Page 26 of Malcolm (The Sunburst Pack #1)

Strategy be damned , Larissa decided. For once, she would let instinct guide her.

Suddenly, Malcolm’s strong hands gripped her waist, and in one fluid motion, he flipped their positions. He pinned Larissa beneath his muscular frame, and she gasped, her breath catching in her throat.

“My turn,” Malcolm growled with a primal intensity that sent chills racing across her skin.

Before Larissa could respond, his mouth claimed hers in a fierce, demanding kiss. Gone was any trace of hesitation or surprise. Malcolm kissed her like a man starved, his passion igniting a fire deep within her core.

Oh god , Larissa thought, her mind spinning. He tastes like danger and desire .

Malcolm’s tongue delved into her mouth, exploring and teasing with a skill that left her breathless. He traced the curve of her lips, then tangled with her own tongue in a sensual dance.

Larissa moaned softly, her body arching involuntarily against his. Her hands roamed over his broad back, feeling the powerful muscles flex beneath her touch.

“We shouldn’t—” she gasped when they parted for air.

“Shouldn’t what?” he murmured, his breath hot against her ear. “Give in to what we both want?”

His tongue traced a searing path along her jawline, then returned to capture her lips once more. Larissa’s protests died in her throat as she surrendered to his kiss.

As Malcolm’s mouth worked its magic, he slid one hand up under her sweater and across her breast, cupping the soft flesh through her bra, brushing his thumb over her nipple, teasing it to a hard peak.

Larissa gasped, arching into his touch.

He grinned against her lips. “Like that, do you?” He continued his tantalizing exploration, his touch sending sparks of pleasure coursing through her body.

Determined not to let him have all the control, Larissa nipped at his bottom lip, then pushed against his chest. With a swift move born from years of training, she managed to flip their positions once more.

“My turn,” she purred, straddling his hips.

Malcolm’s eyes widened in surprise, then darkened with lust. “Always gotta be on top, huh?” he teased, his hands settling on her waist.

Larissa leaned down, her lips barely brushing his. “You know me,” she murmured. “I like to be in charge.”

She captured his mouth, relishing the low groan that escaped him. Her hands roamed over his muscular chest, tracing each defined contour.

As Malcolm slipped his hands up her sides, thumbs grazing the undersides of her breasts, Larissa found it impossible to care about anything beyond right now. Her breath hitched as he skimmed her ribs, electrifying her body, bringing every nerve ending alive with sensation.

Unable to resist any longer, she reached down, sliding her hand across the impressive bulge in Malcolm’s sweatpants.

“Fuck,” Malcolm hissed, his hips jerking involuntarily.

Satisfaction coursed through Larissa as he hardened further under her touch. “Seems like I’m not the only one enjoying this,” she murmured.

“You have no idea.”

The raw need in his voice sent chills through Larissa’s body. She’d always known Malcolm was attractive—it was hard to miss those broad shoulders and sculpted muscles—but she’d never allowed herself to fully acknowledge the depth of her attraction.

Until now.

With a wicked grin, Larissa slid off Malcolm’s lap. His brow furrowed in confusion, but before he could protest, she hooked her fingers into the waistband of his sweatpants.

“Larissa, you—” Malcolm’s words cut off abruptly as she tugged his pants down, freeing his straining erection.

Larissa’s mouth went dry at the sight. “My, my,” she purred, sinking to her knees between his powerful thighs. “Looks like the rumors about you weren’t exaggerated after all.”

Malcolm’s chest heaved as he looked down at her. “Are you sure about this?” he asked, though he made no move to stop her.

“Now you think you should try to stop me?”

“This is a dangerous game we’re playing.”

Larissa met his gaze. “I’ve never been afraid of a little danger,” she replied, ghosting her fingers along his length. “Have you?”

She wrapped her hand around his impressive girth, savoring the velvety feel of him. As she stroked upward, his cock twitched in her hand, eliciting a deep, guttural moan from him.

“God,” he breathed, his hands clenching at his sides.

She smirked, relishing her power over him. “I’ve barely started, and you’re already falling apart,” she teased. “Where’s that famous control of yours?”

“Don’t get cocky. I’m just getting warmed up.”

Larissa raised an eyebrow. “Is that so?” Without breaking eye contact, she leaned forward and flicked her tongue across the tip of his cock, lapping up the bead of precum that had formed there.

Malcolm’s breath hitched. “Fuck,” he growled again.

Larissa swirled her tongue around his shaft. She’d fantasized about this more times than she cared to acknowledge, but the reality was so much better. His taste, his scent, the way his muscles tensed under her touch.

“You like that?” she murmured, her lips brushing against him as she spoke.

Malcolm’s hand came to rest on the back of her head, not pushing but a gentle encouragement. “You have no idea how long I’ve wanted this.”

Larissa’s heart skipped a beat at his words. “Funny,” she said, pausing to place a kiss on his inner thigh. “I was thinking the same thing.”

Larissa took Malcolm’s length into her mouth, relishing his sharp intake of breath as she slid down his shaft.

She set a steady rhythm, taking him deeper with each pass, her tongue working in tandem with her lips.

Malcolm’s hands fisted into the sofa cushions, his knuckles turning white with the effort of restraint.

“You’re… God, you’re incredible,” he groaned, his voice filled with both pleasure and desperation.

She hummed in response, the vibration eliciting another moan from him, and Larissa savored her control over this powerful shifter. For years, they’d been locked in a battle of wits and strength. Now she had him at her mercy, and the power was exhilarating.

Malcolm’s hips began to twitch, his control slipping. “Wait,” he panted, his voice strained. “I can’t… You need to stop.”

She pulled back slightly, gazing up at him through her lashes. “What’s wrong, Malcolm? Can’t handle a little pleasure?”

“If you don’t stop now, this will be over before it really begins. And I’m not ready for that. Not by a long shot.”

Larissa considered for a moment, caught between the desire to push him over the edge and the promise of more to come. Finally, she released him with a small pop, a wicked smile on her lips as his entire body tensed and a deep groan echoed through his chest.

“Okay, but don’t think this means you’ve won,” she teased, her voice husky. “We’re just getting started.”

Larissa rose to her feet, her movements fluid and deliberate. A smile played across her lips as she studied Malcolm, his chest heaving.

“What’s your next move, tactician?” he challenged.

Without breaking eye contact, she pushed her jeans down and stepped out of them.

He watched her, heavy-lidded, as she hooked her thumbs in her panties and pushed them down as well. As soon as she dropped the silky slip of fabric onto the floor, she moved closer and swung her leg over him, settling her knees on either side of his hips.

He moved his hands instinctively to her waist, fingers digging into her skin.

Larissa leaned in close, her breath hot against his ear. “Oh, I think you know exactly what I have planned,” she whispered, relishing the quiver that ran through his body.

She reached between them, wrapping her fingers around his cock. Malcolm’s breath hitched, and Larissa’s hand trembled even as she triumphed in his reaction.

“Ready to concede defeat?” she asked, slowly guiding him to her entrance.

Malcolm’s laugh was strained. “Never. You should know by now, I don’t give up that easily.”

Larissa sank down onto him, taking him deep inside her. She bit her lip, fighting back a moan as she adjusted to the feeling of fullness.

“Neither do I,” she managed, her voice breathy. Reaching up, she pulled her sweater off and dropped it onto the floor with the rest of her clothes.

As she settled fully into his lap, Larissa’s mind raced. This was more intense than she had anticipated, the years of competition and tension between them adding a sparkling energy to every touch. She wondered, briefly, if this would change everything between them.

Malcolm tightened his hands on her waist. “You okay?” he asked, a hint of genuine concern in his voice.

Larissa met his gaze, surprised by the tenderness there. “More than okay,” she assured him, rolling her hips experimentally. “The question is, Can you keep up?”

She held his gaze as she rose and fell in a steady rhythm. The feeling of Malcolm inside her was overwhelming, every nerve ending alight with sensation.

“Trying to…analyze the situation?” Malcolm panted, a hint of his usual bravado in his voice despite the strain.

Larissa laughed breathlessly. “Always,” she replied, her mind racing even as her body moved instinctively. “But right now, I’m more focused on…other data points.”

She savored the feeling of him, the way his muscles tensed beneath her, the heat of his skin against hers, the heady combination of physical pleasure and the thrill of finally giving in to years of repressed desire.

Malcolm roamed his hands over her body, one cupping her breast as the other gripped her hip. “And what…conclusions have you drawn?” he asked, his voice husky.

Larissa leaned in, her lips brushing his ear. “That sometimes,” she whispered, “the most strategic move is to surrender.”

Malcolm’s sharp intake of breath, the flash of emotion in his eyes, the way his cock jerked inside her—they all brought a liquid heat surging through her as for once, their competition fell away.

And as Larissa continued to move, finding a rhythm that had them both gasping, she allowed herself to savor this unexpected connection.