Page 345 of Primal Bonds

Or at least, that had been the plan.

Adric’s throat worked. “It’s late, Rosana. I’m going to bed.” But he didn’t move away.

“Okay.” She unwrapped the leather tie around her ponytail, tossed it onto the hoodie. Her damp hair tumbled around her shoulders.

His gaze tracked her movements. “Alone.” It was more a growl than a word.

She slid her hands up his chest and out to his shoulders. Beneath the cotton shirt, he was all hot, smooth muscle. “You said yourself, it’s not safe for me to go back tonight.”

A muscle jerked in his jaw. “Did I say that?

“More or less.” She lifted onto her toes to nibble his earlobe.

His breath hitched, but his arms stayed at his sides. “Fine. You can sleep in Marjani’s old room.”

“I’d rather be in your bed.” She tongued the outside edge of his ear.

He groaned. “Your brother should’ve turned you over his knee when you were a cub.”

Her mouth twitched. “How do you know he didn’t?”

“I know.”

“Adric?” She trailed kisses down his jaw, traced his full lower lip with the tip of her tongue. “Kiss me, you stubborn ass.”

His body went taut, and then with a muttered curse, he hauled her up against him, his lean, powerful frame pressed to hers from breast to thighs. She had time to draw a breath and then his mouth was on hers.

Need jolted through her. She eagerly opened to him. His tongue swept inside, tasting every corner. She sucked on it, rocking her pelvis against his. He was hard, so hard, and she felt a thrill of triumph.

Until he dragged his mouth from hers and set her a foot away. “I’ll show you your room.”

“My…room?” She blinked rapidly, a little stupid from that kiss.

He guided her down the hall. “Bathroom’s here, and you can sleep there.” He pointed across the hall to a cozy bedroom with warm amber lighting and a colorful quilt on the bed.

She glanced around, dazed. “But I thought—we’re not going to…?"

“No.”

She swallowed her hurt. “You said that if I wanted you, I could have you. That we’d just have to sneak around. Well, here I am.” She spread her arms wide. “Ready to sneak.”

A shake of his head. “Not tonight, Rosana.”

She brought her arms back to her sides, tilted her head. “I scare you, don’t I?”

“Scare me?” A mocking smile curled his mouth.

“Yeah. You’re afraid because you want me too much. I make you lose control, and you don’t like that.”

His eyes sparked blue. His primal growl set her spine tingling.

She took a step back before she realized it.

“You want this?” His body crowded hers, backing her to the wall next to the bathroom. “Fine. I hate to leave my women…unsatisfied.” He slapped his hands to the stone on either side of her head.

She slit her eyes at him. “Your women? You filho da puta—”

“Shut up,” he said gently, and captured her outraged gasp with his mouth.

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