“I believe we’re done here, gentlemen,” Mario said. “I trust you’ll take care of things there, Elijah.”

Elijah nodded. Good-byes were said. Coffee and Evangeline’s desserts were served. Throughout it all, Emilio and Ulisse entered the conversations and laughed with the others as if they were all good friends. Alonzo didn’t believe it for one minute.

19

EVANGELINE woke, every nerve ending alert and on fire. She didn’t have a stitch on, something that happened often. Her nightclothes often ended up in shreds on the floor beside the bed. When she woke, her clothes were gone as if they’d never been. Alonzo was always neat once the sun came up.

Right now, he was devouring her, one of his all-time favorite things to do. She caught his hair in both fists and shifted her head on the pillow to get a better look at him. The moon spilled through the open window. They had made the master bedroom their own and even the covered porch outside their sliding glass door couldn’t block that bright ball from illuminating Alonzo’s harsh features.

His face was carved in sensual lines. He concentrated on using tongue and teeth to get what he wanted. Her body responded to his growls to be still with more honey and cinnamon spice spilling into his mouth.

“Baby,” she whispered. Nothing could make her feel the way Alonzo could. So alive. So loved. No matter what he did to her, she felt thoroughly loved. He enjoyed going down on her. He stayed focused and was in absolute control of her body when he held her still and completely open to him.

She tried not to squirm, but it was impossible, her hips bucking, trying to get closer to his mouth. She knew she was already close. Her body wound tighter and tighter until she wanted to scream for release. He pulled back abruptly, and rubbed his shadowed jaw on both inner thighs. She always found that incredibly sexy when he did that, sending heat ratcheting up another notch.

“Fyodor,” she protested. “Stop playing around.” But she knew that was exactly what he was doing, playing around. He liked to play—and he was really, really good at it.

He growled but didn’t lift his head. One arm clamped tight around her hips, leaving him one free hand—and he was wicked with that hand. His mouth roamed up her inner thigh and then he bit down. At the same time his thumb brushed little caresses over her inflamed clit. She yanked on his hair in retaliation, even as her body spilled more honey for him. It was a vicious circle. He knew every way to bring her body pleasure. His mouth, his teeth, his fingers. He drove her up again and again, right to that precipice, but he never relented, despite her pleading, and let her fall over.