“Please, come in. Taber can show you up to your room and you can rest before dinner. We can talk later.” Merinus frowned at Taber, a dark, disapproving look that he met head on.
They entered the marbled foyer as Taber gripped Roni’s upper arm and led her to the wide, circular staircase at the right of the large entrance. His suite of rooms was on the second floor, but all that concerned him was getting Roni to the large, well-built bed that occupied them. There he would do more than mark her. There he would claim all that had been his, all she had sought to deny them both over the last lonely, hunger-filled months. There she would pay.
Chapter Seven
What was wrong with her? Roni felt feverish, uncertain, almost dazed with the sexual needs that threatened to bring her to her knees with their intensity. As Taber led her up the stairs she fought the nearly debilitating weakness that made her grateful for the steadying hand that gripped her arm. His body was large, so hard and warm beside her that she could feel the heat radiating from him.
His hand steadied her, but all she could think of was having it run over her body, stroking her, soothing the fires burning in the very depths of her womb. She had never been so crazed with arousal. No, this wasn’t arousal. It went even beyond lust. It was a compulsion, a hunger that tore through her, making its demands nearly irresistible.
“What did you do to me?” She tried to jerk away from him, to get away from the insidious pleasure that heated her body at his touch, but he wasn’t letting go of her. “This isn’t funny anymore, Taber. I’m sick of the silent, he-man treatment.”
They entered a large sitting room. A cherry desk, complete with computer, printer and fax, were at one end of the room. He drew her past a relaxed sitting area with an entertainment complex that would have impressed her if she had time to care about anything other than the fire raging in her pussy.
He led her through another opened door, into the bedroom. The room was dimly lit, with dark, cherry furniture and thick curtains shading it from the lowering sun, giving it an intimate, sexy feeling.
At the far end of the room was a large sleigh bed, the mattress and box springs so thick she would have to jump onto it to sit on it. A dark burgundy comforter was turned back, thick pillows plumped and placed against the headboard.
She shivered as she imagined herself on it with Taber, his body covering hers, his hands stroking her.
She bit her lip, fighting the whimper that threatened to escape her throat.
“Answer me, damn you.” Roni turned on him angrily as he moved away from her, closing the door behind them.
She stared into his eyes…those deep, brilliant eyes. A predator’s eyes. She could see the evidence of his unique DNA now. In the high cheekbones, the narrowed gaze.
“You’re coming into heat,” he answered her, his fingers going to the buttons of his white shirt as she watched him loosen it slowly.
Her knees weakened as each fastening came loose, exposing more of his tanned, sleek skin. She shook her head, wanting to close her eyes, to escape the power he suddenly held over her. She wanted his shirt off. She wanted to run her fingers over the bulging muscles of his body, feel his hard heat, touch him, taste him as she had dreamed of months before.
Then his words hit her. Coming into heat. She felt her heart begin to race in fear. She blinked over at him. Each breath shuddering through her chest felt labored, painful.
“What do you mean?” She swallowed tightly, fighting her shock.
Taber shrugged the shirt from his shoulders, the hard, well-defined muscles of his chest and arms flexing with power and strength.
“Exactly what I said.” His voice was hard, but his gaze had hot, liquid lust glittering in the jade depths.
“You’re in heat, Roni. Your body’s preparing itself, assuring that neither of us can refuse what nature demands.”
He dropped the shirt carelessly to his feet as he moved to the padded chest. His eyes never left her; they raked over her, darkening, heating, as he watched her breasts heave with her fight for oxygen.
God, she wanted to taste him. His stomach was flat, hard, the well-developed abs flexing as he removed his boots.
“How?” She couldn’t make sense of anything except the hunger flaying her body. “It’s never been like this. Even after you bit me. Why now?”
He came to his feet, towering over her, walking to her slowly, his gaze never leaving hers.
“I hadn’t kissed you, Roni,” he said softly, as he came within touching distance.
The scent of his body infused her senses. It was male, hot and dark, captivating, as she trembled before him.
“What…” She shook her head, fighting the compulsion to touch him, to taste him. “What did the kiss have to do with anything? Dammit, Taber.” Her fists clenched as she forced herself to back away from him, to fight the driving hunger thundering through her body.
“The kiss allowed a special hormone to release from my body to yours.” He followed her, stalking her as she continued to retreat. “A hormone that is only present when I touch my mate. When I touch you. It allowed me to mark you, physical proof to any other that you belong to me. But it wasn’t enough to heighten your senses or your arousal to this state. Only my kiss can do that, Roni. My kiss marked you in a way nature will not let you deny.”
His voice was rough, deep, almost rumbling as Roni backed into the wall, staring back at him in horror, in fury.
“My God. You knew.” She almost winced at the grating sound of her voice. She sounded as shocked, as frightened, as she knew she was. “When you kissed me, you knew you would do this to me. You knew what would happen.”