She inhaled sharply.
“Demons like strength, and you wouldn’t know how to back down if your life depended on it.” He leaned back slightly to meet her gaze. “Such an attractive quality.”
“Stop it.” She pushed him back.
Her shove didn’t budge him. Instead he caught her hands and pulled one up to his mouth. Eyes locked on hers, he pressed his lips into her sensitive palm. Darcy hissed in surprise, heat flashing through her.
A demon, a creature she’d spent her life trying to eradicate, was in her bed. This should be an easy line to draw in the sand. Except no one had ever looked at her with such lust. The expression in his dark gaze promised that with the slightest permission on her part, he’d have her naked in seconds.
And she had no doubt he was man enough to make her forget her regrets until morning.
“You need to back off,” she tried.
“Why?” He ran his lips along her fingers.
Because this is wrong in so many ways. But the words wouldn’t come to her rescue.
Without taking his gaze from hers, he caught one of her fingers with his mouth. Teeth grazed gently against the sensitive pad of her fingertip. The breath froze in her chest as she felt his tongue swirl around the trapped digit.
Need shot through her, pooling low in her abdomen. With his gaze on her it was hard to breathe. He looked at her as if he knew every secret longing in her heart and would have no trouble using them all to his advantage. She’d never felt so exposed in her life.
Or so hot.
Lust roared to life within her. She’d wanted men before but never with this consuming desire. He was a demon. An enemy. Yet for a minute she wished she could forget about reality and explore this wonderful new feeling he inspired. Just once, couldn’t she make a few decisions she’d enjoy regretting in the morning?
Retrieving her hand, she pushed against his shoulders. This time he moved and she didn’t stop to wonder why.
Darcy pinned him back on her bed, rising over him. The demon stared up at her with undeniable lust. If his position beneath her bothered him he sure didn’t show it.
“We are on opposite sides,” she said.
“Not for the next few days.”
“I didn’t want to work with you in the first place. If I have to, we’re going to keep this professional.”
“Says the woman climbing all over me.” He shifted beneath her, pressing his hard erection against her body.
Darcy bit back a moan. She needed to put a stop to this. Now. “You might get a kick out of screwing hunters, but I assure you, I have higher standards than bedding the enemy.”
His eyes flashed and before she realized what was happening he’d gripped her around the waist and reversed their positions. Darcy fell back on the tangled covers, her heart pounding in her ears as Jared molded his body to hers.
“I’ve never bedded a hunter,” he said to her, tiny flames dancing in his dark eyes. “I never wanted one before.” He dropped his head to press his lips against her collarbone. Darcy felt the heat in his light kiss. It spiraled through her, not burning but heightening her need in a way she’d never experienced before.
“I’ve never wanted anyone the way I want you.” The words were said as a harsh whisper against her skin.
She knew the feeling. At that moment she couldn’t even recall a former lover’s name. None of them had made her burn as intensely as this man did.
His lips ran up the length of her throat. She had to stop him, push him back before things got out of hand. Play was all well and good but there was no way she was kissing a demon.
Except he was leaning over her, his mouth tantalizingly close.
Darcy froze. She wanted to push him again and pull him closer all at once.
Jared was not a man to be kept waiting. His mouth crushed down on hers, making the decision for both of them. Darcy hit his shoulder but he didn’t budge. His mouth slanted over hers before he licked the crease of her lips with the tip of his tongue. Heat flared at the touch and she gasped at the new sensation. Jared was more than ready to take advantage of her surprise.
His tongue invaded her mouth as he kissed her more deeply than she should allow. But he tasted of cinnamon and magic and her hands on his shoulders loosened. Unable to help herself, she tilted her head to give him better access.
She kissed him just as fervently as he did her. As if she couldn’t imagine not touching him. She needed his mouth on hers more than she’d ever needed anything before.
He shifted, one leg sliding between hers. Her pajama shirt was riding up and when she felt his hand press against the naked skin of her stomach she thought she’d shoot from the bed. Every path his fingers traced burned in the most delicious way. She kicked off the covers wrapping around their legs. His heat was all she needed to chase away the winter air.