She leaned forward and placed her arms on either side of Stefan, bracing her hands on the back of the swing. The movement placed her breasts right in front of his face. His breath felt hot against her skin and she didn’t even bother to try to hold back her moan of desire.

  She could feel the restraint with which he held himself, could sense his curiosity as he waited to see what she would do next. “Suck them,” she whispered when he made no move to touch her. She couldn’t wait any longer to have his mouth on her.

  He nuzzled his cheek against the small mound of her breast. She gasped when his rough tongue swiped at the tip of her nipple. The slight touch sent waves of pleasure shooting from her breast to her sex. Her panties were damp as her arousal kicked up another notch. Her inner muscles clenched hard, wanting, needing him inside her. But not yet. First she wanted him to touch her with his hands and mouth.

  His hands were warm on her hips as he rubbed circles on her stomach with his thumbs. He continued to tease her breasts, circling the swollen areolas with his tongue. The weight of his hands on her torso, the heat of his big body next to hers, was in sharp contrast to the cool breeze at her back. All her senses felt heightened in the dark of the night.

  He shifted his hands higher and cupped her breasts in his palms. Laurel Rose felt his lips form into a smile before he once again covered her nipple with his mouth and sucked hard. Her entire body jerked with desire. She shifted from one leg to the other, trying to ease the ache between her thighs.

  “Stefan.” The throaty whisper was a plea and a demand, but for what, she wasn’t quite sure. Her plan to take things slow was quickly losing its appeal.

  One strong arm wrapped around her waist, supporting her. With his mouth still suckling her breast, he slid the other hand over her tummy. She sucked in a breath, but he didn’t stop. He pushed past the elastic waistband of her cotton panties, sifting his fingers through the soft hair at the apex of her thighs before stroking them over her heated flesh. She widened her stance, wanting a deeper connection. He pushed two fingers deep inside her.

  “You’re so wet and ready.” Pleasure vibrated in his voice. She tried to tell him how much she wanted him but couldn’t find the words. Instead, she arched her hips toward him, silently telling him how ready she was for more.

  He laughed and flicked her nipple with his tongue. “So hot and wet. And all for me.”

  Laurel Rose whimpered when he withdrew his fingers almost all the way before driving them back inside her. Her vaginal muscles clamped down hard. The sensations battering her were overwhelming. The contrast between the warmth of their bodies and the cool night air, the hard thrust of his fingers into her soft heat and his hot mouth on her swollen nipple were nearly too much for her.

  He drove his fingers deep, his palm sliding over her engorged clitoris. Completion washed over her. Only his strong arm banded around her kept her from crumpling to the ground. Her hips jerked and she cried out as spasms of pleasure consumed her.

  She almost begged him to stop, the sensations were too much. But all she could manage to do was groan when he finally withdrew his hand from her panties. He lifted her straight into his lap so her knees were on either side of his hips and pushed her still-pulsing mound against his rock-hard, jeans-covered cock. His arousal stimulated her and she pushed her wet panties against it, rubbing her sex over his swollen shaft in an attempt to ease the ache that still throbbed inside her.

  Stefan hissed through his teeth and dug his fingers into her hips, holding her still. Staring at him through hooded eyes, she reveled in the desire she saw stamped on his face. It still amazed her that this gorgeous man wanted her, but there was no doubting the sincerity and depth of his need.

  He looked savage in the moonlight. Like some pagan god come to life. Massive and powerful, there was no doubt he could seize whatever he wanted, but Laurel Rose knew he would not take what she did not freely give.

  His green eyes were tinged with red, reminding her that he was indeed very different from anyone she’d ever known, more than a man. Sitting all but naked in his lap while he was still fully dressed, Laurel Rose should have felt awkward. But the emotion filling her was desire and something else that she was very afraid was love.

  The overwhelming sensation seemed to burst from deep within her and she knew then that she was lying to herself if she believed that desire and caring were all she felt for this man. Stefan was a creature like no other she could ever imagine. But man or vampire or both, she loved him with her entire being.

  Some people might scoff and laugh and say what she was experiencing was nothing more than a reaction to having great sex for the first time in her life. But it went deeper than that. She and Stefan were connected in a way she couldn’t even begin to describe.

  She leaned closer, yearning to kiss him. Their lips never met. He stopped her, holding her away from him. There was nothing soft in his gaze as he stared at her. Hard with lust, his eyes glowed an eerie red. “You know what I am?”

  “Yes,” she whispered.

  “If you accept me now, there is no going back.” The force of his will lashed her, a warning that he would never release her if they took this final step. Muscles bunched and rippled beneath her hands when she rested them against his chest. His cock thrust against her mound. Power radiated from every inch of his body, surrounding them.

  She smiled softly and offered him everything. “I know.” And she did know. Fate or destiny or chance, Laurel Rose couldn’t say. But she did know that, for better or for worse, no matter what obstacles stood between them, this was her man.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Her soft words echoed in his head like the answer to a prayer, or perhaps a dream. But the soft, willing woman in his arms was no apparition. Flesh and blood, she was offering him everything he’d always wanted. He vowed then that whatever her choice, he would accept it. He would live out a human life with her and die at the end of her days if that was what she wanted.

  What he really wanted was what his brothers had. He had a desperate need for a mate who would be by his side for eternity. But he would not force her to make any immediate decisions. For now, it was enough that he’d found her and she wanted him.

  His cock throbbed, urging him to plunge into her hot depths and slake his lust for her. His fangs lengthened and the beast within him demanded he satisfy his craving for her.

  Lifting her from his lap, he stood her in front of him. “Take off your panties.” Her hands were shaking as she hooked her fingers into the elastic waistband and began the slow, torturous task of inching the white cotton fabric down her hips. The sweet scent of her arousal filled his nostrils. He knew the shivers that coursed through her body were a combination of arousal, excitement, fear, and the chill of the night air.

  He licked his lips as she pushed her panties down her thighs, revealing the soft, damp hair of her sex. When she kicked them away, she was totally naked. If he had it his way, he’d keep her like that for at least the next two years, maybe longer. He didn’t think he’d ever get enough of his Laurel Rose.

  Planting his feet on the ground to keep the swing steady, he held out his hand to her. “Step up.” He could sense her confusion. “I want to fuck you, but I need to taste you first.”

  Her eyes widened and her nostrils flared. There was trepidation in her eyes, but also interest. She finally clasped her fingers around his and allowed him to help her. Cautiously, she stepped up onto the wooden bench of the swing so that her legs were spread wide and one foot rested on either side of his hips.

  He clasped his hands around her hips and held her securely. He would not let her fall. He would never let her fall.

  “Reach up and grasp the top of the swing.” Gingerly she reached up and gripped the wooden beam in her hands. “That’s it,” he murmured encouragingly. “Hold tight and don’t let go.”

  Tipping his head back, he drank in the sight of her. Her fingers were wrapped around the beam, clutching it convulsively as if uncertain. Then her grip tightened, turning her knuckles white. Her acquiescence pleased him.

  Her long, slender arms were raised above her, thrusting her breasts forward. Her nipples were hard, red nubs and he knew the slight night breeze would arouse her further, causing them to pucker and constrict even more. Her slender rib cage made her seem fragile, but Stefan knew that her backbone was pure steel. While his gaze drifted lower over the gentle slope of her hips, he groaned as the pressure of his cock against his jeans became painful. With her feet spread wide on the seat of the swing, her pussy was perfectly situated in front of his face.

  Reaching down, he undid the button of his jeans and carefully unzipped it over his pulsing erection. Since he wasn’t wearing any underwear, his cock jumped free, straining upward, trying to reach her. He shifted slightly so that his testicles no longer felt crushed. Pre-cum was seeping from the swollen head of his cock and he knew he wouldn’t last long. But he would last long enough to sample the feast spread in front of him.

  Not bothering to unbutton his shirt, he dragged it over his head and tossed it aside, careful to keep the swing steady as he did so. The breeze felt good against his skin. He wrapped his hands around her slender ankles and slid them up the backs of her legs, caressing the long, lean muscles as he moved upward behind her knees and over her thighs until he was cupping the firm globes of her ass. Squeezing, he massaged the soft, supple flesh of her behind. She had a great ass.

  “Stefan,” she gasped as she swayed forward, trying to escape him. But his upper body was in front of her and there was nowhere for her to go.

  “Shhh, my sweet.” He stroked his fingers over the folds of her sex, letting her arousal dampen them. Leaning forward, he traced the outline of her belly button before dipping his tongue inside. Her stomach muscles clenched. He ran one of his fingers over the nub at the apex of her thighs.

  She shivered, her entire body trembling with arousal. “Stefan.” Her breath was coming in short, hard pants now. “I don’t know how much longer I can stand like this.”

  Cursing himself for forgetting her bad leg, he gripped her hips tight to support her and he placed a quick kiss on her stomach. “Forgive me, my sweet.” Knowing that time was running short for both of them, he slid his thumbs over her sex, spreading her wide for him to see. The night was bright from the glow of the almost full moon but Stefan didn’t need it to see her. The slick folds were pink and wet with her cream. Her swollen clit was peeking out of its hood, begging for attention. And her scent . . . it was intoxicating. He could almost come by just smelling her.

  Stefan leaned forward and flicked at the red nub of her clit with his tongue. Laurel Rose moaned and rocked her hips toward him. Sliding lower in the seat, he buried his face between her legs, lapping at the cream that coated her lush folds. Up one side and down the other, there was no part of her left untouched by him. Her sweet cries filled the air.

  In spite of the cool breeze, a light sheen of sweat covered his body. His testicles drew up tight. He gritted his teeth, trying to focus his thoughts on something else, anything but the incredibly giving woman crying out her pleasure into the night. He was so close to coming, it would take very little to drive him over the edge, and he was determined to pleasure her again before he took her.

  Without warning, he plunged two of his long, thick fingers inside her body. Her vaginal muscles squeezed them hard and tight. Capturing her clit carefully between his lips, he flicked it with his tongue as he pulled his fingers back and thrust them forward again into her heated depths. Once. Twice. On the third thrust, she came.

  Gripping her from behind with his free arm, he continued to work her with his fingers and mouth as she convulsed. When her legs buckled, he quickly withdrew his fingers from her and held her in both arms. But he continued to lap at her with his tongue until she released her grip on the beam over her head and all but crumpled into his lap. Catching her easily, he cradled her in his lap and held her.

  • • •

  Laurel Rose could hardly breathe as she lay against Stefan’s chest. Aftershocks of pleasure rocked her and she shivered. Goose bumps covered her flesh and she was glad when his arms tightened around her, sharing his warmth and comfort with her. He placed a gentle kiss on the top of her head.

  She couldn’t believe what they’d just done. The old Laurel Rose of just a week ago could never have imagined standing naked on a swing while her lover pleasured her with his mouth and his hands. But since meeting Stefan, everything had changed. Suddenly, there was nothing that she didn’t want to do with him. She wanted to try anything and experience everything. But only with him.

  Her face heated at the mere memory of what they’d just done. He shifted her in his arms so that she was facing him, kneeling over his lap with her legs on either side of his hips. She knew it was time. He said nothing as he guided her hips with his hands. She leaned forward, spreading her legs wider to give him better access. His growl of approval was like a physical caress.

  The blunt head of his erection pressed against her opening. It slid inward until just the tip was inside. He gave her no time to adjust before he surged upward. He pulled her hips down toward him at the same time, burying his cock to the hilt inside her in one single stroke.

  Laurel Rose tipped back her head and gasped for breath. He was so hard and big inside her, stretching her already swollen and tender channel. She squirmed to try to get more comfortable. Stefan’s hands clamped over her hips like a vise keeping her from moving, so she sat there, suspended in erotic agony, her inner muscles contracting around his hard length. She was so close to coming again she could barely believe it.

  All her senses seemed more alive. She could hear the swish of the leaves in the breeze, the hoot of a night owl in the tree next to them, and the crack of a twig in the distance as a small nocturnal animal foraged for food. She felt branded by the heat from Stefan’s hands where they gripped her. By the rasp of his jeans as the fabric brushed against her inner thighs like a tender caress. His breath touched her neck just before his mouth did. The silky strands of his long, thick hair fanned against her skin.

  “You are mine.” His voice was harsh but his grip gentle as he pushed off with his feet and sent the swing into motion. When the swing surged forward, he pulled her hips toward him, thrusting hard inside her. When it swung back, he eased his cock out until just the head was still within her. As it moved forward again, he slammed himself back into her pussy.

  Laurel Rose cried out when the swing began to move. She was torn between the fear that she would fall and the incredible sensation of having Stefan filling her. The pleasure was overwhelming as each arc of the swing sent him plunging deep. Gripping his arms with her fingers, she held on and enjoyed the ride. Stefan would not let her fall. Her trust in him was absolute.

  His thrusts grew harder and harder. A low keening sound broke from her throat when his cock slammed inward one final time. Her whole body convulsed. His cock jerked inside her and the warmth of his release spilled into her.

  He gripped her braid in one of his large hands and tugged her head toward him. She knew what was coming and offered no resistance. Tipping her head to the side, she offered her neck to him.

  A low, harsh growl filled her ear. He swiped his rough tongue over the curve of her shoulder. She shivered at the feel of sharp teeth raking the tender skin. Her body jerked involuntarily when his fangs sank deep and he began to suck. Her core spasmed as he drank from her body.

  This time she was fully aware of what he was doing and savored every single sensation. It was the most erotic thing she’d ever experienced. With his cock still pulsing deep within her and his mouth sucking convulsively at her neck, she felt incredibly aroused and alive. She circled her hips and licked at her own lips, almost tasting the blood there. A creature of sensual desire, there was no resistance in her. All that existed was a deep, abiding need to satisfy her lover and give him everything he wanted.

  Groaning, Stefan withdrew his fangs and licked the small wound with his tongue. He used his hold on her hair to tip her head back until she was looking up at him. His eyes glowed, a combination of their normal vibrant green and a brilliant red. His fangs flashed in the moonlight. He lowered his mouth toward her.

  She parted her lips and arched upward to meet him. She felt his fangs recede before he swept his tongue inside her mouth, bringing with it the slightly metallic taste of blood. Her blood.

  She should have been repulsed or disgusted. But it was desire, which had never quite abated, that surged to life once again. She’d already come three times and she wanted him again. Their tongues and mouths mated in an erotic dance of thrust and retreat. She reached up and gripped his hair when he started to pull away from her, wanting to stay this way forever.

  He nipped at her bottom lip with his teeth, sucking it into her mouth, stroking it with his tongue before finally pulling back from her. His cock was swelling inside her again, pulsing against the walls of her vagina. “Again,” she whispered. “I want you again.”

  Stefan lifted her from his lap, surged to his feet, and swung her up into his arms in one motion. “Good.” He uttered the single word before striding across the yard. She clutched at his shoulders, curling her fingers into the thick muscles that rippled as he shifted her higher in his arms. It was only then that she became aware that he was still wearing his jeans and boots while she was completely naked.

  He took the stairs in one leap and shouldered his way through the back door. “Because I’m going to fuck you all night long.” His boots were heavy on the stairs as he carried her up to her bedroom.

  His words made her toes curl. Heat suffused every part of her body. And when he laid her on the bed, she opened her arms and welcomed him.