She swallowed hard. “Those are interesting. What are they?”
“My balls.”
She gritted her teeth and gave him a wry look, being careful to only look at his face. “In your hand.”
“Ah.” He smiled as he raised his hand to her. “Shampoo and conditioner. Travel size. Would you like to try it?”
“No, thanks.” She lifted her chin. “Are you smirking at me?”
“Never.” His smile widened. “Are you ogling me?”
“Never.” Her gaze slid down as he turned. Good Lord, could a man’s back and bu**ocks be that gorgeous?
He strode into the shallow pool at the base of the waterfall. The water only reached midcalf, for it rushed down a rocky path to join the main stream in the valley.
After setting the small containers on a rock, he leaned into the cascade of water, his back to her.
She took a deep breath to ease the quivers in her stomach. Even with the scars on his back, he was beautiful to behold. He lifted his arms to smooth his hands over his slick hair. The muscles in his arms and shoulders rippled. His bu**ocks flexed.
And her knees nearly gave out. With a muffled squeak, she steadied herself.
He glanced back as he squirted shampoo into his hand. “Are you all right?”
“Yes. I—I’ll just rinse out your underwear.” She grabbed it off the ground and hurried to the stream.
Crouching next to the water, she dunked his underwear in and swished it about. She glanced back. He was vigorously lathering up his hair. Trails of soap trickled down his back, meandering around his muscles, till they reached his rump.
She turned away, sucking in a deep breath. How could a man’s rear end look so enticing? So touchable. She wanted to dig her fingers into those cheeks and feel the muscles flexing beneath her hands.
She squeezed his underwear in her hands, wringing out the water. Her thighs tensed as an odd sensation settled between her legs. An empty, aching need. It made her press her thighs together.
She glanced back and gasped softly. He’d turned to face her. His eyes were closed, and he was leaning back to rinse his hair. His hands glided over his hair, biceps bulging. Rivulets of water ran down his chest and stomach to the patch of dark hair that surrounded his manhood.
He was aroused. Jutting out. Her mouth went dry, and moisture pooled between her legs.
He stepped toward her, and with another gasp, she realized his eyes were now open. He’d caught her ogling him. She stumbled to her feet.
“Is that my underwear?” He pointed downstream.
“Oh!” In her shock, she must have dropped it. It was tumbling down the creek, halfway to Frederic’s cabin. “I’ll get it!” She ran along the bank of the stream, then plunged in to grab it where it had caught on a tree branch.
Suddenly, Zoltan appeared in the middle of the creek, right in front of her. With a squeal, she fell back, landing on her rump. Cold water enveloped her to her chin.
With a laugh, he plucked his underwear off the branch, then pulled her to her feet. “Now that you’re all wet, you might as well shower with me.”
“I—” Everything went black again, then she stumbled in the pool by the waterfall. “Stop doing that!” She shoved at him, but he didn’t budge.
He untied her sash, then pulled off her robe. She was still wearing the sheer white silk shift underneath.
Zoltan tossed her robe onto the grass, then squeezed some shampoo into the palm of his hand. “Is your hair wet?”
She leaned into the spray of water to dampen her hair, then he led her over to a rock.
“Sit.” He stepped behind her. “Close your eyes.”
She sat with a huff. “You shouldn’t order me about.” She swiveled on the rock to glare at him but found her nose inches away from his manhood. Her jaw dropped. The cold stream had doused his arousal a bit, but the shaft was still thick and heavy, swollen with desire.
“You should close your mouth,” he said softly. “It’s giving me ideas.”
She snapped her mouth shut and glowered at him. “Are you smirking again?”
“Are you ogling again?”
She scoffed, then turned her back to him and squeezed her eyes shut. But even with her eyes closed, she kept seeing his manhood.
His hands moved over her scalp, his fingers massaging her temples and the back of her neck. It felt heavenly. Sensual. She gripped her knees.
“Come.” He pulled her to her feet and led her back to the waterfall. Then he arched her back to rinse her hair.
When she straightened, her silk shift was soaked and plastered to her body. And his eyes were red and glowing.
He palmed her breast, kneading it gently. “Neona.”
She shuddered. “Why do your eyes turn red?”
“It’s a sign of how much I want to make love to you.” He nuzzled her neck as his fingers teased the hardened tip of her nipple.
Her thighs pressed together.
He kissed a path up her neck to her ear. “Are you ready?” he whispered. He gently tugged at the tip of her nipple, making her moan. “Ready for your little climax?”
She clutched his shoulders. “We mustn’t have intercourse. I mustn’t get pregnant.” Even though she suddenly wanted it more than anything. She wanted to take him deep inside and feel his seed gushing out, filling her with heat. And giving her hope for a little girl with long dark hair and amber eyes. But would the child have fangs?
“I’m only going to touch you.” His hands slipped under her shift and squeezed her bu**ocks.
She wouldn’t let herself worry for now. She’d live for the moment and pretend that she had an eternity to spend with Zoltan. Even if it was impossible.
He nuzzled her ear. “Do you agree?”
Her heart felt like it was going to burst. She wrapped her arms around his neck. “Yes.”
Chapter Seventeen
Zoltan’s heart swelled. She’d said yes. He cradled her face in his hands and rested his forehead against hers, savoring the moment. This would be the first of many yesses, he vowed to himself. He would not give up on her, not allow their future to be sabotaged by an ancient lifestyle that had forced her to live alone and secluded for centuries. Whatever pact she’d made, whatever her sacred duty was, he would not lose her because of it. She would be his. Forever.
He kissed her thoroughly until she clung to him, breathless and trembling at his touch. As she gasped for air, he moved his hands slowly. The white silk was soaked through till it was practically transparent. He could see the color of her ni**les, a dark, dusty pink. He could feel the pebbled skin and the tip that grew harder as he gently tugged.
“Wait,” she whispered, stepping back.
For a second he feared she’d changed her mind, but she gave him a flirtatious smile. With one smooth move, she pulled her shift off and tossed it onto the grass.
His breath caught. The first time to see her totally nude. His groin reacted, growing hard.
Her eyes widened. “You don’t seem to have trouble getting in the mood now.”
“I never did.” His red glowing eyes tinted her beautiful body in shades of pink. He gritted his teeth to stay in control. “I wanted you from the first night you clonked me on the head and demanded my seed.”
She gave him a wry look. “I didn’t realize I was seducing a vampire.”
He stepped toward her till the tip of his erection was a mere inch from her. “Each time we meet, I want you even more.”
Her blue eyes sparkled with passion. She lunged toward him just as he pulled her into his arms and claimed her mouth. She kissed him back, delving her hands into his hair. He moved down to her br**sts, suckling on the hardened tips, tugging at her until she writhed in his arms. His erection pressed against her stomach, growing more strained as her lithe, supple body rubbed against him.
When he slid a hand between her legs, the amount of moisture there made him growl with satisfaction. His warrior woman was no shy maid. With a groan, she rocked against his hand. His fingers were drenched, making it so easy to slide between the folds. He stroked her, and she whimpered, her knees buckling.
He smiled. At this rate, she was going to melt into a puddle. He spotted the rock nearby with the towel on top. “Come.” He sat on the towel and grasped her hips, pulling her down till she was straddling him, sitting on his thighs, facing him.
She held onto his shoulders, her eyes clouded with passion. “Zoltan.”