Page 56 of Ruthless Creatures

Gazing up into his burning eyes, I whisper, “No. I think I’m done being careful. So I’d like you to kiss me n—”

Kage crushes his mouth to mine.

His kiss is savage, demanding, almost frightening in its intensity. It’s like he wants to crawl inside my soul through my mouth. He fists a hand in my hair and holds my head steady as he drinks deep, making little grunts of pleasure, his big hard body pressed against mine.

My pulse throbbing and my skin on fire, I sink my hands into his hair and let him take what he’s so greedy for.

The kiss goes on and on until I’m sure I won’t be able to remain standing.

Then he breaks away suddenly and stands holding me with his eyes closed and his chest heaving, the hand he’s got fisted in my hair not relaxing its tight grip even an inch.

When he exhales, it’s a groan.

I want to groan, too, but I’m incapable of coherent thought at the moment.

I’ve never, ever been kissed like that.

I had no idea what I’d been missing.

He slides a hand down my waist to my hip, which he squeezes. Then he slides the hand from my hip to my ass and takes a handful, squeezing that, too. He pulls me even closer, so our pelvises are pressed together, so I feel every inch of his arousal.

Breathing hard, he puts his mouth against my ear. “Fuck going out. I need to eat you for dinner tonight.”

Probably because I’m so dizzy, I start to laugh. “Oh, no, Romeo. You don’t get to skip the wining and dining part of this courtship. You’ll have to buy me an expensive dinner or two before you even get to second base. In case you haven’t noticed, I’m old-fashioned.”

He bites my neck.

It isn’t hard, but it makes me gasp anyway. Then he gentles the bite with a soft kiss, nuzzling my throat while making a rumbling noise very close to a purr.

His lips are like velvet. His tongue is exquisitely warm and soft. The scratch of his rough beard against my skin gives me goose bumps all over. I shiver, feeling burning hot and icy cold and so very alive.

He finds my mouth again, fitting his lips over mine. This time the kiss is gentler, but no less passionate.

There’s a surprising depth of emotion in the way he kisses. In the way he holds me against his body, as if he doesn’t ever want to let me go.

I think he was telling the truth about not being with another woman since he met me.

He’s so hungry for me, he’s about to snap in two.

He’s the first to break the kiss again. When he does, he turns his face to my hair and buries his face in it. He inhales deeply, then exhales with a sigh.

I whisper, “For a guy who claims to be such a bad scary criminal, you’re a big softie.”

“Only for you.”

His voice is thick and his hands are shaking, and holy hell, I’ve never felt this electric in my life. He makes me feel like I’m made of crack cocaine. Like I’ve got fire running through my veins instead of blood.

Like anything is possible.

“Kage?”

“Yes, baby?”

Baby. I’m dead.“Tell me your last name.”

“Porter.”

“Thank you. Look at us, making progress already. Pretty soon I’ll know all your darkest secrets.”