“It doesn’t matter what I wanted. You weren’t in your right mind, and I’m your doctor.” She turned away from him to stare out at the ocean beyond the boardwalk.
Dante wanted desperately to laugh, but he didn’t. Sarah was obviously upset and troubled, and no matter how strange her notions might be to him, they meant something to her. She really felt guilty for what had happened. It might be funny to him that she thought she’d somehow coerced him. Hell, he wished. He fucking fantasized about that.
He tried to tell her calmly, “I wasn’t under the influence of the drugs. They had already worn off, and I didn’t take any more of them until I got back home again. When I said they made me feel strange, I just meant I wouldn’t drive while I was taking them, and I was speaking in past tense.” He tugged on her hand, leading her down to a beach that was lit only by moonlight. Reaching down, he let Coco off her leash and dropped it into the sand. “I don’t think she’ll go far.”
“She won’t,” Sarah agreed nervously.
Dante recaptured her hand and pulled it against his groin. “I’ve been like this since the moment I saw you. There isn’t one damn second that my cock isn’t hard when you’re near me. This isn’t drug induced, and I’ll be damned if I even understand it myself. But I can’t ignore it, and I’m past the point where I give a shit why.” Dante wasn’t in the mood to reason anything out. He needed her, and he wanted to do something about it. He was a take-action type of guy. He’d never been this obsessed over a woman. Not ever. And all he wanted to do right now was calm his ass down by satiating her.
Dante nearly groaned as her fingers hesitantly traced the outline of his engorged cock. Even over the denim of his jeans, the feel of her touching him made him hotter than any woman ever had, and his dick wasn’t even out of his pants.
“I don’t understand this.” She kept tracing her fingers over the denim. “We hardly know each other. I don’t know what your favorite color is or what kind of music you like. I have no idea what your favorite food is, or if you have a favorite book. You’re a billionaire who has more money than just about anyone else on the planet, and I’m a doctor who went to school on scholarships and student loans. My father might have been a rocket scientist, but he wasn’t good with money, and there wasn’t much left for my mother when he died. We have almost nothing in common.”
Dante could hear the uncertainty and confusion in her voice. Despite her brilliance, Sarah was still innocent. Her intelligent mind was still trying to make sense of the two of them wanting each other. In reality, it didn’t make sense. It just . . . was. For Christ’s sake, he was a homicide detective who got laid whenever possible, but he didn’t get involved because of his job, and he didn’t get territorial afterward. Ever. Now he was possessive, and all he’d really done was kiss Sarah. This wasn’t his normal behavior, and he was more than a little unsettled by the whole damn situation. Problem was, he couldn’t ignore his instincts. And the vulnerability he could hear in her voice made comforting her his first priority.
He grasped her hand that was cupping him through his jeans and pulled her body into his, wrapping his arms around her waist. He buried his face in her hair and inhaled, letting her fragrance fill his senses. “I love dark blue, a blue so dark that it looks almost violet. There aren’t many types of music that I don’t like, and it just depends on what mood I’m in. I think lobster rolls are my new favorite food, and I don’t have much time to read because I’m never usually still enough to finish a book.” His hands moved to her ass and pulled her pelvis up and against his aching cock. “And I don’t give a shit about my money. I never have. I live in a one-bedroom apartment in Los Angeles, and my salary more than covers all of my needs unless I want something special. I use a family friend to manage and invest for me. My job has always consumed me, so I don’t have time to even spend any money. I don’t have a private jet, although I have to admit that I think Grady’s is pretty nice. Most times, I forget that I’m even a billionaire. I live the same way you do: I live for my job.”
Sarah squirmed, trying gently to move away from him. “Your ribs—”
“Would feel a whole lot better if you’d stop moving,” Dante finished.
Sarah froze. “I’m sorry. Did I hurt you?”
Jesus. His dick was pulsating just from the heat of her covering him and the feel of her soft, fragrant body against him. “I’d give anything to have you naked right now,” he rasped, his heart hammering against his chest wall.
“You’d be disappointed if I were,” she told him warily.
No, he wouldn’t, and he didn’t understand why she’d think that. He’d taste every inch of her exposed, fragrant, soft skin until she was whimpering for him to take her. Unable to wait another moment, he moved his hands up her back and trapped her head between his palms. He figured she knew more than enough about him now. If she wanted details, she could have them later.
Fuck it.
He covered her mouth with his, savoring the sweetness of the connection as he devoured her. Spearing his hands into her soft curls, he lost himself in the feel of her body and the relief of finally being able to possess her in some way.
Mine. She’s mine.
Dante didn’t fight his needs anymore. He needed to brand her as his, he needed to dominate her and protect her, and he gave in to those entangled desires as his tongue explored her mouth, claiming every inch of it. When she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled his mouth even harder against hers, Dante nearly lost his mind from the pleasure of her submission.