His head lowered and his lips were on hers again. Parting them, his tongue slid inside as she whimpered against it.
Tearing herself away from him was almost impossible. Almost more than she was capable of. As she backed away from him, she was aware of her weakening thighs, the soft, heated dampness between them and the tingle of pleasure that lingered on her lips.
“You can’t keep me forever. ”
“Don’t bet on that,” he sighed roughly. “At this point, Scheme, don’t bet on anything. Not until I figure out the puzzle you’ve become. Fucking me won’t change that; it will just make the time pass more pleasantly. ”
“I’m not a puzzle for you to figure out. ”
His short laugh was mocking. “Sorry, love, that’s exactly what you are. From the reason your father wants you dead to the reason you don’t like old reruns. I could make a list of questions to start with if you like. ” His eyes were suddenly gleaming playfully, inviting her to join in.
“I’ll find my way out,” she warned him desperately.
“Not going to happen, darlin’. ” He sighed, moving back to the couch. “But I tell you what, come here and cuddle with me and I’ll let you watch the INS. I like it better. ”
The International News Service. It was better than nothing.
“Cuddle with you?” she asked in disbelief.
“Yep. Cuddle with me. ” He sat down, stretching one long leg out on the couch as he propped the other foot on the floor. “Come on, Sugar, we’ll watch the news together or I can watch Gilligan. There’s several hours left. ”
She shuddered as he patted the area between his legs. “I dare you. ”
Her eyes narrowed as he lifted the remote. “News or Gilligan. Make your choice, Sugar. ”
If only she didn’t want to sit there, cushioned by his broad chest, his arms around her. Feeling a warmth she had only dreamed of, feeling a need she had never allowed herself to recognize before Tanner.
She was weak. So weak.
“You aren’t allowed to molest me,” she snapped.
“You aren’t allowed to make the rules,” he grunted. “Now come here, pretty girl, before I change my mind. You know, I’ve been looking forward to that Gilligan’s Island marathon for months. You’re lucky I’m making the offer. ”
She should feel guilty for knocking him out of the show, she was sure.
“They’re reruns, for God’s sake. ” She settled carefully on the couch, between his thighs, turning toward the television and leaning back distrustfully.
“They’re in order,” he argued lightly, pulling her fully against his chest. “But cuddling you could compensate me. You know, Scheme, I don’t cuddle women much,” he told her as he flicked the television on.
“Cabal does the cuddling for you?” She snorted.
He chuckled against her chest. “Naw, Cabal’s not a cuddler either. But I think I like holding you. ” One arm draped around her stomach. “I think I like holding you a lot. ”
How had he known that world events and news would fascinate her? Tanner wondered as he settled back into the corner of the couch and watched the news.
Scheme was a pleasant weight against his chest, her head on his shoulder, her hair spreading out across his chest.
How many times had he entered Callan and Merinus’s private suite to find them on the couch just like this, watching soap operas. Their pride leader was fascinated with his mate’s soap operas.
For a man who had never cared much for television before he mated, Callan had become a regular couch potato during the quiet evenings at Sanctuary. That, or he really didn’t give a damn what he watched as long as he could hold his mate with close intimacy as they watched the shows.
But Scheme wa
sn’t his mate. He had been checking closely for the signs of it, close enough that his tongue was nearly raw from rubbing the sides of it over his teeth to check the glands there. There was nothing.
He wanted her.
He ached for her with a strength that made him half-crazy, but there was no mating hormone, no unusual sensitivity in his flesh.