Mine to Crave (Mine 4)

His hands rose and pressed against the glass.

Can’t be her. Can’t be. I’ve seen other redheads. Thought they were her…see her everywhere…Can’t. Be. Her.

The woman got a drink from the bar, then, taking her time, she turned in her seat.

All of the breath left Drake’s lungs.

She tilted back her head. Lifted her left hand. And crooked her finger up at him.

Jasmine.

She shouldn’t be there. He’d made the sacrifice. He’d let her go once. There was no way that he’d let her go again. She had to know that.

She smiled up at him. He couldn’t see her dimples, not from that far away.

How did she know that he was even there? The glass was tinted—just as it had been the first time he saw her in his club—but she still seemed to stare right at him.

Trouble.

Everything he wanted.

Drake whirled away from the viewing window and rushed down to the club. He couldn’t move fast enough. Couldn’t get to her soon enough. And when he burst into the club and the pounding music reached his ears, he couldn’t see her over the mass of bodies. He wanted those people out of his way. He wanted the only one who mattered to him.

“Hey, boss,” one of his waiters called. “What are you doing on the floor?”

Because he never came down there. Not anymore.

Not—

Jasmine.

She was still at the bar. One high-heeled foot swayed softly to the music.

He shoved some drunk guys out of his way, ignored their swearing, and closed in on her. At the last moment, she turned toward him. Her eyes widened—deep, dark eyes.

“Hello, Drake.”

His hands closed around her arms. He yanked her off that barstool and up against him even as his mouth crashed down on hers.

She tasted just like he remembered. Like every dream he’d ever had. Like everything he wanted but didn’t deserve.

She was soft and lush against him. Fitting him perfectly. His hands snaked around her, and he held her even tighter. His tongue drove into her mouth and when she moaned and kissed him back just as frantically, he was pretty sure he’d lost his mind.

“You can’t be here,” he managed. You’re safe. You’re far away.

“I am here,” Jasmine whispered as her lips pulled from his. “This is exactly where I want to be.”

His breath heaved out of him. The music was pounding so loudly he wasn’t sure he’d even heard her correctly. He kept her hand in his—won’t let go—and he pulled her from that bar. Took her to his private elevator. When the doors closed, he yanked her against him again.

Desire churned within him. Too hot and hard to restrain. He should be careful. He should back away from her.

Yet he just kept pulling her closer.

The elevator dinged, and he hurried them to his room. His grip on her hand remained unbreakable. The door closed behind her, sealing them inside.

“Drake—”

He took her mouth. Needed to. His hands flattened on either side of her head, and he tasted her. Not a dream. She’s real. She’s with me again.

Her hands were on his chest. Warm and soft.

He wanted to be naked.

Wanted everything with her.

He heard her moan, and it was music to his ears. She wanted him. She’d come back to him.

Hanging tight to his control—because he knew it would be breaking soon—Drake managed to pull back, but he couldn’t let her go. “You shouldn’t…be here.” He hated the rough, ragged sound of his own voice.

“You’re here.” Her dark eyes stared up at him. “That means here is the only place I want to be.”

Christ. She was breaking him. “I tried to do the right thing with you.” His hand slid down her body. Carefully, so very carefully, and he remembered her blood pumping between his fingers. “I wanted to keep you safe before, but I’m the one who took you straight to Maxwell.”

“No, Drake. You’re the one who saved me.”

How could she believe that? How could she look up at him with those eyes that seemed to see straight through him? She should see him for what he was—and then run screaming.

But I can’t let her go now.

“I walked away once, how am I supposed to do it again?” Victor should have kept her away.

Jasmine shook her head, sending her red hair brushing over her cheeks. “You don’t walk away again. Neither do I. My cases are closed, and I’m free.” She licked her lips and arousal knifed through him. “I want to be with you. And I-I hope you still want me.”

“Only every damn minute.”

Her lips trembled into a smile.

“But you have to be careful,” Drake warned her. “You have to know…I can’t have you again and let you go.” That wasn’t the way he worked. “You shouldn’t have come back.”

Her hands rose. Curled around his neck. “And you shouldn’t have stayed away for so long. I’m not afraid of you, Drake Archer.”

Why not? He’d nearly cut out a man’s heart in front of her.

“I’m not afraid of you. Not of any enemies that you have. What I am afraid of…I’m afraid of being without you. Because that’s not how I want to live. That’s not how I can live. I need you. I love you.”

Her words rocked right to his core.

And sealed her fate.

“It’s done,” Drake managed to say, the words gravel-rough and final.

She blinked at him.

“I tried to be good, but, now princess, it’s too late.” He lifted her up, using so much care, and he sat her on the edge of his desk.

“Drake?”

He stripped her. Tossed her clothes away. Kept that stranglehold on his lust.

“Too late,” Drake said again as his fingers trailed up her bare thigh. “I can’t ever let you go now. You came back…that was your mistake…”

“Not a mistake. Not…ah…I missed you…”

His fingers were between her legs. He was going to use care with her, even if it killed him, but he had to get inside of her. Because then maybe the terrible ache he felt would end.

Maybe.

Or maybe it never would vanish because Drake would never forget the fear he’d felt when he thought that he’d lost her.

She was already wet for him.

He was burning alive for her.

Drake pulled her to the edge of the desk. Her legs rose around him. She smiled.

He was lost.

He damn near ripped his clothes away, then Drake pushed into her, locking all of his muscles because he wanted to drive deep and take and take and take.

But he didn’t. Slowly, inch by inch, he filled her. Sweat broke out on his brow as he held to his control. Then he was sheathed fully inside of her. As close to heaven as he’d ever get.

He pulled back. Thrust again, slowly, so slowly.

“Drake!”

She tried to push against him. He curled his fingers around her hips and held her there. He’d give her pleasure. As much as she could handle. And she’d never leave him.

Never.

He kept one hand on her hip, and his other slid between their bodies. Her eyes were on his. Her face flushed. Her breath panting.

Wet. Tight. Hot.

He strummed her clit. Worked her with slow touches and took her with long thrusts. Her breath panted out even faster. She choked out his name.

When she came, he felt the contraction of her delicate muscles all along his cock. That silken caress drove him over the edge and his own release pounded through him. He grabbed for the desk in that frantic moment, because he didn’t want to hold her too fiercely. He nearly broke the desk as the climax churned through his body. Hot. Intense. The fucking best release of his life. The pleasure left him shuddering.