Chapter 16

Ipress my thighs together, as if that's ever worked, like more pressure will stop the aching throb of desire. Over the glass of water at my lips, I'm watching Dabin. Surreptitious I am not, but I can't seem to stop. His movements are tight and methodical, his muscles bunching as he strips down to bathe.

I shouldn't be watching him. I can't freaking look away.

In the firelight, his skin glistens golden and tawny. When he pulls his pants down, I nearly drop my glass. He's unaware. I'm staring at him like a starving woman and he's the main course, and he has no idea. It feels voyeuristic and naughty, even though he hasn't made a secret of how much he wants me. When he turns around, fixated on his purpose, my jaw drops.

Well.

My hips didn't lie last night. Dabin is seriously packing. His cock is hard, long and thick, and heaven help me, but it looks like it's auditioning for the role of my new favorite thing. Lust doesn't even begin to describe how I feel. I'm wet simply from watching the man take his clothes off, a heady ache between my legs that turns to pure need as every moment passes. If he wasn't here, I'd masturbate and get some relief, but it's not like I can start touching myself while he's taking a bath. Watching is one thing, but that?

Creepy town, party of one.

I close my eyes, heaving a sigh and turning towards the fire. All I want is Dabin. He's so hot, and kind, and has been nothing but wonderful since he first scooped me up off the gate. Having sex with him is nearly all I can think about, and I force myself to eat some more of the food. It's not what I want in my mouth, but it gives me something to do.

It must be a biological imperative. That is, if he's telling the truth about our mating bond. I am ridiculously attracted to him, to those ridged horns I want to use like handlebars while he's in between my legs. A soft groan tumbles from my mouth, and I shift on the chair.

Flames lick up the sides of the fireplace, casting strange shadows, mesmerizing and thick. I stare at them, like they hold the answer. Blinking, I look down at my knees, the spell broken. Oops. The glass is on my thighs, the little water that was left puddling on the fabric and dripping down my legs.

Right, okay. That was weird. I must be more tired than I thought.

I huff out a breath and put the glass on the table, trying to make some sense of my thoughts. I tick off what I know on my fingers, pressing them against my thighs as I think.

I want to have sex.

I can't have sex with Dabin unless I never want to leave. Do I want to leave?

I could crack my career and field wide open with this discovery.

I frown. I could also be ostracized worse than before. Or worse, I could set off a chain of events that leads to some kind of military expedition here. Or the reverse: the vampires invading Earth. Neither are great options.

4. I need to publish my research in order to pay back my Mount Everest of student debt.

5. If I stay here, there's no student debt.

"Hmmph." I pick at a piece of fruit. That's definitely a mark in the stay column. I tip my head back, confused. Is that what I want? Do I want to stay here? Give up my life's work and the chance to show all those assholes that I was right?

What do I want?

I stand abruptly, walking to the bed and flopping down on top of it. My mind is a snarled mess. Usually, I can sort through the noise, pro/con list myself into a decision, but right now, it's like half my brain's data bank is stuck on sex.

And if I have sex, I cannot leave. I shift my weight, pulling a pillow into my face, and let loose a muffled scream. Surely there has to be some kind of a solution that will bring me relief. A compromise.

I roll over, my arm flopping overhead. Compromise. I half sit-up. We don't have to have sex.

There are plenty of other things to do that aren't all playing hide the sausage. I chance a glance over at Dabin in the tub. He scrubs a muscled arm, his back to me. Lust and elation rip through me.

Plenty of other things to do, indeed. Quickly, I shuck the robe, throwing it on the floor and scooching under the covers. I'll just wait for Dabin to get done bathing, and then it is on like Donkey Kong.

A hand curls around my waist, a warm, heavy body nestled up against me. I blink groggily. The fire's died, embers glowing red and orange in the grate. The lust, however, is still roaring inside me, and I inhale, fully awake in the next instant.

I fell asleep before I could enact my evil temptress plan. Disappointment winds through me, and then Dabin's fingers twitch on my side. My breath hitches. Maybe it's not too late to take the edge off.

I roll over slowly, and his hand moves lower down my waist in his sleep, his fingers brushing my bare hip. I moan, eyes fluttering shut. I can't help it. Even this, an innocent touch in his sleep, ratchets up my desire.

When I open my eyes again, Dabin is awake. His lips are parted slightly, his eyes sleepy and hair tousled. It doesn't matter how many pro/con lists I make.

I can't resist this; I can't resist him.

I brush a hand over his forehead, pushing a brown curl back. My fingers catch the curve of a horn, and curious, I run my hand along the ridge of it. He groans, capturing my wrist.

"What are you doing, Danielle?" His voice is raspy with sleep, and I squirm next to him.

I'm not sure how to answer that question without getting embarrassed. Oh, you know, just thought I'd jump your bones in the middle of the night, no biggie.

Instead, I scoot closer, until our lips are nearly touching. His breath ghosts over my mouth, and I shiver. His gaze is still heavy lidded, but the sleepiness has vanished, replaced by something scorching and intense.

His fingers trace a circle on my hip, and I press into his touch, watching his face. I shiver and bite my lip as his fingers trace over my lower stomach, and I see the exact moment he snaps. Then his mouth is on mine, the kiss all teeth and tongue. He nibbles my lower lip, sucking it in and gently biting it until my body's liquid with desire. My tongues slicks over his, and he lets out a low groan that has me digging my nails into his shoulders. God, his kiss feels incredible; it feels so freaking right.

We're ravenous for each other, and I push even closer to him, rubbing against him. He's wearing nothing, and neither am I, and I've never been such a fan of sleeping in the nude.

His hand drifts up as we kiss, and then he's teasing my nipple, rolling it between his thumb and forefinger as I cry out.

"Do you like that, Danielle?" he asks. "Do you like when I touch you here?" His eyes are heavy-lidded with lust, his lips swollen from my mouth on his.

"Yes," I breathe.

"You want more, I think." His hand drifts back down, and I shudder in anticipation.

"Yes," I say, and I don't wait. I grab his hand, hooking a leg over his hips, and press his fingers between my legs.

He makes a low noise in his throat, nipping at my neck as he slides a finger through my wetness.

"I like this," he says. "I like waking up to your mouth on mine."

I moan. It's not dirty talk, not exactly, but it's close, and it's lighting me up. His finger finds my clit, and he strokes it gently, a tantalizing touch that has me panting with need.

"You are so wet for me, my mate." There's approval in his voice, and it's so dirty and so good and I grind my hips against his hand, lost.

"So impatient," he says. His gaze is on me, devouring me, and I rock my hips again. Then I reach between us, circling my fingers around his cock. It's thick enough that my fingers barely meet around it, and I shudder, imagining how good it would feel inside me. He gives a low groan and thrusts a finger inside me, thumb still teasing my clit, as I run my fingers up and down his length.

It's one thing to see how big he is and another thing entirely to feel it… and I want to feel it everywhere.

Dabin presses his forehead to mine. His expression is so damn sexy as he watches me, I can't look away. I'm making out-of-control mewling noises in my throat, and when he pulls his finger out of me, I arch against him, stroking his hard length, wanting it so. Damn. Bad.

As if he has the same thought, Dabin seizes my hips, rolling me onto my back. I'm panting with need. Every touch across my skin is a brand, and I whimper as he drops his mouth to my nipple, teasing it with his tongue before sucking on it, hard.

My head drops back, and I'm lost. There's a warm sensation across my chest, and then his mouth is on that too. The mark, I realize, the sign of Capricorn blazing to life, a sign of the connection between us. It feels so good, the cool of his mouth on it, the difference in temperature taking me ever closer to climax.

"So beautiful." He kisses his way down my side, my stomach, stopping right above the small tuft of curls between my legs.

"Do you want me to taste this, Danielle? Is that what those noises you make mean? That you want me to lick this wetness up, slide my tongue through here and make you come?"

I give a choke sobbed.

"Is that what my mate needs?" he asks, and I realize he's teasing me.

Instead of answering, I lock my hands around his horns, guiding his mouth down on me. The first lick nearly sends me over the edge, unlike anything I've ever felt. I've had oral, given oral, had sex before.

I've never been so close, so fast. It's intoxicating, and I lift my chin, watching him give slow, long licks. He dips his tongue inside me, growling his approval, then moves back up. Light licks frame my clit, and then he sucks on it, gently, reverently. I writhe as he works, and he pins my hips with a hand, holding me still underneath him.

"Let go, Danielle," he says, "I have you." His mouth returns to my clit, and when he sucks again, I'm flying, the orgasm rocketing through me like nothing has before.

My mind blanks, my breath coming as fast and hard as I did. He crawls back over me, his cock dragging through my too-sensitive flesh, and I cry out again at the sensation. Dabin kisses the stiff peaks of my breasts, then nuzzles my cheek before kissing me full on the mouth. It still tastes of me, and somehow, I like it. I like that he wears me on him as much as I wear the glowing mark of his people, of him.

Of my people.

He rolls me on top of him, and I stiffen briefly before relaxing into his strong embrace.

"Shhh," he admonishes. His hands stroke my hair, unruly and tangled from falling asleep while it was wet, and it feels so right. I reach down between us, thinking he'll want sex, wanting to give him pleasure too, but he grabs my wrist and place my hand on his chest.

I poke my head up, narrowing my eyes at him.

"Tonight is about you, my mate." He smiles at me, his eyes soft, even as his cock pokes at my thigh. "No sex, remember?"

"We don't have to… I can do other things." I feel so good, and I want to return the favor. I want him to feel like this too.

"This has already been perfect," he says, smoothing a wayward hair from my cheek. "You are perfect. Now rest, my sweet Danielle."

I give a contented sigh and snuggle closer, resting my face in the dip between his chin and shoulder, and immediately fall asleep.