"Better." He reached up and tucked a tendril of her hair behind her ear before looking at his healed arm. "The burn is almost gone. Did you do that?"
"Aye." She sat back on her haunches.
He traced beneath her eye. "It tires you. Healing people."
She nodded. "The energy needed to heal is much like that needed to make fire. It's all a workout."
"Does it hurt?" He stretched his other arm above his head, gingerly at first and then with more strength.
"Yes."
He stilled and focused back on her. "It hurts?"
"It can." How could she explain to him? "The burns didn't hurt, and stitching a broken bone doesn't take much. But the fissures you've put in your energy are deep."
"If it hurts you, we're not doin' it."
She rolled her eyes. "Healing you won't kill me. After about an hour, it feels like a rubber band snapping against my skin." It was the closest she could come to describing the sensation, though she'd underplayed the pain involved.
His focus narrowed as he sat up fully. "Healing others doesn't hurt for the first hour?"
"No." That was mostly true. The blanket fell to his waist, barely covering him. She tried to keep her breathing normal and her expression mildly interested, but it cost her.
His lips twitched. "What else did you do to my poor naked body while I was out cold?"
Her cheeks heated. Thank goodness it was dark in the cabin. "You're hilarious." Not that she hadn't noticed, well, him. She had had to drag him inside before covering him with a blanket. The guy was gifted. "I'm afraid all I did was heal you."
He swallowed and slid one hand beneath her hair to cup her nape. "Thank you, Nessa." His gaze dropped to her lips.
Her breath caught and held. "You're welcome."
"I'm feeling a lot better," he mused, drawing her toward him.
She should stop. But she allowed him to move her until she was in his space, his mouth so close. He was such a mystery to her. His hand tightened on her nape, holding her in place.
Her lungs stopped working.
He leaned in, his lips brushing hers.
Electrical shocks zipped through her body.
He hummed and moved in again, his focus absolute. His lips were warm and firm, and they settled against hers as if they belonged right there. His tongue ran along her bottom lip.
She sucked in air, mini-explosions rocketing through her.
He settled over her again, this time kissing her. Her eyelids fluttered shut, and she leaned into him. The lazy kiss was all relaxed Bear as he explored her, his tongue moving inside her mouth, his movements gentle and deliberate. He took his time, slowly deepening the kiss and pulling her toward him until she was in his lap.
She pressed a hand against his chest, leaning into him, her mind blanking.
There was only pleasure. Hot, smooth, nearly drugged pleasure from his kiss. She'd never in her one hundred years been kissed like that, with complete focus and leisure. Need swept through her with a painful edge. It was too much. She needed to concentrate-to think. So she pushed against his chest and tried to lever her head back.
She didn't move.
Her eyelids opened.
So did his.
Those eyes studied her, his mouth on hers, his body bracketing her.
She couldn't speak. Even if his mouth hadn't remained right on hers, she couldn't think of any words.
Then he growled.
The sound rumbled up from his chest and into her mouth. The sound, the vibration, ran right through her with the sense of a claim. She trembled.
He held her there for a moment longer and then slowly lifted his head.
She gulped in air, her mind still blank. Her body rioted with conflicting impulses. To run or to push closer to him? She blinked. This was way out of her control. Slowly, she came back to reality. The fire crackled and the wind burst wildly outside. Only a threadbare blanket was between her and his hard erection. Really hard. Was there steel in shifters? A hysterical giggle tried to push its way out of her.
She forced it down. "Um."
"Yeah." He kneaded the back of her neck.
She wanted to snuggle against him. No. Enough of that. "We, ah, we need to talk."
"You think?" he asked dryly.
The door burst open-again-and he jumped to his feet between her and the intruder. Her rear hit the floor, and she winced from the pain, turning to face the newest threat.
"Hold still, or I'll blow your head off," yelled a harsh male voice as a man pointed a gun inside.
Chapter 4
Bear kicked the blanket out of his way. He knew the voice. "Lucas?"