Hot Blooded

away from him.
    A faint breeze fingered the leaves of the trees so that they glittered silver
and black in the night. Her scent was ripe and feminine, an allure all its own.
He felt a growl rising in his throat, the beast roaring for freedom. Temptation
was a woman cooling the heat of her body there by the pool in the moonlight.
Riordan sank his nails deep into the branch to keep from going to her. His head
pounded, his blood thick and hot. Every movement she made was a seduction. And
what the hell was she doing walking around half-naked all alone where any
predator could come upon her?
    Juliette rose with her lithe, sensuous grace, her breasts swaying in time
with the seductive movement of her hips. He couldn't take his hungry gaze off of
her. Honor and gentlemanly behavior were completely overridden by primitive
possessiveness. She was his lifemate. She belonged to him. Her lush body was
everything he could ever want. He wanted to start at the top of her head and
kiss his way down to her toes, lingering in every intriguing shadow and hollow
along the way. His gaze narrowed as he saw her look around, scrutinizing the
trees and bushes before stepping up on the highest boulder. She lifted her face
into the air and sniffed, as if scenting the wind. Apparently satisfied she was
alone, she stepped back to the edge of the pool, her hands going to the zipper
of her jeans.
    Riordan bit down hard on his bottom lip, hoping the pain would distract him.
He couldn't have looked away if his life depended on it. She tugged at her
jeans. The humidity was high and the material clung to her skin, so she had to
squirm and shimmy to get them over her hips and down her thighs. Her breasts
jiggled invitingly as she did a little dance to rid herself of her clothes.
Tight dark curls formed a vee at the junction of her legs, a tempting arrow to
draw his attention. At once he caught her feminine fragrance, the call of woman
to man. Her body was burning, catching fire from his thoughts. He was
broadcasting his hunger far too loudly.
    Juliette was very susceptible to his needs. Dark cravings ate at him,
hardened his body and sent erotic images teasing his brain. She was there
waiting for him, her body open for his, craving his with the same terrible need
that could never be assuaged. He closed his eyes and thought about how it would
feel to plunge inside of her welcoming sheath, hot and tight and wet, slick with
need for him.
    Juliette made a single sound of distress as her body reacted to the waves of
sexual hunger, the lust rising in him, lust she'd helped to create with her
blatant fantasies. Riordan drank her in through half-closed eyes, his lids heavy
and his body on fire. He wanted to see her hands travel over her soft skin,
taking the path his hands would take. Up her thighs, over her rounded belly, up
her narrow rib cage to cup the weight of her breasts in his palms. He wanted her
thumbs to tease and flick her dark nipples, bring them to a heated peak in
anticipation of his hot mouth suckling strongly.
    He could already taste her, feel the soft mound of flesh in his mouth. He
needed to pillow his head there, spend the night lavishing attention on each
breast, on the dark inviting nipples, yet it wasn't enough. He wanted to feel
how hot she was. How wet. How much she needed his body deep inside of her. His
palms itched to feel her thighs, soft and rounded with firm muscles. He would
slide his palms upward, feel the heat of her entrance before widening her
stance, wanting her legs open to him. Gently he would slide one finger deep
inside of her. He actually felt fiery heat, slick and moist, and it nearly
stopped his heart. He wanted more. Wanted to feel her body grip and hold, clamp
tightly around his.
    He couldn't bear the feel of his clothes another moment and he dispensed with
them easily with a single thought in the way of his people. The small breeze
instantly caressed his body, touching him all over, adding to his sensitivity.
He wished it were her fingers wrapping around the hard length of him. His
erection was full and heavy and merciless, a pulsing, throbbing pain he could
hardly endure.
    Damn you, what are you doing to me
? Her voice was breathless in his
mind. Husky. Sexy. Fraught with an elemental need.
    Damn you back. My body is on fire. I want your mouth on me. I want to be
inside of you. I do not want illusion. Your stubbornness is going to kill us
both.
    Juliette had