With a grim effort, he broke the kiss and pushed her away. Before she could even cry out in protest he put her down on her feet and took three big steps away. Then he turned away from her and breathed deeply, trying to get the rich, growing smell of the jungle into his lungs, trying to erase the maddening scent of her desire. He became aware that he was panting, his chest heaving and his heart pounding in his ears. Behind him, he heard Elise panting, too.
“What…I don’t understand,” she said at last. “Why did you—”
“Because you fucking needed it,” Merrick growled, turning to face her. He was beginning to feel more in control, but he still didn’t trust himself any closer to her. Now more than ever he needed to get away, to find the trail and clear his head. He lowered his voice and looked her in the eyes. “And because I needed it too,” he admitted. “Don’t forget, baby, we’re in this together.”
She bit her lip, which looked swollen and tender from their frantic kissing. “I know. I’m sorry.”
“Next time, ask.” Merrick ran a hand over his head and blew out a breath, trying to reign in his frustration and need, trying to ignore the hunger he felt still burning just below the surface of her mind. “Just ask and let me give you what you need.”
“I…I can’t.” Her face was a mask of misery. “I’m sorry, Merrick, I just can’t.”
Frustration gripped him again and shook him like a rough fist. “Then I guess it’s going to be a long fucking week in the jungle,” he snarled. “You stay here on the trail—I have to find the scent again. I’ll be back in five minutes—ten tops.” He glared at her sternly. “Whatever you do, don’t move from the trail—it’s the only safe place.”
Then he turned and plunged into the jungle, running away when what he wanted more than anything was to gather her in his arms and kiss her again. Kiss her until she came to her senses and let him give her what they both needed so very badly.
* * * * *
Elise stood there, stunned, not knowing what to say or do for an entire minute after he left. Her entire body felt overheated and her heart was pounding so hard it felt like it was shaking her entire body. I’m going into meltdown, she thought and on the heels of that, Hell of a first kiss!
She never felt like this when James kissed her—which he only did rarely, to be honest. Never felt like her knees might collapse at any minute or heard her blood rushing in her ears or saw stars dancing before her vision.
God, am I about to faint? What’s wrong with me? She stumbled for a moment, feeling strangely physically disoriented. Had the kiss really been that intense? Maybe…or maybe it was simply the hunger finally letting up some. That was an incredible relief—Merrick was right, she’d needed the kiss he gave her badly.
But the kiss…he kissed me…the vault… She waited tensely for a moment but for some reason, the undead denizens of her inner vault were silent. Why? Because, a soft voice whispered in her mind. He never kissed me. It wasn’t about that for him. It was all about pain…domination…No!
Elise shut out the voice quickly, but she had her answer. As deliciously sexual as the kiss she’d shared with Merrick had been, it hadn’t aroused the demons from her past—for which she was incredibly grateful. She wondered if she dared kiss him again…and if she could make him understand that kissing was all she could do. She didn’t dare risk more, but another kiss…that might be doable. Very doable…if he wanted to kiss her, that was. The angry, hurt look in his blue and gold eyes was etched in her memory. I’ve treated him very badly, she thought miserably. I wouldn’t blame him if he never wanted to lay eyes on me again…let alone kiss me.
She looked down at her blue leather boots, scuffing along in the verdant greenery—or perhaps bluery was a better word—of the jungle floor, and realized that she was in a different place than she’d been a few moments ago. These creepers with the pale orange flowers—I don’t recognize them. Where did they come from? Where am I?
Elise looked around herself and confirmed her fear—she’d been so deep in thought that she’d absentmindedly wandered away from the spot Merrick had left her. His last words echoed in her head, “Whatever you do, don’t move from the trail—it’s the only safe place.” But where was the trail? It was apparently some kind of scent that he’d been following—a scent he’d lost because of her. But what did it smell like?
Lifting her nose, Elise inhaled deeply, drawing in a lungful of the damp jungle air. It was hot and humid here, no doubt—but as a Florida girl, she was used to the subtropical climate. What she couldn’t get used to was the idea of using her nose to lead her through it. A variety of strange and enticing aromas caught her attention, but none of them seemed to mean anything. Although there was one scent that seemed interesting…