“Make love to me, Layne.”
The words sank in. Desire pooled in his energy, desire that spoke of his need for her.
Afraid he was still debating, she sought the comfort of his kiss. The only sound in the room was their heavy breathing. Sweep after sweep, his lips made her head hazy. Sweat beaded on her skin. Neither the cool wall nor the cotton dress she wore provided relief. Nothing would, nothing but giving in to him, his fire, his passion.
He worked his hips beneath her, sliding himself back and forth, but not inside. The teasing strokes were torturous, to the point she thought she would explode from need. Then the pressure came, and a burst of fire penetrated her.
Their kiss broke as she gasped.
He held her gaze and pressed further in. His face contorted with surprise and pleasure. The same pleasure filled his voice as he grunted. When no more of him would fit, he lifted her bottom. He took his time to withdraw, almost coming fully out. Then he thrust back in.
A groan vibrated from her chest. His lips hovered not far away, but he didn’t kiss her. No. He stared in her eyes, watching the expression on her face as he filled her. Completely.
And she was full. Of him. Of pleasure, soul-shaking pleasure, that forced her to buck against him. Heated sparks ignited her body, heated sparks that made her wet for him when he rolled his hips with hers.
He took his time easing out, wasted no time plunging back in. He put so much effort into every movement, every touch. Each sensation he stoked had her desperate for more.
The fire within him stole her breath, yet it wasn’t lust she sensed. It was passion—passion induced by the purest and deepest form of love. He loved her more than anything, would die for her if he had to, would die if he ever lost her.
She crossed her legs at his waist, giving him full access to her depths, but it wasn’t enough. No matter how hard he pumped his hips, she wanted more, needed more.
Layne must have sensed it too because he took it a step further.
The wall shifted again as she slid lower. His arms slipped under her legs, hooking behind her knees. When he leaned in for another kiss, her body folded between his and the wall. Then the real pleasure came. The weight of his body spread her legs wider. He thrust again. Hard. Deep. She arched her body, desperate to move hers with his, but she couldn’t. Not with the way he held her, rubbing her sensitive flesh each time he circled his hips.
Too caught up in her bliss, she barely heard him groan. It amplified her want, her need. She released his arms and moved her hands around his neck, keeping his mouth secured to hers. Each sugary sweet swirl of his tongue left her desperate for more. She wanted more of him, of the pleasure he gave her when he worked his hips, delivering thrust upon thrust. She couldn’t speak or think, could only submit to the spasms building inside her.
His lips found her neck, and he grazed it with his teeth. Each labored breath heated her skin, making her shudder. Her nipples hardened, the soft fabric lining her bra like sandpaper. Every part of her was sensitive, every inch consumed by him.
She tried to rock against him, but he gripped her bottom, squeezing firmly. He thrust harder this time, rolling his hips as he did. She cried out. A wave of heat spread through her. Wet warmth flooded below, increasing the sensations he was stoking. She couldn’t take much more of his teasing, and that’s exactly what he was doing. Teasing. Holding back.
A sudden shift pulled her away from the wall. They were moving. She could feel his body jarring from each step he took. He hadn’t taken many before he spun them around, and then lowered himself to the chair.
Layne broke their kiss as he leaned away. He stared at her, dazed, breathless… The fire within him blazed in his touch when he grabbed her face and tilted her head back. He ran his tongue up her neck, licking a path to the curve of her jaw. His teeth raked over her skin, then lowered to the spot below her ear, the spot that drove her crazy.
When he suckled that spot, she rocked into him, surprised at how freely her body moved. She was in control. Whatever she wanted, she could have, and what she wanted most was to have him deeper. So she took him there, took him to her utmost depth with accentuated rocks.
He leaned against the back of the chair, mouth open. Panting mixed with the groans leaving his mouth each time she curled her hips into him. She loved the sound of his voice, loved how the guttural tone spoke to her soul. Goose bumps rose across her skin, tingling her nerve endings. It caused her wetness to increase, wetness that aided her in gliding up and down his length, every thick inch of it.
Anticipation built in him, anticipation to touch her body, to work her hips with his. Scorching hands curled about her waist. His grip was firm, but seductive, the way he used his thumb to stroke her skin. Then he pressed harder, pushing her away, pulling her right back.
They fell into a rhythm, one that made their movements quicken. The more aroused he grew, the more she could feel him swelling inside her. Every time she took him deep, he guided her hips in a circle, grinding her against his hardness. Tiny shocks spread over her body, tiny shocks that hinted to her approaching orgasm.
“Heaven?” He worked his hand into her hair, drawing her closer. Their lips swept together, and then he leaned back.
“Yes?”
He teased her lips again, nipping the lower one. “I love you, Heaven.”
The words melted her heart. It wasn’t just the powerful effect they had. It was the fact that he’d never said them to a woman before. The pulse of his energy said as much. Those other women meant nothing to him. They were sexual encounters meant to satisfy a primal instinct. But when it came to her…
“God, I’m so in love with you.”
She caressed his face, taking her turn to tease him with her lips. When he parted his for more, she reaffirmed her earlier confession.
“I love you too, Layne. I always will.”
Nothing else was said. Nothing else needed to be. The connection between them gained strength. She could see into his soul, could feel how deep his love for her ran. So deep, she couldn’t find an ending.
Gripping her hips once more, he pulled her into him. She worked her body in sync with his, grinding harder. He groaned into her mouth. She answered with one of her own.
Pressure built, pressure that warmed her body, pressure that prickled her skin. It coalesced, heightened, and then spilled over.
She moaned against his lips as wave after wave of the most exquisite pleasure shook her body. Each quake merged with the next until she couldn’t move. But Layne did. He pushed himself off the chair, back to his feet, crushing her body to his. The room spun as he darted across the floor.
Once he pinned her to the wall, he plunged into her, driving his hardness deeper. The more she moaned, the faster he pumped his hips. She writhed against him, writhed against the pleasure consuming her body. Then his own pleasure came, and he came hard, releasing his seed in the deepest part of her.
His movements slowed, but his heart hammered his chest. She felt each vibrant beat when he leaned in and kissed her. He worked his lips with hers, the passion within him as consuming as when this all began. It didn’t matter that he was still buried inside her. He couldn’t get enough of her, would never be able to get enough, would never be able to satisfy the hunger in his soul.
Neither would she…
CHAPTER 16
The cool night air filtered through the window not far from where Layne sat on the floor. He didn’t mind the wind, or the way it whipped through his hair. It did little to disperse the heat burning inside him. If anything, he wished it were cooler. Maybe then he would stop sweating.
After doing as much for the last twenty minutes, there was no denying the fire within him had returned. And then some. The vibrant thump of his energy spoke of the increased intensity—intensity he knew was the result of one thing—making love to Heaven.
An array of images played through his mind. Each one tugged his lips upward, but God did they make his heart pound. Nothing would c
hange that, not even the fact that she wasn’t his.
He glanced lower, trailing over her face. Dark locks splayed across the cheek that wasn’t pressed to his chest. Her eyes remained closed, her breathing, steady. The serene thrum of her energy swirled around him, helping dissolve the anxiousness he felt over betraying Dylan.
His friend would never forgive him for this, which was fine. He neither expected nor needed Dylan’s forgiveness, but Heaven would. Despite what transpired between them, he knew she loved Dylan more. Of course she loved him more. They were fated for each other.
A dull ache formed in his chest.
No matter how much the thought hurt him, he didn’t have any control over the situation. His fate was similar to Dylan’s—to love Heaven. It was a one-sided fate, a Keeper’s curse, and one he would learn to live with.
At least he had this moment to show her how much he loved her. He’d hold on to the memory for all the nights to come, all the nights she would disappear into her room with Dylan…
Inhaling a deep breath, he tightened his arms around her. He refused to think about what would happen after they left, and they would leave. For now, he savored the moment.
Each second he held her close caused the heat coursing through him to blaze stronger. The same heat caused sweat beads to form across his back. She didn’t seem to mind how hot his body grew. In fact, she snuggled closer.
Damn, he could get used to this…
It didn’t seem possible that anyone could love her more than he did, and no one did, except Dylan. But a soulmate bond went deeper than a Seeker-Keeper bond.
Regardless of whom her heart belonged to, he couldn’t ignore the fact that their connection had strengthened. She did more than heal his injuries and save him from death. She reenergized him, gave him part of her energy, part of her soul. He felt her essence inside him, felt it tingling through his body each time his heart beat.
She was a part of him, would always be a part of him.
The more her energy merged with his, the harder he stared. He loved the way she felt in his arms. It filled the void that consumed him most of his life. Now she consumed him.
He shifted his eyes lower, past the curve of her hip, down the leg that curled over his. What he wouldn’t give to be curled beside her in bed, holding her like this. They sure as hell wouldn’t have any clothes between them.
Yeah. Clothes… He glared at his jeans, the memory of putting them on, vague. Too many other thoughts preoccupied his mind at the time. One thought in particular—the surprise on her face when she realized he hadn’t finished pleasing her. Hell no, he hadn’t finished. He’d only meant to give her time to catch her breath. Once his strength returned, he wanted to show her his full capabilities. And he did. Those capabilities had her panting and moaning and crying out his name.
And he thought the first time had been incredible…
Christ. He had to quit thinking like this. If not, he’d be begging for a third time, and a fourth, and—hell, why not make love to her until daybreak? The idea made his groin pulse. Then reality crashed into him like a tidal wave to the shore. They needed to find a way out of here. Nate would return soon. He didn’t specify what time he’d be back, only that it would be morning.
The starry sky came into view as he caught a glimpse out the window. Time was running out. If they were going to find a way to escape, they had to do it before the sun began ascending. There was no way to tell how much time they had before that happened. Still, the thought of releasing her kept him in place. He ignored the tightness in his chest. It spoke a truth he didn’t want to face. Their time together had to end.
“Are you okay?”
Her voice swirled around him, drawing his attention back to her face. He expected to see her staring at him, but her lids remained closed. A tiny crease formed above her brow. It coincided with the worry radiating inside her.
“Yeah, I’m good.”
He glided his fingers along her brow until it relaxed. Then, he swept them across her cheek, over her lush lips, to her chin. Her chest expanded and then receded, the contentment in her energy, satisfying.
He really couldn’t get enough of her…
The pull between them had always been strong. He’d even recognized how attuned he was to her moods. But now, it was as if he could feel everything she did. She could feel him too. She had for a long time, but for him to be able to do the same… He liked it, and the fact that it had something to do with making love to her.
A slight trembling had her snuggling even closer to him. He accommodated her with a tighter embrace. Her skin was warm, most likely from the heat radiating off him. Yet something in her soul said her quivering stemmed from anxiousness.
“What about you, Heaven? Are you okay?”
“Of course I am. You’re alive. What more could I want?”
“How about escaping this place?”
She chuckled. The vibration tickled his chest. “That’s always been the plan. We couldn’t do much about it before, but we can now. You’re fully healed.”
“I know. I feel the fire within me, even more than I did before this happened. It’s all because of you.”
Her eyes opened. “What do you mean?”
He swept his fingers across her cheek again. Another surge of satisfaction filled him when her hand curled around his. Knowing what she sacrificed for him—what that sacrifice could cost her—he’d never be able to repay the debt.
“You risked everything to save my life, Heaven. You even gave me a part of yourself. I feel you in every inch of my body.”
“Feel me how?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know how to explain it. It’s like part of your soul is inside me. I’m hyperaware of your presence, our connection, even your feelings.” His jaw flinched. “The energy you used to heal me merged with mine, and now it’s stronger than ever. I’m stronger than ever.”
A smile kinked the corner of her mouth. She adjusted her body until she sat straight, but she didn’t move away from him. In fact, she leaned closer, pressing her chest to his.
“I feel you too, Layne, more so than I have in the past. Our connection is stronger. It’s supposed to be.”
God, she was his undoing. Just the sound of her voice had all his want and need lingering at the surface. He had to figure out a way to diffuse it, or at least control it. If not, Dylan would sense their betrayal the minute they returned.
Unless he’d already sensed it.
“Layne? Where did you go?”
The light above them faded in and out as he blinked. Then he refocused on her. “I want to be close to you, Heaven. But we can’t pretend what happened between us won’t tear your life apart. When we return to your parents’—”
The heat of her hand warmed his lips when she covered his mouth and shook her head. “We can’t worry about any of that until we’re safe. We need to concentrate on getting out of here. Okay?”
Once he nodded, she removed her hand. Her eyes lingered at his lips long enough to spark his hope. She wanted to kiss him just as much as he wanted to kiss her. If she took the notion, he’d oblige.
But they couldn’t. There was still the issue of leaving. He couldn’t jeopardize her life, and allowing her to distract him would do just that. Yet their connection continued engulfing him.
Damn. In times like this, the bond they shared wouldn’t be helpful.
Luckily, she broke their embrace and pushed herself to her knees. “Do you need help standing?”
“I’m good.”
He didn’t look her way. It wasn’t that the ground proved more interesting as much as it was the disappointment vibrating in him. The dreaded moment had arrived. Reality. He didn’t want to face it.
Unfortunately, reality didn’t give a shit about who was ready to face it. It came without warning and forced its way into a person’s life. He knew it was his turn to face reality, but it didn’t lessen the ache, nor did it prevent the emptiness knotting his gut.
Heaven
finally made it to her feet and turned to move away, but he grabbed her hand before she took her first step. She bent forward, as if she were waiting for him to say something. He wanted to say something, wanted to say how the thought of never touching her again made his stomach feel like a punching bag. Instead, he tugged her hand again.
There was no resistance from her end. In fact, she kneeled beside him, but it wasn’t enough. He would never be fully satisfied when it came to her. She was his Seeker, the woman he swore to protect, the woman who owned his heart.
Refusing to give it another thought, he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled. Her balance shifted as she pressed her chest to his and eased onto his lap, straddling him.
The warmth of her thighs made him pulse again. She must have noticed. She gazed at the small space between them and then back to him. Something weighed on her mind, but she didn’t say what. She couldn’t. He drew her close and brushed his lips with hers.
God, he wanted her, wanted to take her again and again until neither of them could move. But this wasn’t the right time or place. There never would be a right time or place. The sooner he accepted that, the better her life would be.
As long as she was happy…
He removed his lips from hers and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. She wanted to say something, but his mouth seemed to distract her. Was she thinking of their kiss?
They were running out of time and were no closer to finding their way out of the room. If they gave in to their connection again, they wouldn’t. And just when he thought she would push herself back to her feet, her hands gripped his face, drawing his mouth back to hers.
Their lips moved together, sweeping, suckling, parting. She rocked her body above his, increasing the ache in his groin. It wouldn’t take much to relieve the ache but a quick tug on his zipper, a loosened button, her panties pushed aside. Then he could take her, here and now.
Temptation presented itself at the most inconvenient times. As much as he craved her body, he wanted her to live more than anything. That wouldn’t be possible if he gave in to his need and buried himself inside her.
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