her eyes darkened with ready passion, but her expression remained leery, no doubt sensing she was being deliberately distracted.

"salvatore..."

"harley, we just escaped from a demon lord," he protested, his fingers lightly circling her nipples. "surely we deserve a few hours before we go searching for more trouble."

she shivered, her back arching beneath his caresses. "i don't have to search for trouble when you're around."

"so cruel," he teased, lifting his head to replace his fingers with his lips.

"you think you're so damned irresistible," she complained, even as her fingers threaded through his hair and she guided his mouth to her other breast.

he gently nipped her creamy skin. "i'm more interested in whether you think i'm irresistible."

"you're..." she groaned as his tongue flicked over the tip of her nipple. "passable, i suppose."

his wolf stirred at the direct challenge. without warning, he flipped her onto her back and covered her with his larger body, pressing her into the mattress.

"passable?"

"hey."

"my turn on top."

she was insanely beautiful with her golden hair spread across the pillows and her cheeks flushed, but it was the sensual anticipation that glittered in her eyes that made his muscles clench in painful need.

"don't get used to it," she husked.

"we'll see." her lips parted to argue, but her words faltered as salvatore sank his cock deep into her wet heat, her low moan of pleasure filling the air. "there's an endless number of possibilities," he whispered, "and positions."

she sank her nails deep into his back, drawing blood as he slowly pulled back and then thrust forward. the pinpricks of pain only added to his pleasure, and pumping his hips in a slow, steady rhythm, he bent his head to capture her nipple between his lips.

"yes," harley breathed, wrapping her legs around his waist. "don't stop."

stop?

madre del dio. there wasn't a force in heaven or earth that could make him stop. not when her slick heat was clamped around his erection, her hips rising to meet his thrusts with the hungry demand of a female were.

muttering soft words of encouragement, salvatore shifted to bury his face in the curve of her neck, the mating bond roaring through him. the sense of harley was not just physical, but branded on his every emotion.

she was a part of him.

for all eternity.

feeling the gathering power of his orgasm, salvatore grasped the tender flesh of her neck between his teeth, gripping her hips as he drove into her with rapid strokes.

his entire body tightened with a fierce joy.

si. this was what sex between mates was supposed to be.

intense, thrilling, and wild.

with a sharp cry, harley reached her climax, raking her nails down his back as she convulsed around him.

the sensation was enough to catapult him over the edge, and tilting back his head, salvatore roared in pleasure, allowing his seed to pour deep inside her.

for a breathless moment, he remained poised above her, then with a shuddering sigh he collapsed beside her, gathering her tight in his arms.

"admit it," he murmured, tenderly tucking a damp curl behind her ear.

"admit what?"

"you find me irresistible."

she snorted, shifting so she could meet his teasing gaze. "i find cheesecake irresistible, but that doesn't make it good for me."

"cheesecake." he studied her with a wicked smile. "hmmm."

"why are you looking at me like that?"

"i was just imagining how delicious cheesecake would taste served on this decadent skin." his fingers traced a path up the curve of her back. "what else do you find irresistible?"

she smiled with faux sweetness. "a loaded smith and wesson .357."

"sexy."

her eyes widened, then without warning, her choked laugh echoed through the vast room.

"for god's sake, is there anything you don't think is sexy?"

a poignant, entirely unreasonable warmth filled his heart at the genuine amusement shimmering in her eyes.

"not when you're near," he husked.

"so predictably male."

he pressed her closer, his cock already stirring with a ready passion.

"a wolf is never predictable..." his words broke off as a cold, sweeping power filled the air.

"what is it?" harley demanded.

"the leeches are stirring."

"is that a problem?"

"i need to speak with styx."

"about what?"

he shrugged. his conversation with the anasso was not something he intended to share.

at least not with harley.

"unfinished business."

her brows drew together in suspicion. "could you be a little more vague?"

he brushed a light kiss over her lips. time for a distraction.

"what about you, cara?"

"me?"

"what are your plans?"

she stiffened in his arms, the wary expression returning with annoying predictability.

ironic really.

wasn't it traditionally the role of the male to panic at the mention of "happily ever after"?

"for tonight?" she deliberately misunderstood. "popcorn and a movie in bed sounds pretty good."

it sounded better than good. it sounded like paradise.

a pity he had a few loose ends to tie up.

which meant he had to leave harley behind. at least for a few days.

he intended to make certain she would be safe until his return.

"harley, you know what i'm asking," he said softly.

"i don't have an answer."

"do you intend to remain here with your sister?"

"perhaps for a few days."

"and then?"

her expression hardened, her hands moving to press against his chest.

"that's my business."

content with the knowledge that she was willing to remain with the vamps for at least a few days, salvatore smiled. it shouldn't take more than a day or two to finish his business, and then he could concentrate on his obstinate mate.

"there's no need to jut that chin at me." he kissed the chin in question and then the tip of her nose. "i have no intention of locking you in my lair. at least not in the foreseeable future."

she frowned in confusion. "you're just going to let me go?"

let her go? when hell froze over.

he merely smiled. "you're not my prisoner."

far from stupid, she narrowed her eyes in suspicion. "this is some sort of trick, isn't it?"

"no trick."

"it doesn't bother you that your mate isn't going to be with you?"

"as i said, we'll figure this out in time." sliding out of bed, salvatore scooped harley into his arms and headed for the attached bathroom. "for now, i need a shower."

she widened her eyes as he crossed the marble floor and entered the shower that could fit an entire army regiment.

"what are you doing?"

setting her on her feet, salvatore savored the scent of her sharp excitement that perfumed the air.

she could snap and snarl and pretend she wasn't destined to spend the rest of her life with him, but this...

this she could never hide.

turning on the hot water to spill over them, he skimmed his lips over her cheek, his hands cupping the perfect curve of her breasts.

"you can't expect me to scrub my own back, woman," he teased. "that's what a mate is for."

"creep," she whispered, a smile curving her lips as she plunged her fingers in his hair and kissed him with a hunger that had him pushing her against the ivory ceramic tiles and spreading her legs.

"and this..." with a slow, steady thrust, his cock was deep inside her. "is what i'm for."

she groaned, wrapping her legs around his waist.

"not bad, giuliani," she whispered. "not bad at all."

an hour later, harley was settled on the bed wrapped in a terrycloth robe, aimlessly flipping the channels on the plasma tv that had appeared, with a push of a button, from behind a sliding panel.

her skin was pruny from the hour she'd spent in the shower with salvatore, and her body deliciously sated, but she felt oddly restless as she shifted on the silken sheets and adjusted the pile of pillows behind her.

it would be simple enough to blame her fidgets on the chases, cave-ins, and numerous near-death experiences she'd endured over the past few days. what woman wouldn't be twitchy?

or even the fact that she was in an unfamiliar house, surrounded by dangerous demons who could call themselves family, but still were little more than strangers.

she knew, however, those weren't the true reasons she couldn't relax.

no.

her inability to relax was directly due to salvatore.