Chapter Eight

Ceno had just climbed out of the shower when he heard the door to the bunkhouse close. His beast rammed at the barrier holding it back. If it was an intruder, it wanted to defend its mate, and if it was Sela, it wanted nothing more than to claim her.

As quickly as he could, he slipped his jeans on over his still damp skin and headed for the front.

“Hi.” Sela stood leaning against the door. The smell of soap, melon, and her own sweet scent surrounded her.

“Hey,” he said as his urgency fled and he slowed his approach. “I thought we were all going to bed in preparation for an early morning.” He tried to keep his expression blank, but he wasn’t sure if he succeeded. Hell, he wanted nothing more than to grab her, throw her on the bed, and claim her.

“Yeah. I thought so, too.” She tucked a stray lock of damp hair behind her ear. Her gaze darted around the large room, never quite locking with his. “I thought maybe I’d ask if you needed anything.”

He wanted nothing more than to tell her he needed her in bed and under him. “As much as I enjoy your company, I’m not sure this is a good idea, Sela.”

“I know that.” She sighed. “I can’t tell you why I came here. For some reason, I just knew that I had to come see you, and if I didn’t, I would regret not doing so for a long, long time.”

“One of those feelings you say you don’t have?” He cocked a brow. “Your being here might be a bad idea for more than one reason. If you can’t be honest with yourself, how can you move forward with anything in your life? Believe me when I say I’m not a fickle man. I know what I want, and right now, I want you. However, once I have you, I’m not going to want to let you go. Can you deal with that?”

“I’m not sure what you mean.”

“Let’s just say that the men in my family know the women they want to spend the rest of their lives with within the first few moments of meeting her.”

“Are you...” She cleared her throat. “Are you saying that I’m that woman for you?”

“Would you run from me screaming if I did?” He tilted his head to the side as he tried to read her expression. The scent of her fear and arousal grew stronger every moment she stood before him. His beast rammed at the mental gate holding him in check, and still, Ceno stood still, watching Sela’s every movement, listening to every erratic breath. The sound of her heart drumming against her ribs reached his ears, and he wondered if it was because of her fear or her arousal.

“I don’t know.” She sucked her bottom lip into her mouth, and Ceno almost groaned aloud. Goddess, what would it feel like to have those lips pressed against his or caressing the sensitive skin of his cock? “I have never done this before in my life. The only other man I’ve even entertained the idea of sleeping with had been my ex-husband.”

“You were married once?”

“Does that bother you?”

“Nope.” He shrugged. “Not unless you want me to kill him.”

“Right.” She laughed. “Try to be serious here.” She met his gaze, her eyes posing the silent question. Would he kill him if she asked?

Probably. But he hoped she wouldn’t ask it of him. As a rule, he didn’t like killing, not to mention the fact it would drive a wedge between them eventually.”

“I am serious. The fact that you’ve already been married carries no significance with me.” He leaned against the doorjamb and crossed his arms. Though he wasn’t narcissistic, at least he didn’t think he was, he knew he and his brothers attracted most females. He wasn’t sure it was their looks as much as their height and build. Perhaps the females on Earth still looked for strong males to father their children. Whatever the reason, his bare chest and unbuttoned waistband caught her gaze and held it for some time.

“Good.” She ran her tongue over her upper lip and took a step forward. “I really don’t know what I’m doing here.” She laughed nervously. “I should be in the house, minding my own business.”

Darlin’, I’m so glad you’re not.

“I-I guess, I’m just trying to say that I would like to see if that quick kiss between us earlier was a fluke or if it would always be that way between us.”

“Honey, I’m betting it will always be that way between us.”

“But wouldn’t you like to know for sure?” She licked her lips again.

Every time the tiny tip of her tongue darted out from between her lips, his stomach clenched and his heart pounded harder. He wanted her more than he dared to admit to anyone but himself.

“Yes. I would love to know for sure. I’m only afraid you won’t be able to handle it if we go all the way from strangers to lovers in one day.”

“I-I don’t know, either. Like I said, I’ve never been a one-night-stand kind of girl. However, something keeps building inside me. I can’t keep my mind off what I think it would be like to be with you. It keeps building inside me, and it feels like I might explode if I don’t kiss you again.”

When she stepped closer, Ceno noticed she wasn’t wearing a bra. Her large breasts stood high and firm. Hard nipples poked through the thin material of her blouse. The scent of her arousal grew stronger and stronger until he thought he might be dizzy with it.

His cock throbbed behind his zipper, and every moment he stood before her, he fought the urge to reach down and release it from the denim prison holding it at bay.

She stepped forward, a slow approach, until she stood directly in front of him, her delicate hand resting on the center of his chest.

Ceno met her gaze, staring down into her beautiful hazel eyes. First, they were brown then green then blue. Somehow, they changed before him, being one color and every color, at the same time.

How could one man so lose himself in a woman he barely knew? What a gift this woman was to him. She was everything he’d always wanted in a woman. Every curve, every dimple in her skin was pure perfection. Never had he thought to ever find a Goddess on Earth, yet she stood in front of him.

One arm reached up and circled his neck, drawing him down for her kiss. Slumberous eyes stared up at him, turning chocolate brown as she stood on her toes to press her lips against his.

A roaring in his ears had him drawing her close as molten fire raced through his blood. He’d wanted to taste her from the moment he’d watched her punch JC in the face. The little tease after dinner wasn’t enough. It would never be enough.

If they lived for a thousand years, he would never tire of Sela or her kisses. He only hoped he could convince her of that.