Page 110 of Ice Devil

He nipped my lower lip, creating an audible shudder. “If you can handle it.”

“I can handle anything. What do you have in mind?”

“Let’s just say something dark and carnal in nature.”

CHAPTER 23

Sloane

Beck’s lips crushed mine.

Not with any tentative pressing together of our mouths or even for a momentary exploration, but hard and rough, a claiming instead of tasting. His tongue had become a lethal weapon, dominating mine while he took his time. His kisses had been passionate before, but wowza, I was already lightheaded from the man consuming my mouth.

Let alone the way his cock was throbbing between my legs. He had a way of making me so hot and wet that I had no doubt the front of his jeans would have a horrific stain on the front. I had a feeling he wasn’t about to care.

Mate.

He’d asked me about the word as if mating was no big deal. Perhaps for various species of animals, it wasn’t. In scientific terms and with regard to animals, it was a pairing of organisms of the opposite sex for the purpose of creating offspring.

In romance books, it was an undeniable, unbridled urge occurring between two beings, a need so intense that the two subjects couldn’t keep their hands off each other. Whether or not tiny reproductions of themselves occurred was secondary to carnal passion.

With the human species, there were several variations of less traditional mating that were all about cultural dynamics and partner compatibility.

However, with shifters, I sensed a strange combination of all of the above, including keeping the shifter race going. But unlike humans of different races or religions, social values and upbringing, I doubted there was a chance of humans and shifters being able to produce a hybrid child.

Didn’t that sound romantic as hell? Not.

Maybe I was just overthinking what Beck was getting at. In truth, I was losing my ability to think, let alone focus on anything but the dark cravings that continually swept through me. All through the blissful moment, I wiggled to try to free my hands. He was too strong, too powerful.

I used what I had as my own manner of power, wrapping my legs around him and squeezing my knees against his thighs. We were in a suffocating dance that I hoped would never end. As far as being out in the open? Why not allow every nosy neighbor to witness what real and raw passion looked like?

He eased onto one arm, releasing his hold on mine, but he had no intention of letting me go anytime soon. With his fingers wrapping around my throat, he rubbed his thumb back and forth across my bottom lip, even pulling it down.

A mistake was made when he popped his thick digit into my mouth intending for me to suck it. I bit down instead. His eyes opened wide, his laugh more boisterous than before. But there was no mistaking the look of need in his eyes.

He was about to devour me.

I raked my hand down his shirt, jerking on the hem until I was able to slide my hand underneath. The buildup of explosive heat was already in full swing, the touch close to paralyzing every muscle.

His chest rose and fell from shallow breaths as his eyelids partially closed, creating a bad boy image making me long for my camera. Imagine that sexy face on a poster.

The deep cravings were already getting the better of us. He rose onto his knees, taking me with him. Without allowing me to breathe, he yanked the tee shirt over my head, tossing it aside. I did the same with his, twirling the soft material in my hands over my head before tossing with gusto. When the garment slapped against a tree, we both laughed, but his jovial tone didn’t last long.

With a growl that would rival any wolf in the wild, he cupped my breasts.

I hadn’t bothered putting on a bra. Maybe a little wishful thinking I might arouse the beast in the man. Apparently, given his eyes were dilated, I’d done a very good job. Bonus points for the way he was already sucking my nipples.

They were rock hard and aching, much like the deep core throb in my pussy. While he enjoyed himself moving from one breast to the other, I rubbed both hands down his chest, crawling my fingers to the button and zipper on his jeans.

“Impatient, little girl?” he gritted out with an even deeper guttural sound that had me shuddering.

“Maybe. To counter your big, bad wolf.” I lifted my gaze when he said nothing. There was a crazy moment of seeing him for what he really was. A wolf. And for whatever reason, instead of being anxious or even concerned what that might mean or that I was certifiable in some perfect way, I could see myself in his big baby blues.

To the point of realizing losing myself in the man and his sidekick the wolf wouldn’t be such a bad thing.

“You are so freaking beautiful, Sloane. All kidding aside, you drive me crazy, but I’ve never experienced as much joy wrapped in sarcasm in my life.”

“That’s very… romantic.”