arms but he tightened his hold, going completely still. Raesa whimpered. His fingers slipped free of her body and she cried out at the loss. Brom grabbed her around the waist and rose, helping her stand as he did. Her legs trembled and she stared up at his face. “I won’t take you on the floor like a beast.” She blushed hot. Icy mortification dampened her lust. He thought she was too easy. Hell, she was, wasn’t she? Tears burned behind her eyes. Brom cursed and ran his fingers down her face. He kissed her in a thorough exploration tinged with desperate need. “I’m sorry.” He swept her up in his arms and carried her to the bed. A thrill of shy joy fluttered in her stomach. She watched his expression from beneath lowered lashes. A man this beautiful was touching her, treasuring her. Even if it was for just a moment, she would carry this in her heart for those long cold nights at the Sakura outpost. Getting back there and taking over her father’s work was the only thing left to her. He set her on her feet and cupped her cheeks in his hands. “A man wants to know he’s the only thing on his woman’s mind.” His woman? Brom kissed her, sipping from her lips. It made her feel precious. Her heart and lust tangled at that moment. Brom opened his mouth over hers, plunging his tongue in to sweep away her hesitations with devastating skill. Where Na’varr seduced, Brom ravished. She dug her nails into his hair, dragging him closer. “Off.” He grabbed the hem of her dress and hauled it up, dragging it over her head and tossing it carelessly on the floor. She was no stranger to nudity or men, but never had one so openly admired her naked body. He stepped back and shrugged off his shirt. Her breath caught at the raw beauty of his shoulders and chest. Gorgeous stripes covered his upper body in a fascinating pattern. Each mark was several shades darker than the rest of him. She wanted to caress each one of them with her fingers and her tongue. See if the texture was as soft as she imagined. “Do they bother you?” She recognized the cold tone in his voice as one he’d used earlier, before Captain Na’varr had told him to take care of her. Raesa met his direct gaze with her own. It seemed as though he waited for a rejection. She smiled and let her hands fall to the sides. “I think they’re gorgeous.” Walking to him took more courage than she ever imagined. She let her fingers hover over the stripes on his chest. “May I touch you?” The harsh expression on his face softened. “Yes.” With shaking hands she touched his chest. His stripes were smooth and soft against the pads of her fingers. She glanced up at his face and traced one. He groaned and she was in awe of his open reaction to her caress. Raesa leaned back to look up at his face. “May I kiss one?” He gripped her arms. Hesitation nearly shattered her courage but she stood her ground. “A kiss, huh?” A devilish grin spread across his face. “Yes, you may.” She ran her breath over the tip of a stripe and then swiped her tongue on it. The flavor and texture were unique to hybrids. She savored the taste. His hold tightened but he let her continue her exploration. Her mouth and tongue followed the stripe until he cursed again. “I wanted to go slow with you.” His voice was raw with lust. “Slow can wait.” She stripped out of her panties and watched him shuck his trous. The thick length of his cock drew her attention. Brom captured her hands before she could touch him again. “Later. Right now, I need all the sanity I can keep.” His grip trembled slightly. This gorgeous man was hungry for her. He gently shoved her onto the mattress. Brom crawled on the bed to her, spreading her legs with a nudge of his forearms. He swiped his tongue against her moist slit. Hot lust clenched inside her and she shuddered. The pain of her need was becoming unbearable. “I’ll make it better.” He guided her hips up and