when it’s none of yours.”
She just glared at him. “Yeah like that,” she finally said when she couldn’t come up with anything better. God, I’m lame.
“Are you on the run, Cassie?” He asked it so softly the sound nearly broke her heart. He sounded like someone who actually cared. No one cared about her. The only person who did might just kill her someday. She blinked back the wetness that formed in her eyes and stared harder at the passing blur of trees.
“Aren’t we all?”
Darien looked at her but didn’t say anything.
She knew she touched on a sore spot for him, and for once she kept her mouth shut. Silence passed between them as he drove. When they arrived in town, he pulled to a stop in front of a department store but didn’t kill the engine. He bent towards her and she stiffened, her breath caught in her throat as he neared. Kiss me.
She might as well of not even been there because he just opened the glove compartment and pulled out a wallet.
“You keep your wallet in your glove compartment? What if someone stole your truck?”
He shrugged. “If they can find it, and they need it that bad then so be it.”
“And that doesn’t bother you?”
“That doesn’t bother me, Cassie.” He pulled out a fresh, crisp hundred-dollar bill and handed it to her.
“Oh, no, that’s way too much, honestly.”
“Spend as much of it as you want. If you need more then I’ll give you more.” She tentatively took the money, guilt riding her hard.
“I appreciate this.” She started to open the door but turned back and said, “But where will you be?”
“I’m going to go take care of some business. I’ll meet you back here in an hour.” She nodded, then before he could see it coming, she leaned across the seat and kissed him square on the mouth.
As far as first kisses went, this one did not disappoint. Yes, she was counting this as the first and not that brief peck from the first day. Okay, well maybe it did disappoint because he wasn’t kissing her back. In fact he sat still underneath her like he was a mime mimicking a statue.
She didn’t care about that at all, because his lips were warm and fit perfectly against hers. He lips were soft like silk and tasted decadent. Her tongue darted out and flicked across his bottom lip to bring that lush taste into her mouth. It was like sex on her tongue, and it only served to whet her appetite. A soft moan escaped her and pleasure bloomed in her veins.
But he still didn’t kiss her back. He did not cock his head or part his lips for her. He stayed still as if he was waiting for her to be finished. Cassie pulled back with a frown. She searched his eyes and tried to read his thoughts. His eyes were dark but with anger or was it something else? She wished she knew.
“Sorry,” she mumbled and started to scoot back to her seat. Hard, strong hands grabbed her. Her eyes shot to his and she had no choice but to move closer to him. His eyes were no longer dark, they smoldered. He didn’t stop dragging her until she was half in his big lap.
“You have no idea what you mess with,” he growled and then he slammed his mouth down on hers.
He didn’t kiss to taste or to learn. He kissed to capture and plunder, to demand obedience. His lips slanted over hers in a hot rush and then he thrust his thick tongue inside her mouth. Cassie could only moan as he took her mouth again and again. His tongue was so thick, he filled her mouth, and he tasted like she thought he would...perfect.
The hands on her cheek turned and fisted in her hair, holding her still for his plundering. Cassie realized that something she did had let loose the beast inside the man, inside the lykaen. And she was melting for him. His lips closed over hers before he slanted her head to the other side and took her mouth at this new angle. He let out an approving growl that had her sex weeping happily in response.
He kissed her for an eternity.
He kissed like a man tasting a woman’s lips