Page 34 of Claws and Controllers

The first brush of his lips against hers was soft, questioning. Ellie responded instantly. Zy’s tiger purred in contentment, a sense of rightness washing over him. He cupped her face in hishands and dipped her head back to deepen the kiss. His tongue delved into her mouth, and she moaned into the kiss. He smiled against her mouth. Her moan made him crazy. Thirsty. Hungry for more of her. Her hands were in his hair, then gripping his shoulders, and then back to his hair. Her nails scraped his scalp, and it left him breathless.

How could a kiss be the end of him?

Because she’s obviously our mate, his tiger laughed at him for refusing to believe him. She’s my mate. My one. It was really hard to think when his body was getting … well,harder. His cock was already thick with need, and if Ellie kept kissing him with so much intensity, he would have his way with her right there.

He wanted no regrets from her when they finally let the burning need between them break free. And he would never take advantage of her while she was emotional over what happened at the event. But he wanted her more than he’d ever wanted any woman in his life.

Another soft moan from her had him questioning his ability to stop. He caressed her body, pressing her soft curves between him and her kitchen island.

“Zy,” she sighed as he kissed her cheek and down her throat. “God.”

The way she said his name, as if it were a lifeline, made him grin. “Say it again,” he groaned.

She moaned his name in her sexy voice and he had to control himself from tearing her dress off.

“Ellie, I want you.”

She met his gaze, her eyes filled with questions. “Are you sure?”

What had that asshole done to make her question her worth this way? “I’m more than sure. I’ve wanted you since the moment I saw you.”

The scent of her desire grew as he spoke. “I want you too, Zy. More than I want to admit.”

His grin widened. “That’s good to know.”

“I don’t know. I…I’m not looking for a relationship.” She pulled out of his arms and he wanted to grab her and hug her to him.

“Ellie, you can’t deny that there’s something powerful going on between us,” he said. He wanted to tell her she was his mate, but that meant telling her about being a shifter and more than that, telling her about his code. It was too complicated.

“You’re right. I can’t deny it. But it doesn’t mean it’s a good idea.” He watched her eyes fill with weariness. “I’m broken, Zy.”

He closed the distance between them and cupped her cheek. “You are not broken. You’ve had a bad experience with a shitty excuse for a man, but that’s not your fault.”

She searched his eyes. “So what do you think we should do?”

“Give yourself a chance to get to know me, Ellie. Give us a chance to see where this goes. We can take it as slow as you want. You set the pace.” He held his breath as he watched emotions run across her face, confusion, fear, and hope.

“I…okay.” She cleared her throat and glanced at his lips. “But if at any point this gets weird with us being competitors, I’m putting an end to it.”

“It won’t get weird,” he said, pulling her in his arms and kissing her again. The kiss was harder, deeper than the last. And she instantly opened up for him. Damn. Taking things slow had never sounded so painful in his life.

FOURTEEN

Ellie stood on the sidewalk outside her building, the cool New York morning air nipping at her cheeks. Her heart fluttered with a mix of excitement and nervousness as she waited for Zy to arrive. The memory of their kisses lingered, sending a warm tingle through her body. She’d promised him a chance, a shot at exploring whatever this connection between them was, and the thought both thrilled and terrified her.

Her fingers absently played with the strap of her purse as her mind wandered to their planned day trip. A drive out of the city, away from the pressures of work and the gaming industry. Just her and Zy, getting to know each other beyond their professional facades. The prospect made her stomach do little flips.

“You can do this, Ellie,” she murmured to herself. “It’s just a date. With an incredibly handsome, successful, tiger shifter who makes your knees weak. No pressure.”

A familiar voice cut through her thoughts, instantly turning her blood to ice. “Well, well. If it isn’t the golden girl of gaming herself.”

Ellie turned, her jaw clenching at the sight of Grant, her ex-husband, swaggering towards her with a sneer on his face.

“What do you want, Grant?” she asked, her voice tight with barely contained anger.

He stopped uncomfortably close, his eyes glittering with malice. “What do I want? How about a slice of that sweet success pie you’re enjoying? Your little game is making waves, Ellie. Waves that should be mine.”

Ellie took a step back, disgust curling in her stomach. “You’ve got to be kidding me. You already stole one game from me. You’re not getting a cent from Infinite Odyssey.”

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