Page 206 of Primal Bonds

So yeah, she didn’t blame Fane, but that didn’t mean she trusted him. When she left the cavern, she was going alone.

But for the first time in a long time, she wanted a man—and she’d decided to go for it.

Maybe it was a bad idea. There was no way this thing between them could go anywhere. When she chose a mate, she wanted another earth fada, not a human-fae mix. Someone strong, steady—not this sexy, smooth-talking charmer.

So yeah, this would be a one-time thing—but maybe that was exactly why she should go for it. For once, she was completely free, unhampered with all the expectations that went with being Adric’s second. No one but her and Fane would know what happened in this cavern—not her clan, not her friends, and certainly not her brother.

Fane rose to his feet and cupped her face. Clear topaz eyes searched hers. “You sure?”

Desire curled through her belly. “Yes.”

His breath sucked in. “Gods, I want you.” His mouth ghosted across hers.

A fada craved touch, more than other species. Her cat stretched and gave a happy little yowl. She curled her fingers against her thighs, wanting to touch him back, and yet cemented in place, need warring with fear.

His lips outlined the curve of her cheek. He nibbled her earlobe, tugged at the gold hoop with his teeth. Pleasure trilled up and down her spine, vibrated in her core.

His clever mouth continued moving, pressing kisses behind her ear and up her skull to the coarse black stubble.

“I should shave,” she muttered. “It’s too rough.” Usually she ran a razor over it every few days, but she’d been running as her cougar for over a week.

“I like it.” He brushed a palm over the back of her head. “Makes you look like a badass. Goes with those knives you love so much.”

She pursed her lips, trying not to laugh—and that was the most wonderful, amazing thing. That she even wanted to laugh right now.

“And that’s good?” she managed to ask.

“Oh, yeah.” He turned her head to the side—and nipped her nape.

Her breath sped up. It was a dominant, very masculine move. She might be a soldier, but she was also a fada female. She liked a man who wasn’t afraid to bite.

He nipped again, harder. “It makes me want to do bad things to you.”

A moan escaped her lips. He kissed the small pain away and trailed a finger down the sensitive slope of her neck and across one shoulder.

Her throat worked.

He smiled. “You like that.”

“Yes,” she rasped.

He traced the arc of her collarbones before continuing to her breasts. He rubbed his thumbs over her aching nipples. “So beautiful,” he breathed, his gaze on the dusky buds.

She was flat-chested and she knew it. But Fane’s heated look made her feel like the sexiest woman alive.

“Mm.” He bent and gave each nipple a hard suck before stepping back and dragging off his sweater. “Why don’t we get into the pool? I could use a bath, frankly.”

She blinked up at him, dazed with desire. Then her face split in a grin. “I sponged you down yesterday. But yeah, you could.”

He stilled in the act of removing his T-shirt. “You should smile more often.”

“Yeah?” She rubbed her stubbled head a little shyly.

“Yeah. You look good as a badass, but when you smile, you’re beautiful.”

He dropped the T-shirt on top of his sweater and reached for the button of his black jeans. He was all hard muscles and tanned skin, his chest sprinkled with dark blond hairs.

Her mouth literally watered. She swallowed noisily, following the trail of those wiry, gold-tipped hairs down to where they disappeared into his waistband.

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