Page 28 of Tempting Jupiter (Arena Dogs #2)

Chapter Nineteen

Feeona woke in her own roomy bed for the first time in a month.

Jupiter’s heat blanketed her back. His hand lay relaxed against her belly, and his morning oh-so-happy-to-wake-up-with-you nudged against her ass.

The promise of that helped her contain the urge to indulge in her usual morning sprawl and stretch.

As she lifted her eyelids, the expanse of empty sheets in front of her left her both eager for the man at her back and confused.

She remembered Seneca’s inscrutable face when he’d laid down next to them, but he had joined them to sleep.

Jupiter nudged more firmly against her bottom and thoughts of anything but the size and heat of him fled.

Size didn’t make a man a good lover, but something about the combination of all that muscle and the tender ways he touched her made her melt.

He nuzzled against her shoulder, teeth scraping against her skin.

She stretched her neck to give him access and his lips followed the slope of her shoulder to the sensitive skin under her jawline.

She moaned happily. “Good morning.”

His answer was a sexy growl and a hand stroking her skin. His big palm spread heat everywhere he touched her. Her thigh. Her hip. Her belly.

Then he reached down, unerringly fitting his hand between her legs. She had a breath to think it might have been nice for him to touch her breasts, but then the heel of his palm pressed a small circle over the still hidden nub of flesh that was suddenly begging for more direct contact.

Her hips shifted of their own accord. She hadn’t made a conscious choice to move but her hunger for this man was irrepressible.

His fingers hadn’t yet burrowed into her, and she hadn’t touched him at all.

It didn’t seem to matter. She arched her back and whimpered when his hand shifted to her leg to pull it across his thigh, opening her more fully to his touch.

He growled again then his hand was back where she wanted it.

One of his long fingers settled into the newly exposed valley.

The touch made her aware that she was already wet and moist and open for him.

She squirmed beneath his fingertips, now tracing along her soft wet flesh.

His hips rocked against her in small thrusts against her bare bottom, but he made no move to fuck her.

She rocked against him until they both needed more.

His hand slipped away, and she whimpered at the loss. He captured one of her wrists and guided it down and between her legs.

“Claws.” His voice was so raw and growly she almost didn’t understand the word.

She hadn’t even considered his claws. Hadn’t had the presence of mind to think. The pace of things should have worried her, but her body was somehow keeping up with what he was doing to her.

He put his hand over hers and pressed her finger where his had been a moment earlier.

“Put your fingers inside.” His words, hot and colored with need, stroked inside her ear and she shivered.

She knew why he wanted her to do it. He was a big guy. If she was going to take him, she needed to be prepared. The moment of choice, comply or don’t comply, allowed other thoughts to creep in. She shouldn’t be doing this. They were in a bad situation and there was a lot she wasn’t telling him.

The soft rumble that came from the back of his throat had her looking over her shoulder. For a moment their gazes locked. Raw need filled his, but there was something more—vulnerability and reassurance. Despite his animal need for release, it was still her choice. There was no choice at all.

She’d wanted him for days. She’d just been too tired and hurting to do anything about it until now. Something about him reached inside her and she couldn’t let what might come later steal him from her now.

He must have seen her decision in her face. His eyes darkened and his breathing deepened. The heat in that look was all sex. Like he was fucking her with his eyes.

Her body responded with a flood of cream that had her following his instructions. She pushed her fingers inside, one at first, then another.

His hand over hers encouraged her to use more pressure than she would have, and it was incredible. She felt connected to him as she’d never felt before.

He watched her squirm as his hands roamed over her. She was rushing, but she couldn’t stop. Her skin felt tight everywhere he touched her. She fought for more contact where it would push her into heaven. Her body was revved and ready and she couldn’t breathe and—

Jupiter pulled her hand away. Air flooded back into her lungs, but she wanted more.

Feeona reached behind her, wanting him in her hands, but there was no space between them. Her hand ended up clutching the taut flesh of his ass. Her fingers dug into the unyielding flesh as if to urge him even closer. He grunted in approval as muscle flexed beneath her ungentle touch.

She whimpered again as he shifted away from her, leaving her back exposed to the cooler air.

Then her back pressed against the sheet and he settled between her legs.

He slipped one arm under her to lift her toward him.

He looked his fill as he gripped her thighs and positioned her where he wanted her.

He was like a god kneeling there. The broad expanse of his chest captivated her.

Powerful muscles wrapped around him, made strong by physical labor and brutality.

She could see every muscle beneath his skin, beneath the scars—silvery lines, thin traces and thick reminders of old injuries.

Without the fire burning in her belly, she might have been distracted by them, but the need he’d stoked burned too hot.

She reached up and traced his muscles from the curve of his pectorals and down.

She brushed lightly across his belly and his muscles jumped against her fingertips. He growled and she shivered.

Jupiter pulled her closer and thrust deep. She gasped. He grunted and stilled his hips. He tipped his head back and howled.

She couldn’t breathe and she didn’t care. She clutched at his hips and fought his grip on her thighs to tilt her hips for him, to encourage him to move. She was full of him and couldn’t get enough. “More,” she said on a moan.

He didn’t make her wait. He reversed his grip and pushed her thighs wider as he leaned over her and thrust harder.

One, long, deep, shove after another filled her with the length of his cock and put pressure on her clit.

It dissolved her ability to think. Every thrust forced a sexy noise from him and sent her soaring.

“Yes,” she whispered. “Yes.” The word escaped on a breath.

On the edge of paradise, she forced her eyes open to watch him move over her. He was looking down along the length of their bodies. Intense concentration sharpened his features. His muscles bunched and stretched as he moved. The sheen of exertion sparkled on his skin. When had sweat become sexy?

Her barbarian conqueror lifted his head, face tight with concentration.

His gaze locked on hers as he changed the angle of his movements.

Feeona’s vision filled with white hot sparkles and her body tightened almost unbearably.

Sweet, hot, pleasure swept her away and left her shaking beneath him.

He lowered his body, wrapped his arms around her, and followed her over the wave.

***

It took several minutes for Feeona’s heart rate to return to normal.

As she became more aware of her surroundings, she realized he’d shifted to lie on his side, pressed against her.

His lips pulled up at the ends as he traced a path across her collar bone and down to the curve of her breast. Her cooling flesh tingled beneath his touch.

She licked her lips and grinned. “Something tells me that was only round one.”

His eyes flicked to hers then went right back to eating her up with appreciation. “Hmm.” The sound, gruff and low, made his agreement clearer than any words could.

That was all good. The sexy vee from his hips to his cock, begged to be worshipped with hot kisses and they had time.

Her stomach chose that moment to growl. “Unless you can arrange breakfast in bed, maybe we should go find food first.” She let out a silly, over the top sigh. “While I still have enough energy to walk to the galley. There’s no reason we can’t come right back up here after food.”

“You won’t need energy, I’ll carry you.” Jupiter’s tone was playful, but somehow, the mood had shifted. He pulled away from her and crawled out of bed.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” Feeona sat up and waited for a reply while he pulled his pants on.

“Seneca has been gone too long.”

“If there was anything wrong, Alfred would let me know.” She wrapped the sheet around her and sat cross-legged on the bed.

Jupiter’s face went full scowl. “It is not his safety that worries me. It’s that he left at all.”

She reached over and gave his hand a squeeze. “He probably wanted to give us some privacy.”

“Yes.” Jupiter sat on the edge of the bed with a sigh. He reversed his hand to hold hers against his chest. The small gesture turned what had been really good sex into something sweeter. “That is the problem. It isn’t our way.”

She couldn’t stop the smile. “What isn’t your way, privacy?”

He didn’t smile back and she instantly regretted her words. Of course, slaves didn’t necessarily get privacy. How could she have forgotten? “I’m sorry. I—”

“It isn’t privacy, in general, that worries me. It’s privacy for sex.”

She didn’t understand why he looked so sad, but she knew exactly what to do. Listen. She leaned in and pressed her check against his shoulder so he wouldn’t have to meet her eyes and he wouldn’t read into what he saw or didn’t see in her face. “Tell me.”