“Yes,” she replied softly.

“Do it. Please.”

Her gaze pulled from him and circled their surroundings. A moment later, the bed they lay upon seemed to be whisked out of the bedroom where the two demons were locked in a live porno, and to a tranquil beach with glistening white sand. Crystalline water washed onto the shore, and birds soared overhead, singing softly.

“I’ve always wanted to lounge on a beach and watch the sun set with you,” Scarlet said with a blush. “Movies don’t compare, do they?”

Such a simple desire, but so telling. She’d been born in a prison, with walls always closing her in. Then, after her possession, she’d lost her ability to walk during daylight hours. And even though the times she slept varied, she was never really free to do what she wanted, at any time she wanted. Now, she craved what everyone else took for granted. What he took for granted.

“It’s lovely,” he replied, then rasped straight into her ear, “Though not as lovely as you.”

“Hey,” she snapped, pushing at his chest. “You just called me…lovely.” She shook her head, frown vanishing. “Sorry. I’m not used to you telling the truth. I’d almost rather you called me ugly.”

“Ugly, ugly, ugly,” he whispered now, cupping her jaw and forcing her to look up at him. “There’s no woman uglier, no woman I crave less….”

She licked her lips, and it was a full-on invitation.

“Now you’re asking for it, angel.” He dipped his head and once again claimed her mouth, their tongues playing together, her decadent flavor consuming all his senses. Driving him wild. Don’t rush…

Her arms began to wrap around his waist, but he stopped her.

“Wait.” He gripped the hem of her T-shirt and pulled the material over her head. That soft fall of hair tumbled to her bare shoulders. Gorgeous pale skin, a lacy black bra. “Now you can hold me.”

Their lips met yet again, and she wrapped those strong arms around him, fingers dabbling at the waist of his pants before gliding up his back, massaging his muscles. Her hands were callused from holding blade hilts, and created the most erotic friction.

Heat sparked through his bloodstream, warming him up, urging him on. Slow. But maybe he could speed this up a little. He unhooked her bra and cast the garment aside, exposing her dazzling breasts.

With a moan, Gideon tore his own shirt off. He moaned again when his flesh met Scarlet’s. Fan-freaking-tastic. Her nipples were hard little pearls of pleasure. Oh, yes, she was asking for it.

More. He worked at her pants. Lucky fabric, having been so close to her. Soon he had the leather off, along with her panties, leaving her completely bare, and his gaze ate her up. She didn’t try to cover herself and didn’t blush. She bit her lower lip and undulated her hips, letting him know how much his scrutiny aroused her. Hell, it aroused him. She was magnificent. All that creamy skin, lean legs, flat stomach, small, firm breasts with the rose-tinted nipples and elegantly curved shoulders.

“Wet for me?” he asked roughly.

“Yes.”

“Let me see.”

She blinked up at him, suddenly unsure. “But I…I thought I was in charge in this area, so shouldn’t I—”

“We’ll take turns. Right now, I’m in charge. Let me see.”

Without hesitation, she parted her thighs, giving him a peek into heaven. Her pink folds were damp, hiding the sweetest spot he’d ever had the privilege to see. His gaze moved, latching onto the colorful butterfly tattooed nearby, and his mouth watered.

Lucky tattoo.

Lucky me. Gideon bent down and traced his tongue along the wings, riding the length of her inner thigh. Goose bumps broke out over Scarlet’s limbs. Her fingers tangled in his hair, her nails digging into his scalp. He licked and sucked and nibbled that brand, paying it proper homage, as it was one of the reasons they were together right now.

“Yes,” she groaned. “Yes.”

Though he wanted to fall into her and eat her up, consuming every drop of her, he palmed her hips and flipped her over. She gasped, looked at him over her shoulder, expression confused.

“The others need a little attention, too,” he explained. Then, starting at the top, he worked his way down her back, kissing every single tattoo she possessed. TO PART IS TO DIE he laved until he was panting. Sweating. Hurting.

He didn’t stop there. Couldn’t. He paid her ass equal attention, nibbling on those sweet cheeks and tonguing the crease between bottom and leg, all the while teasing that moist, waiting sex by blowing and humming but never actually touching.

When she was writhing, begging him to penetrate her, even reaching between her legs to assuage the ache herself, forcing him to grab her wrists and pin them behind her back, he finally stilled. Took stock. His cock was straining against the fly of his jeans, and every breath he dragged into his lungs was like fire.

“Gideon,” she gasped. “Please.”

Pain was mingled with arousal in her voice, and he frowned. He wanted her out of her mind, yes, but not pained.

“Need the edge taken off, angel?”

“Gods, yes.”

Releasing her wrists, he flipped her back over and finally allowed himself to do what he’d wanted to do all along. Taste her fully, deep and thrusting, as if his tongue was possessing her. Instantly she screamed, hips bucking up, meeting him, sending him even deeper.

“Yes, yes, yesssss!”

Her orgasm rocked her, her skin like fire, her knees clamped against his temples, her fingers fisting the sheets. He swallowed every drop of pleasure she gave him, her sweetness better than ambrosia as it flowed through his veins, branding him, delighting him.

Only when she stilled did he raise his head, licking at his mouth as he sought her gaze. Every drop belonged to him, even those. Her eyes were at half-mast, her chest quickly rising and falling in shallow succession, and her arms and legs draped at her sides as if they were too heavy to lift. Never had a woman looked more sated. And never had he experienced more pride. He had done this. He had given this to her.

The sunlight she’d created caressed every inch of her, adding a golden tint to her skin. At the base of her neck, her pulse hammered wildly. Her nipples were darker now, as if blushing under his scrutiny.

“Thank you,” she rasped. “Thank you.”

“My pleasure.”

Perhaps she heard the pain in his voice, because she eased up on her elbows, gaze roving to his straining erection. “Want me to take care of that?” she asked huskily. “’Cause, darling, it looks so good.”

He almost choked on his own saliva. “Not yet.” Barely audible. Not until she was out of control again, desperate for him.

“A lie, I hope.”

“Truth. Kind of. I just need a little more of you.” Gideon lowered his head and flicked the tip of his tongue over one of those beautiful nipples. He plucked at the other, not wanting it to feel left out.

This was his woman. His darling. Every moment with her was precious. And torturous. Gods, he hurt. Will be a man. Will act like a man. Will last for her.

When she was once again arching against him, and shit, rubbing that sweet, wet spot against his shaft, causing it to pulse and lengthen as never before, he slid his fingers down her stomach, past that tiny tuft of dark, silky hair and into her sheath. Wet again, dripping. Ready.

Sweet heaven.

Gideon pulled from her, severing all contact. He ripped at his clothes, gentleness not even a concern. Soon the material lay in tatters around him, and he was back on top of his woman, her legs opening for him, her black gaze glistening like polished onyx.

“Ready?” A croak.

“Beyond.”

“I’m gonna hit you so deep.” He positioned her legs on his shoulders, so that her calves were pressing into his back, and then fed his cock into her opening. He didn’t press inside, though. Not yet, not yet, not yet. He already wanted to explode. You gotta calm down.

“What are you waiting for? I need it!”

If he had to do fucking math equations in his head, he was going to last. “Just…need…to…breathe.”

“But I’m already starting… Gideon! I’m coming.”

Just the thought of him being inside her sent her over the edge? Fuck, yeah! He thrust to the hilt, slamming forward with a single rocking of his hips. Those warm, wet walls closed around him, tight as a fist, squeezing him just right. Shit, the pleasure. Once again, it was almost too much. Especially since her second orgasm was causing her to pump against him. But he chewed the inside of his mouth, drawing blood, and began to move.

Once, twice, yes, yes. So good. So damn good. He kissed her, tongue mimicking cock, thrusting, retreating, thrusting. Her hands found their way to his ass, her nails cutting past skin as they urged him forward, deeper. This was it, what he’d craved his entire life.

“You are…everything,” he told her.

“Gideon! I love…I love…this.”

Was that what she’d meant to say? He wasn’t sure, and even the thought that she might love him excited him so much that he went caveman. Claim her. Fully.

“Scarlet!” Hard, deep, so hard, pistoning in and out, feeding his cock to her over and over again, riding the waves of her climax so very hard that he sent her body spiraling into a third.

She clutched at him, practically jerking the seed out of him in the next instant.

The release was so intense, so mind-numbing, he actually saw stars winking behind his eyes as his every muscle petrified to stone. He couldn’t move, couldn’t breathe, could only feel. And then he collapsed on top of her.

“Now that’s stamina,” he panted however long later.

A laugh escaped her. A true, honest-to-the-gods laugh, and it delighted him to his soul. Was more satisfying than even the sex, causing his chest to constrict. She didn’t laugh enough, but by the gods, she would laugh in the future. He would make sure of it. A vow he would see through with his dying breath and every one in between.