Anya Bast - Witch Fury

“I will.”

Maria breezed out the door without another glance at Theo.

He raised an eyebrow. “Mr. Muscle?”

Sarafina suppressed a smile. “She’s a good friend, very protective of me.” She paused and pulled her sleeve down again. This time it was a defensive gesture, not to hide her scars but to hide herself. She hated feeling so vulnerable in front of him.

“Why are you here, Theo?”

He hesitated, then walked over to her. Lowering his huge body to kneel at her feet, he took her hand in his. “I’m here because I love you, Sarafina. Because I was wrong and you were right.” He paused. “You scare the absolute shit out of me, and you have ever since the first day I met you. At first I wanted to simultaneously push you away and bring you nearer. Later on, I just wanted you, body and heart — but I knew it was a mistake. I knew I wasn’t the right one for you.” “Stop.”

He shook his head. “But it’s not that I’m wrong for you, it’s that I’m afraid. Afraid I’ll push you away or lose you like I’ve lost everyone else. I don’t think I could stand losing you.” “I know.” Sarafina licked her lips, emotion rising in her throat. “The question is, can you get beyond it, Theo? Can you take a chance?” He took a moment to answer. “Here’s what I know, Sarafina. I know I love you and that I can’t live without you. The last twenty-four hours have been hell. I know I’m willing to do everything I can to hold on to you. I’ll be the best partner I can be.” Sarafina gave a little laugh, her eyes filling up with tears. “Does that mean you’ll go to the ballet with me?” He grimaced a little. “I swear to go to the ballet with you.” She laughed again, trying to picture Theo, with all his muscles and tattoos stuffed into a suit, watching men in tights prance across the stage. “You love me that much?” He moved between her spread thighs and leaned in to brush his lips across hers. “I would do so much more than endure a night at the ballet for you.” “Oh, I have season tickets,” she answered brightly, but then her smile faded. She knew he would endure a night at a ballet for her. . and so much more. After all, he’d risked his life for her. Put himself in the way of a demon for her. He’d wielded a sword to defend her. Sarafina was pretty sure she could live her whole life and never find another man who’d do any of that for her.

She touched her lips to his. “You’re not going to disappoint me, Theo. You’d never be able to do that.” Shadows haunted his eyes. He didn’t reply.

Her fingers found the hem of his shirt and pushed upward, feeling the hard, warm muscle beneath. “I have the rest of my life to show you that you won’t.” “And I have the rest of my life to show you how much I love you.” She gave his lower lip a gentle nip that made a sound of satisfaction roll out of him. She raised a brow. “Then let’s get started, shall we?” Grosset trotted near, gave them a look as if to say, Oh, no, not again , then retreated to the kitchen where a soft bed and juicy bone awaited him.

A devilish smile curled over Theo’s full lips. He yanked her down a degree on the couch, toward him, and pulled her pants off, exposing her panties. His thumbs slid under the elastic and rested on the tender part of her leg, where her thigh met her inner hip.

Theo’s pupils grew larger and darker. His head lowered, and his lips brushed lightly over hers. Her body quickened for him, falling into that now familiar feeling of erotic anticipation.

“I love this place on your body,” he murmured. “Every time I bite it, it makes you moan.” “Rreally?” Her tongue had gone dry.

His fingers found the hem of her sweatshirt and pulled it over her head, revealing her lacy black demi bra. At least she’d done something right that morning. “And your breasts. Did you know you make the most adorable little whimpering sound when I suck your nipples?” “I do?” Her heart was beating faster now.

He nodded slightly, his finger tracing the plump of her cleavage and delving within her bra cup to rasp over one hard nipple. Pleasure shot straight to her sex.

“Uh-huh.” He pulled her bra down so that one breast popped out and then leaned in to demonstrate. His hot mouth closed around her nipple and she squirmed a little on the couch, a small sound escaping her.

Oh, yeah, so she did.

Sarafina reached for his jeans. Just the sound of the button coming free and the zipper sliding down was enough to make her sex grow slick. She worked his cock out and stroked it, pushing a guttural groan of pleasure from his throat.

He pulled her off the couch and onto the floor, rolling her beneath him. His fingers found her clit beneath the silky material of her panties and stroked until it grew plump and needy against his hand. All the while he sucked on her nipple, making tendrils of pure want curl through her.

Her hands found the waist of his jeans and pushed them down, totally freeing his cock from its confines. While he hastily kicked his boots off, she pushed his shirt up. Her lips trailed over the dusky, muscled body she revealed, kissing and nipping at his skin.

When they were both finally nude, Theo pressed his warm, hard body down on hers, kneeing her thighs apart and settling between them. “I love you,” he murmured, his teeth dragging her lower lip and his fingers trailing through her hair.

He spoke those three little words with more emotion than she’d ever heard from him. He spoke them like she was the dearest and most precious thing he’d ever touched.

Sarafina knew that her life with Theo wouldn’t be all roses. Like any relationship, they would have ups and downs they would have to work through. Like any relationship, they would have to put forth effort to keep their love blooming.

But Theo was wrong when he said love wasn’t enough. Love was the bedrock. Love was the glue. Everything else was built on that foundation.

Sarafina knew without question they would always have that most forceful of emotions tying them together and getting them through.

“I love you, too,” she answered, tears filling her eyes. “So much, Theo. More than I can say.” He moved his hips, pressing against the core of her body, then slipping inside. One long thrust and he was within her — to the root of his cock. Her breath hissed out of her and she bit her lower lip, closing her eyes on a low moan. Having him inside her was beyond heaven. It was right, completely and totally.

Perfect.

He pulled out to the crown and then thrust back in slowly, letting her feel every single inch of him. His gaze found hers and held as he filled her, became a part of her, body and soul.

Nothing. No warlock, no demon, would ever part them again. They were free to be together.

“Theo. .” A tear slipped from her eyes and meandered down the side of her face to drop to the carpet. “I’m so happy you came back to me.” “And I’ll never leave you, Sarafina. You’re mine. Just like how all my instincts have been screaming since the day I first saw you.” “They have?”

He pulled out and thrust slowly back in. “Mine, Sarafina. Every last inch of you. Mine to make love to, mine to cherish, mine to protect.” He paused. “As I am yours.” “Promise?”

“I promise.”

He rose up then and hooked her thighs over his, leveraging his body on hers in a way that suddenly swept all thoughts from her mind but the carnal ones. Her breath hitched in her throat as he pulled out and pushed back in again, forcing the muscles of her sex to stretch under the heavy veined width of his cock. Still he held her gaze, intensifying the intimacy of their joining.

She barely had enough breath left to speak. “And we’ll do this on a regular basis, right?” “Oh, yeah, honey. I like to make you come.” “I like it, too.”