“Is this your usual seduction scene?”
I glanced at the now firm air mattress. I’d zipped two sleeping bags together for maximum warmth and movement. “I can’t say I’ve never had sex on an air mattress, but that wasn’t the intention.”
She folded her arms on the side of the truck and set her chin on her arms. “I haven’t had sex on an air mattress. We’ll see how it goes once you feed me.” She peered down at the end where the tailgate was open. “How do I get up there?”
My brain went fuzzy after she said maybe we’d have sex.
She pushed away from the truck and trailed her fingertips along the side panel as she walked to the tailgate. “Guess it’s a good thing you have such a big…truck.”
I couldn’t remember the last time I’d struggled to catch up when a woman was so obviously flirting. Well, flirting for Tish anyway.
She pushed up her sleeves and was about to hop onto the tailgate when I finally snapped out of it. I reached the end of the truck bed in one long stride and held my hand out for her. She tipped her head and gave me a long look before we locked hand to arm and I hauled her up. She was solid and soft at the same time.
I slid my arm around her back, but she slipped away. “Food first, Thor.”
Before she could escape, I hauled her right back, trapping her hand against my chest. “Are you taunting me, Ruby?”
Her lids lowered over her eyes until they were mere slits. “I don’t taunt and I don’t tease.”
I lifted her up on the air mattress, giving her a slight height advantage. Her eyes flared to life, so dark I couldn’t tell what was going on in that head of hers.
Our lips hovered mere millimeters apart. The click of a mint rattling around in her mouth made me ache for that bite of flavor.
Her tongue swiped over her bottom lip and that was all it took. Whatever patience I’d had left vanished.
My hand slid across her lower back, diving under the loose hem of her sweatshirt. Heat and smooth skin were my rewards. She shivered lightly, but her gaze was fixated on my mouth.
“Tell me you want this as much as I do.”
Her gaze tracked to mine. A deluge of emotions flickered in her eyes. Surprise, want, apprehension—they all tumbled together in a kaleidoscope of frustration.
Then her mouth was on mine.
My other hand cupped the back of her neck as I tried to wrangle the inferno of passion between us. With the height of the air mattress giving her an inch on me, she snatched the tiny imbalance of power.
Her nails dug into my chest just as her tongue snaked inside my mouth. Searching and finding all the little pieces that would lead to my destruction. She tangled with my tongue, then gave a feral smile as she nipped the tip before curling around to ease the hint of pain.
I was used to being the aggressor in a kiss. The first few steps of the dance between vertical and horizontal were important to see if I needed to lead or follow.
Here there was no following. There was only surrender.
She wrapped her arms around my shoulders. The wisps of her loosening braid lifted in the breeze and curled around us like a crackling fire.
I let her have the upper hand—welcomed it because that meant I could touch her. I’d been starving for her skin, her taste, her scent. My hands slid down to grip her ass and to lightly mold and stroke.
She rocked against me, frustration and impatience humming between us. She fisted my hair, moving my head to the angles she wanted. The kisses somehow went deeper, with lashing tongues trying to fight for dominance. Her clever teeth nipped at my lower lip as her lids lifted to watch.
Her sudden smile—bright and full voltage for once—had my dick knocking against her belly. She was always beautiful, even with the sadness she’d been carrying around like a knapsack. But now with the sunset haloing the fiery and potent woman underneath the emotions that had rocked her—I didn’t have a single defense.
She was the Valkyrie whose power had punched me in the chest the first time we met. Instead of irritation, there was nothing but want shimmering off of her.
For me.
“Fuck,” I said against her mouth and went back for another taste. The mint got in my way and I captured it with my teeth, pulling away long enough to get rid of it. “Just your taste. I can’t get enough of it.”
Teeth clicked as we tore at the clothes between us. I let her go to drag off her sweatshirt and went right for the tight tips trying to blast through the flimsy bra. She pulled my hair, and I wasn’t sure if it was to stop me until I let go of her hard nipple.
She growled and arched her back to get me back where she wanted me. I was more than happy to oblige. I reached around to find the snap and flicked it open with one hand. The other was too busy plucking at the nipple I couldn’t get to.