General Garin Nox swears he has no time for a female. One by one his brothers and friends have all found their mates, but he has stayed focused on the rebellion, determined to win freedom for the battle born.
Then he meets Berlynn Tandori, a feisty canine shifter born on Earth. She defies him, yet attracts him, challenging him at every turn. He’s used to having his orders obeyed without question, but Berlynn isn’t one of his men. She’s turning their courtship into a battle of wills, which suits Garin just fine. He thrives on strategy, and someone should have told Berlynn that General Nox has never lost a battle.
Copyright © 2016 Cyndi Friberg
He spun her around and brought her back against his chest. “Do you trust me?” He whispered the question into her ear, sending tingles down her spine.
One moment he’d seemed almost angry and now, she wasn’t sure what this was. “It’s not a matter of trust. I—”
He caught the back of her hair and turned her head until their gazes locked. Despite the firmness of his hold, he wasn’t hurting her, just denying her need to escape. “Yes or no. Do you trust me?”
An odd, unexpected heat spiraled through her body. Rodyte males were all aggressive, but she’d never really thought about how that translated to intimate situations. The males in Tandori Tribe had been softened by the social mores of Earth. There was no softness in Garin, just ruthlessly controlled power and intensity. Even so, she wasn’t afraid. “Yes, I trust you, but—”
His mouth silenced her, sealing over hers in a deep, compelling kiss. He angled his free arm over her torso and lightly cupped her breast. This wasn’t the polite gentleman who’d spoken with her for hours even though they’d been alone in the Phantom. This was General Nox, a career military commander used to having his orders obeyed. She shivered, thrilled yet intimidated by the change in his approach.
He slid his tongue around hers then drew back, mesmerizing her with sensual motions and careful suction. Unable to resist the silent invitation, she pushed past their lips and explored the warm interior of his mouth. His scent grew stronger with each ragged breath and his taste gradually spread across her tongue.
Her passion-muddled brain tried to understand his motivation. He’d said he didn’t want a mistress, so why was he kissing her?
His fingers gradually released her hair as his other hand moved over her breasts. Her nipples hardened at the first brush of his fingertips and he groaned into her open mouth. Desire dropped hot and heavy into her abdomen, then lower. Her core ached and restlessness spread through her body like a transient itch.
She tore her mouth away from his, desperate for air. “Garin. Why…”
He slid his lips down her neck, scattering her thoughts. His touch was intoxicating. Who cared why he was touching her. This was what she’d wanted since their gazes first locked.
One of his arms banded her waist, holding her firmly against him as he walked backward. He pressed his back against a tree trunk then continued his tantalizing assault on her body. “Don’t think, love. Just feel.”