Demon by My Side(34)

She raised a hand to his face, tracing along the perfect skin. “I never had trouble following the rules,” she said. “There was no gray area when it came to your kind. I didn’t ever look at a demon and feel attraction. Why are you so different?”

Something flashed in his eyes but he only replied, “It doesn’t matter. I am different. Focus only on that.”

She shook her head. “You are blurring lines that shouldn’t be blurred.”

“Why not? What’s the worst that could happen?”

She could mistake this for more than mutual pleasure. She could start caring for him, and that slip could prove fatal. Though she was usually good with separating sex and love, nothing with Jaral would be simple. Getting involved with him emotionally was dangerous, especially if this was all part of his grand plan. How could a demon like him ever care for her in a way that was real? As much as she might secretly long for the possibility, she knew it was a foolish dream.

“We can’t,” she protested as his mouth lowered to hers.

“We can.” He kissed her before she could voice any more protests.

The instant his lips touched hers, the fire that always lay between them roared. She wrapped her arms around his neck, parting her lips to draw him in. He kissed her with raw passion but even swamped with lust Darcy felt the tenderness in his touch. Why did he have to be a demon? Why couldn’t he simply be hers?

“Jaral,” she breathed.

His mouth left her to trail down her throat. Darcy arched back, giving him better access. She felt his hands sliding over her hips to pull her closer.

“I should list all the reasons this is wrong,” she whispered against his lips.

“Go ahead. I’ll make it my job to distract you before you can utter more than a handful.” His hands moved higher, trailing up her sides until he reached the curve of her bra under her shirt.

Darcy bit her lips as he cupped her breasts. She’d never liked padded bras so there was very little separating his fingers from her skin. Still, when his hands caressed her she wished there was even less separating them. Surely she could lose the top without being pushed too far.

“Just let go,” he ordered, his mouth inches from hers. “I’ll be here to catch you.”

Before she could protest, his lips claimed hers. Darcy groaned as his tongue invaded her mouth. Nothing about his kiss was tentative. Instead he took control, dominating her with his touch. His mouth slanted over hers and logical thought trickled away. Her arms threaded around his shoulders to hold him close. She knew this was ten types of wrong but never in her life had anything felt so good. Heat spiraled through her, demanding she listen to her body’s needs. All she wanted to do was strip her demon and run her mouth over his golden skin. She wanted to taste him on her lips, see his eyes wild with pleasure, hear him roar his release. When he touched her, their loyalties and ties stopped mattering. All that existed was mutual soul-shattering pleasure.

How far was she going to let this go? she wondered, enjoying the sensations he inspired. His mouth left hers to trail down her throat. He tugged her neckline lower to run his lips over the sensitive skin even as his clever hands teased her breasts. She had to stop him before everything went too far. If she gave herself over to him, pretty soon she wouldn’t care about stopping.

Darcy threaded her fingers into his hair, pulling his head back up to hers.

“We’ll go too far,” she whispered against his mouth.

“Good.”

“No, I can’t—”

He kissed her quick to quiet her. “Hush,” he whispered. “I won’t take more than you are willing to give.”

She stared up at him. A demon would never put her pleasure above his own, yet Jaral seemed to be doing just that. Her body cried for her to take him at his word. Her mind whispered this could be one more trick. How did she figure out what to believe?

“Are you playing me?” she whispered before she could call the words back.

Jaral stilled. “What?”

The shock on his face looked real. Darcy fought the instinct to squirm under his incredulous gaze. “You have to admit, it’s the explanation that makes the most sense.”

“Does it?” he murmured.

“A demon like you and a girl like me,” she tried to joke. “Can you tell me the thought never crossed your mind?”

For a moment he looked inscrutable. “I wanted you the first night we met,” he told her. “I could have coerced any hunter in the city to help me with what I needed. Hell, I could have summoned an army of my own people if I wished.” He trailed a finger down her cheek in a gentle caress. “I pursued you, Darcy, because you drive me out of my mind with lust. This isn’t a game.” He lowered his lips to her ear. “I want you in my bed.”