Page 30 of The Protector’s Heart

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The orange and yellows of the flames flickered over Nila’s beautiful face and made his heart ache. Damn, he was falling hard for her. But that was okay, because he hadn’t ever fallen for anyone before, and he was glad his first, and only, was his mate.

She took his wine glass and set it on the coffee table next to hers. Her hands trembled. If he hadn’t been watching her closely he might have missed it, but since he considered himself her personal non-creepy stalker, he caught it.

He’d opened his mouth to ask her what was wrong, when she turned to face him, her hands cupping his face as she drew close to him. They’d kissed. A lot. She was addictive as hell. But tonight felt different. Their lips touched and he slipped his arms around her and pulled her closer. Tongues touched and teased, dancing together as he tried to reason with his body that Nila was still in no-touch-land, and they shouldn’t try to dry hump her on the couch.

She made a soft sound in her throat and slipped one hand around to grip his neck, her fingernails digging into his flesh lightly. She nipped his bottom lip as their mouths parted, and he was panting as he stared into her dark eyes.

Because he had no blood left in his brain, he wasn’t able to stop himself from saying, “I want you in the worst way, Nila.”

Her nails dug into his neck a little more and she smiled softly. “I want you, too, Mal.”

He mentally shook himself, trying to get rid of the fog in his head that being around her always seemed to cause. She leaned forward and kissed his neck, right over his pulse.

“You smell so good,” she whispered huskily.

He gripped her waist with his hands, his fingers kneading lightly. He opened his mouth, but all that came out was a soft growl.

She chuckled against his neck, and then opened her mouth over his flesh and bit down. Her blunt teeth didn’t do any damage; he only felt pressure and heat. But his wolf took notice, and his gums and fingertips tingled as he suddenly found himself needing to push his wolf away so he didn’t scare Nila. The last thing he wanted to do was make her afraid of him.

She released his neck and licked the mark she’d made. It wasn’t permanent, which he didn’t like, but maybe she’d be willing to bite him every night.

No, damn it, he growled at himself. She was theirs, but she was emotionally vulnerable and he wouldn’t take advantage of her.

She sighed and wrapped her arms around his neck, her breath skirting over the mark. “I haven’t been with anyone in a long time, Mal; I want you to be the last male who ever touches me, because I want to be yours for real.”

He blinked in surprise, the sexy haze in his head dissipating as he absorbed her words.

Pushing her gently to arm’s length, he looked at her. She was smiling, almost shyly. He brushed the hair off her shoulder and hooked his hand behind her neck, letting his thumb rest on her pulse. He could feel the thrum of her pounding heart as he stroked her throat, envisioning his permanent mating marks there.

He’d wanted to let her take the lead in their relationship. He was bossy by nature, but with Nila he never wanted her to feel like she was forced into anything. She was his, but he’d been content to wait until she was ready. The last few weeks had been hell, but she was here and he wasn’t going to push her away.

“I want to be the last male who ever touches you, too, sweetheart. Are you sure?”

“I’m sure, Mal.”

He cupped her face and pressed his lips to hers, a hungry growl lodged in his throat. She was his and that was all that mattered.

Her nails scraped against his skin as she tugged on the bottom of his shirt. He pulled away from the kiss to tug it over his head, and his breath caught in his throat as she undid the buttons of the pink top she wore. He didn’t want to blink for fear he’d miss her baring her body. He helped her push the top off her shoulders, and then he let his fingers slip down the soft curve of her lush breasts. She wiggled a bit until her bra came undone, and he helped pull it off and toss it aside.

Her hands landed on his chest, her cool fingertips tracing his muscles. He kissed her again, delving his tongue into her mouth, her sweet taste making his head spin. Her breasts pressed against him as he pulled her closer, the tight tips of her nipples abrading his chest. Tipping her backward, he settled her gently on the couch and released her mouth, kissing down her chin, the column of her throat, and her collarbone, until his lips found one nipple and he covered it with his lips, sucking gently.

Her hands fisted his hair, and she groaned his name.

He couldn’t believe how soft her skin was. It felt like heaven under his fingers, as he slipped one hand from her back and cupped her other breast. He gazed at the tight nipple, watching it harden further. Glancing at Nila, he found her chewing her bottom lip, her eyes hooded with pleasure.

He worshipped her breasts, sucking and licking the tight buds until she writhed under him, panting for breath and fisting his hair so tightly he was surprised he actually had any left.

He kissed down her stomach, his chin bumping the unforgiving material of her faded jeans. She smelled amazing, even muted through the fabric. Hot and sweet and wet, and all his.

Undoing the button and zipper of her jeans, he spread the material, looking at the waistband of her panties. He kissed the space just over her panties, and her stomach twitched.

He sat up, and she untangled her fingers from his hair. Her hips lifted in silent invitation, and he hooked his fingers into the waistbands of both her jeans and panties and tugged. He moved out of the way to divest her of the clothes that prevented him from seeing every inch of her.

He tossed her jeans behind him as she pressed her feet into the couch and her legs spread slightly at the knees, baring just a hint of her to his hungry gaze. He touched her knees and urged them apart further, and she opened herself to him fully. The sweet scent of her arousal surrounded him, making his gums tingle again and his heart pound. His cock scraped the inside of his jeans as it hardened further.

He glanced up her body to see her smiling softly at him. His fingers tightened on her knees and he said, “We could go to the bedroom.”

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