Faded memories of bright-red blood as it drizzled down mudbrick and hard-packed earth filtered through his mind, even as he clung to Lana’s kiss. The sweetness of her tongue tempered the cries of those long dead in his head, but Hawk fought through a torrent. Pieces of him scattered, some indifferent to the pain, broken parts of him that couldn’t care for anything or anyone. Things were safer that way. He didn’t have to deal with the pain or the helplessness because he felt nothing. Other, larger sections of himself wept with regret, yelled in anger, and screamed in pain. They twisted and buffeted his skull, all vying for his attention, all wanting to be expressed. In desperation, he clung to the one emotion that soothed the raging tide—hope.

Pure, white hope pulsed through his veins, and he knew it was her. Sacred and wondrous, Lana reached deep inside him and touched the man he used to be. She’d found him when he couldn’t, when no one had been able to. And her light didn’t try to fix him; it understood it would take longer than a mere kiss, more pressure than the weight of her body against his, but the push was enough. Hawk speared his fingers into the heavy, cool strands of her hair and forced her mouth harder over his. He wanted to feel her power, this woman who had the spirit of an eagle, who soared in the face of his crimes. Her large breasts pillowed against his chest, and he had the irresistible urge to see them, to see every part of her and thank her with his mouth and body. He sat up, bracing her on his lap, and finally broke their kiss.

“I’m going to make you mine, Lana. Tell me now if you want me to stop.”

Her swollen lips and wild hair held his touch. His. His woman. He wanted her to bear his stamp everywhere. But if she said no, he swore he’d stop. He’d force himself to his feet and march out of there.

Lana said nothing. Instead, she lifted her shirt over her head and tossed it to the side of the bed before she reached back and unhooked her bra. Hawk’s mouth went dry as her heavy breasts fell from the cups, her tanned nipples begging for his lips. Not giving her another chance to walk away, he swooped in and sucked one nipple into his mouth, rolling the tip against his teeth with his tongue. She moaned, the sound pushing him higher. His pants felt too tight, and he lifted them both off the bed before he laid her back down on it. He couldn’t get his clothes off fast enough, and his thick cock bobbed as he released it from its confines. Lana sucked in a breath, her gaze dropping to his manhood.

“It’s okay. I won’t hurt you. I’ll make sure you’re ready,” he told her. He never wanted her to feel like she had anything to fear from him. He’d care for her body like the precious treasure it was. He crawled over her and kissed his way from the inside of her ankle, up her legs, and to her thighs. There, the heavy scent of her arousal was thickest, and he lapped at her flesh.

“How wet can I make you?” he asked.

Hawk smiled against her flesh as a red flush spread over her stomach and up to her neck. How rare was it for a woman to have such innocent responses, despite her work? He kissed his way up her thigh and gripped her thin, string underwear in his teeth. If she liked these enough, he’d buy her a new pair. With one rough jerk of his head, he ripped the material from her before he went to the other side and did the same.

Now he could see all of her. Rearing back on his haunches, Hawk admired her beauty. Thick and rounded in the best places, he loved her fullness and the way her darker skin stood out against his redder tones. He loved the way her curls hid her core from him and the way she turned her face toward her pillow. Everything about her, from her shy responses to her instant reactions, marked her as prey. The warrior in him craved to conquer her, and he rubbed his hands down her body, pressing his scent into her skin. Mine, he thought before he slid down the bed a bit and leaned forward.

Lana arched at the first stroke of his tongue, trembled at the second, and cried out with the third. He had to throw his arm across her waist to hold her down as he tasted her flesh, sucking her labia into his mouth before flicking her clit with his tongue. Hawk didn’t touch her like he’d touched any woman before. He paid attention to every gasp, even twitch and gentle jerk of her body. Never had he wanted to learn a woman like he did Lana. Each of her reactions spurred him to the next, until she came on a broken scream. Even then, he didn’t let her go. Instead, he kissed and sucked his way over her skin, sampled her in ways to memorize her, imprint her on his heart. Before he’d take her virginity, he’d give her the gift of absolute care.

“Hawk, I can’t …” Her voice trailed off as she gripped the covers under her body and pulled.

“You can. Hold on a bit more. It’ll be easier this way.”

“Please,” she moaned, rolling her hips.

Hawk ignored her entreaty and sucked her sensitive flesh back into his mouth. Slick from her first climax, her body heated under his tongue, and he swallowed her essence. He could get drunk off the taste of her. Every lash of his tongue banished the shadows. Each of her cries stitched him back together. He lost himself in the touch, smell, and experience of her. By the time he angled himself to penetrate her entrance, they booth shook with the pleasure humming through their veins. He kept his gaze on her face, watching for any sign of pain. Her previous climax helped ease his entry as he worked himself in her tight core. The struggle to keep from slamming deep inside of her made sweat dot his brow and his muscles strain, but Hawk refused to hurt her. He dug in an inch at a time, giving her time to get used to his length and girth before he slid in deeper. Lana’s nails bit into the flesh of his buttocks as she pulled him closer, deeper.

“Please, Hawk. I can’t take much more.”

Her head whipped back and forth, her eyes half-mast and bright with passion. She bit her full lip and jerked him to her. So be it. He bunched his core muscles and slammed into her. Lana wailed, the pleasurable sound ricocheting off the walls and pulsing back toward him. Hawk set a fast, hard pace, their bodies fighting a war, tugging and hitting at each other to win. Pleasure streaked over him, throbbing in his core and making his gut clench. He could barely breathe.

“Come for me, baby. I need you to come,” he begged.

Forcing his hand between their bodies, Hawk thumbed her clit and bent over her to kiss her. The motions in tandem sent her flying over the edge, and he swallowed her scream as she came again. Lana’s body clenched down hard on him, and he lost all composure. He jerked into her harder, the tight squeeze of her body the driving force behind his mad dash. Thankful that she held on and rode the wave with him, Hawk came with a shout. Each throb of his cock pulsed and swelled within her, holding them together, the ripple tightening his balls. There was no place in the world he’d rather be but inside her at that moment. But he knew it couldn’t last. The feeling faded, and he could finally take a breath. Looking down at the wondrous expression on Lana’s face, he smiled.

“What you’d hoped it would be?” he asked.

“Better,” she said with a shy smile.

Hawk slid from her body, and she winced. It was then he realized one very important thing. He hadn’t used on a condom. He cursed and jumped from the bed to find a towel. Lana’s bedroom had a bathroom, so he headed inside and ran hot water over a fresh washcloth. After cleaning himself, he rinsed the cloth and went back to her.

“What’s wrong?” she asked.

Lana had an uncanny ability to see when something was wrong with him, he’d noticed. He wouldn’t be able to hide anything in their future together. Their future? Would they have one? He knew what he wanted, but that didn’t mean they were on the same page. And she was a model. He thought once again about the fact he hadn’t worn a condom. A pregnancy would potentially ruin her career. Would she blame him?

“Hawk?”

“I didn’t wear a condom.”

She didn’t say anything as he cleaned her body and then left to toss the washrag in the bathroom. When he returned, she’d brought her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around them.

“I didn’t think about it, I was so caught up,” she said.

“I should have. There is no excuse.”

“Would it be so bad having a child with me?” she asked.

“That’s not it. You have your career, and I shouldn’t have taken that choice from you.”

Lana nodded. “It hasn’t happened yet. We were caught in the moment, we made love. We’ll face what happens, if it comes.”

She laid down and patted the bed beside her for him to lie down, all with a bright smile, but Hawk didn’t buy the act for a minute. She was worried about a potential pregnancy, he could see it in the tight way she held her mouth. He knew he should have taken more care. Sighing, he walked to the bed. There was nothing he could do right then, and he didn’t want to mar the night they’d shared with fear.

“I don’t regret taking you,” he said as he climbed into bed.

“I don’t regret letting you,” she answered, but her gaze didn’t meet his.

Maybe she did, or maybe she didn’t. All he knew was she wouldn’t be getting rid of him anytime soon.