He opened his hands and she instinctively threaded her fingers through his. He slammed her hands to the mattress, surging forward over the top of her. A searing pain burned through her body, but he went still again and she lay with her heart pounding and her fingers wound tightly in his, breathing long shuddering breaths.

“You’re so tight, Saria. So damned tight.” His voice sounded ragged and harsh.

Saria loved his voice, almost desperate for her. There was a dark hunger in his eyes, an implacable resolve she found thrilling. Her body needed more and she moved, a little experiment, lifting her hips against him. His breath hissed out and his eyes glittered dangerously.

“I want you in me, Drake. Every inch of you filling me,” she whispered.

Saria’s erotic demand sent a fireball careening through Drake’s body. He surged a little deeper and the scorching constriction of her sheath added to the firestorm racing througim. He could count her heartbeats right through the tight walls of her velvet channel. He took a breath, willing his body to go slow, to be gentle. He eased a little further into her and felt her muscles grip and milk.

“Baby, be still, you can’t do that.”

Saria’s eyes were glazed and hot, her body thrashing beneath him, hips bucking, trying to force him deeper. He leaned close to nuzzle her shoulder, teeth biting down to hold her still. He could feel her leopard rising, and his leaping to meet her.

“Fight her off, Saria. You’re not ready for that kind of rough sex,” he pleaded.

Her gaze met his and she took a breath, her fingers tightening around his. He surged forward, burying himself deep. She writhed under him, her hips rising to meet that deep thrust. Liquid heat surrounded him, and her muscles clamped down. He withdrew and plunged deep again, watching her face for signs of discomfort. The searing heat was consuming him and soon he wouldn’t be able to hold back. He’d never been out of control with a woman before, but he could feel his control slipping fast.

Whether it was her leopard so close, or Saria’s natural sensuality, she couldn’t—or wouldn’t listen to him, her body tightening rhythmically around his until he thought he’d go insane with pleasure. He heard his own groan, his surrender to the inevitable as he gathered her closer, the stroking caress of his cock causing her to cry out, her tone desperate.

He pulled back slowly in preparation, waited a heartbeat and then plunged deep and hard, setting a ferocious, almost brutal pace. He could hear his blood roaring in his ears. Her moans and pleas added to the frenzy of need driving him into her again and again, impaling her with a hard, frantic rhythm, every cell in his body alive with a growing ferocity, his cock a steel spike impaling her again and again.