"You won't pay him." That, at least, was something he could do. Would
do, by Christ. "I will."
She forgot about humiliation. Her chin came up, sharp and fast as a
bullet. "You will not."
Another time he would have persuaded, cajoled. Or simply done the deed
on the quiet. But something was bubbling up in him--something that had
been there, simmering, since he'd turned that morning and seen her. It
wouldn't let him think, only feel and act. With his eyes on hers he
slipped a hand up, over her throat.
"Be quiet."
"I'm not a child, Ethan. You can't--"
"I'm not thinking about you like a child." Her eyes were bright and
sharp. They were heating the something that was inside him to a boil. "I
stopped being able to do that, and I can't go back to it. Do what I want
this time."
She didn't know when her breath had started to back up or her skin to
shiver. Dimly she felt the rough bark of the tree bite into her hands as
she pressed them against it. She didn't think he was talking about her
accepting a few hundred dollars for a car any longer.
"Ethan--"
His other hand was on her breast. He hadn't meant to put it there, but
it covered her and his fingers began to flex and knead. Her shirt was
still damp, just a little damp. He could feel her skin go hot under it.
"Do what I want this time," he repeated.
Her eyes were huge. He was falling into them, drowning in them. Her
heart was pounding against his hand, as if he held it beating in his
palm. His mouth crushed down on hers with a violent greed that he was
for once helpless to stem. He heard her shocked cry muffled against his
assaulting mouth. And it only thrilled him darkly.
The heat swarmed from him, stunning her. His teeth nipped roughly into
her lip, making her gasp, opening herself to the swift and skillful
invasion of his tongue.
Sensations flew too quickly to separate one from the other, but all were
dark and keen and compelling. His hands were everywhere, tugging up her
shirt, claiming her breasts, scraping those deliciously rough palms over
her. She felt him quiver, gripped his shoulders to balance them both.
Then he was yanking at her shorts.
No! Part of her mind drew back in shock, all but screamed it. He
couldn't mean to take her, here, like this, only yards away from where
people sat and children played. But another part of her simply moaned in
shocked excitement and whispered yes.
Here. Now. Like this. Exactly like this.
When he drove into her, her scream would have carried some of both, but
it was swallowed by his mouth, lost in his ragged breaths.
He thrust hard, fast, deep, his body surging into hers, his hands biting
into her tight, round bottom as he plunged. His mind was wiped clean of
everything but this one desperate need. When she came, exploding over
him, around him, in him, his thrill was dark and primal and coated his
skin with sweat.
His own climax had claws, hot-tipped, razor-sharp, that ripped through