Jaguars' Reward [Impulse 3] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Read Online Free PDF Page B

like a crazed bull as he deepened the kiss and the hand not holding her wrists delved beneath her T-shirt. Her breasts were small and firm, the nipples disproportionately large and rock solid. He tweaked one as his lips continued to explore hers, hard and demanding, then soft and persuasive. He ground his erection into her groin. A gentle moan slipped past their fused lips as her hips lifted up to meet it.
    Shit, he was hot for her! Hot and barely in control. That thought brought him to his senses and he broke the kiss. She opened her eyes and blinked at him as though she couldn’t quite believe what they’d almost just done, but she didn’t speak. Vadim removed his hand from her breast and pulled her shirt back in place, wondering what he was supposed to do now. Zayd came to the rescue.
    “I’m up for being killed if that’s the reward I can expect,” he quipped, winking at Talia.
    Sighing, Vadim stood up and pulled Talia to her feet.
    “We need to talk,” he said. “But first we all need to eat. Order up some food, Zayd, and keep our guest company. Giron’s here. I need a word.”
    Vadim slipped down the stairs and waited for Giron to dock his boat, taking a moment to regain control. What the hell had gotten into him, kissing her like that? She was working for their enemies at the very least. Worse, she might actually be a rogue shifter. That was what he should have been checking out when he’d had her pinned beneath him. Geez! Vadim ran a hand through his hair and took several deep, calming breaths, trying to forget the volcanic nature of that damned kiss and think rationally. The entire future of the colony could rest on that young woman’s shoulders and all Vadim wanted to do was jump her bones. Unbelievable!
    Vadim and Zayd needed a human mate to restore their waning powers. Shifters wouldn’t cut it for them. If they took the chance of having sex with the wrong person, they could end up losing their powers altogether. That meant being stuck in a human body, with feline instincts they couldn’t follow. Vadim shuddered. Being unable to shift would be worse than death itself.
    By the time Vadim and Giron had thrashed out details of the additional security patrols, Vadim had his priorities back in order. He returned upstairs and found that Rochelle, ever efficient, had already delivered the food Zayd had ordered. He and Talia were seated at the table, waiting for him.
    “Sorry about that,” he said.
    “No problems,” Zayd replied. “Everything okay with Giron?”
    “Yeah, he knows what needs to be done.”
    Talia ate sparingly and refused all alcohol, sticking with water. She didn’t speak a word, but Vadim could see that she was assessing the pair of them the entire time. He watched her as he and Zayd consumed thick steaks so rare that blood oozed each time they cut into them. Talia toyed with a smoked-salmon salad and didn’t seem interested in near-raw meat. Did that mean she wasn’t actually a shifter?
    “Don’t get your hopes up,” Zayd pheromoned. “She could still be playing us.”
    “Think I don’t know that?”
    “What I think is that you ain’t thinking straight at all right now for some reason.”
    “Smart-ass!”
    They finished their meal and Vadim stood up.
    “It’s time for some answers,” he said, holding out a hand to Talia.
    She stared at that hand for some time before slipping hers into it, almost hesitantly, like she didn’t want to touch him. Vadim understood why as soon as his fingers closed around hers. The electric charge created by the simple contact surged through his bloodstream, messing with his newfound resolve to keep her at arm’s length. Shit, this wasn’t good!
    He dropped her hand like it had scorched him the moment they left the nook in the kitchen where they’d eaten their meal. The sitting room had full-length windows looking straight out onto the Gulf. It was early evening and the fiery ball of setting sun had cast the calm water a dappled orange.