Total pages in book: 141
Estimated words: 130947 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 655(@200wpm)___ 524(@250wpm)___ 436(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 130947 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 655(@200wpm)___ 524(@250wpm)___ 436(@300wpm)
Baird scowled. “In time you’ll see that this is best. The only way I can protect you is to keep you close to me.”
“Funny how much being protected feels like being owned.”
“I thought you didn’t want to fight.”
“You started it.” Liv knew it sounded childish but she didn’t care.
He ran a hand through his hair. “Damn it, Olivia…” Then he shook his head, as though sensing the futility of any argument. He pointed a finger at her instead. “I’m going but I’ll be back tonight in time for the start of our tasting week.”
“You…I’m surprised you want to…to do anything at all.” Liv worked hard to keep the tremble out of her voice but didn’t quite succeed.
He raised an eyebrow. “You mean with you trying to pick a fight at every opportunity and generally resisting me every step of the way? I have news for you, Lilenta, none of that affects the way I feel for you—the way I need you—one bit.” He walked over to the bed where she was sitting on the edge and pulled her to her feet. “I still want you more than any other woman I’ve ever seen. Still need to be inside you, bonding you to me, making you mine,” he growled softly, pulling her close.
“Baird, stop it!” She wanted to beat against his broad chest in protest but she somehow found herself melting against him instead.
“Don’t you want to give me a kiss goodbye?” There was a flicker of bitter amusement in his golden eyes. “No, I guess you don’t. Too bad.” Leaning down, he took her lips in a rough yet tender kiss that took Liv’s breath away. She opened her mouth to protest and he invaded her with his tongue, probing gently but firmly, as though it was his right to explore and claim her. As though he owned her already.
Liv moaned in mingled frustration and desire as she found she was kissing back. As always when she was close to him, in contact with him, her senses were flooded with his warm, spicy scent and her determination to resist him seemed to fly out the window. She could feel her nipples getting hard and her pussy getting hot and wet as Baird twined his fingers through her hair and held her close for the long, leisurely time it took him to explore her completely.
At last he broke away, leaving Liv gasping for air and trembling with need.
“What…why…that really…really wasn’t necessary,” she finally managed to gasp.
“Oh, yes it was. I want you to think of that kiss while I’m gone. Because tonight when I come back, that’s exactly how I’m going to taste you.” His eyes were burning now, molten gold, and Liv couldn’t stop a shiver of lust from running through her.
Down there. He’s talking about tasting me down there, between my thighs. She couldn’t bring herself to think of it more graphically than that without blushing. She’d been with a few other guys—none of them as long as Mitch—but a few. And none of them had been very interested in that particular act. With Mitch, especially, it was as though he thought of it as a distasteful chore he had to get out of the way before he could get to the good part of sex. His attitude had given Liv something of a hang-up about the whole thing and to tell the truth, she really preferred not to go there at all. Or let a man go there, as it were.
So going down was out. When Liv had stopped asking for it, Mitch had been more than happy to leave it out of their admittedly limited sexual repertoire. She’d been a little disappointed but a lot less uncomfortable in the bedroom—it seemed like a fair trade and she’d pretty much decided that no guy really wanted to go there, no matter what they said.
But the look in Baird’s eyes told her differently. The burning need she saw in their golden depths said he wanted to taste her—no, needed to taste her. The hunger in his face, the hard bulge against her thigh as he held her close…He wants to do this almost as much as he wants to make love to me, Liv realized watching the emotions play out on his sharp features. But why?
“Because,” Baird answered and she realized she’d spoken aloud. “I want to make you feel good, Lilenta. Want to taste your pleasure on my tongue as I push you over the edge. Want to feel you pulling my hair and scratching my shoulders as I take you higher and make you come harder than you ever have before.”
Liv tried to keep her cool. “And I suppose this is another Kindred ritual? Some kind of ceremony handed down for generations like the bathing thing?”
He flashed her a grin. “Not really. We just love to do it. Hell, I could go down on you for hours—and I will too, as soon as I get back.” He pulled her forward and gave her another searing kiss before looking her in the eyes. “When I get finished with you, Lilenta, every male within a fifty mile radius will know you’re mine.”