He ran his thumb over my cheek in a feather-light touch, but I stirred restlessly. Lust pricked my skin.

He moved his fingertips down my throat, over my shoulder. A small sigh escaped me. “Want to know a secret?”

“Depends.”

He chuckled. “It’s about the moment I knew I wanted you, that you’d be mine.” Slowly, he moved his hand to the swell of my breast. “That I’d fall in love with you.”

Hearing him say that affected me deeply. It took a moment to speak.

“When?”

“Sooner than you’d think.” Using his thigh, he parted mine, and then lowered himself, moving against me in a slow, undulating grind.

“When?” I asked.

“The first day you were in my cabin.” He rocked his hips again. “When you threw the statue at my head.”

My hips tipped up as surprise washed over me.

“That soon?”

“That soon.” He lowered his head, moving his lips across my cheek. “I didn’t realize it then.”

“I didn’t throw the statue at your head.” I spread my thighs, cradling his.

“My bad.” His other hand slid up the flare of my hip, up my stomach.

He stopped just below my breasts, his thumb brushing over the swell.

My breath caught as his kisses reached the corner of my mouth. I turned my head slightly. Our lips brushed and it was electric. “It was my thigh.”

A giggle escaped me a moment before he lowered his head to the space between my neck and shoulder. Sliding his hands to my hips, he nuzzled my neck. He let his hand stray higher, nearly reaching the peak of my breast.

I wanted him to move faster and yet keep this slow, torturous pace. “I have a secret to tell you, too.”

“You wanted me the moment you saw me in the parking garage?”

My laugh was cut off when he cupped by breast.

“That wasn’t it.”

“I bet that’s the truth though.”

His eyes remained latched to mine as he teased my nipple. I moved my hand down his chest, and my stomach muscles tightened.

“I wanted you then, too.

Wanted to strip you bare and fuck you on the hood of your car.”

His words sent a dark shudder through me.

“Wow.”

He chuckled deeply and then lowered his head, flicking his tongue over one pert nipple. I moaned as both of my hands flattened against his lower stomach, and his muscles bunched.

“So what was it?”

“Huh?” I had no idea what he was talking about.

He pressed down, moving his hand to my other breast. His tongue swirled over the nipple.

“You said you had a secret.”

“Oh. That.” My head went back as my breath came out in short gasps.

He drew the rosy peak into his mouth as he caught my other nipple between his thumb and forefinger.

“God,”

I moaned.

“Hunter…”

“Focus.”

My lower body started to move in tiny circles. “I was totally turned on when you threw me on the bed.”

“Knew it.” His mouth tugged on my breast and his tongue rasped over the tip, driving me insane.

“It was hot.” My hands slipped over rock-hard abs that dipped and rippled.

Masculine perfection. My hips rocked against the thick muscle pressed against me.

“You are hot.” His voice was thick, smoky; his lips moving against my breast.

“You turn me on. You make me care about things I never cared about before. You make me think.

You make me warm.”

He caught my nipple between his teeth as he shifted his hips forward, sliding deep inside me. I cried out, thrusting my fingers into his hair as he moved slowly, deeply. It felt like I would burst into flames as he sank into me, again and again. I wrapped my legs around his hips and we met each other, thrust for thrust. His mouth was everywhere, trailing kisses down my throat. His hands cradled my hips, holding me still as he grinded against me. He whispered something in a language I didn’t understand as he buried himself over and over again.

Something was different about this time.

Each touch seared me and seemed to break him. I realized slowly that we were making love. It didn’t mean that the other times meant any less, but this time, this was what making love felt like.

Lost in the blinding pleasure, I looked down when he lifted up far enough that I could see where we were joined together. The sight of him moving in and out of me was erotic and intimate, but no more powerful than what the act symbolized.

Higher and higher I went, until I threw my head back.

Spasms rocked through me.

My gasping moans quickly escalated, and once again his lips were on mine, silencing my hoarse screams as I came apart.

Hunter quickly followed, his hips pumping furiously until he stilled, pressed against me, inside me.

Hunter rested his forehead against mine, and I could feel his heart pounding just as fast. His body jerked and he groaned. “That was…yeah, that…”

“Agreed.”

He pulled out and rolled onto his side, pulling me into his arms as he pressed a kiss to my cheek and then my lips.

And well, that led to other things equally amazing.

Later, much, much later, I stood in front of the window overlooking a patio below. Hunter and I had only been able to ignore the lure of food for so long and, after eating a hefty dinner, both of us had fallen asleep the moment we hit the bed for a second time.

But I hadn’t stayed asleep for very long.

So much was running through my head. My future was one big fat unknown, but with Hunter by my side, I knew we’d make it. Things might not be orthodox or how I pictured spending my life, but I was alive and I was with someone I loved.

However, I did know that things wouldn’t be easy.

I pulled the sheet around me as a shiver raced down my spine.

Mel’s death had been avenged and the knowledge she had unwittingly gained would be passed on, but I had a feeling it wouldn’t be enough.

In the end, everything would change even more so than it had already.

Out there, there was a secret government organization working with and against two alien races that not only had infiltrated mankind, but also had become an intricate part of society. There was a whole alien race potentially planning to make war and the good guys… There was a whisper of movement and then I felt Hunter’s arms wrap around me from behind.

Well, the good guys really weren’t typical. They really weren’t the good guys at all, but if I discovered anything, there was no such thing as white and black. There was a lot of gray in the middle.

“Couldn’t sleep?”

he asked.

I leaned back, closing my eyes. “I didn’t mean to wake you. I know you have to be exhausted.”

“It’s fine.” He lowered his head, pressing his cheek against mine. His breath teased the corner of my lips. “Are you okay?”

The question was rather large, all things considered. My life was forever altered and would never, ever be the same.

Maybe one day I could go back to a job like I had before. Maybe a million aliens would descend on Earth tomorrow. But right now? I had to live in the right now.

Hunter pressed his lips to my temple. And right now wasn’t so bad. I turned in his arms, loving how they immediately tightened around me, fitting me to his chest. I tipped my head back and smiled. “I’m okay.”

His eyes were a deeper blue as they locked on to mine. “I know.”

“Then why did you ask?”

“Figured it was the human thing to do,” he replied.

I grinned. “You’re getting better at that kind of stuff.”

Hunter laughed deeply.

“No I’m not. But that’s fine.

You like me like this.”

Yeah, I did. He was still like the damn panther. If anyone got too close, he’d rip them apart—anyone but me. Emotion clogged my throat as I stared up at him. My gaze memorized every inch of face, and I rose onto the tips of my toes. He met me halfway, sweeping his lips over mine. His lips and embrace were cool, but all I felt was a wealth of warmth.

So RIGHT NOW would do just fine.