Page 18 of Wicked Bonds

Or maybe it was all in her head. Some answer to an endless wish, a hope, awant,that she’d denied for too many months.

Because he wasn’t hers to desire.

Her job was to protect Stas, not play with Balthazar.

His hand slid downward, skimming her flat abdomen on the way to the smooth skin between her thighs.

Except he didn’t touch her where she wanted him to. He went back to her hip instead, his thumb drawing hypnotic circles against her skin.

“If you’ve only really been watching me for the past few months, then you have no idea what I can do. Not yet.” He grazed her neck with his teeth, his hot arousal a promise and a threat against her back. “But you will, Lee. Soon. Very, very soon.”

He nipped her thundering pulse and took a step back with his hands still on her hips and pulling her with him.

She went because she was too tired to fight him. Too exhausted to decline. Too emotionally drained to do anything other than follow his lead.

“I have you,” Balthazar promised, his voice low as he rinsed them both off one final time.

She heard the double meaning in his words. He had her, as in he would keep her safe. But he also had her in a manner that implied sensual intent.

Leela accepted both definitions of the phrase.

But I still won’t crawl, she vowed.

Balthazar chuckled. “You will,” he replied as he reached around her to turn off the shower. “And you’ll love every minute that follows.”

She let her thoughts answer his statement, the ones that told him she’d never crawled for anyone and wouldn’t start with him.

But as he turned her to face him, she caught the challenge in his gaze, the one that said he liked her fight.

He allowed that to be his response, similar to how she’d given him her mind.

Rather than comment, she merely smiled. He still had no idea whom he was up against. And once she fixed the rune, he’d lose the ability to read her mind.

His eyes narrowed. “Seems only fair to keep an open line of communication, considering your self-expressed advantages.”

“Open line of communication?” she repeated. “Is that what you call it?”

He opened the shower door to tug a towel from the rack. Rather than wrap it around his waist—and alter her view of his more-than-impressive form—he used it to dry her off thoroughly. Then he swathed her in the cotton and tugged her forward into an unexpected kiss.

No tongue.

Just the pressure of his lips.

The whisper of a wicked promise.

Leela shivered despite the warmth, her desire returning with a vengeance just as he pulled back to stare down at her. “Communication, Leela. It’s how relationships work.”

“Relationships?” she repeated, breathless. That wasn’t how Balthazar worked. Hell, it wasn’t howsheworked. “Definerelationship.”

He didn’t reply. Instead, he grabbed his own towel and wrapped it around his hips without drying off. Then he held out his hand for her, his expression daring her to deny him.

She almost did on principle.

But she was too intrigued to say no—a fact that earned her a knowing grin.

That doesn’t mean I want a relationship,she told him.

“It’s too late to change that, sweetheart,” he said as he led her out of the bathroom. “Our story is just beginning.” He glanced at her, his chocolate irises swirling with intent. “Now get on that bed and spread your legs. I want to hear you scream my name.”