Gillian’s empathy was wide open; she felt his turmoil, then she felt the razor points of his fangs with her tongue an before she nicked herself on one. There was a guttural groan, whether from Aleksei or herself she couldn’t be sure, and a powerful arm snaked under her thighs, lifting her in that heartbeat space of time before she tasted blood.
Aleksei’s hips wedged between hers, opening her to the press of his sex as he pushed her against the wall of the alley. She felt him squarely between her legs. He was rock hard, large, thick, aggressive, his blood surging to completely fill the erectile tissue in time with their rioting pulses. Wrapping her legs around his waist, she let it happen, let her own passion and his need drive them both. Small, strong hands tangled in his thick wavy hair, pale digits in a sea of black, pulling him tighter to her mouth as she ground against him.
Through the tight linen pants he wore, he felt her damp heat, was helpless as she pressed rhythmically against his shaft, separated only by their clothing. Some flicker of sanity left in him kept him from crushing her against the bricks or tearing off their clothing to sink his raging erection deep inside the lovely body that was riding against his own. Aleksei held her with infinite gentleness, tenderly, gathering his power and pressing against the silken veil of her mind. Her blood was in his mouth from the nick on her tongue and he savored it, the sweet hot spice of her.
“Open for me, cara mia. Open your mind and your heart. Let me in, Gillian.”
She felt his deep, urgent whisper in her mind like an erotic wind. He could strip away her defenses, lay her bare to his power, but he didn’t. He asked. Opening her eyes, she looked into pools of molten mercury. It was a request, not a demand. Right then, she wanted to give him what he wanted. To find out what that voice, those eyes, his power and his body promised. Gently she parted the curtain, cautious but trusting him.
Aleksei flowed into her mind like warm honey, fed her passion with his own, then effortlessly tipped her over the edge of a shining orgasm that shook her to the core. He felt her lower body react, felt her come against him, shuddering; heard her deep moan of gratification against his mouth. Large hands cupped her buttocks and pulled her tightly against him, never breaking the kiss, never shying away from her need as she pressed her contracting body tighter against his burgeoning erection.
As she trembled with aftershocks in his arms, Aleksei turned to rest her on his body, his own back against the rough bricks, and tried to remember how to breathe. Ending the kiss as softly as he had begun it, his raging body still hard and hot, he trailed his knuckles gently down her cheek, pressing his lips to her forehead, still holding her tightly but tenderly and calming his own racing heartbeat.
“Holy smokes, Aleksei.” Gillian’s voice was breathy, full of surprise and wonderment. “Do you always kiss like that?”
A deep chuckle answered her, “Only you, carissima.”
“Well, damn.” She shifted a little in his arms and he lowered her slowly, then wrapped his arm around her shoulders, bracing her as she got her sea legs back again. Looking down at him, she could see that he was in the same aroused state of moments ago.
“My turn.” She moved in front of him, gently caressing the engorged outline as she began unfastening his trousers.
Aleksei’s breath left him in a hiss. He caught her hand gently but firmly. “Save it for when you come back to me, angelica.”
Green eyes widened. “I can’t leave you like this, it’s not right.” She was stunned that he would ask her such a thing.
Bending, he kissed her mouth tenderly as it started to curve into an outraged bow and wrapped her captured hand around his waist. He stroked her hair, then cupped her chin again as he pulled away.
“I am fine, Gillian. I wanted to give something to you before you left. Something for you to think about while we are apart. I can wait for your return. There is not enough time now for me to make love to you properly. When we meet again, there will be time.”
A golden eyebrow arched and her eyes narrowed a little. “Pretty sure of yourself, aren’t you?”
“No. I am sure of you.” Aleksei took her hand and led her back to the door leading back into the pub. Opening it, he gestured for her to proceed him, a smoky smile on his breathtaking face, his eyes still blazing desire down at her.
“Men. Jesus. I will never understand men,” Gillian groused, shaking her head as she moved through the door. Aleksei’s rich laughter followed her inside, making her shiver with anticipation. She was still shivering at the memory two hours later as she boarded the plane for her team’s next mission.
Key to Conflict Page 38