Page 30 of Yearning For Her

She glanced at the nearby pedestrians and lowered her voice. “I…will admit we have a connection—a physical connection. But I’m not looking for a relationship.”

His lips spread into a slow smirk that made her knees weak. "If you're not looking for a romantic relationship, we can just stick to fucking."

Oh, fuck me.

Really, Willow?

That wasn’t what I meant!

You did though. You just don’t want to admit it.

“No, Kian.” She lifted the strap of her tote from the crook of her elbow, where it had been dangling, and slipped it over her shoulder. “Sex is not something I can do casually. It means something to me. I get too emotionally invested, and I’m not ready for that right now. One night was all that was, and all it will be.”

Kian’s heart raced nearly as swiftly as his thoughts. His pulse had quickened plenty of times in the heat of passionate sex, but never for something like this. Never in…panic.

He’d never panicked. Not in all his life. What reason would he have had for it? He was immortal. A being elevated over humankind—faster, stronger, attuned to the magic suffusing everything, of which most mortals were totally unaware. His senses were keener, and he had benefited from hundreds of years to learn, to adapt, to become the best version of himself. His charm could reach into mortal minds, amplify their desires, seduce them. It could turn them into willing prey.

And none of that was making any difference now.

None of it was working on Willow.

The energy he’d received from their kiss wasn’t going to last long, and it would be meaningless if he couldn’t get more. He would not allow this to end.

Kian glanced from side to side. There were people all over, eyes all over, and he couldn’t afford any suspicion. But there was an alleyway nearby—just the sort of spot that would work.

He grasped Willow’s wrist and tapped into that tiny reserve of newfound energy, empowering and altering his glamour. Normally, such a thing would’ve been trivial to him. Now it strained all the magic he had left.

But it would ensure no one else saw Kian or Willow, at least for a little while, and that was what he needed now.

He strode toward the alley, tugging her along behind him.

She stumbled but swiftly righted herself and attempted to pull her arm free. “What are you doing? Kian, let go!”

Kian didn’t stop, didn’t slow, didn’t ease his hold. He dragged her into the alleyway, shoved her against the wall, and pinned her there with his body, pressing one of his knees between her thighs. Willow stared up at him with wide eyes. Before she could recover, his mouth fell upon her bared neck.

She gasped, and her bag fell to the ground.

All his remaining power went into his charm, focused on Willow and Willow alone. He cupped her breasts, squeezing and kneading, pinching her hardened nipples through her blouse as his lips caressed her neck and shoulder. He felt her lust and arousal, felt her heat, and he siphoned it greedily, desperately. She just needed to give in to it, to succumb to him.

Her hands settled on his shoulders.

Yes, Willow. Draw me closer. Beg me for more.

“Stop!” She shoved him hard, causing one of his fangs to scrape her skin as his head was forced away. “Damn it, Kian, get off me!”

Before he could respond, she grasped a fistful of hair and yanked. Hard.

“Fuck!” Kian snarled as pain shot across his scalp.

He lifted his head and drew back, breaking Willow’s grip on his hair, but he didn’t release his hold on her. Everything within him was still and silent as he stared down at Willow, this delectable, spirited little human over whom he had no power.

But she had power over him.

She braced her hands on his shoulders, locking her elbows to prevent him from moving closer, and glared at him. “What is wrong with you?”

“I need you,” he rasped.

“What?”

---