He nuzzled her, inhaling the scent of her arousal. He made certain to rub his shadowed jaw over her bare mound and lips. She writhed and gasped when his teeth tugged first one lip and then the other. He devoured her again, sucking her clit, using his teeth to bring her to the edge, stabbing with his tongue, and then collecting more honey and spice.

Her body was flushed a beautiful rose all over. He loved that. He slid one hand free, making certain to keep her pinned with his shoulders so he could slip one thick finger into her, massaging her sensitive walls and especially that one spot that made her hips buck and her mouth form that perfect O in shock. He took her up again and again, but refused to allow her to soar. “You’re so fucking hot, malyutka. I love looking at you. Feeling you. Just watching you come apart for me.”

“I don’ care how hot you think I am,” she snapped between her clenched teeth. “Less playin’. Stop teasin’. Get to the comin’ apart part.”

“You did a lot of teasing,” he mused, all thoughtful. He bent to her again, lapping at the honey and spice, tugging with his teeth, pushing deep with his finger to massage that hot little spot. “I need something from you.”

“What?” she demanded through her ragged breathing.

“You want a reward, figure it out.”

“You’re such a baby, Fyodor. Such a baby. I told you with my hand and my mouth. Strippin’ for you. Sheesh. Get on with it.”

All the while he nuzzled her. Teased her. Smiled inside because Evangeline was pure happiness. The one thing he didn’t do was let her come apart.

“Alright. I’m madly in love with you.”

There it was. All his. “Now, Evangeline. Give it to me now.” He sent her soaring because those six words had done it for him.

18

EVANGELINE was nervous. She didn’t have many friends. She’d read a lot of books, and she’d done well in the bakery because she could keep a distance between herself and the customers. The counter was always there. She liked people, she just wasn’t comfortable interacting closely with them.

Alonzo curled his palm around the nape of her neck and pulled her a little closer to him. “You aren’t going to your doom, malen’kaya lyublyu moyo.”

She shot him a glance from under her lashes. He had no idea. “Why does it feel like it?” She narrowed her eyes at Timur, who had exchanged an amused glance with Gorya. “It’s not funny.”

“Yeah, it is. You take on my brother, his crazy-ass leopard and the cops, but you’re afraid of a few women. That’s hysterical.”

“No more desserts for you.” She poured hostility into her voice.