Bound by Flame (29 page)

He was so insistent about talking to the Mothers. As much as he could without ruining her life, he
was
fighting for her.

Did that mean he loved her, too?

All this dancing left, right, around in circles, she couldn’t take it anymore.

Screw it. Just screw everything.

She was a fire Sibyl. About friggin’ time she acted like one.

Cynda faced Nick directly. “No, you don’t understand. I love you. I can’t ignore that anymore. I refuse.”

Now Nick really looked slapped. Caught off guard. He lowered his arms and gazed at her, obviously trying to figure out what he should say.

Cynda would have smiled if she hadn’t been fighting eagle-sized butterflies in her belly.

That’s
communication, big man. Can you keep up with me?

She felt like herself again.

Finally.

Nick tightened his fingers into fists, heightening the definition in his arms. He looked barely restrained, and so handsome she could almost taste him.

“Is…this what you want?” His voice came out so low Cynda’s neck tingled. “Am I worth the cost to you?”

Now she did smile. She felt the answer like a wave of pure, satiating warmth as she said, “You’re worth everything.”

His hungry look radiated through her essence, speaking louder than any words, shouting at her to move, to come to him, where she belonged.

Cynda felt wanted. She felt beautiful and right and strong again.

She walked across the floor, straight through the jets of fire her own energy created, until she stood inches from Nick, face-to-face, eye to eye. His presence fed into her like sunlight, like the molten rock at the center of the Earth.

She put her hands under his T-shirt, rubbing across the hard ridges of muscle beneath. “Let’s keep this simple from now on. Tell me, yes or no. Do you love me?”

“Yes. I love you.” No hesitation. No glimmer of worry in those dark eyes. He gave her the answer without so much as a blink, and Cynda felt twice as warm. Gloriously hot.

She slid her hands higher, to his sensitive nipples, and enjoyed the shudder as she brushed her palms across them. “Do you want me, Nick?”

He started to glow. His eyes flamed like black stars, burning into existence. For her. The man blazed for her.

“Yes,” he said, his bass rumble stirring her heart.

She pinched his nipples hard enough to make him pull air through his teeth. “Then what are you waiting for?”

Nick let out a growl and unfastened her jeans.

Cynda stepped out of them and kicked them away as her underwear went up in smoke. Nick grabbed her ass, lifted her off the ground, and pressed her against him.

Cynda wrapped her legs around his waist, holding him tight as she slipped her hands from under his shirt, ran her fingers up his neck, and loosened his hair. When it fell around his shoulders, she grabbed both hands full, pulling his face to hers.

The man’s lips were heaven. He tasted perfect. Sharp and tangy and male, exactly like she wanted.

As his tongue found hers, she couldn’t believe how hard her heart pounded, how desperately she wanted to be body to body, skin to skin, with Nick deep inside her.

She broke the kiss, breathing in quick jerks. “No more waiting.” Her voice scraped in her throat as she pulled back to look into his eyes. “Here. Now. Right now.”

Nick swept his mouth down to her shoulder through her shirt, then up again, to her exposed neck. She gasped at his sharp nips, his tender bites, and loved the low, ravenous rumble in his chest as he started to move.

With her legs still wrapped around him, he carried her to one of the exercise mats and laid her down. Her naked ass rubbed the cool foam surface, sending new chills up and down her spine.

As Nick knelt between her thighs, Cynda spread her legs wide to give him all the room he needed.

“I want you naked,” he growled.

She reached for her blouse, but he caught her wrists in one of his hands.

Big hands. Huge hands. Strong. He feels
so
good.

Nick’s fierce expression sent waves of molten heat all over Cynda’s body.

Keeping firm control of her wrists, he eased her arms over her head and pressed them to the mat. All the while, he rubbed his jean-clad erection against her drenched lower folds, the rough, illicit sensation driving her absolutely into orbit.

No question now.

She had never wanted anything this badly. Ever.

All she could do was groan and push her body into his, tempting, asking. She’d beg if she had to.

With his free hand, Nick shoved upward at her blouse buttons. They gave easily, and her shirt fell open, releasing her aching breasts. Her nipples beaded in the cool air even as Nick’s fiery stare heated Cynda in ways she had never experienced.

“You’re so beautiful,” he murmured before he lowered his head and caught one of her rock-hard nubs in his teeth.

Cynda moaned. She arched into his biting, his sucking, as sparks flew through her body. Nick’s skin glowed brighter gold, drawing in the heat she surrendered, making it his own, containing her even as he powered her headlong toward the edge.

Nick kept his attention on her breasts, pulling first one nipple into his mouth, then the other. Just the sensation of his breath on the tender flesh almost yanked Cynda into the abyss. She could barely stand the sensation of his rough jeans scrubbing her bare thighs, the feel of the mat beneath her naked ass. She had never been at any man’s mercy—she had never been under any man’s control, but she didn’t give one damn about handing that control to Nick.

He could have it.

He could take her, any way he wanted to.

Cynda clamped her knees around his waist, locked her ankles behind his back, and rode his jean-clad cock while he kept sucking her nipples, pressing his face into her breasts, holding her to the mat, exactly where he wanted her.

A cry of need escaped her throat. “I can’t wait. Don’t make me wait. I’ll cook us both.”

Fire skittered around them in a circle, just off the mat.

Nick still didn’t release her wrists.

Cynda thrashed beneath him. If he didn’t give her relief soon, she’d burn off his clothes. Hell, they were both on fire anyway. It wouldn’t take much, would it?

Only Nick kept drawing her fire into him, taking it, handling her completely as he drove her insane.

He turned loose her nipple and moved his mouth to hers again, claiming her lips, crushing her mouth with his.

Her blood had to be turning to steam, she was so hot. Every inch of her felt alive, sensitized, ready.

Nick tore himself from the kiss. When he spoke, the deep, ragged sound of his voice made her ache. “Tell me how you want it.”

If Cynda could have gotten her hands free, she would have raked her nails from his shoulders to his ass. “Fast. Hard. Now!”

She arched her back so hard she lifted them both off the mat for a split second.

Nick trailed his hand down her belly, rubbing her throbbing center as he unfastened his jeans. Jolts of electricity shot through her, and more fire leaped into existence. Half the room had to be covered by now.

When his thick erection burst free and pressed into her belly, she coated another section of the stone basement with flames.

Cynda moaned from the size of him, from the musky scent of their arousal. Smoke clouded the air in every direction. Fire hissed and crackled, but she didn’t have to worry in this stone room. A few mats and balls—those were easy to fix.

Rock didn’t burn.

Even though she knew she couldn’t get loose from his masterful grip, Cynda twisted her wrists in Nick’s powerful hand, wanting nothing more than to reach down and feel him, stroke him—and put
him
exactly where she wanted him.

Inside her. All the way. Deep.

Five minutes ago…

She raised her hips as best she could, opening herself wide.

On one knee, he kept her wrists hostage and teased her wet folds with the firm, soft head of his erection. Tickling. Circling all the spots that ached and pulsed and wanted so much more.

“Hard and fast,” he murmured, black eyes fixed on hers. “Are you sure?”

“Now, Nick!” She forced her wrists against his hand. “Now before I hurt you!”

For an endless, agonizing second, Nick gazed at her like he might be storing every detail of how she looked, the fire dancing beyond her hair, the heat radiating off her skin.

Then he slid into her. Forcing her wide, stretching her with his steel-hard girth.

Cynda banged her head on the mat and screamed.

Finally, finally, finally!

Fire shot from her fingertips and toes.

Nick let go of her wrists, and she grabbed the sides of his head and kissed him deep, as they lay still for a moment, sharing each other, joined, connected.

Nick nipped her bottom lip, pulled away, and took hold of Cynda’s ankles, moving her legs and feet up, so that her calves rested on his shoulders. He eased himself to his knees, hands to either side of her ass, gripping her firmly, but gently, just the right amount of pressure, as he slid deeper inside her.

She moaned again as he seemed to sink to her very core—and stop.

“You fit me,” he said in that low, sexy voice. “I may stay right here forever.”

“Not if,” she gasped, “you don’t. Fucking. Move!”

Her body shook as he moved his cock, slowly at first, then burying himself with each thrust.

“So good,” he said, but Cynda barely heard him over the crazed noises she was making.

She couldn’t help looking at where they were joined, watching him glide in and out of her, harder with every stroke. He did fit, he did, and was it ever amazing to see, to feel. Already her channel was clenching him, so wet she could hear each movement, which only made her crazier.

“That’s it,” he encouraged, moving faster, doubling her sensations. “Watch. Don’t close your eyes.”

Cynda watched and moaned and wondered if she’d ever be able to breathe normally again.

Nick pumped his hips, picking up the pace. He let go of her ass and rested his hands on her breasts, massaging, pinching her nipples.

She cried out, but when she closed her eyes, he pinched her harder.

“Watch,” he ordered. “Watch me make you scream.”

She opened her eyes. The sight of Nick inside her was almost too much.

Fire caught in Cynda’s mind and roared. The fires in the gym roared louder. Everything inside her pulled together, holding him, wanting him deeper, taking him deeper.

“That’s it, firebird.” His voice shook with the force of his need, matching her own.

“Don’t stop.” Cynda slammed herself against him as he thrust hard and fast, just like she’d ordered and oh, Goddess, he was making her watch, and she couldn’t stand another second.

She screamed as her orgasm swept over both of them, flash fire, out of control, sizzling into Nick’s golden skin, brighter and louder with each incredible wave of sensation.

She was still screaming, eyes closed now, telling him to stop, telling him he had to stop, but he didn’t, and Cynda knew—positive, no question—she was about to completely explode.

She thrust both breasts into his palms as he drove himself deeper still, moving so hard and fast Cynda’s body rocked and jerked from the force.

The wave building inside her was huge. Too big. She’d burn down the townhouse. She’d burn down New York, but still, he didn’t quit moving.

“Give it to me, firebird,” he commanded, and Cynda’s consciousness came loose from its moorings.

She screamed again, shaking from the force of another round of pure pleasure. She dug her nails into Nick’s skin, into what felt like raw pulsing energy. Her body moved with its own will and purpose then, driving her, driving him.

When she managed to open her eyes, the joy and desire on Nick’s face nearly unraveled her completely.

And the big man wasn’t finished yet.

19

Sweat coursed down the center of Nick’s back.

His muscles burned from restraining himself. All he could do, and not much longer.

Thank God Sibyls had their own methods of birth control, because a condom would have melted ten times over by now. His clothes were long gone, no more than ashes smeared on his skin. The gym blazed with fire—floors, walls, everywhere. Pools of it. Sheets of it.

Exercise balls detonated like grenades. The mats were probably melted into puddles. He’d be surprised if the weights hadn’t liquefied, too.

But the hottest thing in the room lay screaming beneath him.

He had never known anything so sweet in his life.

The sensation of her wet depths squeezing into him nearly brought out the howling, mindless beast.

As he drove his cock into Cynda, Nick wished he could use his own energy to brand her so all men would know that she was
his
. His now. His forever.

“I can’t take any more!” She pounded his shoulders with her fists, but he knew she could last through another round. He could see it in the wild light of her green eyes, read it in her frenzied bucks, smell it in her sweet, sensual musk.

She had one more explosion in her, and he would get her there. He would make sure he left his mark, one way or another.

Her lids fluttered shut as she bit her pretty lip.

“Open your eyes,” he said, the words coming out in a guttural snarl. “Watch us, firebird. Watch us burn together.”

Cynda called him six names without ever saying the same word twice. She beat on him again, smashed herself against him—but she opened her eyes.

The sight of her moaning and sweaty and desperate, staring at that sweet, joined spot where his cock plunged into her sleek body, almost punched his ticket.

He bit the inside of his cheek until he tasted blood.

Using his special connection to Gideon, he brought his
other
forward. Barely. Just enough to change his own size, shape, and temperature.

Cynda’s eyes went wide as Nick felt the surge of energy flow into his cock. When he looked down, he glowed gold everywhere, and she had fire in new places, dancing between them like dozens of hot little fingers.