Dark Promises(107)

She liked that a lot. She liked that he wanted that for her. She was going slowly with him, feeling her way because she’d screwed up so badly when she’d realized she had a lifemate. She was shy with him, mostly because he was smoldering hot and she didn’t know what to do with that. Mostly because he was dangerous and his temper burned as fiercely hot as his sexual needs.

“Did I not tell you I could have handled things better? We will look forward, not backward. You are not to blame for anything. I should have looked into your mind. I would have seen what happened, and I would have known you were an innocent. If there is forgiveness that must be had, you need to do the forgiving of my sins.”

She didn’t like that at all. Aleksei was an ancient and he had more than paid his dues. He had fought for centuries in darkness. She might not have known him, but once she was Carpathian and the possibility that he was out there somewhere was a reality, she should have taken better care.

“I have nothing to forgive you for, Aleksei,” she stated firmly. “Nothing at all, and please, for me, don’t ever say that again. I see you. What’s inside you. You’re not only a good man, you’re an exceptionally great man. You deserve the best.”

She saw that he would have protested, frowning, so she leaned close and took his mouth. It was daring. Scary. Thrilling. She pressed her lips to his, running her tongue along the seam there, just as he often did to her. At once he opened his mouth to her and she slipped her tongue inside, stroking caresses, building the heat. Even with her initiating the kiss, it was hot and a little wild.

Aleksei took over and the kiss went from hot and a little wild to totally out of control and scorching. She poured herself into him, uncaring how much she was giving away. She had to let Gary go, let go of being human and give herself totally to this man. In doing that, she accepted what he gave her. Accepted him. He wasn’t perfect, but then neither was she. He made mistakes, so did she. They fit. She didn’t know why, when he was so terrifying, she felt safe with him, but she did.

This was her way of telling him she was fully committed. Fully in his world. Fully trusting him. She kissed him over and over, her tongue matching his every stroke, her heart matching the rhythm of his—and it was perfect. She loved his mouth and the way he could use it. She loved his hands, cupping her breasts, caressing her nipples and then unexpectedly rolling and tugging, even pinching so that fire shot through her.

He seemed to know what her body craved and he gave her that. Still, she wanted to be the aggressor, to have him her way. She knew he wouldn’t give her a lot of time. He took charge when it came to sex, but she liked that and he knew it. He’d given her every indication that he was willing for her to take the lead and she wanted it. She used the flat of her palms to push him down, realizing for the first time that she was in a bed with him—the bed he’d given her—in their beautiful room—the room he’d created for her.

She lifted her head just inches, framing his face, sprawled out over him, her body pinning his beneath her. She felt his cock, thick and hard against her stomach, and part of her wanted to go there immediately, but not yet. Not before she took every inch of him for her own.

She brushed kisses over each of his eyes. They had gone dark, a deep green that filled with hunger. With lust. With something she didn’t dare name, but which set her heart pounding and the pulse between her legs throbbing. She kissed his nose, that straight, aristocratic nose that was strong and fit perfectly in his masculine, very manly face. She kissed either side of his oh-so-talented mouth.

“I love your mouth,” she whispered into it. “I love the way you kiss me and the way it feels between my legs when you’re devouring me. So ravenous. I love the sound of your voice. You’re mine, Aleksei, and I’m claiming you for myself. Every inch of you.” She felt very daring. His eyes went even darker. Sexier. Pure sensuality.

She kissed her way along his jaw—that stubborn, very masculine jaw, always shadowed in a way she thought was sexy. “I love this short, dark shadow feeling so sexy on the insides of my thighs, the brush of it over my belly and grinding into my sex. It’s the most amazing, sensual, sinful thing I’ve ever felt in my life and it’s pure you.”

She gave him that. He deserved that. He could make her come apart just by looking at her, but when he got down to business, there was nothing to compare. She wanted to make her exploration good for him, sexy for him, in the way he made it for her. She whispered her confessions to him, trusting that he understood what she was giving him and that he’d hold it precious.