Page 262 of Duty and Desire

Flames licked down her neck and over her breasts, making them ache with need. Electricity zipped through her, landing between her legs and pulsing. She moved against him, seeking relief, and found herself flat on her back on a large bed, his mouth still working hers.

The mattress was like a steel beam, but she didn’t care. She ran her hands through his thick hair, tugging and playing.

He growled into her mouth, and the vibration shot through her entire body. He grasped the bottom of her T-shirt and she helped him, ripping the material over her head. “Race you,” she challenged, laughing, reaching for the button of her jeans. When had she been this aroused and free? Never?

“You win.” He removed his shirt and revealed a smooth and muscled chest. Was he even real? Then he helped her with her jeans and panties, tossing them over his shoulder. A quick flick of the front clasp of her bra, and that too, flew across the room.

Cool air brushed across her nipples. She paused, suddenly vulnerable.

He leaned over, a huge specimen of a man, and kissed her gently between her breasts. “You’re beautiful, Abby. Don’t ever doubt it.” His warm breath and lips moved against her skin, spiraling desire right to her clit.

She felt beautiful. For the first time in way too long, she really did. “Noah,” she murmured, reaching for his hair again.

“Yeah. You’re going to be saying that a lot.” He levered up and kissed her. Hard and fast and demanding. She took what he gave, letting him go deep, letting him take whatever he wanted. Their touches were frantic, and he knew just where to touch. Her hips, her nipples, even the backs of her knees. He played her like he’d been doing so for years.

He reached her ribcage and paused.

She stilled.

Bending, he looked closer. “You were hit.”

She winced. “I’m fine.” The bruises were almost gone. “Really.”

He lifted up, his eyes burning. “Monte.”

She so did not want to hear that jerk’s name right now. “Let it go, Noah. Here it’s just you and me.”

The expression that crossed his face defied description. Anger, acceptance, sorrow. Just what was he going to do? “All right,” he murmured, leaning down and kissing each bruise with a tenderness that pricked tears to the back of her eyes.

She pulled him up, caressing over his hard shoulders. “Don’t stop. Don’t hold back.”

“I won’t.” He nipped her chin and then kissed her. Hard, fast, deep. Licking along her neck, he kept moving down again.

Desire cut deep, making her forget all about those bruises. She rubbed against him, her body alight, her head reeling. The guy still was wearing jeans. “Now, Noah.”

He laughed around one nipple, sending sparks through her breasts. “You’re not ready.” He nipped and kissed down the middle of her torso and then continued, pausing to lick her clit in one smooth motion.

She moaned and arched off the bed, her eyelids closing. It was too intimate. “Noah, I?—”

He licked her again, his tongue rough. Then he went to town, licking and nipping, sliding one and then two fingers inside her. His wide shoulders forced her legs farther apart, and she caught her breath, spiraling higher and higher as he worked her over in the most delicious of ways.

His finger rubbed a place inside her she hadn’t realized existed just as he nipped her clit, and she detonated, crying out his name as pleasure took her away. The orgasm lasted forever,and finally she came down, her body going soft, his name still on her lips.

He kissed his way back up, a satisfied smile on his face. “Now we get serious.”

She shivered. “Your jeans are still on.” They had to fix that fact.

His phone rang out some weird song about zombies and he stilled. “Sorry.” He reached for it, keeping her in place, and quickly read the face. He blanched.

“No,” she said, partially sitting up. “No way.”

He rolled off her and reached for his shirt. “I’ve been waiting for this call for two months. I want you more than breath, but I have to go.” He tugged the material over his head, an obvious and rather huge bulge in his jeans showing he really did want her. “I’ll be back as soon as I can. Stay here, where you’re safe, and we are definitely going to pick up where we just left off.”

Then he bolted from the room.

CHAPTER 8

Noah couldn’t fucking believe it. He was on fire for the human female, and now he had to go and kill that asshole Petersen? Growling and almost snarling, he jogged out the door and locked it behind himself before running for the truck waiting for him. “Your timing totally sucks,” he said, jumping into the passenger side seat.