Page 23 of Mercer

She was definitely tired, though, so she could just be seeing things from a weird perspective.

He leaned down and kissed her cheek. “Sleep well, sweetheart. I’ll see you in the morning.”

“You too.”

He smelled so freaking good that it took every ounce of willpower to keep her hands to herself. She stepped into the apartment and shut the door, leaning against it with a deep sigh.

He was dangerous to her resolve to take things slow. It didn’t help matters that she felt like she’d known him for a long time already when they’d literally just met.

How had it only been a day? It felt like a hundred days had passed.

She’d walked into the park bummed about the future, and a day later, she had a boyfriend, a great job, and a new place to live.

If she could just figure out if he was really keeping something from her or if it was just her imagination, things would be perfect. But in the meantime, she wasn’t going to worry too much about it. It wasn’t like she expected him to reveal everything about himself immediately; a man was entitled to keep some things back, just like she was. In time they’d know each other fully.

She had a strange feeling, so she turned and opened the door. Mercer stood there, his eyes flashing from hazel to amber, and his amazing cologne immediately making her body respond again.

“I swear I felt you were still here,” she said.

“I couldn’t bring myself to leave yet.”

“If I invite you in, I’m going to want to take you to the bedroom,” she admitted. “I’m going to want things to move forward even though we just met.”

He put his hands on the doorjamb and leaned forward slightly, his muscles bunching against his shirt and that cologne swirling around her.

“I won’t hurt you, Rhomi. What you see is what you get with me. Ask me anything, and I’ll tell you the truth. You’re my forever girl. How we move forward is up to you, but I’m not going to say no if you invite me in and take me to your bedroom.” His voice went a little lower and a shiver raced down her spine. “I will make you scream my name, though. Several times.”

“How do you know I’m your forever girl?” she whispered, moving a little closer until she could feel the heat of him.

“Because I feel it in my heart. I knew the moment I laid eyes on you that you were mine. Do you believe in soulmates?”

“I didn’t,” she said, grasping a handful of his shirt. “Until you.”

“Now you do?” He dropped a hand from the doorjamb and settled it on her lower back, pulling her against him. Her breath gusted with the motion, her free hand flattening on his chest.

“I do. How else can you explain everything that’s happened if it’s not for soulmates and fate bringing us together? It’s all fantastical, really, like a romance movie where everything falls into place just right. But it’s not a romance movie, it’s real life.” She tilted her chin a little higher and kissed him. “Take me to bed, Mercer,” she whispered against his lips. “I want you.”

ChapterTen

Mercer didn’t have to be asked twice. His lion was roaring in his head to take her to bed, but he knew that even though they were going to have sex, he wasn’t going to mark her. It warred against his nature not to sink his fangs into her neck and mark her, but he couldn’t until she knew the truth.

But the fact she knew they were soulmates meant she was close to giving him her heart. Hell, she already had his. How could he not give his soulmate his heart?

He carried her to the bedroom, setting her gently on the bed. She pulled him down on top of her, their lips crashing together as their bodies pressed against each other, her soft curves and his hard muscles.

Her mouth opened on a sigh, and he delved his tongue inside, a hum from his lion sounding a hell of a lot like a purr. He had to lock that down, since she’d already mentioned she had questions about the purring and eye color change, which he hadn’t even realized was happening.

He rolled to his back and took her with him, and she rose over him, straightening as she straddled his hips. She looked like a siren, her eyes filled with heat and a wicked smile playing across her lips.

She pulled her shirt off and tossed it aside, then reached behind to undo her bra.

Her breasts were covered with navy blue lace, and the sight of her taut nipples made his mouth water. She smelled amazing, like sun-warmed honey, and he bet she tasted amazing too.

The bra hit the floor, then she walked her fingers up his chest and undid the top button of his shirt.

“I’ve been wondering what you look like under your clothes,” she whispered.

She undid the buttons slowly, then pushed the material aside with an appreciative hum.

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