Nick felt a wave of need wash over him. He fought to maintain control. But with his mate warm and naked against him, gazing up at him, her eyes hazy with lust, he was nearly helpless in the wake of the instinct to claim her.

“Are you ready to accept me?” he asked her, cursing himself for his fierce growling voice. He meant only to be gentle and loving but he was already caught up in the mating thrall.

Uncertainty marred her beautiful features.

He fought the instinct to convince her with his body, and closed his eyes to block out temptation.

If only he could block out the feel of her supple body and the scent of her hair.

“I’m sorry,” she said softly. “This is all new to me.”

Her voice was sorrowful. The note of sadness snapped other instincts into place and he was furious with himself for causing fear and confusion in the one whom he was meant to protect.

“Of course it is,” he told her, bracing himself as he opened his eyes.

She looked up at him with trust in her sparkling eyes, and a wave of gratitude slammed into his chest.

“I feel something too. I have from the beginning,” she told him. “But forever is a long time. I’ve never had a long-term relationship.”

“Me neither,” he told her, grinning.

She smiled back and he heard stars singing.

“Can we take it slowly?” she asked.

“We can do whatever makes you happy,” he told her, and meant it.

She bit her lip.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

“How much could we do without… you know?” she asked.

Oh gods, she wanted him.

“I’m not sure,” he told her honestly.

“You mean, you’ve never…?”

“No, I have,” he told her. “Many times.”

“Many times?” she asked, arching a brow.

“I hope you are not disappointed,” he told her earnestly. “All creatures crave relief, even barbarians. One day I hope you will come to appreciate the skills I learned from the women who shared their pleasure with me while I waited to find you.”

Raina’s eyes twinkled. She looked like she was trying not to smile.

“It will be different with you, though,” he assured her. “I promise. Everything will be different with us.”

“It won’t be my first time either,” she told him.

He nodded solemnly, secretly glad that she wouldn’t be frightened of that physical act, at least.

“I am glad you did not lack solace. I will wipe the memory of every other man from your mind once we are mated,” he promised her.

She looked pleased.

He leaned down carefully to kiss her forehead and inhaled her sweet scent. A raging fire of longing ignited in him all over again, but he felt he could control it.

“I want to kiss you now,” he told her. “Can you be perfectly still and let me kiss you?”

“Yes, please,” she said, tilting her chin up.

“You’ll be good?” he asked. “You won’t touch me?”

“Yes,” she whispered, longing in her blue eyes.

He cupped her cheek in his hand and bent slowly to brush her lips with his. Her lips were soft yet firm. The sensation was incredibly exciting.

Raina sighed lightly but true to her word she didn’t move. He kissed her again, this time pressing his lips to hers, then taking her lower lip between his teeth and nipping lightly.

Raina’s nipples pebbled against his chest.

He kissed his way down her jaw to the tender place where her neck met her shoulder.

Raina moaned lightly and arched her back.

A sympathetic surge of desire shot through him.

He took a deep breath and brushed his lips against the hollow of her neck, savoring her trembling response.

He kissed his way between her beautiful breasts with their tiny nipples.

Raina held her breath as he lashed one with his tongue.

“Oh,” she moaned.

He licked the other one and sucked it into his mouth.

She clenched the sheets.

Overcome with her response, he licked and sucked her breasts, teasing and lapping at her until her hips were trembling.

Pacing himself, he kissed his way down her belly, praying to the gods that he could keep control of his own need.

He brushed his lips against her thighs, tickling her with his rough jaw.

“Nick,” she murmured.

“Please,” he rasped.

She allowed her legs to part for him.

The scent of her was nearly his undoing.

Nick paused, gazing at her glistening pink sex, half-hypnotized by her exquisite musk.

He leaned forward and allowed himself a tiny taste.

Raina cried out as his senses reeled.

Unable to control himself, he stroked her opening with his tongue again and again, losing himself in the sensation.

Raina whimpered and squealed, the sounds playing his own pleasure sensors like an orchestra.

Nick had been with women before, but it had never been like this. He longed for her pleasure more than for his own, craved it more than his next breath, and yet mourned the end of the wild intimacy even before it was over.

Torn, he teased and goaded her until her hips stiffened.

“Please, Nick,” she begged.

Instinct kicked in then and he gave his mate what she needed, sliding a finger inside her, bracing himself against the heaven of it, and flicking her distended clitoris eagerly with his tongue.

Raina made an indescribable sound and then he felt her clench down on his hand and mouth, waves of pleasure carrying her for so long he was almost afraid of what he had done.

At last her tremors ceased and he felt her relax.

He pressed one last kiss to her tender inner thigh and then crawled up to hold her.

And though his own unsatisfied desire threatened to overwhelm him, he gloried in the knowledge that he had contented his beautiful mate.