Page 50 of Shielded Heart

“I’m a forger and a hacker. I craft false identities and instill them in identification chips so people can fool Consortium systems.” He grinned and tilted his chin up. “And I am the pinnacle of my craft.”

Despite everything, Samantha laughed; somehow, he made arrogancecharming.

His tail slithered a little higher up her leg, its tip brushing the back of her knee through her pants. “I think that has become my favorite sound,” he said in a low rumble.

He lowered his face, and Samantha stilled, eyes widening. His mouth stopped only centimeters from hers. His nearness, combined with his touch, his scent, and his heat, made it difficult for Sam to breathe, made it difficult for her to form a coherent thought. He overwhelmed her senses.

His eyes focused on her mouth. “I’ve decided to make it my goal to hear you laugh as often as possible, little terran. It drives me mad.”

He settled the weight of his body on top of her, and Samantha’s heart quickened when she felt the hard evidence of his desire through the fabric of his loincloth.

“Are there any other secrets you’ve kept?” she asked quickly, her cheeks flaming.

Arcanthus lifted his head slightly and cleared his throat. “I can’t be expected to revealallmy secrets…but thereisone pertaining to you that I should share. Our first meeting wasn’t a chance occurrence.”

Samantha’s brow furrowed. “What do you mean?”

“I was following you the day we met.”

“What?”

Arcanthus slid his thumb back to her lower lip and resumed lazily stroking it. “I’d been keeping track of the terrans immigrating to Arthos when I found your file. The moment I saw your image, I wanted you—neededyou. I had to find you, had to meet you. And when you stepped out of your apartment building and I had my first glimpse of you in the flesh, I knew you were the most beautiful thing I would ever see. So, I followed you.”

Her lips parted, but no sound emerged. This big, beautiful, dangerous, wicked sedhi wantedher; hearing him say it with such vehemence was startling.

Though she was shocked by his revelation, she was also thankful. If he hadn’t been there that day, she could have died, could’ve been trampled under the feet of aliens who would never have given her a second thought.

She offered him a small smile. “I…I guess I should be glad you were, even though thatisa little creepy.”

Arcanthus grinned and brushed the backs of his metal fingers down the side of her face. “I’d prefer to think of it asdevoted.”

He dipped his head lower and slanted his mouth over hers.

Samantha’s eyes flared briefly before she gave in to him and, eyelids drifting shut, returned the kiss in full. His tongue traced the seam of her lips, and she parted them to allow him entry. He groaned; the sound vibrated from his chest into her palms. Tentatively, she slid her hands up until they curled around his shoulders, one settled over flesh and the other over metal. His tongue invited hers into a sensual dance. She joined hesitantly, licking his fangs.

His kiss was scintillating, demanding, and seductive. Pulses of pleasure spread outward from her belly, leaving her breathless and wanting.

Wantinghim.

She must have made a sound—a soft moan, or perhaps a whimper. A second later, Arcanthus broke the kiss and pushed himself up on his hands.

Samantha looked at him through half-lidded eyes.

He stared down at her. His slitted pupils were dilated, his yellow irises bright, and lust burned in his intense gaze. His glowingqalheavily contrasted his dark gray skin.

“I will never tire of your taste, my flower.” His center eye remained locked with her gaze as the other two dipped, and he slowly licked his lower lip. “And I yearn to taste ever more.”

Those words sparked a surge of arousal in Samantha. She pressed her thighs together, desperate to alleviate the ache between them. James had nevertastedher there; he’d said it was disgusting, always in a tone that impliedshewas disgusting, and it had become just another degradation she’d begun to believe. But the way Arcanthus was looking at her now…

She didn’t feel disgusting at all. She felt wanted.

Desired.

He leaned closer again, and anticipation fluttered in her belly. His lips stopped a hair’s breadth away from hers.

“But I fear if I continue, I’ll be unable to stop myself. You’ve had enough excitement already, I’m sure.” Arcanthus unraveled his tail from her leg, pushed himself away, and slid off the bed, leaving the air above her suddenly cold and empty.

Wait…what?

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