Swamp Magic (Crimson Romance) (2 page)

The intensity of her body’s response to this stranger perplexed her even more. “You may call me Moss,” his rich voice declared. Each timbered syllable seemed to vibrate clear through her. Of course, being held in his arms like this had many naughty thoughts running amok through her. Thoughts of being pinned against a wall as he took her hard and fast while she locked her thighs around his slim hips for the wild ride. Of being taken, owned and worshipped.

She gazed again into the green depths of his eyes and caught something flickering just below the surface. A hunger that seemed to lie dormant within, and she sensed a surreal loneliness almost rolling in waves from him. More than mere sexual arousal, he aroused her body and soul. Her heart reacted to him as did her nipples, which had grown firm and tender.

Screw whether any of it made any sense. All she cared about was finding that damn cabin and getting rid of all her sexual frustrations. She had no doubt this swamp man could fix all that ailed her.

• • •

Moss scented her sudden flare of desire. He fought to keep his beast at bay. It had been so long since he’d released his need with a woman rather than by his own hand. He wanted this one as much as she wanted him. With her ebony hair, olive skin, and breasts peaked in perfection, he knew beyond doubt she was as needy. Her arousal was quite apparent through the alluring thin white tee she wore and heady scent perfuming from her. He wondered if she realized how transparent her shirt had become in the swamp’s humid air. He could make out every unique detail of her breasts, from the color of her areolas to the slightly different shade of her puckered nipples. Between the visual feast and her erotic scent, the little female was driving him insane. White had just become his favorite color for a woman … white and wet.

He had to move slowly, as the last thing he wanted to do was frighten her more than she already was considering she’d passed out. Who the hell brought a woman out into the dangerous Florida swamps — at night, no less? No normal human dared venture out into the gator-infested waters, much less alone. Her mate should be shot for allowing her out like this. When he found the cad, he’d teach him a lesson in the proper care of a woman.
His loss, my gain,
Moss wickedly thought as images of the female naked and beneath him raced to the forefront of his mind. His at least for the moment, and he planned to take full advantage of every second with this wanton little creature.

“Oomph.”

He ignored her startled gasp when he hoisted her over his shoulder again, and simply said gators when she attempted to protest being hauled around. That one word, gator, stilled her into compliancy.

Moving with more speed than necessary, he rounded the corner and watched as recognition flittered over her expression at the cabin looming ahead. He’d sensed her fear dissipate and though he’d have been content to stand there for hours appreciating her beauty, especially the bashful yet heated looks she sent his way, her human status made her vulnerable to sickness. He didn’t know when her worthless mate might come looking for her, if the louse wasn’t doing so already. Best get her inside and warmed up. He hoped in more ways than one.

Kneeing the door open, he entered and laid her gently down on the old antique bed. Her expression was intense and curious as she studied him, biting on her lower lip as if trying to decide something. Though he didn’t doubt under normal circumstances they would have shared a connection, he couldn’t help but wonder how much of the lust he sensed from her came from the pheromones his kind produced.

“Oh, fuck it. I’ve never been this impetuous before, but … but … ” she whispered as her cold hands shot to each side of his face, and pulled his lips to hers. Explorative, curious, and hungry, her wet tongue swept past his before sucking on his bottom lip. As much as he wanted to pursue the intensity of her kiss, he wanted her warm and void of any possible future illness. The swamp might be as hot and humid as Hades during day hours, but at night a chill rode the air. Mortals tended to be so susceptible to swamp-borne illnesses.

He grabbed her hands and held them for a moment before breaking the kiss.

“Wait.” He’d meant his voice to come out soft but instead it grated out husky … gruff. His own need became overbearing as his erection turned downright painful.

Somehow, that lone word penetrated what he assumed was a momentary, lust-filled lapse in her judgment. He watched her visibly go from lusty to wary in nary a second as she seemed to play tug of war with herself. He saw her body’s response to his, yet her mind, being more practical, warned her away.

Which would she listen to, he wondered anxiously, her body or her mind?

“What is it with you?” she finally asked. “Why do I find you so utterly compelling? Familiar even.”

“Compelling? I do not recall anyone ever describing me as such.” He wasn’t sure what she meant. Had she complimented him, or referred to him as strange?

Beth cringed as the implication of her previous actions sank deep. Good grief, she’d acted like some kind of bitch in heat
.
If he hadn’t stopped her, she would have continued, without any hesitation whatsoever.
None.

No, she could control herself. Yes, control was a good thing. Sitting up and straightening her back, she slid to the edge of the bed, setting her resolve to firm. Sitting so rigidly strained her breasts against her tee and made her all the more aware of just how wet she’d become. She’d give her right arm for some warm dry clothes right now.

Beth watched as he turned abruptly away and began attending to the small hearth. She hoped he was going to start a fire, as the cabin had grown chilly without the heat he’d stirred within her.

Chilled?

She glanced down. Sure as shit, her nipples jutted against the wet tee in complete, look-at-us-here-we-are fashion. Mortified, she crossed her arms over the frozen peaks.

Beth caught the heated look and odd flare of his nostrils just before he’d turned away. She realized he hadn’t missed what she’d just become aware of and subconsciously drew her arms tighter together. Heat bloomed in her cheeks over how oblivious she’d been about her wet tee.

She observed him in quiet admiration as his attentions remained fixed to the ancient-looking fireplace he fiddled with. Beth took in the fine view his backside offered. She bet a coin would bounce right off that derriere of his. No matter how hard she tried, her wild mind veered back to decadently erotic thoughts.

Once the fire cackled to life and its ember flames danced among the dry wood, he rose and headed toward a small chair off in the corner. When he rose to his full height, the cabin appeared to shrink around his massive muscular body. He appeared completely unabashed by his nudity as he stripped off his wet pants, showing no hesitation or embarrassment at the fact he now stood nude, nor that his boner bobbed up against his belly. Hell, he seemed to be sporting the thing like a badge of honor. Yet there she sat, crossing her arms to cover the outline of her tits and fighting to keep her hormones in check.

She would put him at around six foot four, maybe 240 pounds. Yeppers, 240 pounds of pure, aroused beefcake. She should say something, but words congealed in her throat even as decadent thoughts flashed through her mind.

Her hand shot to her mouth, checking to see if drool had formed in the corners. A glance at his expression confirmed the cocky look he wore, and again she worried he could read her mind.

If he could …

She trembled, and it had jack to do with the chill and more to do with the slow steps of the man approaching her. She would almost describe it as stalking. Little did he know if he hadn’t been heading to her, she’d have headed to him. Well, she would have if she’d been able to pull her courage out of her ass.

She’d followed the damn rules all her life, and whether any of this made sense or not, she was going with her instincts, or rather hormones, on this one. Her gut screamed this man was far more than just your average guy. Something told her he was a noble and honorable man who, if nothing else, had saved her ass.

“What is your name?”

“Be … Beth Sloan.” Oh, my God, she’d just frigging squeaked. Her weak-sounding voice irritated her, as well as the fact she was acting more like a damn schoolgirl than the competent woman who should be grilling the large, nearly naked man for information on where she was and how she could get home. Or at the very least, who he was and what he wanted. Okay, maybe just who he was, since what he wanted seemed pretty damn clear. But oy, her mouth grew dry with each heavy step he took.

Her skin tingled, her ears rang, and strange black dots blurred her vision. Then, for no rhyme or reason, everything around her began to spin. Later she’d wonder why, and assume the heat — and by heat she meant all the forms of heat — had gotten the better of her. So much seemed to be happening in such a short span of time. The hunt with Robby, getting lost and the overwhelming urge to jump the man before her. When the strange feeling passed a few moments later, she buried her head between her knees, nearly choking on her own drool in the process.

“Are you unwell?”

“No. Just a dizzy spell, I’ll be fine.” She was thankful he must have assumed her jerky reaction from the dizziness, but hell no, he had himself to thank for her quick head to knees move. She’d done it to buy time to help yank her wits and jaw back in place.

He stood right in front of her, and she knew without looking in a mirror her face covered every varied shade of red imaginable, as her position left her nose to, uh, cock with him. And damned if the thing didn’t keep bobbin’ up and down as if waving hello to her. Though she was no virgin, she was also no slut. She’d seen enough penises, whether in person or online to know the difference between large versus wow, and holy shit, he was generously blessed.

What the hell did one say when placed eye to eye in the most literal sense? Finding no words forthcoming, she did the last thing she’d planned and giggled. Oh, yeah, perfect reaction. She must look like a complete boob right now. Her stomach twisted and turned in several different directions at once, and it took all she had to stifle the nervous giggles fighting for more airtime.

“My pants were in need of drying,” he stated, eyebrow arching questioningly at her nervous laughter.

He obviously was aware where her attentions had centered. She watched, dazed and bedazzled, as he stalked even closer, stopping to kneel before her. Kind eyes, yet assured actions, as if he knew how nervous he made her.

Gazing deeper into his eyes, she caught a slight glint reflecting back, and knew though he understood her wariness, he also acknowledged her physical reaction to him.

She wanted him. She knew it. He knew it.

Just once, she’d like to let go and do something wild and impetuous. Spur of the moment without dragging in all the “what ifs” and overanalyzing the situation to death.

When he knelt, pushing her knees out to the sides to make room for him, she didn’t try to push him away, nor did she even turn her head. Instead, she held his fiery, determined gaze and matched it with a fire of her own.

Desire and intent flew between them as the need and nature of the moment, so basic and pure, overwhelmed them. His lips brushed across hers, and the knots in her stomach fled, replaced by a strong, pulsing heat coursing through her. His tongue pushed past her parted lips and she opened wider in greeting as her hands drew up to his large, strong shoulders. His kiss deepened to the point she thought breathing an overrated inconvenience. And when his rough, leathered hands brushed against her stomach, grasping the hem of her tee, she instinctively stiffened a bit.

A small inner part of her still warned,
Wrong. Stranger. Run.

• • •

He drew back, pausing as he sensed her confusion. Though many called him a monster, he would never harm a woman. He saw the apprehension flickering within her eyes as she seemed to search for something within him.

“What is it you want? Do you require something?” He barely held back the primal urge to take her, claim her, and mark her as his, though she wasn’t and could never be.

After only a moment of uncertainty, during which he saw her battle her inner sensibility, did she answer him with a throaty yet confident, “You.”

He loved her bashfulness as she began worrying on her lower lip. Something so innocent, yet utterly seductive as it pulled his gaze to the now-plumped pout. Her pink tongue darting back and forth teased his mind with erotic imagery of where else he’d like to see that tongue of hers.

“You are sure of this? Once started, I may not be able to refrain again,” he warned through teeth clenched tight, barely hanging on to the little bit of restraint he currently had.

She nodded, yet her body trembled beneath his palms, he hoped in anticipation and not fear.

Moss reached down and encircled her waist, lifting her from her crouch on the bed before bending forward and planting a mind-numbing kiss on her mouth. His mind spun from the intensity and this time, when he grabbed the hem of her shirt, she didn’t tense up. Instead, she lifted her arms above her head to assist in its welcomed riddance.

He trailed his tongue from her mouth to the hollow of her neck where he continued his gentle nips until reaching the front clasp of her bra. Her erotic sighs were like music to his ears, urging him onward.

Never before had he experienced this kind of vulnerability — the urgency of wanting her to feel everything he was, from the raging desire to the intense need for her to understand who and what he truly was.

• • •

Beth watched as sculpted shoulders bunched and beads of sweat rolled down, catching in the many golden, muscled crevices of his body. He appeared to be fighting to hold part of himself back. Quivers rocked his body, and she felt like a goddess taking her god to the brink. He turned predatory as his calm façade fled and sheer urgency surfaced. If he wanted it rough, wanted to grab her ankles, spread her wide and plunge in, hello, that worked for her. She wanted all he offered, however he offered.