I feel his lips brush over the sensitive skin beneath my ear and groan, “I do. I want it all.”
He slips his arm around my waist and pulls me against his chest. “Then, no running off without me.”
The anger is back in his gaze. “Because, so help me, God, I will fucking spank this stubborn streak out of you.”
I almost say I’d like to see him try but decide not to poke the bear.
“I just wanted to keep you all safe,” I explain.
“I know, but that’s not for you to decide. We’re stronger together, Jasper.”
“I just don’t want to lose you,” I admit to him. “Seeing all those dead people and our friends we lost scared the ever-loving hell out of me.”
“You won’t lose me. You’re all I have, little one.” His eyes soften. “But you can’t do this on your own.”
He hugs me tightly, and I melt into the warmth of his arms and chest.
If it’s wrong to love, to allow all these emotions to war and rage inside of me, then I’d gladly be an outcast. For him, I’d sacrifice everything. Even my life, and I fear that’s something he won’t understand.
Turns out I’m a coward after all. I don’t want to lose Chance, even if it means I have to die trying to stop the madness of war. Not once did I think how much it would hurt him. I only cared about sparing myself the heartache.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper.
I’m sorry I didn’t run faster.
I’m sorry I didn’t execute my plan before you got here.
I’m sorry, but I’m probably going to disobey you again.
Chapter 17
Jai
Letting go of Chance, I sit down on my bed and ask, “Why are you so calm? I expected you to bite my head off.”
He lets out a sigh and shrugs. “Will it help if I yelled at you?” His eyes meet mine. “Once you set your mind on something, there’s no changing it. I just want you to include me in your crazy plans in the future.”
I stand up again, my eyes widening. “So you’re here to help and not to stop me?”
He nods. “But we don’t move forward without a decent plan in place. We can’t go running crazy through the ecocity. That will only get us killed.”
Intense relief washes through me, and I dart forward, throwing my arms around his neck. “Thank you!” I press a kiss to his mouth, and although it was supposed to be quick, the instant our lips touch, it explodes into a wild frenzy of lips, tongues, and teeth.
For a moment, Chance pulls back, giving me such a predatory look it makes my heart beat out of control in my chest.
Moving at the same time, our bodies crash together, and our mouths latch on to each other again. Chance’s hands grip the hem of my shirt and pull the fabric over my head. Then he takes hold of my hips and pushes me back until I bump into the bed.
The heat in his eyes makes my abdomen clench with need, then his mouth burns a hot path down my neck.
When he reaches my breast, his teeth clamp down on my sensitive nipple, almost ripping a cry from me.
Geez, this man. He’s intense as hell.
Chance pushes me down, and my butt hits the mattress.
For a moment, I think about my mother and our friends downstairs, but then he kneels in front of me and pulls my underwear and pants down my legs.
Yep, no thinking about them right now.
When I’m butt naked in front of Chance, his hand moves up my thighs, forcing them wide open for him. I feel self-conscious when his eyes rest between my legs.
“Hold onto something.” It’s the only warning he gives me before he starts lapping at my slit.
Holy crap.
My lips part on a silent O as I grab fistfuls of his hair.
He lifts my legs over his shoulders, and I fall back onto the bed, my fingers instantly gripping the covers.
Using his lips, teeth, and tongue, he attacks my clit in a way that makes me see stars. I quickly cover my mouth with my hands to stop the moans and whimpers from escaping.
Chance works me into a frenzy, pleasure erupts through me like a volcano, my back arching and every muscle in my body tensing.
Before I can recover, his burning, blue eyes meet mine. “Now I’m going to fuck that stubborn streak right out of you,” he growls as he stands up and unbuttons his pants.
I watch as he undresses, my eyes feasting on his ink and hard muscles.
Damn, my man is a work of art. How did I get this lucky in a world where no luck seems to be found?
I move higher up on the bed as Chance crawls over me. His mouth latches onto my nipple, his teeth biting and his tongue soothing the sting. I feel it all the way to my abdomen.