“Oh yeah?” she said as he peeled up the shirt. He released her hands to whip it off, and then her wrists were once more pinned above her head. “Hey, no —” She cut herself off when he rose from the bed and shed his own shirt, exposing broad shoulders and a solid very lick-able chest. She loved the ripples of his abs. Loved tracing them with her fingers and tongue. But, yeah, that wouldn’t be happening until he freed her hands.

He removed the rest of his clothes, and she clenched her thighs at the sight of his cock, hard and ready. His body hummed with raw power, and it was a total aphrodisiac for her demon, who had let go of its anger; placated by his apology. So Harper did the same. He’d made a mistake, but he’d apologized. And she could tell that he meant it. And, hello, he was really hot.

Naked, Knox loomed over her with his hands braced either side of her head. He swiped his tongue over her bottom lip. “When I first met you, I wondered if your mouth was really this shade or if you were wearing cherry lipstick.” The shade was as natural as her coal-black lashes. She raised her mouth to his, lips parted. He wanted to delve and taste and take. He would. But not yet.

He traced the outline of her mouth with the tip of his tongue. He loved the shape of it, loved how plush and soft it was. Loved the feel of it wrapped tight around his cock. “All mine.” He kissed the curve of her mouth. Suckled on her upper lip. Tugged on the fleshy part of her lower lip with his teeth just hard enough to leave a mark. She licked over it, soothing the sting. He let the tip of his tongue slide out and briefly glide against hers.

She growled. “Getting cranky here, Thorne.”

He smiled. “Ah, my kitten’s back.”

She was about to ask what the hell that meant when his mouth closed over hers. His tongue sank inside and tangled with hers. He didn’t just kiss her, he consumed her. Licking, biting, sucking… pretty much taking possession of her entire mouth. His hand slid into her hair and his fingers kneaded her scalp. Oh God, that shouldn’t have felt so good, but it did. She pretty much melted into the mattress.

“Silk has nothing on your hair.”

Harper shivered at that deep, almost rumbly whisper. She struggled to free her arms, but those psychic hands just held her tighter. Her pussy clenched. A part of her liked being held down, but she wanted to touch him. “Free my hands.” He slowly shook his head, and an icy thumb circled her pulse on her wrist.

“I think I’ll leave them where they are for now.” Knox sucked on the hollow beneath her ear, right where he’d left the small mark that said she was anchored; that there was a demon out there who would kill to protect her. She’d left a similar mark on him. Knowing she loved it, he spoke into her ear. “Don’t ever think I don’t accept all of you.”

His warm breath blew over her ear, making the hairs on her nape stand on end. “Knox —”

“I’ll always want you exactly as you are.” He massaged her inner thighs, making her slick folds open and close. The scent of her need rose up and filled his lungs, and he growled. His cock throbbed painfully. He needed to be in her, but he also needed to drum something into her pretty little head. So he repeated, “Exactly as you are.”

Harper inhaled sharply as he spread her legs wide and the cool air hit her pussy. He gave her his weight, settling his cock over her slick folds, just as his tongue curled around her nipple. She arched into his mouth and ground her clit against his cock, needing some measure of relief. She was wet and restless, and he seemed happy to ignore that.

“So many times I’ve been in a business meeting or on a conference call, and all I’ve been able to think about is getting home and pinning you against the wall while I take you.” He bit into the side of her breast, renewing a mark that had faded.

“We can totally do that now,” she said hopefully.

“I want to explore first.”

Harper didn’t have the patience for that, but she knew better than to argue with him. He was sadistic enough to deny her an orgasm if she didn’t let him have his way. His hands were firm but his fingers were feather-light as they moved over her skin, playing with all kinds of nerve endings and sending feel-good chemicals racing through her. When he touched her, it always felt like he was tracing her, committing every line and curve to memory.

All she could do was gasp and moan as he stroked. Licked. Kissed. Left suckling little bites that he soothed with a swirl of his tongue. Then his mouth clamped around her pussy, making her breath catch in her throat. He didn’t tease her, he drove her hard and fast into an orgasm that left her shaking from head to toe and burning inside.

Releasing her hands, Knox flipped her onto her stomach. He licked along the lines of her wings, knowing how sensitive the marks were. She writhed and arched beneath him, moaning for more. “I want to shield you. Protect you. Fucking possess you.” He pulled her to her knees. “But never change you.” He slammed home. Her pussy was swollen, but he forced his cock deep; groaning at how inferno-hot and slick she was. “My favorite place to be.”

Harper pushed herself up, bracing her weight on her hands. “Fuck me,” she rasped. She thought he might make her beg. He didn’t. Wrapping her hair around his fist, he snatched her head back and powered into her at a frantic pace, hitting her g-spot with every perfect, territorial slam of his cock. She fisted the sheets, pushing back to meet each thrust.

Knox fucked her harder, knowing she was close; he could feel her getting hotter and tighter around him. “Come when you’re ready, baby.” He wouldn’t make her wait. This, here and now, this was about her. As her pussy began to quake, he said, “You’re fucking everything to me. Don’t ever think differently.”