Liv stoked the fire and looked out the windows. The snow was still wild and swirling.
They wouldn’t be going anywhere until the snow let up. The good thing was, the Gizzida wouldn’t be either.
She heard a splash of water and her mouth went dry.
Alexander was in the small, adjoining bathroom. He’d left the door open to let the light in. She’d warmed a jug of water by the fire for him. There was another splash and she imagined him running the washcloth over his skin.
She swallowed, her fingers curling into her palms. She wanted him. She wanted to explore every inch of him and run her hands down his body. Run her tongue over him. She felt a throb between her legs. She wanted to know if his cock was long and lean like the rest of him, or thick and fat…
He came out of the bathroom shirtless, with a towel wrapped around his waist and another around his neck.
The firelight danced over him.
Liv felt a lightning bolt of heat hit her belly and she licked her lips. “All finished?”
He nodded.
She walked past him, her hands itching to touch. In the bathroom, she tipped some fresh water into the bowl and cleaned up. She took her shirt off and ran the cloth over her skin, goose bumps rising.
She was so aware of the male just outside the door. She looked up at herself in the mirror, her gaze drawn to the strands of silver in her hair and the small wrinkles at the corner of her eyes. What the hell was she doing?
All that matters is the here and now. All that matters is what makes us happy. His voice echoed in her head.
There was a good chance that they might not survive the aliens much longer. She let out a shaky breath. The thought of someone as handsome and forceful as Alexander being gone… The wrongness made her insides ache.
She met her own gaze again. This time, she tried to see what Alexander saw—blonde hair, healthy skin, fit body.
He wanted her. Alexander Erickson wanted her.
Liv dropped the cloth in the bowl and turned. She pulled her shirt back on, but didn’t button it.
She reached the doorway and saw that he was still shirtless, sitting by the fire. He was staring hard at the flames. Then he turned, an electric look in his eyes.
His gaze traveled over her. “God, you’re beautiful, Liv.”
“You make me feel it.”
“Come here.”
Helpless to resist, she walked to him.
When she stood in front of him, he ran his hands up her sides, sliding inside her open shirt. Then he closed one hand over her breast.
“I want to touch you, Liv. Taste you.”
She nodded.
Satisfaction filled his blue eyes. He shoved her shirt off her shoulders and pulled her forward. Then his mouth was on her.
She cried out. His hot mouth closed over one nipple and she held his head to her. Heat. Need. They both stormed through her.
Then she was clawing at his shoulders. He growled and tipped his head back. She leaned down and kissed him.
Alexander groaned, taking over the kiss. His tongue stroked hers, the kiss deep, possessive, with no holding back. Liv forgot to breathe, and all she could do was kiss him back.
He rose from the chair, arms wrapping around her and lifting her off her feet. He didn’t break the kiss, kissing her with firm lips, his tongue plunging deep.
She moaned, feeling it everywhere—her nipples were hard points, her skin was hot, and heat coiled low in her belly.
He took two steps, then laid her down on the rug in front of the fire.
“I’ve wanted to do this for so long.” His voice was little more than a deep growl.
His words rocketed through her. “I didn’t know.”
He kissed her neck, raking his teeth along her skin. Then he peppered kisses along her jaw. “For a smart woman, you’re clueless.” He moved down again, tongue running along her collarbone, his big hands plumping her breasts together. He sucked a nipple into his mouth.
“God, Alexander.”
“Yes, I’ll be your god for today.” He kissed the valley between her breasts.
A laugh broke out of her.
He raised his head and smiled. “I love that sound. I’m going to make you laugh more, Liv.”
“I haven’t had many reasons to laugh.” Even before the invasion, she realized her life had been…staid, settled.
“That is going to change.” He moved across to her other breast. The hot, hot suction made her arch into him.
He moved lower, tugging her leggings off. Anticipation made her shake.
“Look at you.” He moved his fingers through the damp curls between her legs.
Then he lowered his blond head. When he nipped her hipbone, she moaned. It had been so long since she’d felt pleasure like this.
Pushing her thighs apart, he licked her.
Liv made a strangled sound, gripping the rug beneath her. His tongue was relentless, lapping at her folds. She moved her hips, tilting them. “Alexander.”
She didn’t remember moving her hands, but now her fingers were threaded through his hair. Sensation roared through her. Oh, God, she was close.
“Alex—”
“Let go.” He pulled her thigh around his head, his tongue plunging deep. Then his tongue hit her clit.
Liv splintered apart, her broken cries echoing off the walls.
She came back to awareness, realizing she was on her back on the soft rug, blinking and sucking in some deep breaths.
Then she looked at the big, hard male hovering over her. Her belly tightened. His face was stark with need, his control gone.
Raw hunger and need roared through Alexander.
He’d always wanted a woman, a partner, one who would be his. A woman who saw deep inside him, like no one else could.
Now he stared into Liv’s blue eyes and felt a savage need to possess her. He knew that this smart, steady woman was his.
She’d be his rock, his foundation. Whatever life threw at them, they’d face it together. And he would spend his days making her laugh, making her feel loved.
He’d never fit with a woman before. He’d had fun and enjoyed them, sure, but he’d never felt like this. Like something deep inside had clicked into place.
The need to possess her, claim her, hit him hard. To prove that she needed him too.
She was rising to sit, but he shoved her back down. Her lips parted and he closed his mouth over hers. The kiss was hard, and soon, she was twisting beneath him.
“Alexander,” she panted.
“Need you.” He shoved his towel off.
She cupped his jaw. “Take what you need.”
He was too far gone to be gentle. He shoved her long legs apart. With a hard thrust, he was inside her.
She froze and made a harsh noise.
“Liv?”
“It’s just been a long time.”
Fuck, he’d been too rough. He tried to pull back, but her arms and legs wrapped around him, and her hand gripped the nape of his neck.
“Move, Alexander.”
The dam broke.
He pounded into her and her cries drove him on. She was like a tight, sweet fist around his cock.
She clawed at his back.
“We fit,” he growled.
Her wide, pleasure-stunned eyes met his. “We fit.”
Satisfaction hit, mixing with so many other sensations.
“You feel so good,” she panted.
“You feel better. So tight and hot.”
He changed the angle of his thrusts and felt her jolt.
“Oh… That’s…” Her thighs trembled. “Alexander, I’m going to—”
Her body clenched tight on his cock, and with a cry, she came. His thrusts lost rhythm and he rammed into her. She continued to say his name, over and over, as another orgasm hit her.
He couldn’t hold on much longer.
He thrust a few more times, and then his climax hit. He roared, coming inside her.
“Mine.” He wasn’t sure if he’d said it aloud, or just heard the echo in his head.
She pressed her face into his neck, her arms holding him tight.
Nothing had ever felt so right.