Golden's Rule

by Billi Jean

  He crushed her lips with his, forcing her mouth open to take control, pushing her to submit to his needs. He couldn’t get her close enough. Nails dug into his skin, leaving marks he’d carry for days, but he turned them towards the bed and backed her to the edge. All he had to do was shift enough of his weight onto her and they tumbled onto the mattress.

  She wrapped her arms around his neck, tugging him against the warmth of her luscious body. Damn, he’d missed her. Missed the feel, the scent of her, the taste of her sweet mouth. Waves of arousal sparked between them and he had to force himself to pull back before he lost control. It was close. She was hot, so hot his body burned where they touched.

  With one hand, he unbuckled his belt, shoved his zipper down, thrust his jeans past his hips, and kicked them off. Thank the fuck he’d already taken his boots and shirt off before she’d got back. The first feel of her warm skin up against his ripped a groan from his throat and he knew he had limited time to make her burn.

  He lowered himself gently down against her heat and groaned at how her hot flesh cradled his dick. She felt like silk. Warm and smooth. She sucked in a breath and moulded her hands to his shoulders. She’d missed him as much as he had her. Relief settled the panic that had been whipping at him. Damn it, he’d screwed up, but the hell with her leaving him. He’d fix this with her.

  When he deepened the kiss, she cupped her hands more firmly over his arms, skimming them up to his shoulders, leaving a path of fire behind. He lifted his hips, letting his erection find her centre until he pressed against her pink wet core, the tip so sensitive he shuddered even as he parted her with a steady push. Lifting up from her sweet mouth, he held her close and tucked his face into her fragrant hair. She smelt of cherry blossoms and warm, wild woman.

  Beneath him, he heard the soft sound of her moan. Her rising pleasure triggered his own needs until he had to clench his teeth not to come before he’d even entered more than the head of his cock inside her heaven. She wrapped her silky legs around his hips, and he felt her hard nipples and plump breasts press against his chest, driving him insane. She didn’t stop there, but dug her nails into his spine the longer he let his dick merely notch to her sweet, ready little pussy.

  But taking his time wasn’t going to happen. His hips flexed and his body practically shot off as her slick wetness flared around his slow, careful possession. Beneath him, she gasped and rubbed her face against his shoulder making him want her even more. She was so wet he slid in her tight channel easier than ever before. Still careful of her smaller body, he held her in place until he’d reached the fist he wrapped around his dick. Heaven. Absolute heaven. Slowly, savouring every second, he flexed his hips and watched the mushroomed head of his cock slip almost free, before he thrust back in her pinkness.

  “Beauty.”

  She shivered, her body trembled, but she turned away, denying him her lips. Yet, her legs began to shudder and she cried out, nearing a climax. He did this. Him. Torque. Not anyone else. Him. Beauty cried out again, and he felt her tighten even further around his aching dick. Desire wrapped around him making it hard to think of anything besides the hot, tight embrace of his woman.

  The scent of sex filled the air. He breathed her in, let her permeate his pores with every glide of flesh along sensitive flesh. He needed to see her, witness the pleasure he gave her, but when he looked down and turned her face to his, stormy, dark eyes swirled with emotions that scared the hell out of him. He wanted this woman so damn bad he’d come here tonight to prove to himself he didn’t.

  All he’d proven was that he did.

  Her green eyes flashed like emeralds submerged in a cerulean sea. “Torque, we need to stop this—”

  “I’ve got you, Beauty. Trust me, trust me again, sweetheart.”

  When she would have said more, he caught her hands, grabbed a handful of silk sheets to tie her small wrists loosely to the bedpost. The urge to dominate her pleasure, to give her the most he could, rode him hard.

  Beauty tugged at the bonds, would have slipped free because he’d not really tied the silk tight, but he stopped her with a low grunt and a hot kiss to her breast.

  “You’re mine, Beauty. Let me show you.”

  “Torque, I want to touch you—”

  Relief surged through him but his worry remained a dark kernel he’d have to deal with…later. He’d seen—hell, he’d felt the way she’d reacted to hearing he had other women. He knew beneath her sweet, warm exterior lurked a woman forged of steel. Hard, unbendable steel. He’d come here to teach her a lesson, but he’d been the one schooled—by her. Beauty was much tougher than she looked. Stronger, too. And he dreaded the talk he knew they’d have to have.

  He’d not let her go. No matter what she said, no matter what he did, he’d fix it and she’d stay.

  “Torque—”

  “Let me show you how hot we can burn, Beauty.” He whispered the words into her sweet-smelling skin right before he bit her rounded shoulder. Her tight channel clenched around his dick like a vice. She muffled a cry of pleasure against his skin and arched her hips up, sliding him deeper. Her climax shocked the hell out of him. That easily she responded to him, that quickly he made her burn. She jerked her hands to free them and hugged him tight. He held himself still, brushing his lips over her forehead, and hung on to his own body’s need.

  When her tremors eased, she tunnelled both hands in his hair and tugged his lips to hers a passionate kiss. Beauty didn’t just kiss him, she devoured, letting him know under no uncertain terms she wanted more. He dug his dick in deeper needing the friction of her body so badly he ached. She wrapped her slim legs around his hips and he didn’t need any more urging. He began a slow, steady pace of thrusts that guaranteed to drive him insane, but he wanted to stay inside her, linger forever, and shape her to fit him. The pressure to blow amplified with each lazy lunge. Biting down harder on her shoulder on his next thrust, he felt her shiver race over her body.

  She licked a wicked path of fire down the muscles of his chest, lingering and teasing the hell out of him. Satiny smooth breasts bounced against his chest, while she tightened her supple thighs around his waist, and dug her tiny feet into his lower back. Everything she did, urged him on. Her moist breath fanned his chest. Her hands were everywhere, his hair, his shoulders, his back, down his spine to cup his ass to encourage him when he was already whipped with flames.

  Her cries grew sharper, needier, and he moved his hips harder, adjusting to her every pleasure. His breath was laboured, coming out hard and fast through his nose, but he wasn’t about to let go of her flesh, wanting to mark her again, needing to mark her again, as if somehow his bites would keep her with him.

  “Torque, oh, there, there.”

  Her cry inflamed him. She began a soft chant each time his dick slid past his fist and impaled her. The steady sound so sinfully female, so full of her, Beauty’s ecstasy, he couldn’t last. Not a chance. He broke off his bite and husked her name in her ear.

  “Come for me, Beauty, come for me again.”

  She hovered, close but not there. He needed her there. Now. He increased the pace of his hips, taking her faster, harder. The friction grew hot enough to burn them both. When he angled his hips up and cupped her behind the knees to press her legs down towards the bed he entered her more fully but could limit the amount without holding on to his heavy erection. She strangled a scream and bit down on his chest hard enough to break his control.

  She made him insane.

  “Come now, now!”

  His. The mark, like his seed all over her, proclaimed to the world she belonged to him. Her mark matched his, he noticed. A thrill of lust trembled down his back, clenching his spine and ripping a groan up from what felt like his toes. He turned into her face, letting her kiss him with her hungry little mouth as she came around his aching dick.

  Sweet, warm Beauty. He rocked into her heavenly body as far as he dared. He felt the tremble of pending orgasm deepen, drawing his body taut as she cried
out. His breath left him on a harsh groan a second before his body imploded, detonating with torturous sensations so hot and deep he swore he was going to black out.

  Beneath him, Beauty whispered his name, her tone so full of sweetness he had to press his head to her hair and muffle his ragged cry as he spurted jet after jet of release. Each gush filled her womb, saturating her in him. Marking her.

  He could never live without this—her.

  Beauty.

  Chapter Nine

  Beauty inhaled a sex-scented breath and barely held in a groan when Torque slipped out of her body. She’d come for him at least a half a dozen times. The silk sheets were possibly ruined.

  After all the noise they’d made, the quiet beat against her. He was still breathless. So was she. But as the minutes ticked by, she had no idea what to say. He hadn’t treated her any differently when he made love to her, not really. Under the dominant aggressiveness was the same deep tenderness and gentle care he’d shown before. With spice.

  Now he knelt, half-crouching over her, reminding her of some hungry predator. The bay window behind him sent moonlight to caress every detail of his tough body. The fire had long gone out, but she didn’t need light to see how beautiful he was. He was deadly, so hot she felt flushed every time he looked at her, let alone touched her.

  Why he wanted her when he could have any number of women, and from the sounds of it, did have any woman he wanted, struck her heart, making her ache. She’d fallen in love with the big lug and he was seriously going to hurt her. She might never get over him.

  His cock, hard and glistening with their loving, rose past his flat navel, thick and luscious. Such a sight drew her attention like a magnet collected lead filings. His size fascinated her. The feel of his erection under her hand, along her body, anywhere near her, was addicting.

  She watched him, trying to pinpoint what had changed about him. Dark, coal-black short hair fell forward over his forehead and she resisted the urge to brush it back off his forehead. She sensed unease coming from him. Desperation. Of all the emotions rolling beneath the sexy surface, his anxiety confused her the most. Torque was simply too powerful to be familiar with such a feeling. Had this big, handsome warlock ever known the fear she lived with since waking here, in his home? She doubted it. He’d kick fear’s ass, if it dared.

  But she sensed something now. It was as if his behaviour had scared him. Well, hadn’t frightened her as much as he had turned her on. He’d hurt her though, but not physically.

  The man was gorgeous, but she’d rather not have him if all she would have would be small pieces of him. Why did he want her anyway? Why, when he had so many others? And why build up her hopes for more, when he’d only wanted sex?

  Confused, she tried to find a way to ask.

  Torque was an idiot. He’d used Beauty. Hard. Afraid, threatened, he’d taken it out on her. She watched him now, as if she were trying to see beyond his body and into his soul. Or like she was taking her last look at him.

  She was his bonded female. It explained why their sex practically exploded with tenderness. Why he never used her for sex. Always thought of her, even when she was right there next to him he couldn’t take his mind off her. She was his. There was only one for each immortal. Legends spoke of it. Legends he’d not thought of in years. Once, ages ago, he’d dreamed of his bonded, his female, of a life and family he’d create. And here she was.

  “Beauty, I—”

  She shifted back on the bed. Feeling like hell, he raised his eyes from where he’d been grappling with what to say—as if the rumpled bedding could give him the answers—and saw the frown that marred her pretty brow, creating an expression of confusion.

  “Why?” she whispered, a tear shining then falling down her sweet face.

  He felt that tear. The single drop ripped at his heart like a wound. Damn, he was a dumbass. He knelt before her, drawing her up to sit in front of him. She tugged the sheets up and covered her nakedness, brushing the tear off her face with her fingers. He’d done this. Hanging his head, shame consumed him. He wasn’t worthy of her. How could he explain this to her?

  “How many?”

  He looked up at that to meet her clear green eyes. Her flushed, creamy face turned away immediately. As he watched, she nibbled her lip not in passion but in anxiety.

  “A few. I need them to sustain my magic.” He would hold nothing back. “If I do not have sex, often, I cannot replenish my magic.”

  “Why? Was I not enough?” Hurt and sadness laced her tone.

  “Ah, Gods no, it’s not that.” He watched her in anguish, wanting, hoping, but dreading her reaction. He had to be honest. He had faults, man did he have faults, but she might forgive him.

  “I need sex to keep my magic fully charged.”

  She pulled the blankets up higher to cover her beautiful breasts where they’d slid down to reveal the warm swells. “How much sex?”

  A heavy weight pressed at his chest now, getting worse with every struggled breath. It felt like he was drowning, lacking the air to breathe, and floundering in uncharted waters.

  Instead of answering her, he asked, “Did I…” He paused, unable to say the words at first. “Are you hurt?”

  She bit her lip, but shook her head.

  “Answer me truthfully, Beauty. I was wrong to come here like this, full of anger and suspicion. I should have never stayed away for three days. I felt…” Pausing, he had to take a few breaths to calm down the panic threatening to strangle him. “Beauty, I’m trying here.” She didn’t look impressed. In fact, she looked even more offended. “All right, look, I’ve…I’ve never felt like this before about anyone and, damn it, I acted like a dumbass.” He didn’t succeed in keeping the grumble from his tone, but he met her clear gaze and demanded, “Now did I hurt you?”

  She eyed him warily, reaching up to tuck a lock of her blonde hair behind a tiny ear. She was keeping a distance from him she’d never wanted before.

  “Yes.”

  He must have looked as stricken as he felt for she reached out and touched his face with one small, warm hand.

  “Not physically, no. But, I don’t want to be…to be with you this way.” Her hand fluttered between them, meaning sex, he knew. “Not if you need other women.”

  “I won’t be. I couldn’t anyway,” he hurried to tell her.

  “But you tried.”

  He took her hand in his. She felt chilled even though they’d both been blazing hot just moments before. He thought she might have pulled away, but barely stopped herself.

  “I only want you. That’s why I was angry. Why I stayed away.”

  Her slender shoulders stiffened and she looked away, playing with the fabric of the sheet and avoiding his eyes. His heart tripped over itself, but he remained quiet, giving her the time to come to terms with his reversal. Even if it killed him.

  “If you need sex for your magic—”

  “I can jack off and get the same flood of power.”

  She glanced up at his face for that and frowned harder. “Then why go to these…what did you call them? Toys?”

  He brushed a hand down her heavy hair. “Let me hold you.”

  When she exhaled heavily, he grudgingly told her, “It’s only sex, nothing more. I’m a man, Beauty, jacking off isn’t the same.” He grimaced. “Those women mean nothing to me, and shit, I mean absolutely nothing to them. They are nothing like what we shared. I…” He paused then grabbed his courage and ploughed on ahead. “I called them toys because all they wanted was sex, nothing more than that, and it made it easier somehow to hide how dark inside that made me, I suppose.”

  She frowned over at him and ducked her head, avoiding his eyes. What was she thinking? Was she thinking to leave him? Panic ate at him, twisting his gut. He had to clench his fists not to pull her close. He’d never willingly let her go now. She couldn’t leave him. She couldn’t. Not now, not after he’d found her.

  With a soft sigh, she tucked that loose curl back behind her
tiny ear again and his heart clenched tighter. Gods, how much he loved watching her. He’d missed that the most these three days. Sitting and watching her. Didn’t matter what, speaking, eating, sleeping, making love, no matter what she did, Beauty glowed, full of life and love. Had he ruined it all with his fear? His doubts and suspicions?

  Slowly, tentatively she looked up and raised her slender fingers to his face, lingering over his goatee as she simply tilted her head and watched him. His heart thudded painfully. A flush spread up his body as relief swamped him. He caught her hand and threaded their fingers, holding her in the stormy sea of emotions. He couldn’t breathe. His heart hurt and the only cure was her, this small beautiful woman so very precious to him, and he’d nearly lost her.

  “Would it help to say I’m sorry again?”

  One of her delicate eyebrows arched. Her pink, swollen lips tipped up in a half smile. “Again? I don’t recall you saying it the first time.”

  She was teasing him. That had to be a good sign. “I’m sorry for what I said. What I did tonight—”

  “No. No you’re not.” Drawing her knees up to her chest, she curled her arm around them, shaking her head at him. “I want you to be sorry you ever thought to go to another for this—” She waved a hand between them. “For what we have. Are you? I don’t know. But don’t ask me for forgiveness for making me orgasm at least a dozen times.”

  Well, shit. She had too. She’d enjoyed their battle, he realised with a swift and hard reaction from below the belt. She’d liked him dominant, him demanding she submit. She was perfect. But he’d been angry. His temper, never too far below the surface, had blown out of control. He could have hurt her.

  “Torque, are you listening to me?”

  Hell yes, he was listening. “Yeah, Beauty. I heard you. I’ve never gone to another for—”

  “Enough of that. Tell me why you accused me of such vile things. Why…” she began, arranging the covers over them both, but waved her hand like a bossy little queen for him to talk.

  The tightness in his throat eased. She smelt of cherry blossoms and the scent of their loving—sweet and musky. Her skin glowed, so soft and warm he wanted to hold on and never let go. He shifted and curled his arms around her shoulders. She softened into his side and trailed her slim fingers over the bite mark on his chest, then brushed along his scar. His heart felt too heavy in his chest. The faint smile that shaped her pink lips had his breath catching before she sobered, a sad, faraway look filling her expression as she traced the diagonal path he’d received from a Death Stalker mage.