Page 68 of Sweet Dreams

“Now?” I asked, still feeling the need to whisper.

Zaldi tilted his head back, looking around. “We’re alone.”

His skin shifted, changing into that deep ruby red I loved. Brilliant eyes met mine, and his smile warmed me from the inside out.

“Better?” he asked.

I shrugged. “You’re perfect in every form.”

He tilted his head, horns catching the last of the sunset. “Cute words coming from my prey.”

“Excuse me?” I stuttered, stepping back once…then again. Heat once again thrummed down my veins.

Zaldi drew in a deep breath, his eyes rolling back. “You’d better run, sweet dream. I can smell you.”

Adrenaline flooded my bloodstream, and I took off toward the hills.

I hadn’t been in the park since I was a kid, but I remembered enough. My arms pumped, feet digging into the cool dirt.

I barely made it a quarter mile before I could hear the thundering steps of my mate getting closer. I put on my final burst of speed intent on making it further than last time. But, I didn’t see the tumbling of loose stone across the path and with a squeal, I went flying.

Immediately, a clawed hand snagged my waist, the dusky sky blurring as we rolled once, his body protecting mine until I was released, sitting splay-legged across his middle.

“Good catch.” I grinned down at him, scooting back just enough to grind against the obvious arousal beneath his belt.

Zaldi stopped my downward movements with a smack on my ass. “I still won. Which means….”

I huffed, hating to lose even like this. “Which means you choose what happens next.”

Zaldi’s smile was smug, I wanted to kiss it off his face. But, suddenly I had a much better idea. “Exactly. I’m so disappointed though, I had something I wanted to try for weeks.”

I definitely had his attention now. “Lu…

With slow, deliberate movements, I moved my knees up his torso, and then carefully shifted so I could slide my knees until they were pressing into the earth on either side of his jawline, leaving me hovering just over his neck and staring down into wide, surprised eyes. Even as I winked down at him, I could feel the way he was responding—the tingles starting in my hand and my pussy—as I watched my mate realize what I was insinuating.

“What are you doing?” he asked, breathless.

“I don’t know,” I said, running a finger down his horn. “I thought I might take your tongue for a ride.”

“Fuck, I love you so much, Lulu,” he groaned, his hands immediately moving to my shorts.

I could only squeak out a warning before his claws were tearing through them, shredding the fabric to bits as his eyes took only a minute to register the scrap of lace between him and my body. Then, came a snarl—fangs and claws—and I was naked from the waist down, wearing only my little lacy top.

“I want you to smother me,” he said, his claws already pricking the sides of my body as he positioned me over him. “I want you in every pore of my skin. Smother me.”

I wanted to have a saucy comeback, another thing to hold over him in my secret victory, but I was rendered useless, and definitely speechless, in the next instant as his tongue dove into my body—first teasing at my entrance before pushing deep, tasting me, taking the end of him before retracting to lick and lap at my clit.

“Oh my God, Zaldi, it’s so good,” I chanted, my hands curling into his horns, holding on tight. “Please, don’t stop. Don’t stop. Don’t stop.”

“More,” he growled against my skin, his hands lifting my ass and pushing me higher so he could properly fuck his tongue into me while I rocked against his face, soaking him.

“I’m yours,” he said as the pleasurable waves began to ripple through my body, his venom settling in my veins like a familiar heartbeat—one that would drive me absolutely mad. Again and again, he guided me into his deliciously thick tongue as it thrust up into me. I was a goner, my body bowing and arching against his hold as wave after wave of pleasure blanked my mind.

Sometime later, my mind was a delightful mush of pleasure and contentment, and I curled against him low, putting my head on his shoulder and letting his fingers trail down my spine and over my naked butt. I knew I would get cold soon, but for the time being, I was going to enjoy every second of this.

Zadie had been rather quiet. I played with the line of his ribs, my fingers sneaking across his now familiar body.

“Are you all right?” I asked him.