He clutches a fist over his chest, grinning at me. "I am wounded that you think I would take advantage of you like that, my little light."
"Be wounded all you like," I say, even as we head for the doors to my building. "But I'm learning none of you gods are worth trusting."
"Good," he says. "Keep that at the front of your mind, because it will keep you safe."
19
To my relief, there's no one in the mail room. I don't have the key to my mail slot, so I glance around and decide to hide my crystal jewelry in the big, dusty plastic fern in the corner. Goodbye, earrings. Goodbye, chunky necklace covered in crystal. Goodbye, three rings with quartz studding them. I slip my bracelets off, too.
I catch a whiff of his scent—and my pussy practically spasms in reaction. I let out a choked sound of need as a wave of arousal washes over me. Oh good god almighty. The change is immediate. I look over at Kassam, at that fine-ass man who looms over me, and decide I need to ride that, right fucking now.
He quirks an eyebrow at me as I get to my feet. "Do you remember what we talked about?"
I link my arms around his waist and go immediately for his nipple, nuzzling at it through his shirt. "Besotted," I tell him, purring the word out. "I'm supposed to be besotted." I bite the hard tip and lick it through the fabric, glancing up at him. "Lost in you."
"That's right," he murmurs, his hand going to the top of my head.
It takes everything I have not to drop to my knees right then and there. I haven't sucked his dick, have I? The realization is shocking to me, and my mouth waters with hunger. Well, clearly I need to fix that. I hook a finger in the waistband of his sweatpants and give him an enticing look. "Give me five minutes and then I'll be ready to go up."
And I palm him through his sweatpants.
He growls with pleasure, his hand covering mine as he gives me a heated look. "Didn't realize how potent those crystals are. I've a mind to toss them into the nearest river if it'll make you like this all the time."
"You like me sassy, too," I say, rubbing him. "Because you like it when I finally cave."
"I do indeed." He grasps my hand in his, pulling me away from his cock, and presses a kiss to the center of my palm. "Let us go up and meet our friend. Do you remember what I told you?"
"Don't mention a certain thing," I parrot, fascinated at the sight of his lips brushing against my skin. "Be lost in you. Pretend to be stupid and very, very mortal."
"Close enough," he says, chuckling. "Shall I carry you up or would you prefer to walk?"
Oh man, just the thought of him carrying me up to my apartment gets me incredibly wet. "Bridal carry?" I ask hopefully, and then a better idea hits me. I make an excited sound. "No, wait! Toss me over your shoulder like you're a sexy caveman and you've stolen a woman to take as your mate. And when you get back home, you can ravish me until I'm so smitten that I agree to be your cavewoman."
Kassam grins at me and then ducks down. In the next moment, my belly hits his shoulder and then I'm in the air, upside down, and he carries me toward the elevator as easily as he would a sack of groceries.
God, that is sexy. I moan, squirming on his shoulder as the elevator goes up to my floor, and by the time he gets back off again, I'm practically panting with need. Just being carried by this man is making my toes curl and my pulse throb between my thighs. I've completely forgotten what our goal is until Kassam stands just outside of my apartment, and the pulse of power is so evident that even I can feel it.
"Your door is open," Kassam says to me. "Are you ready?"
"Play your cards right and my legs will be open too."
He barks a laugh, patting my ass before he ducks inside. "That's more like it."
The moment he steps inside my apartment, my skin crawls with awareness. There's something here all right, and while Kassam's intense vibe feels like sex and sunshine and a strong wind on the leaves of a tree, this feels…darker. Cooler. Far, far more intense. He stops just inside my living room, glancing around my apartment. I don't hear any cats, but the leaves of the plants covering every surface flutter and rustle, and I belatedly notice that the door to my refrigerator has been left hanging open. Vines have crawled all over it now, too.