“Like what?” His thumbs caressed her arms as he drew her sweater down them and let it go.

“Airbrushed,” she whispered. “Hard as steel.” Each ridge was powerful muscle, tight and strong.

The pads of his fingers skimmed across her clavicle, heating and sparking. “I was a fighter before the ritual, although it did make us stronger, I think.”

She gently tried to twist him around. “I want to see.”

He paused, and then with a soft sound of regret at removing his hands from her body, he partially turned to face the fire.

She breathed in sharply. His back was incredible. The black form of a shield, a tattoo way deeper than his skin, covered him from neck to waist. A solid form that could never be penetrated. No matter what, his heart was protected.

From the outside.

He turned back around, just as impenetrable from the front but lacking the tattoo. She felt vulnerable standing there in snowy jeans and her bra, but the flare in his eyes gave her confidence. “I’ll try not to hurt you,” she whispered, meaning every word.

* * * *

God, she was cute. A rush of emotion, hot and determined, swelled through Adare’s chest. The thought that she could hurt him was sweet.

With a flick of his finger, the front clasp of her bra sprang open, revealing small, high breasts. His fangs started to drop, and he retracted their sharp points, wanting to get his mouth on her as soon as possible. He traced from her collar bone down over one pretty pink nipple, smiling at her gasp. She was so honest in her responses. Finally. No more concerns or doubts.

When Grace Cooper went all in, she did it with a vengeance. He really liked that about her.

Even so, her expression showed a vulnerability that he needed to handle. “You’re beautiful, Grace.”

As expected, she rolled her eyes. Fair enough. He’d have to show her. He settled both hands at her waist, easily spanning the width, and lifted her toward the bed. She’d lost too much weight while fighting the decline of the mating mark, and the first thing he’d do after the op was make sure she ate healthy and continued to train. She needed to know how to fight, and she’d taken that on herself admirably, but he was done ignoring his duties.

Plus, he wanted to spend time with her. It was unexpected, but he fell into the truth. He laid her down, tugging off her jeans and boots as he stood to remove his own. Her panties were pink with lace along the edges, sexy and sweet at the same time. Like the female herself.

She reached for him, and he set a knee on the bed, leaning over to meet her mouth. He let her take control of the kiss, her lips soft and seeking, curiosity in the hands skimming across his shoulders.