Jack smiled when he found Zoe in the kitchen, bent over her laptop, typing in a focused frenzy.

“I missed you.” He leaned over and inhaled her essence. She let out a soft sigh. When he nibbled the top of her ear, she turned and all but devoured his lips. She stood, and melted into his embrace. “How’s my mate?”

“I’m better now.” Her eyes flickered with a surge of desire, then clouded over. “How’s Erina?”

“She’s safe.” 

Zoe cocked her head and pursed her lips into a little frown.

“I made a promise. Nothing will happen to her.” He kissed her nose and pulled away. “I’ve put a team together to research how we can best help girls like her.” He walked to the stove and uncovered the blue ceramic saucepan. “I’m starving.”

“You’re setting up a new charity?” Her voice broke with emotion and her eyes grew misty.

“You said it’s important to you.”

For a moment, he glimpsed the pain and nightmares that she had held inside herself for far too long. He forgot about his rumbling stomach and pulled her towards him, and enveloped her in his embrace. He brushed his lips against hers and infused her with a gentle blast of heat. He dug in for a deeper kiss and his tongue met hers playfully.

He couldn’t believe how she affected him.

“Are you hungry?” he asked, when her stomach rumbled.

“For you? Yes,” she said, nipping at his bottom lip. With a wince she looked at the pot on the stove. “I’m allergic to tomatoes, but I didn’t want to hurt Joan’s feelings.”

“What else are you allergic to?” Jack cursed himself for not asking sooner.

“I love strawberries, tomatoes and chocolate but they make my face break out into icky acne. Something about histamines. And some red wines give me a migraine.” She let out a soft moan as he kissed his way down her neck. “Red food dye can, too, and anything with sodium nitrate.”

She conversed as if she had no idea how hard he was for her. His erection pressed solidly into her abs and she pretended not to notice. So that was her game tonight. He played along, ignoring the fact her eyes dilated and her cheeks flushed.

“That’s quite a list. How did you figure all that out?” His hands helped themselves to the soft skin at her waist and he teased her with an index finger just under her bra band.

She closed her eyes for a second, whimpered, and then kept talking as if they were in the middle of a crowded mall. He had to give her credit. She was good.

“I just kept a diary. I really hate migraines.” She made a little mewling sound when his thumb brushed over her taut nipple. “How about you? Any allergies?”

“Just shellfish.” Jack smirked and blew warm breath into her ear.

She moaned, put her hand to just above where he ached for her, and sent her energy into him.

Oh God.

She smirked. “Any shellfish?”

Another blast of energy left his balls tightening painfully, and his cock straining against the fabric of his slacks.

“Shellfish…Blow up like a balloon.” He clenched his teeth. She was winning this game hands down. His hands found his favorite curves. Her hip bone, the round curves of her breast.

“Okay, no shellfish.”

“What else don’t you like?” He alluded to something quite different than food with his tone.

“That’s a pretty long list.” She snuggled closer but he knew it was because her legs were giving out. Her hands were in his hair and he could feel her trembling against him.

“I want to know.” He cupped his hand between her legs, felt the heated warmth through the denim. “What don’t you like?”

“Peas. Brussel sprouts. Rhubarb–” She tiled her head back, closed her eyes and sucked in a sharp breath when he infused her with another blast, this time between her legs. She rocked against him. “Mmmm. And arrogant men.”

He chuckled against her lips. “None?”

“Maybe one.” She nipped at his bottom lip, then wrapped her arms around his shoulders, and deepened the kiss.

She made him so damn hard that he physically ached for her. His cock throbbed in demand and his muscles tensed. He gripped the material of her shirt and pulled it over her head.

“What about Joan?” Zoe whimpered.

“Gone home.” He ran a hand over her breast and squeezed gently.

“Good.” She cupped him in her hand through his pants and sent an electric pulse of energy through his groin.

His hips jerked and his entire body quivered for her. He growled low in his throat, pulled back from her kiss and buried his mouth against her neck. “I can’t get enough of you.”

He needed her in a way that terrified him.

Clenching his teeth, he removed the last of their clothes. He raked his gaze of the soft lines of her body. Fuck, she was stunning. Standing in his kitchen naked, hunger in her eyes, he swore he’d never seen anything more perfect in his entire life.

He knelt before her, and ran his tongue along the soft skin, kissing a trail down her stomach, hips, inner thighs. She moaned when he parted the warm folds with his tongue, sliding against the entrance.

“Intoxicating,” he whispered, against her damp heat. “So fucking beautiful.”

“Jack,” she cried out hoarsely, arching against his mouth. Her fingers threaded through his hair. She gasped when he slid a finger inside of her. Her body shivered and jerked in response to his touch. She gripped the edge of the counter, and he felt her legs tremble.

“What do you need?”

“More,” she panted. “I need more of you.”

In a swift movement, he scooped her up and carried her to his bedroom. He placed her on the bed, and she arched for him, whimpering in need, her eyes closed. Her legs parted and she gripped the base of his cock.

He held himself above her until she opened her eyes and met his gaze.

“You’re mine.” He brushed his lips over hers. “Say it.”

“Yours,” she whimpered.

Heat wrapped around him and he let out a moan of pleasure as he sunk into her. Pleasure sliced through his senses. God, she felt good. There was nothing better than the feeling of being inside her.

His tongue rolled against her nipple and her head arched back. He thrust deeper, harder, until she cried out his name. Her legs tightened against his hips. She gazed up at him, face flushed, eyes dark with hunger.

With deep, furious strokes, he buried his cock inside her. He found himself spiraling completely out of control. He felt her orgasm rising, and thanked the Goddess above. He wouldn’t last much longer.

Her flesh convulsed and rippled around his cock. She clamped around him and cried out. Ecstasy rocked him to the core, tightening his muscles and stealing his sanity. He let out a harsh cry as he thrust one last time, then erupted in heavy spurts of mind-blowing pleasure.

There wasn’t an ounce of energy left in his body when he collapsed beside her. She snuggled against his chest, and he wrapped his arms around her shoulders, drawing her closer.

His eyes closed and he started to drift off. He could hear Zoe’s steady breath. Feel the beat of her heart against his chest.

“I love you.” The words were a whisper, so soft he almost didn’t hear them.

Jack cringed inwardly at the words he knew she desperately wanted him to return.

But what was love, other than a fleeting emotion that could destroy a man’s sanity? He’d given into it once. Never again.

Why complicate what he had with his mate?

Zoe wanted to be loved. He didn’t fault her for it. But what she didn’t understand was that his oath, their bond, was worth more than three silly little words. Jack would protect her, and their child, so long as there was breath in his body.