Her Guardian Angel (Fire and Snow) (10 page)

Adele continued to smile as they strolled up the path holding hands. She wondered to herself why she wasn't afraid. She should be running in the opposite direction. She did not want a man in her life, but Dominic obviously wasn't going to go away any time soon, and to be perfectly honest, even if only to herself, she didn't want him to. Dominic was divine. He was tall, had short ink black hair, ice blue eyes and a body so muscular and defined she had trouble not drooling every time she saw him--and he wanted her, Little Miss Average. She shook her head at her thoughts, shifting her focus from inside herself to her surroundings.

How bizarre, trees and rocks started to look familiar, but she knew she'd never been here before. The hairs on her neck stood up as they came out into a clearing. She froze to the spot, unable to move. Dominic kept walking a couple paces before her hand slipped from his, alerting him to her having stopped. He spun around on her, looking worried.

"What's wrong, Adele? You've lost all your color." She felt him at her side a moment later, but she wasn't really tracking. He wrapped her hand around an open bottle of water and told her to drink. She did as she was told because her mind was reeling, and she couldn't think of a reason not to. The only thing missing from the scene before her was her
chaton
. This was the field in her dreams, the field where she met her
chaton
and found comfort. She slowly turned a full circle before facing Dominic again. He had turned his back to her as he bent to spread out the picnic rug over the grass. He stood, now facing her and still looking worried; he held his hand out toward her.

"Come here, Adele. I think you need to sit down before you pass out. You are looking very pale."

She put her hand in his, taking comfort in the warmth that spread from his hand up her arm. He guided her to the rug and helped her sit down. He sat behind her so that she was cradled between his large muscular thighs; his knees were bent and level with her shoulders. She leaned her head against his left knee, closed her eyes and took some deep breaths, taking his sent deep into her lungs. She instantly felt calmer. His touch calmed her further, but her world was still spinning. She opened her eyes as she felt him lean forward then felt his nose softly run up her neck toward her ear and jaw. He nuzzled her just below her ear. It felt familiar, right. She closed her eyes again and let go of all the remaining tension in her body and sighed into Dominic's embrace. She felt so warm and safe. She felt something else too, something she wasn't sure of--and something she was way too scared to name.

~ * ~

Dominic's eyebrows drew together in concern. Adele's face had drained of color the moment they'd stepped into the field, her body rigid and tense. He'd expected her to react to seeing the field in real life but not like this. He followed his instincts that demanded he comfort and care for her. He'd curled himself around her as best he could as a man. When she leaned her head against his knee, exposing her long elegant neck, he simply couldn't resist. He'd run his nose gently up her neck while breathing deeply of her scent, taking it into his soul. When he started nuzzling her below her ear, she finally let her tension go. He felt it pour out of her body and drain away. Now he sat with her, all soft and relaxed in his embrace. His leopard wanted to purr in satisfaction. He had a job and a half to keep the sound inside himself. He was damn sure if she heard purring, she would totally freak out and he didn't want to lose this moment that felt like pure heaven to him, so he stayed silent. He lost track of time as he sat there slowly, gently nuzzling his mate's neck and delivering small kisses and licks to her soft sweet skin.

He felt her inhale deeply before she twisted her head around, nuzzling her nose against the soft denim covering his knee. He grinned. She didn't know it but she was covering herself with his scent, showing him her acceptance. Dominic moved his mouth up to her ear. In a desperate voice he whispered to her, "Please Adele, don't keep pushing me away. I need you to let me in, please."

"I can't--" a sob escaped her "--can't keep pushing you away any more. I'm not strong enough." She whispered, so quietly that if he'd been wholly human, he never would have heard her as she continued to nuzzle her face against his knee.

Dominic gently lifted and turned her around in his lap while putting his knees down, crossing his legs so she ended up straddling his waist with her bottom in his lap. He took her face between his hands.

"My sweet Adele, you are the strongest woman I know."

He gave her a quick kiss before he continued.

"Letting someone in, having someone to lean on, isn't a sign of weakness, Adele. We will both be so much stronger together."

Dominic lowered his lips to hers again, except this time there was nothing quick about his movements. He slowly, thoroughly devoured her mouth, making sure she felt him all the way to her soul just like he felt her all the way to his. Everything else faded out of his mind as heat and passion spread over him and into her. He felt her curl her arms tighter around his neck, holding him to her. As the tips of her nipples came into contact with his chest, they both groaned. He had never felt like this in his whole life. He could smell her arousal, feel her burning up in his arms and she was taking him right along with her.

Dominic couldn't stop his head from spinning, the taste of his mate surrendering to him, the feel of her body willingly pressed up against his. This day was turning out better than he could ever have imagined. He couldn't hold off any longer. He had to touch her--skin to skin. He pulled back slightly from her lips then whispered against them. "I need to feel you. Adele, please will you let me touch you?"

He felt her head nod slightly under his hands, heard her murmured "Yes". He released the breath he was holding in a rush of relief. He moved to nuzzle her neck and placed reverent kisses along her collarbone up to below her ear. He hovered a moment just drinking in her scent. When she sighed, he pulled back a little then trailed his hands down her face, over her jaw, down her neck and onto the collar of her shirt. She had on a thin cotton button-down shirt, perfect for hiking as it kept the sun off but wasn't thick enough to make her hot. He loved that his mate was so practical. His hands slowly undid each button, brushing his fingers against the flesh he revealed as each one popped open. By the time he had all the buttons undone, both of them were breathing hard and he was aroused as all get out. He was as hard as steel, the heat radiating from her core that rested over his erection burned him through the denim of his jeans. He moved his hands up to her neck and slid them under the material, down over her shoulders, taking the shirt down with them. As it tumbled to pool at her elbows behind her, he took a sharp breath in.

"Oh my sweet Adele, you are so beautiful."

Dominic watched as her blush spread over her cheeks, down her neck and across her breasts. She reacted so innocently to his compliments. She truly didn't see herself as he did. Her white lacy bra was stunning against her pale skin, and he could just see the darker color of her nipples through the lace. Sparks flew up his fingers as he gently ran them back up her arms then down her sides. He ran the tips of his fingers over the underside of each breast, up the center then traced the edge of her bra back up to her shoulders. He hesitated after he slipped a finger beneath each strap. He would go no further than she was comfortable with, even if he was about to explode, he was that turned on--especially now that Adele was very slightly rolling her hips, inadvertently rubbing her hot core over his erection. He tried to calm down his desire; he couldn't push her too hard. He could undo all his progress with Adele with one false move. He’d held his breath, waiting to see if she would allow him to remove her bra and was so relieved as he watched her eyes dilate further and she whispered, "Hmm, please" so quietly he wouldn't have heard it if he were simply human. He released his breath, leaned forward and nibbled at her lips.

"How you honor me, my sweet Adele," he whispered to her as he slid the straps down her arms. He gently undid the front clasp and peeled her bra back, slowly revealing her lush round breasts and rosy tight nipples that were already hard and begging to be worshipped by his hands and mouth. As her bra landed on the shirt pooled around her elbows, he palmed each breast and groaned in pleasure.

"Oh, my sweet, sweet Adele, you are perfect."

He felt her tense up at his compliment, again. He couldn't allow her to continue to struggle with her self doubts. She needed to know how perfect she was, so he continued to talk to her, to tell her just how perfect and beautiful her body was.

He trailed off his words as he nibbled at the edge of her mouth, trailing kisses down her neck and over her collarbone. He briefly paused to nuzzle his face in her neck, absorbing her scent into his skin and soul. Then he moved slowly down, licking and nibbling his way down the outside of her right breast, around the underside--wrenching a gasp from Adele's throat--before finally taking her nipple into his mouth and swirling his tongue around it. He felt her shudder beneath his mouth as her nipple tightened further. He could do nothing to stop the purr of satisfaction escaping his throat as he savored the taste and feel of his mate burning in his arms.

He felt her tense for a moment before he skillfully distracted her by enclosing her other breast in his hand while he continued to torment the one in his mouth. He felt her shudder and could smell how wet she was for him. Her hands moved tentatively over his shoulders and down onto his chest. He loved the feel of her hands on him. His muscles twitched and flexed beneath her hesitant touch. Her fingers got caught in the material of his shirt and she growled out in frustration.

"Skin...please I want to feel your skin under my hands."

Dominic was more than happy to deliver on her request as he pulled his t-shirt over his head. Before he had his arms and head free, he heard her sharp intake of breath and felt her hot palms land on his chest, stroking his hard pectorals, scraping her nails lightly over his nipples--he breathed in sharply as they tightened beneath her touch. Bloody hell, she was going to have him embarrassing himself if she kept this up. She continued her exploration down past his pectorals then smoothed both her hands over his abdomen. His muscles rippled under her touch. Her face looked like she was totally enthralled by his body. His ego grew as he came to the conclusion that she liked what she saw.

Her fingers kept up their wandering, her gaze burning a path up his body to his face. His lips quirked up in a lopsided grin as a very cute blush spread over her face and down her neck again. She was so innocent and blushed so easily. He loved it. She suddenly pulled back. He felt the absence immediately and missed the contact. He picked her hands up in his, brought them to his mouth where he gently kissed each palm before holding them against his chest where he needed them.

"Don't be embarrassed, beautiful. I love the feel of your hands on me. Nothing has ever felt as good as you stroking my skin. Please, don't stop what you were doing."

He felt her tug on her hands, trying to free them, but he refused to release her. Something was going on here other than a touch of embarrassment and shyness. He didn't have to wait long to get his answer.

"You're laughing at me..." a tear escaped and ran down her cheek as she closed her eyes. "I've never been with a man. I don't know what I'm doing...and you...you are just so beautiful and I'm just so...average and you're saying things to me like that.
Mon duei
I'm babbling..." He allowed her to pull her hands free as he sat there in shock at her comment. He watched in stunned silence as she pulled her shirt back over her shoulders and lowered her face into her hands.

Dominic couldn't believe how Adele saw herself. Her, average? She was exquisite, stunning in every way. He wrapped his hands around hers, gently peeling them away from her face.

"Look at me, Adele...please."

He waited for her to turn her face up to his. Her eyes were rimmed red from her crying and it broke his heart to think he'd caused those tears.

"I was not laughing at you, beautiful. I would never laugh at you showing your passion. Watching your eyes light up, watching you look so happy, so enthralled, to be simply touching me, it makes me happy...more than happy. It makes me ecstatic."

He moved his hands to cup her face and he thumbed away the stray tears that remained on her cheeks. How could he get her to see what he saw?

"My love, there is
nothing
average about you."

Running his hands through her hair, he told her what he saw, hoping she would see herself in the same light he did.

"Your hair is so soft. The waves glide through my fingers like silk. The color is totally unique, not quite black, not quite brown. When the sun shines off it, like now, it looks like you have a halo..." he ran his thumbs under each eye "...your eyes are like melted chocolate that I just want to dive into and drown in, and your lips..." he started nibbling at the side of her mouth "...just beg for my kisses. I can't resist."

He spent a couple of minutes kissing her with all the passion he felt for her--his mate. When he felt her relax and her hands began to creep up his arms, exploring all the dips and rises of his muscles, he lowered his hands, trailing them down her neck, over her shoulders, pushing the shirt so it dropped back down her arms. He continued his seduction as he whispered against her lips, "Your skin is so soft, pure ivory silk. I can't stop touching you. I will never be able to stop touching you." His hands lowered to cup each of her breasts "Your breasts are sensational. They are round, soft, with beautiful rosy tips that stand up to attention waiting for me. They are just the right size to fill my hands--my very large hands." He nipped her chin before he nuzzled up towards her ear "And I just know, when you allow me the honor of exploring the rest of you, you will be perfection the whole way down to the tips of your dainty little toes."