Predator's Serenade Page 10

  His throat felt tight, his chest constricted. She couldn’t send him away; he wouldn’t survive it. “Don’t say anything right now. You’ve been through so much tonight. Just let me hold you.”

  The flirt returned to her gaze. “And if I want you to do more than hold me?”

  Slam. Dunk. Thud. “Then I’m your man.”

  Moving through the raging case of shivers all over his body, Soren removed her eyeglasses and lowered her to the bed.

  *

  As Soren slipped her glasses off, Gioia’s first thought was, Damn. I wanna see this!

  It took her a second to realize she’d uttered the frenzied words aloud. Even without her glasses, she could see the widening of his smile and the white of his teeth. Before she knew it, he’d replaced her glasses.

  “I want you to see this too,” he murmured, his deep voice touching her in places yet to be discovered.

  She blinked, getting used to her improved vision with the specs, and smiled as he sat up. Slowly, Soren removed the bathrobe. Aside from the scratches he still hadn’t cleaned up, he was perfect: all long lines and sinuous brawn. Pecs that curved under taut nipples, underscored by a tantalizing plane of hard abs. His arms were enormous and made her feel so cherished and warm when he held her. His legs, long columns of strength. His velvet cock pulsed, standing out straight from his pelvis, its engorged tip swollen for her. And his ocean eyes were dark and mysterious. “I’ve never known anyone like you,” she admitted in a hushed tone. “It’s as if God fashioned you just for me.”

  He leaned over her, pressing her into the mattress. “He did. I’m yours. No one else’s.”

  She spread her legs and welcomed him into the cushion of her thighs. He settled there, groaning as his cock sought entry between her folds. Damn, he was big. It was one thing to look at him. It was another thing to feel his girth pressed against her.

  He paused. “Shit. Condoms. They’re in my room.”

  She didn’t care. It wasn’t like her not to care, but she didn’t. She just wanted him inside her. She knew enough about shifters to know they were basically free from disease, and she wasn’t worried about pregnancy. Despite not having sex in over a year, she hadn’t stopped taking the pill.

  His cock thumped against her skin.

  “It’s okay,” she reassured him. “I’m fine without one if you are.”

  He swallowed. “God, yes.”

  Soren took her mouth, smudging her glasses in the process. Stupid specs weren’t letting her get close enough to him. In frustration, she pulled away and whipped them off, almost throwing them across the room. Ravenous, she crushed her lips against his again, kissing him through his chuckles.

  And then, as she’d fantasized about doing, Gioia ran her hands over his sculpted back, luxuriating in the glide of muscles that got the best of workouts while pounding on a set of drums. She slid her eager fingers down to his ass cheeks and felt him tense. Giddy with need, she rounded her hands over his rock-hard buns. They were so perfect she never wanted to let go.

  “Gioia,” he moaned. “Fuck, little owl, you’re killing me.”

  She laughed, heady with power. “Just by touching you?”

  He sucked on her chin. “Just by breathing.” He gazed at her. Even though she couldn’t make out fine details, she could see his normally azure eyes had turned midnight blue with desire. “I’ve been a mess, wanting you so much.”

  “Soren,” she whispered, touched to her volcanic core. “I’ve wanted you too.”

  He latched onto her sensitive neck, sucking and swirling his tongue, and she closed her eyes as she relished his heat. Where his lips assaulted her, his teeth followed. He nibbled on her neck, groaning with the delight of a hungry beggar invited to a king’s banquet. The lush, stinging sensation was so exquisite she began to imagine his teeth elsewhere on her body.

  A few delirious moments passed, and Gioia realized he’d removed his mouth from her neck. She opened her eyes and could make out his proud smile, even though it was fuzzy to her.

  “You’ll need a scarf next time you go out,” he said, his chest rumbling in a quiet laugh. “Someone’s got a hickey.”

  She poked him in the chest. “You territorial ass. How would you like being marked?” She touched her neck and giggled. She couldn’t be mad at him; she liked it too much.

  He rolled off her onto his back and opened his arms in a gesture of surrender. “If it’s you doing the marking, angel, go nuts. Which of my body parts would you like to start with? If you’re not sure, I can recommend a dozen or so.”

  “Soren!”

  He yanked her on top of him. As she straddled him, his cock throbbing so close to her anxious pussy, he grabbed her bare ass cheeks and squeezed. “Do me a favor?”

  “What?”

  “Don’t ever wear panties again.” He ran his hands all over her hips, as if measuring their precise shape and roundness. With leisure, he then slid his hands up her torso and removed her shirt.

  As her full breasts sprang free of their Hugo Boss prison, Gioia crossed her arms over her chest. It was an automatic reaction. Being bountiful up top, she’d always gotten unwanted attention as a young woman and still sometimes felt shy about her cup size. She couldn’t even count how many times, when walking down the street, some guy had shouted, “Nice tits, girly!”

  Soren gently eased her arms off her chest. “Don’t hide from me. I want to see you.”

  “I don’t look like the women you normally date.”

  “This is true,” he teased, tilting his head and appraising her as if she were a cracked oil painting at an auction. When she smacked him for his lame attempt at humor, he caught her hand. Tugging her closer, he reached his head up and captured one of her nipples in his mouth. Her head spun as he laved her peak, and she ground atop him, gripped by the fiercest passion she’d ever known. He released her nipple and smiled at her. “You’re not like those women at all. They wish they could be as beautiful as you.”

  Her rapture at his words faded ever so slightly as he turned to her other nipple. He paused, eyeing the rosy nub, and then gently ran his tongue over it. He glanced at her and ran his thumbs over both tips. “This nipple feels different than the other one. It’s not as erect.”

  Heat washed over her face. “I have what’s known as an inverted nipple. Some women have them.”

  “It doesn’t hurt, does it?”

  “No.”

  He plucked at the inverted nub, trying to fashion it into a stiff peak, but it refused, clinging to its dimpled shape. Gioia gasped at the pleasant stinging sensation. Soren gazed at her in clear wonder. He gave it a little twist and she moaned, closing her eyes. Reaching his head up, he closed his mouth around it and sucked. Gioia clapped a hand over her mouth to stifle a loud cry.

  Soren released her breast and grinned. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say the inverted one is more sensitive.”

  “It is.”

  “Really?” he asked, his eyes widening in fascination. “Explain how they feel to me.”

  He grasped the other breast and tweaked the regular nipple. She let out a sigh. “Well, this one feels good too, just less intense.”

  “And this one?” His brow arched like a fiend, he then played with the inverted nipple.

  Gioia writhed atop him, plagued by an unmerciful lust. Her breaths came out as pants. “It’s as if this one has a direct line to my crotch. When you touch it, the pleasure shoots right into me.”

  Soren stared, open-mouthed. “This is very important information for me to have.”

  She laughed at the lecherous bugger. “It doesn’t mean you to get to ignore the other one. She feels good too, and doesn’t like being left out.”

  He shook his head. “Oh, don’t worry. I won’t ignore her.” He returned his attentions to her breasts, moving between them with infinite languor. Gauging her varied reactions, Soren teased her by sucking on one nipple and then another, nibbling one and then sliding over to torment the other one with his te
eth. Gioia didn’t know whether to laugh or sigh or cry. Her brain was an addled flurry of delirious sensation, and she didn’t ever want him to stop. He knew exactly how he plagued her too; with every nip and lick, his chest vibrated with soft, deep laughs.

  “You’re such as asshole,” she groaned, giggling herself.

  In response, Soren rolled her over and ground himself into her body. “And you are so tasty.” While kissing her, he moved a hand between her legs, feeling for her almost-embarrassing wetness. Drenching his finger between her nether lips, he brought his hand to his nose. “This scent has driven me crazy.” He breathed her in. “Do you have any idea how much I’ve wanted to feast on you?”

  And then, while she struggled to discern each sexy detail through her blurry vision, he sucked his finger into his mouth. Soren closed his eyes, and a low growl escaped him.

  She knew that noise. It was a bear noise. The hungry rumble was a clear indication he wasn’t letting her up anytime soon. And she was okay with it.

  She lifted her hips to him, feeling bolder than she ever had before. “Bear man,” she teased. “There’s more where that came from.”

  He looked at her, huffing, blinking with a famished furor. Soren slid down her body and knelt on the floor at the edge of the bed. He pulled her to him with savage energy, pinned his hands under her bottom and sunk his face into her pussy. He drank from her as from a bowl of water, lapping and sucking, trying to locate every last ounce of moisture. Each desperate nibble on her swollen lips sent Gioia over a dangerous edge, plummeting from a height she’d never dreamed existed. She fell through stars, whipped past clouds, and was sure she’d end with a tumultuous splat. Her heart seized and her eyes watered.

  Damn, she’d never cried because something felt good! Soren was redefining the word good for her. As his tongue plunged into her pussy, as his animal groans echoed in her ears, tears poured out the corners of her eyes. She grasped at his head, entangled her fingers in his hair, and held on for dear life. He swirled his tongue around her clit, completely in tune with what she needed, as if he knew exactly what to do to wring her orgasm from her. Pings of pleasure radiated throughout her body, and she lit up like a pinball machine with a high score. He clamped onto her clit, almost nibbling, and his hums made her mound vibrate. A vicious light streaked across her vision, and heat engulfed her. With her own agonized roar, Gioia came in his mouth, defenseless as he continued to lap. Everything in her jolted, everything spasmed. The feelings were so intense it almost hurt. And she knew, in that moment, she’d be willing to endure the heavenly pain over and over again.

  Another cry rang out in the night, and she realized it wasn’t hers. Gioia sat up in a daze. “Gunnar.”

  His breath coming hard, Soren moved away from her and looked around, quickly locating her glasses. He handed them over. “Go. It’s okay. We’ll continue this later.”

  She put her glasses on and threw the Hugo Boss shirt over her head. Glancing at Soren, she took note of his wet mouth and tousled hair and wanted him with a force that knocked the air out of her lungs. He put on the discarded bathrobe, licked his lips and offered her a lopsided grin.

  Gunnar shouted in his sleep again, and she launched herself off the bed. She hurried to the adjoining door and opened it, Soren right behind her. She made her way over to her son’s bed. Gunnar thrashed and whipped the sheets all around his skinny body. She placed a hand on his shoulder. “Baby. Shh. It’s a nightmare.” Looking at Soren, she explained. “He has them a lot.”

  Gunnar lurched up into a sitting position, grunting in fear, making noises a baby bear might.

  She sat next to him. “Gunnar, it’s okay. I’m here.”

  He turned to her, his eyes red and full of tears. He blinked, and the tears coursed over his round cheeks. He looked ready to fall into her outstretched arms, but then he noticed Soren standing at the door. He looked between the two of them, confused.

  Mortified, Gioia tried to explain. “Gunnar, Soren helped me tonight when…”

  He didn’t wait for her to explain. Gunnar scrambled off the bed, pushing her arms aside, and tore a path to the door. Darting a look of betrayal at his hero, he disappeared into the hallway and raced toward the stairs at the end of the hall.

  “Gunnar,” Gioia called.

  Soren was at her side in an instant, holding her by the arms. “Let him go. He’s a bear. He’ll be okay.” He pulled her into his arms, and she dropped her head onto his chest.

  She glanced at Soren, her own eyes wild now. “I can’t take it if he decides to hate me again.”

  He frowned at her, clearly in disagreement, and ran a hand over her hair. “He doesn’t. He’s just a kid who needs to sort things out. Let him go for a good run, and I’ll talk to him in the morning. He’ll be okay.”

  “But the forest at night…”

  “Is the perfect place for him,” he interrupted with a smile. “Don’t forget, Gioia. He’s top of the food chain here. No one will hurt him.”

  Soren picked her up in his arms, and she curled her head into the crook of his neck. He took her back to bed. With infinite gentleness, he coaxed the shirt off her body and slid out of his robe. He pulled back the rumpled sheets for her, and she climbed in. He then got in next to her and pulled her against him so he could spoon her. Even though his cock was thumping against her back, Soren just held her and comforted her. She knew she would be forever grateful to him for not pouncing on her again. He knew what she needed and was giving it to her.

  In those quiet moments as she lay in his arms, Gioia realized exactly what kind of man Soren Snow was. And she realized how very much she liked that man and how much she was coming to need him in her life.

  Chapter 8

  Early the next morning, Soren watched Gioia play with her food at the breakfast table. He’d personally piled her plate high with eggs and bacon and sausage, a gastronomical feast, but she wasn’t interested. She hadn’t consumed more than a sip of coffee. She might think she was fooling him by rearranging her scrambled eggs on the plate, but he saw exactly what made it to her mouth. After all, he did spend a lot of time concentrating on her mouth. He frowned and then glanced at Ryland and Lia, their breakfast companions. His brother and sister-in-law frowned back.

  Gioia looked at him. “I’m not hungry. I’m going to go look for him.”

  He reached for her hand under the table. “No. You stay here, and I’ll look for Gunnar. Let me talk to him, man to man.” He nodded at the others. “Make her eat something.”

  She looked at him, despondent, and then pulled a face at her bacon.

  He knelt at her side and put a finger on her chin, guiding her gaze back to him. “Hey,” he whispered. “I’ll fix this. I promise.”

  Tears formed behind her lenses, making her dark eyes appear as enormous as those of a Disney heroine. “What if it can’t be fixed?”

  He leaned over and kissed her lightly on the mouth. “Anything can be fixed.” He smoothed a hand over her thigh toward her hip. “And when I get back, we’re going to pick up where we left off last night. I’m going to take all your sadness away and make you feel so good.”

  She blinked her tears away and offered him a little smile. “I’d like that.”

  “Done.” His heart swelling, Soren stood and kissed her on the top of her head. He turned to Ry. “You’ll keep an eye on Gioia for me and make sure no pheromone-inspired boyfriends come her way?”

  Ry nodded. “Yeah, we’ll keep the crazies away.”

  “Thanks,” Soren replied. “Drop her off at my suite in an hour.” He turned to Gioia. “I’ll be there waiting for you.”

  She smiled and picked up a rasher of bacon, nibbling on the edge. Gratified to see her eat because she’d need a whole lot of energy for what he had in store for her, Soren exited the buffet and went off in search of his protégé.

  * * * *

  Gunnar wasn’t at the tree or in any of the restaurants or even by the lake. After half an hour of searching, Soren became alarmed.
He’d figured the bear boy would do as he used to do as a turbulent teen: run off into the woods and snack on a huge fish from the lake. And then it hit him. When Soren was upset, the best therapy was pounding his drums. Berating himself for not thinking of it sooner, he headed to the conference room where his kit was stored.

  Sure enough, he heard Gunnar before he ever saw him. The loud smashing on the bass drum had him wondering if his kit would survive the boy’s outburst. He opened the door and walked into the room.

  Gunnar stopped drumming, looked up, and glared.

  Feeling a little like David approaching Goliath, Soren wandered over to Gunnar and pulled up a seat next to him. “Hey, little dude. Your mom’s really worried about you.”

  The boy crossed his arms, drumsticks tight in one fist, and looked away.

  “Look,” Soren began. “I’m sorry about what you saw last night, but I’m not going to lie to you, Gunnar. I feel…very strongly about your mother. She’s kind and caring…” He trailed off, lost in his recollections of the previous night. “…And so hot.”

  Gunnar turned to him and grimaced.

  Soren came to his senses. “Okay, too much information. I’m still new at this stuff.” He ran a hand over his face. “Gunnar, I care about your mom, and you need to know something about her.”

  The kid’s lip curled in mild interest.

  “I’m worried. Because your dad wasn’t able to mark your mom as his mate, a lot of other men have been giving her the wrong kind of attention. I’m not exaggerating when I say she’s in a bit of danger.”

  Gunnar paled and lost the lip curl. Soren knew he had his attention now.

  “I need you to help me take care of her, just like I taught you,” Soren said. “After all, you’re the man of your house now, right?”

  The boy nodded.

  “I don’t want some other shifter getting the wrong idea about your mother. She’s not available. Do you understand what I’m saying, Gunnar? I want…to be there for your mom. And for you too.”

  Gunnar’s gaze travelled in about fifteen different directions. Soren had the distinct feeling the kid was fighting tears. Gunnar chewed his bottom lip, cleared his throat, and said three more words. “For me too?”