed. And there’s no way they know about our real enemies, so I’m not worried about that. Yet.” He ended the call.
Mariana sat up, and her mouth watered. The male had a very fine chest. “You just tell the Kurjans that kind of news?”
“Not usually.” His grin was too sexy to be boyish this morning. “But they have a lot going on, so this is a loss they’ll just have to suck up. I’m not worried about it, and Cade will get the message to them.”
Well, that was one relief, at least. “When will you be back?” She could make a nice breakfast for them. While she should be feeling a little shy or overwhelmed, in truth, she felt fantastic. Like she should awaken next to Raine every morning. She grinned.
He grinned back. “I’m happy, too.”
Now that was exactly what she’d wanted to hear. “I’ll make breakfast while you’re gone.”
“Nope.” He lifted the phone to his ear again and dialed. “Hey, Tabi. Can Mariana hang with you for about an hour while I go deal with the sheriff? Yeah? No problem. Thanks.” He tossed the phone on the bed and moved for his duffle on the floor.
Mariana stood. “I don’t need a babysitter. I’ll be fine here.” She twisted to see the marking on her hip. A perfect M with jagged lines. It looked like an intricate tattoo. “Wow.”
His eyes flared. “That’s beautiful.”
It really was. She rocked back on her heels and stretched. “I like it.”
“Good thing.” He yanked on jeans and reached for a shirt.
“I’m staying here, Raine.” She looked around for her nightie but didn’t see it. Oh well. She should get dressed anyway.
“No.” He put on the shirt and padded toward the bathroom. “You’re not immortal yet, and I want the demoness around just in case. We still don’t know who was stalking you.”
Mariana put her hands on her hips. “Is this what you meant about your word being law?”
“It’s a start.” He disappeared into the bathroom.
Well, they were not going to continue in this vein, but for now, she didn’t mind talking to Tabi about this whole immortality situation. So she hurried to dress. After brushing her teeth and putting her hair in a ponytail, she put on a minimum of makeup and met Raine in the living room. “I hope you know I’m going along with this because I want to see Tabi.”
“Okay.” Raine took her out to a new blue truck in the driveway.
She stumbled, and he righted her by the arm. “Where did this come from?”
“I ordered it,” he said, assisting her up into the passenger seat. “We’re very comfortable. I’ll make the accounts joint when I get the chance.”
She held out a hand. “I don’t need your money, Raine.”
“It’s our money.” He shut the door before she could argue.
She rolled her eyes. The truck was pretty nice. They made the drive in the soft sunshine, with the rain having finally stopped.
After buying three lattes, Raine drove her to Tabi’s house and handed over the drinks. “Stay here until I pick you up.” He kissed her on the chin, both cheeks, and then her forehead, making her go all gushy inside. Then he waited until she’d reached the door to Evan’s comfortable home before driving off.
Tabi opened the door and reached for the lattes. “Awesome. Thank you.”
“Sure.” Mariana kept a drink and walked inside, expecting to see Evan. Instead, a pretty blonde with a black eye sat on the sofa and accepted the coffee from Tabi.
Tabi smiled. “Mariana, this is Louise Baker. She’s currently getting divorced from Deputy Johnny Baker, the sheriff’s kid, and is going to need a good shrink.”
Louise sipped her latte. “It’s nice to meet you.”
“You, too.” Mariana took a seat. “Raine and I are figuring out what to do, but I’d like to open an office here in town. You’d be my first client.” She remembered hearing that Johnny was an ass who liked to hit. It was good this girl had left him, and Mariana could help her. She wanted to help.
Louise blanched. “I, um, can’t pay you much.”
Mariana waved a hand. “No worries. In fact, if I open an office, I’ll need a receptionist and office manager. What do you say?”
Tabi beamed behind her latte cup.
Louise frowned and then steeled her shoulders. “I’d love to help.”
“Perfect,” Tabi said, nearly hopping in place with her blonde hair flying. “I love it when a plan comes together.” She sniffed the air and then zeroed in on Mariana. “Don’t you? Yep. A good plan. Yay.”
Mariana hid a smile. Obviously Tabi knew that Raine and she had mated. “I have questions for you later,” she said.
“I’m sure,” Tabi said, grinning widely.
Louise’s phone rang, and she pulled it out of a brightly patched purse. “Hello?” She paled. “I know, but…okay. Yes.” She replaced the phone in her bag, and her hand trembled.
Mariana reached for her hand. “What’s wrong?”
The girl swallowed. She had to be only around eighteen. “That was Johnny. Today was the last day we have our rental house, and he’s moving everything. He said if I don’t come get the rest of my things, he’ll take them to the dump. I wouldn’t care, but my grandma left me her Belleek china from Ireland.”
Tabi grabbed her keys off the sofa table. “Let’s go get your stuff. It’s okay. Johnny’s afraid of me after I beat him up last year and ended up in anger management classes.” She laughed. “The idiot attacked me along with a couple of his buddies. He won’t dare do it again.” Then she frowned. “Unfortunately. To be honest, I’d really like to kick him again.”
Louise faltered and then nodded. “Yes. Okay. I’m tired of being afraid of him. Let’s go.”
Mariana stood.
Tabi waved her back down. “Not you, sister. You’re supposed to stay here and under the radar until Raine gets back. I promised in exchange for the lattes. You take it easy and watch some television or something.”
Mariana sighed. “Where’s Evan?”
“He had a campaign breakfast,” Tabi said. “He should be home in an hour or so. Louise and I will be back probably before he returns. I’ll lock the door. Bye, Mariana.”
Maybe all immortals were bossy. Mariana watched the women go and then looked around. Well, she could watch some television. Two dogs played out back, and she could go throw sticks for them. Or she could take a little nap on the sofa.
She was a bit tired. Maybe it was the whole increase in chromosomal pairs or something.
A knock sounded on the door before she could make up her mind. “What did you forget?” She laughed and opened the door to see Sheriff Baker on the porch. “Sheriff.” Was he looking for his daughter-in-law? Well, his soon to be ex-daughter-in-law.
“Hi. There was a problem at the station, and Maxwell sent me to get you.” The sheriff’s buzz cut was sharper than ever and his uniform was creased mercilessly. “You can bring your coffee.”
Mariana frowned. “What kind of problem?”
The sheriff rubbed his clean-shaven chin. “He got into an altercation with two deputies, and the only thing that would calm the guy down was my promising to come get you.”
Her instincts flared wide awake but she kept calm. “Oh.” She nodded. “All right.” There was no way on God’s green earth that Raine would ever want the sheriff to fetch her. “Let me grab my purse.” She moved to slam and lock the door, but he put one foot in the way. She kicked his foot and tried again, but he shoved the door open, and she flew back into the sofa table. The edge caught her ribcage, and pain shot through her. She winced.
He pointed his gun at her. “That was so unnecessary. Get into the car before I cuff you. Now.”
“No.” She turned to run, and he caught her by the arm, pressing it up beneath her shoulder blade with enough pressure to draw tears to her eyes.
“Move.” He pushed her onto the porch and slammed the door, forcing her to his police car, where he put her in the backseat and shut the door.
She stretched her arm out, wincing as the tendons protested. “What the hell are you doing?”
He moved into the driver’s seat and started the car, driving away from the house. “I just wanted to talk to you. Is that so bad? Why do you have to make everything so damn difficult?”
“I’m sorry,” she said, not meaning it. How could she get out of this? Had he arrested her? If so, for what?
“You’re in danger, and I want to help you. It’s my job, and I’m tired of everyone fighting me on it.”
She winced. The guy sucked at his job, and he was right that nobody cooperated.
He stared at her through the rearview mirror. “When you received those three dozen white roses, I knew I could help you. That I could protect you. Why won’t you let me?”
She opened her mouth to appease him and then paused. “Three dozen? I didn’t tell you there were three dozen. I just told you that I’d received white roses.” Most people would assume it was a dozen, right? Her brain reeled. Wait a minute.
He parked beneath a tree in a vacant parking lot next to an abandoned fast food joint. “I really wish you wouldn’t have figured that out.”
Her chin dropped. “You sent me the roses?” How was that possible?
“I care for you. A lot. I know I’m married, but you’re special. You and I could have something really great together, if you’d just give me a chance.” He partially turned to face her, and the divider between the seats was open.
She tried to filter facts into place.
“Did you send me flowers in Dallas?”
“No,” he burst out. “Of course not. However, when I first saw you, I did a background check and discovered your case in Dallas. So I sent you flowers here—”
“Thinking I’d turn to you for protection?” she asked.
He nodded, his nostrils flaring. “But you turned to that Maxwell asshole instead.”
Raine. Oh, God. The sheriff had called him earlier that morning. “Where is Raine?”
“He’s at the station answering questions with a couple of deputies.” The sheriff waved away the question. “I just needed time to talk to you.”
Wait a minute. She had a stalker in Dallas, was followed by Raine, kidnapped by Kurjans, and now taken by the sheriff? She barked out a hysterical laugh. This was crazy. “I must have some seriously whacked out pheromones,” she muttered.
“What?” the sheriff asked.
She eyed the side doors. They were locked, and there was no way out. Well, there was one way. She bunched her legs and burst through the opening in the divider between the front and rear seats, landing on her knees and hitting her chin on the dash. She moved to the right and kicked back with one leg, smashing Baker’s nose.
He howled and reached for his gun. She pivoted to grab it.
His door was jerked open, and he flew out to land on his ass.
Raine leaned in. “You okay?”
She gulped and nodded.
Raine turned and punched Sheriff Baker in the jaw. The sheriff fell back into the mud, arms splayed, out cold. “Damn it,” Raine muttered.
Mariana scrambled out of the vehicle. “You only got to hit him once.”
Raine turned on her. “This is what happens when you don’t stay where I tell you to stay.”
“Wasn’t my fault,” she said quietly. “How are you here?”
He pulled her close and kissed her. Hard and then soft. “I figured out it was a scam after the first question, and I headed right for you. Caught your scent.”
Her eyebrows rose. “Literally?”
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