Page 152 of Riv's Sanctuary

Then his gaze moved higher, over the curve of her breasts to stop on her lips.

When he finally looked her in the eyes, he was only a few steps away from her and she clenched her thighs again.

His gaze was a lust-filled furnace, burning into her memories of what he’d done and telling her what he wanted to do.

His eyes devoured her and it was not till he was close, so close his nose lingered just centimeters above hers that she realized she hadn’t moved.

“Are you hungry?” he asked, and for some reason she got the distinct impression his words meant more than their surface meaning.

“Starved.”

He pulled her against him then, his arm circling her waist as he looked down at her, a strange look in his eyes as he scanned her face.

Then his lips were on hers in a slow, soft caress.

“Come. I have sustenance for you.” He spun her around and walked behind her till they were back in the main room. Then he pressed gently on her shoulders so she sat in one of the chairs.

Brows furrowed slightly, she watched him disappear into the kitchen before he returned with a small tray.

As he set it before her, her brows furrowed a little deeper.

It was the furry fruit she’d picked on that first day with him. “You kept this?”

“For you, yes,” he said, sitting across from her. His eyes still had that intensity from before and she knew exactly what he was thinking.

Something warm bloomed inside her.

As she took a bite of the fruit, a gush of sweetness flooded her tongue. It had the texture of lychee but tasted more like a sweet peach and banana combined.

Riv watched her eat, his eyes following her movement as if he was a predator tracking her, learning about her, planning when to pounce. Except, his gaze didn’t hold a threat. Instead, he seemed entranced.

“You’re here,” he finally said.

“I am. You only just noticed?” She chuckled.

“You’re not…avoiding me.” He paused. “A part of me thought you’d be staying away from me this light-cycle.”

“Do you want me to?”

“Never,” he said. “Never again.”

She smiled at that.

Moving from his seat, Riv came to kneel by her, his face pressed into her side as his arms wrapped around her waist.

After a deep inhale, he moaned a little.

“You’ve shown me what it means to look forward to something more,” he said. “I want that. Every day.” He paused. “For the rest of my life.”

Lauren’s breathing stopped, her lungs seizing.

“I guess,” Riv breathed, lifting his head so he could look up at her. “I guess I’m asking if you’d like to stay here in this desolate place with me and my animals.”

Lauren blinked. “Live out here?”

Something she’d never seen in his eyes passed through them and she recognized it immediately.

Fear.