"You probably think about the future all the time," he said quietly.
"Of course."
"And what do you see in your future?"
She shrugged her backpack off and placed it by his desk. "It depends. Sometimes I dream of having my art hung in the Guggenheim or the Met."
"Do you ever dream of having a family?"
"Everyone has those dreams."
"No, not everyone."
She frowned. "You really don't?"
Talon fell quiet as he recalled his wife's face and remembered the nights he'd lain awake while she slept by his side with his hand on her belly so that he could feel their son moving inside her.
The dreams he'd had then.
When he had looked into Nynia's eyes, he had seen into forever. Had imagined the two of them old and happy and surrounded by their children and grandchildren.
And with one overwrought emotional act, he had damned both of them and ruined every dream the two of them had shared.
Every hope they'd had.
He winced as pain lacerated his chest.
"No," he whispered past the sudden lump in his throat. "I don't think about having a family at all."
Sunshine frowned at the thickness she heard in his voice. He cleared his throat.
What about her question could have possibly hurt him?
As he showed her where to store her bag and backpack, the phone rang.
Talon moved to answer it while she set about unpacking a few essentials and laying them about the cabin.
"Hey Nick... yeah, I heard about Zarek." He gave her a sheepish look as he listened. "Nah, man. I... um. I'm not alone right now, okay?"
He moved away from her, but still she could hear him plainly. He was acting kind of nervous and she wondered why.
"I spoke with Zarek earlier, and he had definitely been sucking on the red mojo juice right before that happened. I don't know what got into him, but he was in a foul mood." He paused for several minutes. "Yeah, and listen, I have a woman here, her name is Sunshine. If she calls you for anything, get it for her without shooting off your mouth... Yeah, back at you." He hung up the phone.
"Who's Nick?" she asked.
"He's my personal assistant. He's on payroll, so anything you need, you just push four and the pound sign and it'll ring his cell phone."
Ooo that was neat. "Really? You have a personal assistant?"
"Unbelievable, isn't it?"
"Well, I have to say you are the first biker I've ever met who has a stock portfolio and an assistant."
He laughed.
"So, what's 'red mojo juice'?" she asked. "Some kind of wine?"
He looked very uncomfortable. "Something like that."
There he went again with his secrets. Ugh! The man needed to loosen up a bit. Be more trusting.
She'd definitely have to work on him.
Talon headed for the small kitchen. "I don't know about you, but I'm kind of wired. I don't normally go to sleep until a couple of hours after dawn. You hungry?"
She watched him search through his cabinets and pull out a couple of pans. "Not really, but I can make you something if you like."
He looked up, his face startled by her offer. "Thanks. That'd be nice."
She took the pan from his hand and set it on the stove. "So what are you in the mood for?"
He licked his lips sinfully as his gaze roamed over her body, making her instantly hot. Needful.
"How about naked Sunshine al dente covered in whipped cream and chocolate?" He brushed the hair back from her neck. "We could even put a cherry on top."
She laughed at that. "That could be arranged."
Sunshine moaned as he dipped his head down and nuzzled her neck while he cupped her breasts in his hands.
Her breasts tingled and swelled as desire swept through her, making her instantly wet and throbbing for him.
"Are you always this insatiable?" she asked.
"Only when I see something I want," he said, moving his hand to cup her between her legs. "And you I want most of all."
She hissed at how good his fingers felt stroking her through the denim.
Her heart pounding, she looked down to watch his hands as he unfastened her jeans. His long, finely shaped fingers opened her fly, pushing the flaps aside until her lacy white panties showed. He teased her ear with his tongue, his breath hot against her skin, as he dipped his hand under the elastic band and found the center of her body.
Sunshine reeled at the sight of his hand there, of his fingers gently caressing her nether lips. His tanned skin stood out darkly against the white as he slid his fingers inside her.
Groaning, she rubbed herself against him, needing to feel him deep inside her again.
He growled like a ferocious beast before he knelt down behind her and pulled her jeans and panties free.
At his bidding, Sunshine allowed him to remove her shoes and jeans.
He was on his knees and still completely dressed as he turned her to face him and stared at the dark triangle between her legs.
His obsidian gaze met hers and she saw the fire inside him. "Open yourself for me, Sunshine. I want you to invite me in."
She blushed at what he was asking. She'd never in her life done anything like this and yet she wanted to please him.
Swallowing her inhibitions, she parted her legs and reached down to open her nether lips for him. "I'm all yours, baby."
He was like a wild, hungry beast as he buried his face between her legs and took her into his mouth.
Sunshine cried out in pleasure. She leaned back against the counter for support. His tongue swirled, then he gently sucked and nibbled. She buried her hands in his soft hair, her body burning at his touch.
Her nipples were so tight they hurt. "Oh yes, Talon, yes," she breathed, pressing him closer to her.
Talon growled deep and low in his throat as he tasted her. Her feminine scent invaded his head as her graceful hand tugged at his hair.
He ran his tongue over the hard edge of her cleft, sampling and tasting the woman before him. It had been so long since anyone or anything had given him this much pleasure.
But please him she did.
Her passion, her creativity, her quirkiness. All of it was a magnet that drew him against his will.
He licked and teased her. Tasted her. Let her murmurs of pleasure become his and when she came, calling out his name, he swore that he saw stars from it.
Sunshine's breath came in short, sharp gasps as she looked down to see Talon rising up from the floor. He towered over her, his eyes dark, his face still hungry.
"What is it about you that I can't resist?" he asked. "Every time I get near you, all I can think of is tasting you."
He led her hand to his groin where she felt him hard and throbbing for her.
"I don't know," she said, her voice ragged as she dipped her hand below his waistband and trailed her fingers through his short, crisp hairs until she could wrap her fingers around his swollen manhood.
He drew his breath in sharply.