Adrianne took as deep a breath as she could (which wasn’t very deep at all because the air quality here sucked ass) and swallowed hard. “Explain it to me again.”
To his credit, this was the third time he’d explained it, and Gabriel still didn’t get impatient with her.
“I’m going to put my hands on you,” he began.
Yeah, that part sounded good. Having his hands on her was always a great thing.
“Then I’m going to push my fire into your body, through your veins,” he went on. “Almost like an IV, but with flames.”
That part didn’t sound as good. “And it won’t hurt? How will that not hurt?”
He brushed her hair off her forehead and met her gaze steadily. “It won’t hurt because I don’t want it to hurt. I can control it even better here than I can in your world. Here, I choose what burns and what doesn’t. To an outside observer, like you were in your vision, it would look like you’re engulfed in flames. But really, it won’t harm you. I won’t let it.” His gaze shifted down for a second before lifting to hers once more. “Do you trust me?”
Her answer meant everything to him. She could see it in his eyes. But this had never been a matter of trust. She trusted Gabriel as much as her own family. He’d never hurt her.
Still…letting yourself be engulfed in flames was a pretty scary prospect.
Then again, so was asphyxiating in a hell dimension because you were too much of a wimp to take a chance on someone you loved.
“I do,” she said quietly.
For a second, she would’ve sworn his eyes misted over. But demons didn’t cry…did they?
She didn’t have long to ponder that question because he leaned down and slanted his mouth over hers in a kiss that was not at all gentle and held lots of promise. His kiss was a promise of dirty, dirty things to come for them.
Fuck, yes! Finally!
Adrianne was even more breathless when he pulled back. Good thing she was about to be demonized, because she wasn’t sure she had the strength to withstand another kiss like that.
That’s when he gave her a smile that would’ve brought her to her knees had she been standing. The flames rose to his eyes as he said, “Then let’s get married, Moonshine.”
Holy. Fuck.
She hadn’t yet recovered from the panty-melting power of his words when he sat down next to her on the bed of animal skins and yanked her up so that she straddled him. With one hand splayed across her back and one cupping the back of her neck in a way that managed to be protective and possessive all at the same time, he rested his forehead against hers once again and said, “Ready?”
Words escaped her, so she just nodded. That was all the encouragement he needed.
Adrianne squeezed her eyes shut as she felt heat from his fingertips seep into her skin. It didn’t hurt, but it was without a doubt the strangest sensation she’d ever felt. It was like sinking into a warm bath at the end of a long, hard day, but getting a mild shock of electricity along the way.
When the flames hit her lungs, she was finally able to suck in a deep breath, which felt amazing—like coming up for air after holding your breath under water until your chest ached. The relief was so overwhelming her limbs loosened to the point that she went limp in Gabriel’s arms.
His hold tightened on her. “Open your eyes,” he growled. “Stay with me.”
It took all her strength to do as she was told. A shocked gasp escaped her as her eyes met his.
The flames glowed all around them. Heat prickled its way down her body. It should be terrifying, but it wasn’t.
She’d never felt safer in her life.
It was like he was possessing her—body and soul. And she’d never wanted anything more.
Adrianne grabbed his face with both hands and kissed him, pouring every bit of emotion and gratitude and longing she had into it. The surrounding flames, flowing through him into her, licked higher, burned hotter—and she welcomed it. She never wanted him to hold back with her again. She wanted everything he had.
He groaned and kissed her back with equal fervor as the flames made their way down her arms, across her chest, over her abdomen, then down, down, down, until they reached her…
“Gabriel!”
His name had ripped its way out of her throat just as a completely unexpected orgasm tore through her. Wave after wave of pleasure lashed her hard until she was nothing but a weak, incoherent, quivering puddle in his lap.
His rumbling growl of pure male satisfaction nearly brought her to another orgasm, but it wasn’t until he caught her lower lip between his teeth and gave it a gentle nip, then grabbed her hips and yanked her up tighter against him that she actually came again.
Jesus, if sharing energy with him felt like this, what was going to happen when they were finally able to get naked together? Would she even survive it?
As she pondered that, she realized the heat had finally reached her toes. That’s when he tipped her limp body back on the bed, and the flames around them disappeared.
Gabriel leaned over her and placed one hand on her chest, right over the pendant between her breasts. “Your heart’s racing,” he murmured. “How do you feel? Talk to me.”
She’d never felt better. She felt…strong. Like the old Adrianne—the weaker version—had died and a more kick-ass version rose out of the flames like a damn phoenix to take her place. Like she could take on this world and the next.
And the very last thing she wanted to do with him was talk. That was for damn sure. They’d done enough talking to last a lifetime.
So much time wasted. So many orgasms lost.
If she had her way, they’d be doing no talking tonight.
Adrianne grabbed a fistful of his singed and tattered T-shirt and yanked him down on top of her.
They both groaned as his hips pressed into hers.
“Why don’t I show you how I feel instead?”
“Fuck,” he said on a pained hiss.
My thoughts exactly.