Lia Davis: Winter Eve

He stopped all movement and made eye contact. “No.”

She shook her head and tried to calm the raging fear. “I can’t…don’t want…”

With a sigh, he sat next to her and linked his fingers with hers. “I’ve seen burns before. Many of them far worse than yours.”

The anxiety eased and she looked away, embarrassed. He cupped her cheek, drawing her attention back to him. “I volunteer with the children’s burn unit at my local hospital. I learned quickly that the last thing those kids need is pity.”

She searched his face. “No one’s seen the scars besides Shay, Cameron, and Jared.”

A tic formed in his temple at the mention of Jared’s name. Her cat liked the spark of jealousy.

“Who’s Cameron?”

“She’s one of the female Enforcers and Shay’s best friend.”

He smiled, sparking the desire up again. Her heart thumped irregularly, and she swallowed as he shifted closer. “If I am your true mate, then you’ll need to trust I won’t run at the sight of your body.”

Damn. She wasn’t sure she could do it. Yes, moments ago, she’d been ready to claim him and had needed him inside her; she still did. But, the fear of rejection had taken over and turned her chicken.

However, he had a point. She was sure he was her mate, and she had to trust the Fates knew what they were doing.

Closing her eyes, she removed her sweater and waited. There was no change in his breathing, no change in his scent, indicating his disgust. Slowly she opened her eyes to find Nevan’s desire-filled gaze surveying her like a delicacy. Her body heated, and for the first time since the accident, she felt desired, wanted, and beautiful.

“You’re beautiful.”

She was about to protest when his mouth covered hers in a searing kiss that sent tiny pricks of sensation through her body. When his tongue dipped inside her mouth seeking hers, she released a soft moan. She trailed her fingers down his side to the hem of his shirt and tugged. He broke the kiss to remove the garment.

Dear. God.

He was build like a cat, full of lean muscle and yummy. Licking her lips, she placed her palm on his chest and threaded her fingers through the dust of blond hair. He pressed into her, forcing her to lie back. When her back touched the mattress, he lifted from her and proceeded to remove her pants.

She sat back up, holding on to his wrist. “Wait.” Her heart hammered behind her ribs.

He pressed a quick kiss to her lips. “Do the scars get worse?”

She shook her head. “No.”

“Then lie back like a good kitty.”

A smile stretched her lips at his teasing. “And if I misbehave?”

“Then I’ll have to punish you.”

The sexy smirk and erotic tone in which he spoke sent a tidal wave of desire through her. “You wouldn’t.”

He leaned in and pressed his lips to her cheek. “Try me.”

Yes. That was a challenge. Her cat meowed in her mind, begging for her to push him. Laughing, she wrapped her legs around his waist and drew him to her as she bit gently on his ear lobe.

He hissed and rocked his hips into her. “You like to bite?”

“I’m a cat, aren’t I?”

She chuckled as he rose to settle on his knees between her thighs. She watched him slide down her legs, then slowly tug her pants off and toss them to the floor. The urge to cover herself weighed heavy on her, but she pushed it away. Nevan looked at her with hunger in his eyes as though her skin was perfect.

Starting at her ankle, he trailed light kisses up her right side, being sure to pay attention to each imperfect, ugly patch of skin. The burns didn’t cover everywhere. They were a spatter of scarred patches left from what her natural healing powers couldn’t fix. It was enough to disfigure her and make lovers pity her. That was why she’d decided to live in the cabin and never take a mate.

Nevan was different. There was no pity in his lust-drunken gaze. “What is it?”

Smiling, she reached out and cupped his face. “You make me feel.”

He turned his head so his lips touched her palm. “I’m not usually like this. I mean I don’t sleep with women I just met.”

She frowned. “I never thought…”

“I know. I just wanted you to know. I haven’t been with anyone since Becca.”

With a finger pressed to his lips, she tried to soothe him. “Shh.” She sat up and kissed his lips.

“It’s okay.”

She moved her legs from around him, but he stopped her. “Don’t leave.”

Studying him, she could see the conflict in his features and feel his desire in his touch. God, she was so out of practice reading people. “Tell me what you need from me.” She’d do anything for him.

She wanted nothing more than to possess his body and mark him as hers, but she understood grief.

She’d dealt with it personally when she lost her parents and had seen it nearly destroy Keegan when he lost his mate.

“Everyone in Ashwood’s been touched with loss in one form or another. That’s what makes us such a tight community.”

He peered at her and nodded. “I felt that today. The love and friendship that linger in the air like magick.”

“That’s the bond between the packs.”

Silence filled the room for several moments before he picked her hand and linked his fingers with hers. “I’m not sure what I need, but I know I want you.”

“And, that makes you feel guilty.” After his nod, she continued. “I’m a very patient kitty.” She shifted closer to him. “And, skilled in stalking my prey.”

She squeaked when he tackled her to the bed. “You make me feel, too.” He captured her lips in a deep, passionate kiss.

Threading her fingers through his hair, she drew him closer. She opened her mouth for his tongue.

Once it slipped inside she sucked on it, pulling a groan from him. She smiled and released his tongue and moved her lips across his cheek to his ear. “Lose the jeans,” she purred, then gently bit his earlobe.

He shuttered and lifted his head to lock gazes with her. His gray eyes reminded her of storm clouds, and they were full of passion.

Yet, he hesitated. “I don’t have a condom.”

She smiled. “I’m not in heat, and I’m immune to human diseases.” She cupped his head and tugged him down for a hard, passionate kiss. Pulling away, she peered into his eyes. “Nor can I pass anything onto you.”

He kissed her on the nose, stood, and removed his clothes. Danica drank in the sight of him. Oh, God, it had been way too long. She sat up, rose from the bed and lowered to her knees in front of him.

Peering up into his face, she ran a hand up his thigh to his thick cock. She wrapped her fingers around it and stroked. Nevan closed his eye and sank his fingers in her hair. She moaned as he lightly tugged the hand full of hair.

When she took him into her mouth, she felt his leg muscles tighten under her touch. He pulled on her hair again, but this time it was to stop her. She released him, and he took her upper arms and pulled her to a stand.

She protested, “I wasn’t done.”

He shook his head. “If you didn’t stop, I would be.”

Giggling, she kissed his lips. “But we would have make up for it in the second round.”

She pushed him down on the bed. As if knowing what she wanted, he laid back and waited. She climbed up on the bed and straddled him. His cock throbbed as she took it in her hand, the large vein hot under her touch. She let out a moan as she guided him to her pussy, then lowered herself on to him, his thickness stretching her in the best way possible.

He grasped her hips, his fingers biting into her skin as she rode him until they screamed out in release.