His Darkest Embrace (Jaguar Warriors 2)

Jagger pushed her back until she was trapped between his body and a large tree. He grabbed her chin and forced her to look up at him. “I spent most of last night covering the backs of our asses because I made a decision to protect you.” He had to pause as his anger threatened to get the most of him. “Seems to me a little bit of thanks isn’t much to ask for.”

She spit at him, “Thanks? Are you for real? Well, thanks for nothing. I had a chance at Cormac and now you’ve totally screwed it.”

Skye began to squirm and her face became flush with anger.

Jagger felt his own rage begin to boil and he thought he should do exactly as she wished and leave her the hell alone. Why was he risking his own neck for a total stranger?

And yet, as he held her body even closer, all he could think about was the intoxicating scent that fell from her, and the fact that her skin, slick with the humidity of the jungle, kept the tank top she wore molded to her curves.

His eyes dropped to her breasts and a new heat began to pulse through his body. It was hard, unrelenting.

It felt so fucking good, it was painful.

His body became rock hard and as his eyes bored into the depths of Skye’s, he resented the hell out of what she was doing to him.

He could tell himself he wanted her so badly because he’d been alone in the jungle for months. That would make sense. He had needs that were long neglected.

Except there was more to it and he growled in frustration, as the biggest complication he’d encountered in as long as he could remember continued to struggle against him. What was it about her, this particular woman, that he craved so?

She was making him crazy, tapping into the dark part of him that was best left alone.

When she arched her back and tried to bite him, he swore and tightened his grip until she yelped in pain.

“You’re no better than the DaCostas,” she spit out in between ragged breaths.

“Sticks and stones,” Jagger whispered.

“Filthy animal,” she replied, and he watched her flinch as the anger he felt toward her words cloaked his face in a cold grimace.

He wanted to hurt her. He wanted her to feel pain.

Jagger flung Skye away from him, suddenly afraid that he would become the very thing she’d just accused him of. The air around him began to shimmer and he could sense the mist beginning to rise against his legs.

He was on the edge.

He closed his eyes, using inhuman strength to still the animal that raged inside of him.

“Get your shit together. We need to leave now if you want half a chance of getting out of this jungle alive,” he managed to get out from between clenched teeth. His eyes flew open and he made no attempt to hide his fury. “Because it’s crawling with an entire clan of filthy animals, and you’ve got a bull’s-eye pretty much tattooed to that pretty blonde head of yours.”

“I’m not going anywhere with you.”

Jagger raised an eyebrow and laughed harshly. “Is that so?”

He moved toward her, enjoying the panic that was beginning to flicker across her face. “If you think I’m going to leave you at the mercy of the DaCostas you’re sadly mistaken.” His eyes raked over her form, causing a stain of red to flush her already heated cheeks. “You need my help, and fuck if I know why I’m still willing to give it, but you will come with me one way or another. If that means hog-tying you and carrying you out of here on my back, then so be it.”

“I will die before I ever let a jaguar pull my strings again.” Skye shook her head and Jagger couldn’t help but notice how the sunshine played upon the long blond hair that fell around her shoulders. It looked like silken honey.

Her hands pushed the hair behind her ears impatiently and then fell to the edges of her top. Jagger stilled as she pierced him with a look that he couldn’t quite read. Her long, elegant fingers began to pull the thin white fabric up over toned, tanned skin and the hard bulge between his legs ached with such a force that he nearly went down to his knees.

What the hell was she doing?

He continued to watch her in silence as the material was pulled up over perfect, luscious breasts, the nipples puckered, begging for his mouth. When she flung the top away and began to slip the loose shorts down over her hips, he hissed from between clenched teeth, not liking the smile that played around her lips. It was calculating.

Seconds later she stood, basking in the sunlight, naked, wild, and incredibly seductive. Jagger’s belly tightened into a nauseating ball as he pulled air into his lungs. His skin burned still and he had to force himself to remain calm. It was one of the hardest things he’d ever had to do.

Considering the only thing on his mind was the need to grab the seductress before him, throw her to the ground, and sink his aching cock deep inside of her.

“You will never have me,” Skye said slowly, softly, enunciating her words in such a way that he was hypnotized.