Page 39 of Sealed By Fire (The Nature Hunters Academy 2)

“I don’t want there to be any confusion about what I desire. But I would never push you for anything you aren’t ready for.”

Tara laid her head back against the door, closed her eyes, and drew in a large breath. He could tell she was attempting to slow her breathing. Perhaps Elias should have tried to help. Instead, all he could focus on was the small amount of cleavage rising and falling at the top of the V-neck shirt she wore. Why was it that a tantalizing glimpse was even sexier than a woman bearing it all?

“Eyes up here, Casanova,” she said and ruined it by licking her lips.

“Dammit woman,” he growled. “How am I supposed to focus if you lick your lips like that?”

“They were dry.”

“Let’s fix that then.” Elias didn’t give her a chance to respond before he was on her. His lips sucked at her own and nipped at them to get her mouth to open. He ran his tongue across her mouth over and over slowly and quickly, changing the pace constantly and occasionally dipping into her decadent mouth. He felt so out of control with his desire for her. When she pushed back and kissed him with a new fervor, Elias wondered if he’d be able to stop or if he would seduce her.

Tara couldn’t believethe way Elias was pursuing her. He hadn’t done anything she was uncomfortable with, and maybe that should have raised some red flags, but the only thing that seemed to be rising in her was passion. Her heart was pitter-pattering, and her lungs were fighting for air as Elias kissed her with complete abandonment. Her hands ran over his broad shoulders and down his arms then back up again. She felt his hands cup her butt and then run down the bottom of her thighs.

“Tara,” he whispered before he pulled on her bottom lip, sucking it into his warm mouth. She couldn’t help the stupid girly sigh. He was making her feel so desirable.

“You are desirable,” he whispered as he pressed his chest tightly to hers. “You have no bloody idea how badly I want you.”

“Did I say that out loud?” she muttered, unable to truly be embarrassed because of his hands and lips distracting her.

Suddenly, she felt a rush of emotions that weren’t hers. Mainly because she instantly had the desire to lick her own collarbone and then lower. “Holy hell, that’s weird.”

“That’s me, love,” he said softly. “I’m sharing my feelings with you.”

“Damn.” She breathed out. Her desire blended with his was one of the most intense things she’d ever felt. He kissed her harder, and she experienced the way the kiss felt to him. He loved the way her lips felt on his. He loved how her body felt in his hands and how silky her skin was against his mouth.

“I … this … oh dear.” Her words came out in clipped, breathless pants as his lips continued their assault on her flesh.

He ran both of his hands through her hair and pulled the long locks away from her face, causing her head to tilt back. Elias slid his tongue from the dip in her throat, up her neck, and then placed a tender kiss on her chin and lips. He stood there like that, his lips just laying over her own, for several moments as they both fought to catch their breaths.

“That was…” she whispered, “It was… I’ve never…”

“I know,” he agreed. “Neither have I.”

Tara couldn’t deny the fact that it gave her immense pleasure to know he hadn’t been with another girl in the same way. It wasn’t something she’d expected in someone who looked like him. It was most definitely a pleasant surprise.

“It would drive me crazy if another guy had ever touched you or kissed you like this.” His voice rumbled in her ear. Elias moved his face until his mouth rested beside her ear, his head pressed to the door beside her head.

“I want to try something, if you trust me,” he said.

“Of course, I trust you.”

He dropped her feet to the ground and then took her hand, leading her over to his bed. “Will you lie down on your side?”

Tara’s brow rose as she looked at him.

“We aren’t going to make love,” he assured her, “unless you ask nicely. Then I might indulge you.”

She laughed. “Indulge me? It wouldn’t be an indulgence for you?”

“It would be heaven on earth for me.” His expression and tone of voice made it clear he was dead serious.

Tara laid down on her left side, and Elias laid down beside her on his right side, facing her. He wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her close until their foreheads touched. She tried to keep her breathing even, but it was tough when she was so close to him that she could feel the heat from his body.

“Try and relax,” Elias said quietly as he pushed her shirt up just high enough that he could rest his palm on her waist.

Tara began to feel heat from his palm, but it wasn’t just normal body heat. This was much hotter, and it moved up to her chest, neck, and then head. At the same time, the heat moved down her thighs, calves, and feet until she was completely covered in it. She shivered as the sensation moved deeper into her veins and bones. She felt something inside of her being tugged as if a string was tied to a part of her, and it was being pulled to Elias. Her natural instinct was to pull back.

“Let go, luv,” Elias murmured. He pressed his lips to hers briefly before wrapping his arm completely around her and pulling her even closer.

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