Sookie sprawled on the bed, unmoving. She was in a daze. What the hell just happened? She wasn’t concerned about Ethan admitting the truth. It was about the kiss. Oh my freaking God, the kiss! She had never been kissed like that in her life. It was mind-blowing.

It was magica…

Unconsciously, she traced that lingering warmth on her lips with her fingertips. How is it possible to feel like this just from being kissed? This is…insane!

Ethan. She sighed. What did you do to me?

If someone told her about soulmates before Ethan kissed her she would have laughed out loud. How stupid it sounded. How freaking cheesy.

But now, she was a true believer.

How else could she explain the burst of raw emotion when he kissed her? Her heart never lied. All the fear she had of Ethan disappeared. She could trust him.

He would never let her down. He would protect her until the end of time. There was a hope. A hope to save Jesse.

All wasn’t lost yet…

She pushed herself out of bed and stalked toward the door. Never mind her robe or her clothes. She didn’t care about them one bit. There was one thing she needed to confirm and modesty was the last thing in her mind.

She opened the door.

She found him at the corner of the cabin where he set up his office. Ethan was sitting behind his desk, poring over a stack of letters. The fire-licked logs in the fireplace painted the cabin with a warm glow. Wind howled outside, screeching against the window panes, promising nothing but cold.

But it was warm inside. There was fire within her that Ethan had lit.

He turned his head in her direction. An arrogant smirk curled at the corner of his lips. He didn’t seem surprised at the state of her nakedness.

Sookie swallowed hard. “I have a question.”

“Shoot.”

“It’s more like…I need to confirm something.”

He furrowed his eyebrows.

Sookie counted to three and trudged toward him. She rounded the desk and casually settled on his lap. Without breaking eye contact, she drew his face with her hands and kissed him.

On the lips.

She closed her eyes.

That sensation returned. That deep, drawing feeling, an enlightenment and salvation cocooned together, swept over her. She trembled. Excitement with a dash of a deep, forgotten longing, stirred together within her. She could taste the liquor he partook of recently, along with spicy cinnamon in his mouth.

Ethan made a happy sound in his throat. He flung the pen in his hand and grabbed her ass. He growled against her lips and kissed her back lustfully. He pried her mouth open with his tongue and sucked it.

Sookie was lost. Fire burned in her veins. Lust coursed in her blood. Her heartbeat quickened. She needed more…

More than this.

Ethan grabbed a handful of her hair and fisted it. “What made you change your mind?”

She panted. “That kiss. I felt it.”

“You feel our bond?”

“Is that what you call it?”

“That’s what we call it. And that’s how we know we’re true mates.”

“I…I have never felt like this before. Or ever.” She caught herself and became self-conscious. “Oh God. I usually don’t do stuff like this either.” What was she thinking? Coming to him naked and ambushing him for a kiss. Dude, that was so brazen. Wanton.

Ethan looked amused. “What kind of stuff?”

“You know…”

“No, I don’t know. You have to explain it to me.”

“Sorry. I’m…” Sookie faltered. She started to withdraw from him. Ethan quickly pulled her back against his hard body. “What do you think you’re doing? I don’t like playing hot and cold. Finish what you started, woman.”

Sookie stared at him. She never wanted a man in her life as badly as she wanted him right now. Slowly, she ran her hand on his shirt and pulled his collar toward her. She kissed him. Unhurriedly this time. But Ethan made it impossible to not get crazy with the primal side of her. He was a very good kisser and the way he touched her made her beyond horny. All she could think about was ripping off his clothes and jumping his bones.

She kissed him open-mouthed as his hands roamed everywhere. Her heart beat faster. He slid his hand between her thighs and stroked her wetness there. She cried.

“I guess you want me after all.” He sounded delighted.

Her body tensed as he circled the sensitive nub on her pussy. Pleasure sang like a divine chorus and she found herself a few notes from climax. “Ethan…”

“Good?” He inquired solicitously.

She nodded like the good girl she was.

“How about now?” Ethan slipped a finger into her entrance. Past his knuckle until it hit the pad of his palm. Her pussy contracted around his finger, gripping it tightly. Her sex ached even more. Especially when he started to slide his finger in and out. The friction of it gave her unbelievable pleasure.

God, oh God. Sookie closed her eyes to savor the sensation but Ethan had another idea.

“Open your eyes, Susan, look at me.”

She snapped them open at his command.

“Keep looking at me and tell me how you feel.”

She swallowed hard. She wasn’t the chatty type during intimacy. Her former boyfriend like talked during sex even though it was distracting.

“Susan?” he pressed.

“Uhm…amazing?”

“Amazing?” A naughty idea glided across his face. “Then we must double the stakes.” He inserted a second finger into her pussy.

Sookie gasped. “Fuck.”

“Hmm. That’s the idea. Fucking.”

She snorted, laughing, but her laugh turned into a low moan when he hit her special spot. “Ethan…”

He smiled indulgently. “This is your special spot, isn’t? I can feel your body trembling. I wonder what would happen if I rub this particular area a little bit longer…”

The pleasure multiplied by a thousandfold. “Ethan!”

“No, you can’t come yet, beautiful.”

“What?” He was being cruel.

“Hold it. I want you to come on my cock.”

“I can’t…” Sookie grabbed his hand and forced it to stop. She was so close, she’d explode if he stroked her once more.

Ethan kissed her on the neck. “You’re so tight, baby. I’m not sure if you can take me. My cock is much bigger than my fingers.”

“Are you bragging?”

His laser-focus gaze skewered her in amused surprise. “It’s the truth.”

“Then prove it.”

“Little minx. I’m going to make you eat your words.”

She heard a nervous laughter but it was coming from her.

He pulled his fingers; his arrogant smirk never left his handsome face. He licked his juice-coated fingers clean. “Mmm…I knew you’d taste as good as you look.”

She didn’t know about that but that compliment was flattering nevertheless.

“Don’t believe me?” Ethan seemed to read her mind. “Here, suck it.”

She obeyed before her mind registered what her body did. He thrust his fingers into her mouth and ordered her to taste her own juice. Tear-tasted flavor filled her mouth. So, this is what it tasted like, she marveled. Not like she ever was morbidly curious about the taste of her own femininity. She didn’t even own a sex toy. Her sex life of late was as not-gonna-happen as a blizzard in the Sahara.

That predatory gaze of his studied her reaction. “Good girl. Suck it harder. Just like that. More.”

Something weird blossomed in her chest. She didn’t know why that praise made her happy. Here she was, naked on Ethan’s lap, sucking on his fingers like a new pup trying to please its master.

Ethan fumbled with his belt and zipper with his free hand. When Sookie wanted to help him, he barked at her, “Eyes front, Susan. Don’t look anywhere but my face.”

“Mmm…” she replied. His fingers were still in her mouth. She guessed he didn’t want her to see his dick or something. But she still could touch him, yes?

But before she could do anything else, Ethan pulled out his fingers from her mouth and lifted her from his lap to his desk. With a sweep of his arm, he cleared the surface of clutter where he was working. Papers, books and writing paraphernalia hit the floor with a heavy thud.

Sookie wrapped her arms around him. Her lips were a hairbreadth away from his. She could feel his heart beating thunder-fast, matching her own. Heat and musk permeated from him—a signature male scent. It made her heady with anticipation of what delicious, salacious things he’d do to her.

He brushed his lips against hers but didn’t kiss. Then, she felt it. A blunt tip against her pussy lips. She instinctively unwound her arms to reach it to say hello, but Ethan told her to stay still.

“Look into my eyes and feel it,” he said.

She settled with clutching his shoulders. He teased his cocktip against the seam of her sex and onto her wet opening. He seemed to have no intention of penetrating her soon. He was just…teasing. Teasing. And more teasing. Soon she got so frustrated she had to beg.

“Ethan, please…”

He only grunted. “Are you sure you ready?”

“I am, please. Ethan, please.”

“Hmm.”

He held his cock in such a way she could only feel but not participate—the wicked game he was playing on her at this very moment. The crown of his cock glided around her opening, the folds of her sex and the nub of her clit. Sookie shivered. She couldn’t stand being teased there. It was her weakness—her kryptonite. She became even wetter. And freaking frustrated.

“Ethan!”

The bastard only laughed. “Kiss me, beautiful.”

She cupped his face and kissed him open-mouthed. And he kissed her back. Somewhere in the middle, she felt pressure. He was penetrating her. Her pussy stretched open. She gasped. He pushed another inch. Then another. And another. More… She threw her head back, baring her throat to him. Her mind swam.

She couldn’t possibly… He was too… She took another sharp inhalation. He kept pushing in. Tears swam in her eyes. Oh God it hurt but hurt so good. His cock was hard, steel encased in velvet, and slicked with her cream. It throbbed hotly and felt so god damn huge, plowing inside her like nobody business.

Fuck, fuck. She panted. Pain and unbelievable pleasure danced together. She couldn’t believe the sensation. She couldn’t take it anymore but at the same time, she didn’t want it to stop. No way. She had bitten off more than she could chew.

“Ethan,” she gasped, out of breath. “Please…” Please no more she wanted to say but when he paused, she wanted to scream, Don’t stop, don’t you dare to stop. Oh, no, don’t you fucking dare!

Ethan growled like a feral beast, drowning her silent protest. “A bit more, sweet, I’m almost there…”

More? What more? Sookie head spun. I can’t… Oh God. He’s crazy if he thinks he can shove—

Her scream died in her throat.

He had pushed in the last inch without warning, filling her beyond full. His cock completely sheathed inside her.

She couldn’t breathe for a second. Her mind sank in oblivion. God. Jesus. Santa Claus. I haven’t been a good girl this year, but this…this is too much. Her train of thought was short-lived when she watched his face. Such bliss. Ultimate pleasure. Do you feel what I feel? That heat. The tightness. The sensation of two souls becoming one. He penetrated her so deeply she could feel him in places she’d never thought possible.

He pulled her against him, grinding the base of his erection against her vulva as if he was seeking a deeper penetration.

Impossible, she thought. He’s nuts if he thinks…

Ethan planted a slanted kiss on her mouth, then let his lips set against hers. “You’re mine, Susan, and no one else’s.”

Her head moved in agreement before she could digest it thoroughly. On second thought, it wasn’t such a bad idea after all.

It felt so right.

As if it was meant to be.

She was his and he was hers.

Bound together.

Forever.