Therian Prisoner(24)

“Rather like feline heat?”

He shook his head. “Feline heat affects any Therian male who encounters the female. The pull I’m talking about only attracts the couple to each other. It’s more like when wolf-shifters find their mate.”

“And without this bond, raptors are unable to have children?”

“Yes.”

“Is there only one mate for each Therian raptor?” If so, his hope for children died with his wife. The possibility was too sad to even consider.

“Of course not. I’ve searched for a new mate, but I haven’t felt the bonding pull with anyone else. At least not yet. I haven’t given up hope but, as you can imagine, it’s frustrating.”

He’d only had one mate in over sixteen hundred years? That had to be more than frustrating. Of course, he must have had countless lovers. He’d just never found that one special someone who stirred more than desire. His gaze moved over her face and an odd intensity came into his eyes. He looked almost as if… No, that wasn’t possible. She’d never been able to spark romantic interest in Ian before. She must be projecting her own feelings onto him.

“Where were you born? When did you come to America?” They seemed like the next logical questions.

“I was born in Roman-occupied Britain. My people were called the Brigantes. I immigrated to America in 1823. The silver boom drew me to Colorado and I’ve been here ever since.” He rattled off the facts like an itinerary. “Is this really what you want to talk about?”

Tension pulsed between them and she swallowed hard. “You’ve never been interested in what I want.” The desire smoldering in his eyes was unmistakable. She’d dreamed of the moment when Ian would realize she was a woman, pictured it a thousand times in her fantasies. So why was she so uncertain, so confused?

He uncrossed his legs and pulled her toward him, bringing her up onto her knees. “Say it, Devon. Tell me what you want.”

“I… You know I…” Heat cascaded from the crown of her head to the pit of her stomach, stirring all sorts of sensations in between.

He leaned in and inhaled her scent then eased back and looked into her eyes. “When little girls look at grown men like this, they get themselves into trouble.”

“I’m not a little girl anymore.”

“I noticed.” His hand slid up her neck and he pushed his fingers into her hair. “So the next question is, are you finally ready for me?”

Before she could answer, his mouth covered hers and he wrapped his arm around her waist. It took a moment for her startled mind to comprehend that Ian was kissing her. She’d wanted this for so long that her brain refused to accept the sensations.

“Relax.” He whispered the word against her mouth, his lips gently brushing hers.

She slowly raised her hands to his shoulders, shocked by the heat radiating through his t-shirt. His shoulders were wide, his arms corded with muscle. Like a sugar addict in a candy store, she ran her hands over his arms and chest, his shoulders and back. He felt so good, so strong, so…male.

Her body responded with heat and liquid urgency. She pushed one hand into his hair, sifting the wavy strands through her fingers. Her nipples beaded and sensitized. Her t-shirt felt abrasive against her tender skin.

All the while his lips moved over and against hers, caressing more than kissing. His patience made her restless and she rubbed her breasts against his chest. With a soft groan, he tilted his head and touched her bottom lip with the tip of his tongue. She parted for him, eager for his taste and the intimate tangle of their tongues. It was happening. Ian was finally going to make love to her!

Excitement and desire spiraled through her. She responded to his kiss with dizzying enthusiasm. His taste spread across her tongue and his scent filled her nose. She was surrounded by him and her core ached to be filled with him.

His hand slipped under her t-shirt, skimming over the backs of her thighs then cupping her ass. He traced the crease between her cheeks with his fingertips, venturing ever nearer to her damp folds. She tore her mouth away with a strangled gasp as lights danced before her eyes. All he’d done was kiss her and already she was more excited than she’d ever been before.

He wrapped both arms around her and swept her beneath him as he turned. She ended up on her back with Ian arched over her, kneeling between her thighs. Fear stabbed into her heart and she tensed as unwanted images intruded on her passion. Demanding hands and urgent mouths, not hurtful, just—mortifying. No! She was not going to think about that right now. This was Ian. He would never harm her or take advantage of her helplessness.