“How—?”
“I was watching you.”
Her reply was faint. “I thought so.”
“I enjoyed the fact you called my name when you got off. Have you ever orgasmed with a man?”
Her silence was a loud admission.
“Do you know how fucking sexy that is? That just by thinking about me, I gave you something no one else has.”
“Don’t be so proud of yourself,” she said, even as she raised her hands and stroked his hair. Her touch was gentle, yet firm enough to tell him this was real. “I never really wanted the others.”
“Which is why you slept with them in the first place. So you could stay in control. And now,” he murmured, “you’re going to lose it. I want to make you come again. And again.”
“Ty …”
He stroked her hair, meeting her heavy-lidded gaze. “I’m not going anywhere. And neither are you. Say yes, Ana. But only because you want me.”
She stared, brow furrowed, expression somber.
Fearing her rejection, Ty suddenly closed his eyes and buried his face in her neck. Ana smelled heavenly. Her neck was creamy and soft, open and vulnerable. His fangs automatically began to lengthen as he reached out for her—
She stiffened slightly then buried her hands in his hair. When she spoke, he felt the word throughout his entire body.
“Yes.”
CHAPTER
TWENTY-FOUR
Ty stiffened, wondering if he’d imagined the word, spoken in Ana’s strong, husky voice. Raising his head, he stared into her eyes, seeing no hint of indecision.
She looked certain. Aroused. And the joy that spread through his body was beyond anything he’d ever experienced. Even his dream orgasm while he’d been watching Ana masturbate paled in comparison. Because this was real. She was real.
She wanted him.
“Oh, Ana,” he said shakily, lowering his head to kiss her.
She shook her head. “Wait. I—I have one condition.”
Unease caused him to frown and lift himself up, not entirely away from her.
“Your eyes,” she said. “You wear contacts.”
He nodded warily, thrown by the unexpected topic.
“Take them off.”
He immediately recoiled, shoving himself off her and backing away. “No.”
She pushed herself up on her elbows, still fully clothed while he was naked. She’d already seen him for what he was. Why did she want to see more?
“I want to see you, Ty. All of you. Nothing you show me will detract from how much I want you. God, after tonight, don’t you know that?”
It made sense. She’d seen him at his worst. What did it matter if she saw his weirdly colored eyes? Only there’d be no hiding from her then. Eyes were said to be the windows to the soul. If he uncovered his eyes, if she stared into them, what would she see?
She balanced on her knees and inched her way toward him, her hand held out. “Shh,” she said, and he realized he’d been making a soft moaning sound. Wordlessly pleading with her, like a child not wanting to take his medicine. “It’s okay. I’m sorry. Just come to me. Come to me, Ty. I want you.”
He hesitated at first, wondering if this was a trap. But then relief flooded through him and he took her in, his beautiful Ana, finally asking for something she wanted. Something he could actually give her, if not easily, then at least without guilt.
“I’ll take the contacts off,” he said, and she froze, her eyes widening before she smiled. “But then you have to do something for me. Look into my eyes as they are, and if you still want me after that …”
“What?” she prompted when he hesitated.
“If you still want me after that, take off your clothes. All of them.”
“Deal,” she said quickly. So quickly he actually smiled.
With a curse, he turned and stalked to the bathroom, gripping the basin with white knuckles. He stared at his reflection, then took a deep breath. First, he took off the gold medallion he’d worn since Lesander had given it to him; nothing could come between him and Ana now. Then, with one last hint of hesitation, he took off his contacts. As soon as he could see his eerie silver pupils contrasted against the pools of his pitch-black irises, he winced. He looked like the freak he was. Alien. Monstrous.
He couldn’t do it. He couldn’t let her see him like this. She thought it wouldn’t matter but it would, and once she flinched from him, he’d be—
“Ty.”
At the sound of Ana’s soft voice, Ty’s head turned instantly toward the door.
He gasped, forgetting all thoughts about his eye color or what he was going to do or not do.
She was naked, her scars visible and her copper nipples soft and pouty in direct contrast to her mouth, which was pinched tight with what was obviously insecurity. She’d pulled her hair back into a tight ponytail and he wondered why …
Then it struck him. She was making herself completely vulnerable, even to the point of exposing her facial scar. Exposing every hurt she’d ever suffered—and had hid behind her clothes and hair and hostility.
She was doing that for him.
“Ana,” he whispered and started toward her. But as he moved to take her in his arms, she held him back again and said, “I want to see. Let me see.”
He tensed and a frustrated growl rumbled in his throat, but he forced himself to stop. Under the harsh bathroom light, she tilted her head as she studied his eyes. Then she scanned down his body, taking in all of him, including his dick. She stared as it hardened and lengthened, eventually poking her in the stomach, steel hard to her silky soft. But she didn’t back away.
She lifted her gaze back to his even as she wrapped her fingers around him and started a gentle pumping motion.
He kept his arms by his sides but tipped his head back, closed his eyes, and groaned. Her touch was delicate and warm, when he’d been cold for so long. She comforted him and ratcheted him up at the same time, and it was such a mind-boggling combination that he almost thought he was dreaming again.
Then he knew he was—he had to be—when his cock was enveloped in a tight, wet heat.
Holy fuck, he thought, his eyes flying open and his hands automatically reaching out to tangle in her ponytail.
She’d knelt in front of him and had him in her mouth. She didn’t start off soft or hesitant. She started sucking him off, using her lips and tongue and fingers to drive him absolutely crazy.
His ears were ringing. His blood pumping. His senses went into overdrive, so that even as she was on her knees and touching only one part of him, she surrounded him. She was inside him. Her scent was in his lungs, her taste not just on his tongue but coating his throat, her touch everywhere. On his cock, but also in the tiniest, most innocuous place. His toes. His ears. And yes, his eyes. The silver pupils that he hated became something bearable because she was there.
No, he thought, and ripped himself away from her.
She gasped and he could see from the expression on her face she thought he was rejecting her.
It wasn’t that at all.
He just couldn’t stand the idea of her being on her knees in front of him.
She was good. Strong and worthy. He?
Ty dropped to his knees in front of her and cupped her face in his hands.
He opened his mouth, wanting to say something profound and beautiful. Something resembling a sonnet or a love song. Instead, all that came out was, “Need you. Now.”
Her relief was obvious. She stood and held out her hand. When he took it, she guided him out of the bathroom and back into his bedroom. Yes, he thought. This is perfect. This is what I want. I need to know she’s with me every step of the way. That she wants this, without any fear.