Page 73 of When He Hunts

“Too rough?” Ronan raised up onto his elbows as he stared down at her. His jaw had locked, and his eyes glittered.

“I was going to say it was really pretty amazing.” She smiled at him.

He blinked. Then groused, “That fucking smile.”

Her fucking smile dimmed as he pulled out of her. Some of her bright, happy glow began to dim a bit, too.

He climbed from the bed. Marched away. “What the hell am I gonna do without that smile?”

Had she just heard him right? Luna sat up in bed and, realizing she was stark naked, she grabbed a sheet and hauled it close. Clutching the sheet against her chest, she cocked her head and stared after him. “Ronan?”

He appeared in the bathroom doorway. Looked extra grim. “I was too…intense.” He’d already righted his clothes. Not like there had been a lot to fix. He’d been mostly dressed while he sent her into delicious oblivion.

“I thought you were perfect.” She started to smile again, but caught herself. “The champagne was cold.” A remembered shiver darted over her. “But your mouth was so warm.” The two opposites had ignited her. There’d been so much pleasure that she’d wondered if it was possible to die from insanely powerful orgasms.

Talk about a way to go. That would certainly be her preferred method for leaving this world.

He took a step toward her. “I’m not…rational with you.” Another halting step. As if he was being pulled toward her against his will.

“Is that a good thing or a bad thing?”

“Bad.” Another step. Then another. More steps until he was beside the bed and staring down at her. “I’m a bad thing, Luna.”

She would not believe that. The open champagne bottle was back to chilling in the ice bucket near her. She would never be able to look at champagne without remembering this night with him. And blushing violently. “I think you’re a pretty good thing, Ronan. The best thing that has happened to me in a long time.”

Laughter came from him. But it was rough. Almost mocking. “People don’t make the mistake of calling me good, Luna.”

“Maybe they should.” Still using one hand to hold the sheet in place, her other reached for him. She curled her fingers around his wrist. “You’re good, Ronan. Someone should have told you that a long time ago. You’ve saved me. You’ve helped me.”You’ve given me the best orgasms of my life.“You are good.”

He looked down. Seemed to focus on her hand as her fingers curled around his wrist. “A good man wouldn’t want to do the things I do. Not to you.”

Her heartbeat had just managed to reach a normal level. At his words, her heart immediately began to race again. “Just what do you want to do?”

“Keep you.”

Her lips parted. Had he just said?—

“Fuck you into oblivion.”

Well, he actuallyhadpretty much done that.

“Destroy any bastard who ever thinks he can touch you the way I do. That he can claim you. Have you. Take you from me.”

She had to be gaping at him.

He sent her a hard smile. “Scared yet?”

Scared wasn’t the right word. “I want to keep you,” she blurted.

His body seemed to turn to stone before her eyes.

“I also really, really like the idea of fucking you into oblivion.” Just so they were both being as clear and as honest as possible. “I don’t want to fuck anyone else. After you, it just—it would seem wrong.” Because any other lover wouldn’t be Ronan. He’d marked her, far beneath the skin. All the way to her soul.

“No other woman will ever be you.”

She wanted to smile at him. And if she wanted to smile, then why was she having to blink away tears? Probably because it felt like they were already saying goodbye, and she didn’t want to do that. “I want to keep you,” Luna said, meaning those words with her entire heart. Couldn’t there be a way? A chance? “I don’t want to be taken from you.” Hope twisted and churned within her. Maybe, just maybe…

He stepped back. Pulled his wrist from her. “The job was to keep you alive.”

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