Her heart sped up, pounding a pagan beat as adrenaline poured through her veins. His lips parted as he watched her. His eyes darkened even more, and he growled lightly as he stopped only a few inches from her.
His hands were clenched at his sides, and she tried to avert her gaze but was drawn once more to the large male appendage that bobbed as his chest heaved. He was so incredibly beautiful, as if carved from stone: tall, muscular, and loaded to the brim with testosterone.
His face was dark, unreadable, but something fierce smoldered deep within his eyes that called to her soul. It told her things, secrets that he’d left hidden. And then there was the part of his body that stood at attention, screaming at her to listen.
He wanted her.
And God help her, she felt more alive right now, in this moment, than she could ever recall being. She wanted nothing more than to bask in the feeling and never let go.
Without thought, purely on instinct, her fingers crept forward, hesitating only a second before making contact with the firm flesh of his chest. Heat licked at her, scorching a path up her forearms, and she gasped at the intensity, as flames of need erupted deep inside her. Her hands flattened and the palms lingered there, slowly tracing the colorful tattoos that caressed his chest and rose up toward his left shoulder.
Their design was bold. A series of symbols that looked to be ancient Aztec markings. She shook her head sharply at that thought. Aztec markings? Yes. She knew this, and that excited her. Her eyes flew to his dark ones again, and they claimed her hotly. All her thoughts of tattoos and Aztec markings fled.
Her body shifted as hot liquid slithered through her veins. She felt light-headed and swayed weakly until her body was crushed to him in a hard embrace.
Jaxon pulled Libby into him, his body aflame. The animal roared inside, impatient for what belonged to him, and he gritted his teeth in an effort to tame the beast. But it was so difficult to ignore the animal when his body was hot, heavy with need, and he closed his eyes as he took her scent deep into his lungs.
It was sweet and incredibly feminine. The familiar muskiness that was unique to her, blended magically with vanilla, pulled at him.
Hard.
He groaned loudly as his cock filled, and he was painfully aware of the softness it was pressed up against. It had been so long. So incredibly long since his body had felt like this.
There had been other women. Needs had to be met, but none had touched him as deeply and as profoundly as Libby.
No one had been able to match the passion he had shared with her. He groaned once more, running his lips over the hair that lay at her neck. Yeah, it had been too long.
Three years to be exact, and Jaxon found his emotions warring with each other as he fought the urge to punish and dominate. He couldn’t hurt her. Not now. Not when he needed answers to the questions that had been rolling around his head.
His hands began to wander over her body, enjoying the feel of softness in such direct contrast to the hardness of his own. She’d lost weight, yes, but she was still wholly female.
His female.
His mouth sought hers, with a ferocity that only fueled the fire more. His only thought was to claim her body as his.
He groaned deeply into her mouth and nudged the soft lips open, allowing his tongue to venture into the heated warmth that lived there. She tasted exactly like he remembered, and the flames that licked at him erupted into an inferno as she surrendered to him, a soft whimper escaping as she melted into his hardness.
His left hand moved up, under her shirt, and he felt the shiver as he traced the curve of her spine, carefully caressing the damaged skin. He then moved with purpose around her rib cage, until he was able to cup the heavy underside of her breasts.
She arched against him, her hands slowly sliding up behind his neck, and kissed him back, her tongue dancing with his in a feverish tango that left them both breathless. His free hand held her head tightly as he continued to ravage her soft lips.
After what seemed like forever, Jaxon broke away and, chest heaving, his eyes captured her violet ones. He wanted her to see exactly what it was that he was going to do to her. He watched as the deep recesses of her eyes darkened, her swollen lips parted as her breathing quickened.
His hand reached out slowly, his fingers traveling over her delicate features, following the gentle curve of cheek, past the generous mouth and petite chin. Her neck was long and graceful, the pulse at the base beating fast and hard against his touch. It felt intoxicating.
His eyes fell to the heaving chest that was covered by only a thin layer of cotton. He could see the outline of his other hand as it cupped her left breast, his thumb aching to stroke the turgid nipple that stood in relief against the soft material.
She whimpered, grinding her hips against his hardness as he lowered his mouth. He blew hot air over the puckered bit of flesh, and without warning latched onto it, his mouth hot, wet, and demanding. Even through thin fabric she tasted like heaven.
He felt her breast swell against him, and strengthened his hold on her as her knees buckled. She would have fallen otherwise. It was too much for him, and he gently lowered her to the ground, laying her out as if she were a banquet he was about to feast from.
And feast he would.
His eyes caught hers, and he held them captive as he growled, “It’s been so long, Libby. God help me, but I can’t deny myself any longer.”
He was burning with desire, his lips hot with need. He ripped the shirt in two in an effort to get to the flesh that called to him. He ignored the heavy ache between his legs and focused on the heaving globes mere inches from his lips.
He smiled wickedly as he lowered his head. His mouth was watering in anticipation, and as he slowly flicked his tongue across the dusky pink of her nipples, her hands found their way into the thickness of the hair on his head and she pulled him into her.