“But…but…” Tears blurred her vision. “It could happen again. I could steal your element again. I could kill you.”
“No. You
could’ve
killed me. You didn’t. You used the control I gave you, both in person and in the elemental plane. You ran the power grid, baby.”
Understanding dawned. When they’d shared the most fundamental connection, when their souls had touched, she’d taken from him what she needed—control—just as she’d given him what he needed—emotional connection. Still, she needed to hear it, to know.
“What did I give you?”
“Hope, Eden. You’ve given me hope.”
A fist of tears lodged in her throat, an unuttered cry. “You don’t do repeats.”
“No, I don’t.”
Her shoulders sagged. She should have known. “I’ll get my things.”
Goddess, how could she sound so broken over a man she’d known such a short time?
He grabbed her arm. “Uh-uh, Eden. Look at me.”
“I can’t.”
“Look at me,” he commanded.
“We’re done playing.” She wrenched her arm free. “I have to go.”
“You’re not leaving me.” He hooked a finger under her chin. “Look at me.”
Blinking furiously, she met his brilliant gaze.
“We’re not done playing until I say we’re done.”
“You don’t get to tell me…” Wait. “What?”
A whirlwind of raw emotion shone from him. “You touched my soul, Eden. A man doesn’t just walk away from that.”
“But—”
“And he doesn’t let the woman walk away, either. I’m doing a repeat, tonight and every night, until you’re done with me.” He brushed a soft kiss over her lips. “Then? I’ll do what I have to do to convince you stay longer.”
“Longer?”
His grin turned mischievous. “That’s one.”
Heart hammering, she fought to control herself. And failed. Miserably. Not that she cared.
Throwing her arms around him, she breathed in the warm, dry scent of his skin.
“That’s two,” he said in a husky voice as his arms banded around her.
She grinned into his chest. “I liked topping you. I think I want to try it again.”
“About that.”
Risking a glance at him, she smiled. “I’ll do better this time.”
“There’s no next time, baby.”
“Then there’s this time.” She looked around the room. “Because there’s some stuff in here I want to try out.”
“Fine,” he growled. “I’ll show you how to use it.”
“Nope.” She backed away, curling a finger in a come-hither motion. “Next time.”
“You’re not topping me, Eden.”
She’d never tire of hearing her name on his lips. “Well, I’m certainly not bottoming this go-round.”
“You want to negotiate?”
“You’re a switch and, apparently, so am I. We can flip for top.” She grinned. “This time.”
“Every time,” he said, stalking toward her.
Sounded like the perfect way to spend the rest of her life.
From stable hand to a name on the door of a corporate American office, Denise Tompkins has been many things. (Never a waitress, though. Thank-you cards for her sparing the unsuspecting public from this catastrophe can be sent in care of her agent.) Writing has always been her passion, though. And writing romance? An absolute dream come true. Her theory is that a kiss should be meaningful regardless of length; a hero can say as much with a well-written look as he can with a long-winded paragraph and heroines are meant to hold their own. She’s no Cinderella, and Shakespeare wrote the only
Romeo and Juliet,
so Denise sticks to women who can save themselves and tortured heroes who are loath to let them.
Denise and her husband live in the South, where all foods are considered fry-able and bugs die only to be reborn in bloodsucking triplicate. Visit her online, at
www.denise-tompkins.com
, anytime.
ISBN-13: 9781460332313
ELEMENTAL DESIRE
Copyright © 2014 by Denise Tompkins
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