Thick fingers breached the hem of her panties, sliding toward third base. He growled when he found her slick. “So hot and swollen. I bet you taste as good as you feel.”

She let out a half gasp, half whimper, rolling her hips.

“Are you going to come for me so soon?” he asked in a dark voice. “Ride my hand. Show me how you like it. What you need.”

His naughty words and wicked touch were making her mindless, heedless. Her brain gracefully bowed out while her body surrendered, doing exactly as he commanded. Her head lolled back to rest on his shoulder while her hips rocked into his embrace. The friction was delicious.

As her body toiled for release, the arm that had been locked around her torso loosened, and he reached up to knead her breast.

Her body was on the verge of release. He turned his face into the crook over her neck. “As soon as you’ve come I’m going to rip these panties off of you and have you on my cock.”

His words tipped her over the edge. An orgasm exploded through her body, “Yes!” she screamed. “Oh, God!” Her hips worked furiously as a wave of pleasure blasted through her. Throwing her arms around his neck behind her, her back arched slightly, jutting her breasts above the waterline for him to see.

Another growl escaped him. “Woman, you’ve had me hard as stone all night, and yet, somehow, I grow harder still.”

She felt a tug on her hip, and her panties became scraps, discarded to drift freely in the water. With her still on his lap facing away from him, his big hands gripped her waist, and he lifted her over his dick.

Post-orgasm fog still impeded her brain, but as soon as she felt him prodding her entrance, adrenaline cleared that right up.

Oh, God, am I really going to do this? She’d been swept up to his suite so fast, and then into the hot tub. Had she thought this through? Was she really about to have sex with a vampire? A stranger at that—A mindboggling sexy stranger. But his kind bit during sex! Or so she’d been told. Using their fangs during the throws. Could he really restrain himself? Did she care?

“Your heart is pounding so fast, luv. Don’t tell me you’re having second thoughts? My poor dick couldn’t take it.” As if to prove how hard he was, his hips jerked up and the tip prodded her.

Lust fired anew. He lowered her onto his shaft. The invasion was slow, as though he was testing her fit, not wanting to hurt her with his size. He was a big guy, and her body had to make room for him, but she was dying here.

“I can take more, Cortez.”

Groaning, he let her sink down on her own. They both let out sounds of relief. Yet she still felt a tinge of discomfort, her body stretching to accommodate him. It was sublime pleasure kissed by pain.

She wasn’t exactly a virgin, but neither was she experienced. Of all the men she’d been with, Cortez was by far the most well-endowed. Never had she felt so full.

He pulled her back flush against his chest, his lips brushing her nape as his hips bucked.

“Oh, God!” Red-hot pleasure dissipated any pain, and ecstasy spiked her brain.

He thrust again, and she moaned low in her throat.

Tone roughened, he rasped, “You feel so damn good. Need to...” His hips jumped, drilling his cock deeper.

Her head fell back on a long moan.

As if he were unable to hold back any more, his hips went to work, rocking in and out of her with the power of a steam train, his cock pistoning harder, faster, deeper. Her breasts bobbed in the water, her moans broken between gasps. The pleasure was immense, almost too much. She only wanted more.

He buried his face in her neck and snarled. The danger of his fangs no longer frightened her. It oddly heightened her pleasure. As if to taunt him, she rolled her head to the side, displaying her tender flesh. Was she mad? All the while he drove into her with fierce measured thrusts.

“Oh, sweet girl, you tempt me so. Testing me?” His hips paused briefly. She cried out in protest, making him chuckle. “I’m going to have to...” One hard thrust sent sparks of bliss through her nerves. “Punish you for that.”

Punish? “Don’t stop!” she heard herself moan.

In a blur he adjusted their position so that she was bent over the edge of the hot tub with him behind her. His hips resumed their delicious, punishing assault....

And then his hot palm came down hard on her backside in a kind of slap, though he held onto her flesh, fingers digging into her cheek. The sound that came from her was unrecognizable. Her lungs worked between her mindless moans, screams, and shrieks of pleasure. This wasn’t just casual sex. This was a thorough fucking that would forever overshadow all that came before or after.

She glanced over her shoulder, marveling at the way his muscles toiled, all animal grace and power.

Again his flattened palm came down on her ass. Her body arched, as if begging for more. Why did that feel so good?

He reached out and wrapped her hair in his fist, his hips still working like a piston topped off with high-octane, and pulled her to stand with him in the middle of the tub, bringing her head around for a searing kiss. As his tongue tangled with hers, he slammed into her harder and harder.

“Oh, God! She moaned into his mouth. “Oh, yes! Don’t stop. Harder! Faster! Fuck me!” She was like another creature, on the verge of her second orgasm, screaming into the night and not caring if anyone heard.

As she blurted out rash words, he growled and groaned and snarled against her flesh like an animal, his body ramming into hers with so much strength it was a wonder she could take it. Yet she only wanted more. She wanted to feel him long after they were through. She wanted to feel him for eternity.

He let her drop back down to grip the edge of the tub and then all she could do was hold on as his power increased, his tempo maddening.

He bellowed to the sky as his release took hold. She screamed with pure, undiluted ecstasy, the power of it splitting her every nerve. As they rode the wave together, her fingers dug into the edge of the tub so hard her knuckles turned white.

Finally he slowed, still languidly thrusting. His big body curled over her, his front to her spine, his arms coming around her torso. Slowly, as they both worked to regulate their breathing, he turned them so that he was once more seated with her on his lap. Eyelids growing heavy, she rested her head on his shoulder while he stroked her back.

They sat like that for several moments, catching their breaths and rebooting. When they finally emerged from the hot tub, her body still tingled.

He handed her a towel from a small compartment hidden under a bench before wrapping one around himself. Then, without a word, he went inside.

She stood for a moment unsure of what she was supposed to do. Should she get dressed? She glanced at where her clothes had been carelessly tossed to the ground and cursed. Some water must have splashed during the throws. Her borrowed dress was dangerously near a puddle.

Snatching it up, she inspected it for chlorine stains. Thank goodness. It had escaped harm. To be safe, she should probably rinse off before slipping it on.

Towel tucked under her armpits, she headed inside. Embarrassment was creeping in. Just before leaving the deck completely, she glanced around to see if there were other balconies nearby. In the dark, she didn’t see any peeping toms, but that didn’t mean someone hadn’t just gotten one heck of a raw, X-rated show.

Inside, she didn’t see Cortez, but she could hear his muffled voice. She called out, “Do you mind if I use your shower?”

“Go ahead.”

She poked her head around a corner. He stood at the kitchen counter, a phone pressed to his ear.

She was still reeling from the most mind-blowing orgasm of her life, and he just had to make a phone call? She supposed what happened between them was nothing out of the ordinary for him. He probably experienced sex like that on a nightly basis. More than likely he had countless orgies in that tub. She glanced back at that still churning water, seeing it differently now. A cornucopia of DNA. Yuck.

When he hung up the phone and started toward her with a very pleased look in his face, she couldn’t help but snap, “I suppose that hot tub has seen a lot of action.”

He paused at her tone, eyeing her. Then his lips quirked. “You think I bring women up here every night?”

She pursed her lips, miffed that he had practically read her mind. “It’s none of my business.”

“You’re right, it’s not.”

She blinked. He was still gazing at her with amusement. He thought her sudden indignation was funny. She schooled her features and turned toward the bathroom, closing herself in.

Everything within was arranged just so, with the shampoo next to his conditioner linked up perfectly, fresh soap on a small ledge, newly opened, and an electric waterproof razor on another. Hmm. Thinking back to the feel of him, she realized he must manscape down below. And wasn’t that just super considerate of the guy. Though she hadn’t gotten a good look at the area to know for sure. And now she’d missed her opportunity. Bummer.

When she finished washing, she quickly dried and then slipped into her dress. Her ruined panties were still out surfing tiny waves from the hot tub jets.

Towel drying her hair, she entered the living room. Cortez stepped out of his bedroom at the same time. He, too, seemed to have come from a shower. Unlike her, he was naked but for the terry cloth around his waist.

Unabashedly she took in the sight of him, fighting a sigh; toned defined pecs stacked on top of six-pack abs with a V at his hips pointing to his...

Her nipples beaded under the fabric of her dress as if preparing for round two.

He was gazing at her as well, but with a quizzical expression. “Why are you dressed?”

She blinked. “I figured we were done here.”

“According to our wager, I get you for the whole night.”

“Seriously?” She gave him a sardonic look. “Most men would be passed out by now.”

“I’m not most men.”

“You really think you can top what we just did?” She gave a disbelieving snort.

A confident grin was all he gave in answer.

She almost dared him to prove it—another go? Yes please—but she thought she shouldn’t seem so eager. “I don’t know.” She glanced at the door as if debating.

He frowned. “Do you think you can leave now and salvage your date?”

“What?”

With a menacing look he stepped toward her, gripped the collar of her dress and then tore the fabric down the middle, exposing her breasts. “Try explaining that to him.”

“You fucker!” she yelled, covering herself. “This dress didn’t belong to me!” The skirt part was still intact. Maybe a skilled seamstress could save it. Goldie is going to kill me. And why was that her first thought instead of how frightened she should be of Cortez right now?

He was undaunted by her glare. “You can call me all the horrible names you want while I’m making you come yet again.”

“I will, you asshole!” Wait, what?

He hoisted her over his shoulder and bolted for the bedroom, tossing her lightly onto his bed. She scrambled over to the edge as if to get away, but he tugged her by the ankle, drawing her back towards him. Then he finished destroying her dress, ripping the skirt in two. Once more completely nude in front of him, he gazed at her most feminine feature with something like hunger in his eyes. She gasped, lust battling her alarm.

“You like my games?”

“No,” she denied instantly, though the evidence to the contrary was blatant.

“You want to punish me now?” he asked slyly. “What would my mistress have me do?”

Okay, things were taking a turn. And she was absolutely loving it! Panting, she hissed, “I think you need to make me come with your tongue.”

He grinned wickedly, and then fell on her with ravage intent. The first scalding lick had her crying out. This was insane. This was depraved. This was....so fucking good!

She cried out once more when he sucked her clit between his soft lips. Her nails dug into the sheets, her body writhing as an orgasm slammed home. And still he didn’t stop, sucking and licking and laving her, relentlessly feasting. Amazingly, a second orgasm was teed up when he pulled away.

No!!!

“Someone’s at the door,” he said casually, seconds before a knock sounded.

Her head shot up. “What?” Pushing him away, she scrambled back. “You didn’t invite a friend did you?” Her expression had to be horrified because he put his hands up in a calming gesture.

“Of course not. I don’t share. But I do have a surprise for you.”

Desperately she wrapped herself in the comforter. He frowned at that, but didn’t say anything. With the towel still around his waist, he went to answer the door. While he was gone, she marveled at her own behavior. He seemed to have the power to turn her into a wanton creature.

She gazed down sadly at the tattered dress. Done for. Briefly she calculated the hours of waitressing it would take to cover the cost. Then she heard the door close and he returned alone, pushing a cart of...dessert toppings? So that’s what his phone call was about.

She gulped and met his exultant gaze.

“Get ready to be devoured.”