Page 5 of Rock Hard

But instead I lift my eyes and find myself getting lost in the bright crystal blue of his gaze. Like a mountain lake in bright sunlight they practically glow with his inner fire and with something darker, deeper, dangerously hungry. “How do you know my name?”

“I looked you up online. Where are you going, mate?” He asks me, his voice clipped. “You’re not going on a date, are you, little one? That I won’t allow.”

I huff and draw myself up to my full five foot and a half an inch height. Us height-challenged girls have to make sure that we’re being heard and seen.

I plant my hand on my hip and watch as his glowing eyes track the movement. “You don’t have the right to ask me any of that. You’re not the boss of me.”

He grins, his full lips moving, his pointed fangs glinting. He moves closer until he’s leaning over me, his huge fist landing on the counter by me until he hems me in and leans over me.

My breath hitches when I feel the heat of his body surrounding me. Flames erupt along my skin and it feels like fire ants are crawling all over my body.

“Oh, little one. You are sadly mistaken if you think that I can’t make you stay.” He lifts his hand, one finger pointing at the ceiling. “One little touch of a finger and I’ll have you begging for me to touch every damn perfect inch of you, sweetheart.”

I gasp at his audacity and sheer nerve. Unfortunately, he’s probably right. I’ve never felt this much hunger in my life. Ineedhim.

And this huge beast of a man knows it.

CHAPTER 4

Granite

She’s perfect. So damn heart-stopping lovely that I can’t breathe this close to her. Her sweet scent, like the cake in the box on the counter, deep and rich like chocolate wraps around my body. My heart aches being this close to her.

She’s mine. I knew it when I heard her voice. When I saw her through the window, I was absolutely sure.

Now I just have to convince her. Quickly.

Because there’s no way in hell I can manage one second without her beside me. Let alone a solid year of stone. Staring down at her and knowing I can’t touch her. Knowing that she could be distracted by something else, someone else.

No fucking way.

“I need to have you, mate.” I glance down her quivering, tiny body and I can see that she wants me. Her full breasts are tipped with diamonds pressing against the front of her delicate shirt. Her breath is huffing out of her like she’s run a marathon. “And you want me too. You need me like you need air to breathe. Don’t fight it. The mate bond is crystallizing all around us. Give in to it.”

Her green eyes like the finest emeralds darken to dewy grass at midnight in the forest. They close and I want to roar into thenight. She should never close them. They draw me in, refresh my soul like cool water on my tongue, slaking my thirst.

She shudders and I see the goosebumps raise on her pale skin. Her pink tongue drags along her bottom lip and my inner beast rages at me, screaming at me to take her, own her, claim her like the beast everyone sees when they look at me.

“You can’t say stuff like that,” she whispers. Emerald flashes as she opens her eyes to glare at me.

“I can and I will. You belong with me, to me. And I am completely yours, body and soul, mate.”

“I’m going to the ball in town,” she whimpers, her eyes locked on mine.

Satisfaction roars through me. A ball? Hell yeah!

“Good. You get ready and I’ll wait here for you. I will be your date tonight.”

“What about….?” Her head dips and it’s like she’s pointing at my wings.

I throw my head back and roar with laughter. “This area is full of magical creatures, mate. They will be more surprised to see you than me. A full human around here is unusual. Haven’t you noticed all the creatures here in town. It’s not very far to Magic either. The shifter town is full of creatures.”

I can see the shock on her face. “Shifters? Are they safe? I’ve heard rumors but I had no idea it was a shifter town. I just thought maybe there were a few rogue ones in town.”

I lift a dark brow. “You are scared of magical creatures, mate?” I will have to change that quickly. I can’t have my mate terrified of the creatures of the night that surround this little pocket of humans.

Whisper Falls is surrounded by shifters, vampires, gargoyles and other creatures of fantasy.

“They are just like humans. There are good and bad ones. The sheriff of Magic keeps that little town pretty clean of the badones. I’m sure it’s safe. Do you wish to go visit one day? I can take you.” I puff out my chest and grunt. “I will keep you safe, little one.”

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