Wicked Flames (Solsti Prophecy) (35 page)

But if she hadn’t, she wouldn’t be on this enchanted tropical island. He’d been sent for her. Yeah, maybe it was an assignment, but on a level she couldn’t explain, she knew it was more than that.

He reached down to cup her bottom and she moaned into his mouth. Desire uncurled in her belly, as the pressure and stress of the last few days sought release. She dropped her hands to his waist and tugged his shirt up so she could slide her hands under it. Every ridge of muscle was honed to perfection. She skated her hand down his washboard abs, going lower.

He groaned as she lightly brushed over the erection straining against his pants. “God, Ginger.” He cupped her breasts over her thin tank, caressing her nipples through the fabric until they hardened into tight points.

His touch sent pangs of need straight to her core. She rocked her hips, needing friction. “Oh God.” She dropped her head back and he went for her neck, scraping his teeth along the top of her shoulder. The thin straps of her tank and bra slipped down her arm. He kissed down her bicep and across the top of her breast, the light scruff of his chin scratching her. She whimpered incoherent words that she was past caring about. Her breasts felt achy and full. She needed his mouth lower...

He brought his head back up to nuzzle her ear. Taking her lobe between his teeth, he said, “Ginger, I want to—”

Crack!

An ear-splitting peal of thunder ripped through the humid afternoon. Gin gasped and jumped, looking up.

The once-blue sky had turned an ominous dark gray. Clouds billowed across, chased by a wind that had stirred up cooler air.

“Shit. We need to leave.” He slid her straps back into place and grabbed her hand. “Tarsa storms are legendary. They come out of nowhere and rain like hell. Sometimes hail too.”

Together they ran toward the beach and jumped into the boat. Mathias did whatever it was he did with the magical key and they were off, moving around the rocks and bouncing across the choppy water. He stood at the helm, seemingly unaffected by the lashing gusts.

Without the sun, the air temperature dropped. Out on the open sea, nothing blocked the wind-whipped waves. Sharp drops of spray pelted her arms and face. Gin clutched the edge of her seat, shivering but grateful that they weren’t going far.

They entered the harbor and cruised to the dock just as fat raindrops started to fall. They were met by Ria and three other Tarsa demons, who helped Gin out of the boat.

“We were about to go get you,” Ria said. “Let’s get inside.” She opened an umbrella and handed a second one to Mathias, who held it aloft as he tucked Gin close to his side.

A spear of lightning ripped the sky in a violet flash. Thunder boomed, the rain came faster, and she was grateful for Mathias’s body plastered to hers. The wind whipped her hair into her face. She gave up trying to see where they were going and closed her eyes, following his lead
. Just like when we danced
.

“Here we are.” His voice rumbled above the din and she could tell something was blocking the rain from hitting her skin. She shoved her hair back and opened her eyes.

They stood under a huge overhang extending from a large wooden building near the outdoor eating area where they’d taken their other meals. Mathias dropped the umbrella alongside several others on the ground. “Looks like you’re getting the full crash course on Tarsa today. You okay?”

Gin rubbed the water along her soaked arms. “Yeah. Rain, I can handle.” She gathered her hair into a bunch at one shoulder and wrung the excess water onto the ground.

The aroma of spices and a cooking fire reached her nose, and she inhaled deeply. “Using all that energy made me hungry.” She grinned at Mathias. “Let’s go in.”

The double doors opened to a huge dining hall. Fire bulbs lent a cheery glow to the space, despite its size. It had one solid wall, and three walls in which the top halves were windows. The space was filled with Tarsa demons. Many stood near the windows, watching the rain slashed sideways by the wind. Some played cards. Some sat talking and drinking. Gin noticed a few children working on puzzles, and a group in the back playing…she giggled.
Hackey sack
.

She nudged Mathias with her elbow and inclined her head toward the kids. “I know what you’ll be doing later. Showing them your moves.”

In a heartbeat, he backed her up against the wall. “The only person I’ll be showing my moves to later,” he leaned down, brushing his lips along the shell of her ear, “is you.”

She gasped as desire shot an arrow of heat from his sensual mouth straight to her core.
Oh, my God
. She let out a shaky breath and met his eyes. Their intensity seared her, making her want to grab his hand and run to her little bungalow, never mind the downpour or their dinner.

C
HAPTER
33

M
ATHIAS
CHEWED
HIS
FOOD
,
BUT
hell if he could tell anyone what he was eating. He drank from the cup in front of him, but his taste buds registered neither the sweet bite of rum nor the cool splash of water.

His senses had been hijacked by the feisty brunette at his side.

Gin’s cinnamon scent, tinged with excitement and fresh rain, assaulted his nose. He could still taste her sweet kiss on his lips, and his hands itched to memorize her soft curves.

Her body called to him, but so did her spirit. She had faced her deepest fears today. And more, she had placed her trust in him. If you’d asked him two days ago, he never would’ve believed it. He didn’t deserve it. But holy hell, he wanted it. Wanted her.

Slices of rum cake were passed around their table, which Gin politely refused. “I’m so full. You’ll have to roll me out of here.” She yawned. “Wow. I’m beat.”

Across the table, Ria crinkled her napkin into a ball and threw it at Gin. “You slept through all of yesterday. How can you be tired?”

“I had an eventful day!” Gin caught the napkin and grinned with mock indignance.

“Agreed.” Mathias draped his arm over the back of her chair. “It’s dark as a pocket out there. I’ll help you get to your room.”

Gin pushed her chair back and hopped up in a heartbeat. “Yeah, that sounds good. Let’s go before it rains again. Night, Ria.”

Mathias bit back a smile. Gin vibrated with energy, telling him she was anything but tired. She’d made a decent attempt at pretending to be sleepy, but he guessed Ria saw through it. “See you tomorrow,” he said to his sister.

Ria winked once and smirked.
 

Yep, she saw through it.
At least they wouldn’t have Gin’s bugged phone in the room this time.

Darkness had fallen over the peninsula. The rain had stopped, but clouds lingered, obscuring the twin moons. There were no lights in the trees, since the Tarsa demons could see as well as Lash demons at night. Nocturnal birds crooned from high above, and waves crashed on the beach nearby.

Mathias wrapped an arm around Gin’s shoulders. Night was only slightly cooler than day, but their clothes hadn’t fully dried. “Are you cold?”

“Nope.” She slid her slender arm around his waist, tucking her thumb into his waistband and her fingers into one belt loop. Her little hand was hot and soft, sending pulses of warmth to his groin.

He walked as fast as he thought she could handle. His body hummed with the need to get her behind closed doors. The rows of bungalows came into view.
Thank fuck
.

Abruptly, Gin broke free of his hold and jogged ahead of him. She tossed a coy look over her shoulder. “Race you.” Then she bolted.

He growled. The sight of her running stirred the hunter in him, urging him to overtake her. He jogged, letting her get several yards ahead of him. The primal demon inside him snarled at his restraint, wanting to pin her beneath him and drive into her until all she knew was him.
She’s mine.

Mine?
He blinked away the confusing thought, breaking into a full run. She wanted to play. Again. God, he loved how playful she was. But now he needed her with an urgency he couldn’t explain.

His arms circled her waist just as she reached her door. She yelped as he pressed her against it. Dropping his head to nuzzle her hair, he drew her scent in deep. Cinnamon, oranges, and sweet feminine arousal. Fuck. He thrust his hips against her curvy bottom. “Inside, Ginger.”

She pushed back, grinding her body against his.

“Tease.” He gritted out.

“I can’t get the door op—” she gasped as he cupped her breasts, massaging their full soft weight.

“Need some help?” He dropped one hand to the doorknob and twisted, pulling her back with him, creating just enough space for them to stumble inside. He kicked the door shut with his foot and turned them both so her back was against it.

He pinned her wrists above her head and leaned down to devour her mouth. Naughty. Playful. Succulent.
Mine
.

His inner demon wasn’t at all perturbed by that last thought. In fact, it reveled in it. Mathias was too far lost in lust to overthink it. Gin whimpered as he shifted her hands into one of his, and dropped the other to the side of her breast. He traced the length of her torso, skating over her abdomen and down between her thighs to cup her. Fuck. Her body temperature burned, even though the fabric.

She moaned and pushed her hips toward him. Friction. That’s what she needed. He pushed his hand back through her legs to her sweet ass, then brought it forward, pressing hard with his ring finger.

“Mathias,” she gasped.

“You like that?”

“God, yes.” She twisted her arms, struggling against his hold. “Let me touch you.”

He released her, needing her soft hands on his bare skin. She reached for the hem of his shirt and yanked it up over his head. She immediately went for his tattoo, licking and tracing with her tongue. “I love this.”

Hell yes
. He dropped his head back. With every brush of her lips, his cock hardened more. “Me too.” He’d never tire of her mouth on his body. Her silky hair had dried into waves that tickled his chest. He sifted his hands through it, gently loosening tangles near the ends.

Sliding his hands under her tank, he caressed her back. Her hot smooth skin felt like heaven, and he pushed the fabric up as he traced the pattern of her ribs.

He unclasped her bra. “Off.”

She complied, leaning back so he could pull off her clothes. Her breasts were beautiful, full but not huge. Her nipples beaded as he stroked his thumbs across them.

Her heart rate sped up and her breathing grew erratic. “Bed,” she whispered.

He grabbed her hand and walked backward three steps, pulling her with him, until the back of his legs bumped the bed. He dropped down and tugged on her hand, toppling her onto him.

She giggled and kicked her legs. He heard the thunk of her boots hitting the floor. She shimmied up his body, brushing her chest against his. “My turn.” Pushing his arms above his head, she lowered her mouth to kiss him.

“Mmm, bossy,” he said between kisses.

“You like it.”

“So do you.” He flipped them over so he was on top. “My turn again.” He kissed a line down her sternum, nuzzling the soft skin between her breasts. Her scent was more concentrated, enticing him like a drug. He could stay there all day. But he had other plans for his little Solsti.

Reaching her pants, he popped the button, then took the zipper in his teeth and pulled it down. She sucked in a breath and raised her head, her eyes radiating green heat as they tracked his mouth.

He slipped his hands under her ass to tug her pants off and left them where they pooled on the floor. Skimming his hands along her legs, he prowled up, dropping kisses on her skin. At her hip, a tattoo peeked out from under the pale blue of her panties.

He licked her skin, tracing the edge of a moon engulfed in flames. “I want to hear the story behind this.”

“Later,” she murmured, dropping her head back down on the duvet.

He chuckled and moved to her other hip, sliding her panties down an inch to trace lazy circles on her skin. He tugged them lower, moving to the center of her body. She lifted her hips, eyes hungry, teeth biting into her lower lip.

He yanked her panties down. They caught on one leg and she kicked them somewhere behind him, a soft swoosh reaching his ears as they brushed against the wall.

But he was riveted to the sight before him. Gin was breathtaking. Toned but not bulging with muscles, her body lay like a feast before him. “You’re so beautiful,” he whispered.

She pushed up on her elbows and shot him a mischievous look. “Come here.”

He grinned and slinked up toward her, capturing her lips in a hungry kiss. Cinnamon washed over him, her sweetness and playfulness wrapping him up along with her bold determination.
Holy hell.
He needed to savor this moment. This amazing myth-come-to-life was giving herself to him. Again. And he didn’t deserve her.

He resolved not to screw up again. No more hiding things. She may not be a Watcher, but she was a key to the balance in the realms.
 

Her hand brushed his fly, breaking through his thoughts and making his cock twitch. He groaned and she circled his shaft through his pants, sliding up and down his length.

“I want to taste you,” she said, shifting so she lay next to him on the bed.

“You do, and this will be over in two seconds.”

She made a kissy face. “I bet you can last longer than that. On your knees.”

His cock throbbed at her order.
So fucking hot
. He knelt in the center of the bed.

 
She unbuckled his belt, popped his button, and unzipped him. Fast.

“Eager?” He sifted his fingers through her hair.

“Like you wouldn’t believe.” She pulled his pants and boxer briefs down, freeing his cock.

She stared at it, licking her lips. “I missed this.” Pulling a pillow under her head, she lay on her side facing him and took him deep into her mouth.

Her mouth was an inferno of sensual heat. “Fuuuck, baby,” he groaned. Still kneeling, he was able to thrust better from this angle. He didn’t want to overwhelm her with his size, but she slipped a hand between his legs. Dragging it slowly up his inner thigh, she reached up to cup his ass.