Page 15 of Shadow Killer

Noelle tried to retrieve her hand, but Brandon wasn’t letting go, not that she was complaining. Her skin tingling, his palm was hot against hers, and if she wasn’t mistaken, his finger pads were tracing a delightful pattern on the back of her hand, which made it hard to think.

“You’re not from New Orleans or Louisiana.”

“What does it mean? That I’m closed-minded? Stupid? I’m not like Reinhard. Whatever you have to say, I can handle it, Noelle.”

“What you saw, it was a shared vision from Dominique, a premonition from beyond destiny’s veil.”

The warm hand dropped hers. “Correction, I can’t handle that. Are you saying it was magic? I thought Dominique was pulling my leg, and now you? Is this threat for real?”

Even if it was difficult to explain and he was getting more frustrated by the minute, it was Noelle’s turn to take his hand. “Brandon, I’m not lying to you. Dominique isn’t lying to you. This has nothing to do with being stupid, but magic takes faith. I was born and bred here. It’s in my blood, like mountain air for Vermont, and sunlight for California.”

His fingers closed around her hand, and if she wasn’t mistaken, he drew closer. “I don’t think I believe in magic. But there is something she said that rang true. That there is a bond between us.”

He was so close now that Noelle couldn’t remember what they were discussing as his mouth lowered to hers.

His beard was so soft, but it was his lips that made her head spin. That man could kiss. Brandon quickly turned a tentative exploration into a storm of lust with the perfect balance of possessiveness and teasing.

Noelle was almost about to let herself fall, succumb to the tall temptation of the man, when his hands traced the curves of her hips and squeezed into her flesh. That simple action reminded her of so many bad memories with past lovers over her bodythat she froze, which had the consequence of halting the most beautiful kiss of her life.

“What’s wrong?”

Noelle found it impossible not to wince. “Nothing. I just didn’t want you to be led in the wrong direction.”

Brandon looked adorably lost. “Come again?”

It was difficult, but she took a necessary step back. “I think you may have been caught up in that magic talk and forgot...”

She gestured at her body, not wishing that she was different but that the world would see her for who she was and not just the curves that made her what she was.

His blue eyes were unfocused until they cleared with sudden understanding. Several emotions flashed on his face, and as he was about to say something, instead, he dove down to take her mouth again, and this time, his embrace plastered every inch of his hard body against hers in an unbreakable hold.

Out of breath, she gasped for air when Brandon started rubbing his furry cheek against her neck, his lips trailing delightfully over her skin. “The way you look makes me ravenous. I remember when I first saw you at that bar. It was like an electric shock coursed through my entire body.”

His voice was the most fantastic aphrodisiac, deep and rumbly, rasping through her nerves down to her core. Her hips swayed a little, and Brandon pushed forward, pressing his erection against her belly.

“And my cock went so hard, all I wanted to do was bury myself into your welcoming body as I imagined the cry coming out of those luscious lips of yours. I could only pray that the commander wouldn’t notice the bulge in my pants.”

Noelle moaned, her hands clutching at his biceps, both to keep her standing and prevent her from tearing at his pants.

“Brandon.”

The man she was begging for traced a path of kisses up to the corner of her mouth. “For the last few weeks I’ve fantasized you saying my name with that low tone of yours, filled with lust. Did you feel the same when you saw me? That huge caveman that couldn’t look away from you?”

“You’re not a caveman.”

“You’re a goddess, Noelle.” And as if to prove a point, he filled his hands with her ass and lifted her in his arms.

“Put me down. You’re going to pull a muscle!”

Instead of answering, he kissed her again. In a matter of seconds, she was squeezed between the wall and a very eager man that couldn’t be clearer with what he wanted, even if he hadn’t gone for the prize yet. Somehow, she felt he gave her an option out by not going beyond kissing and rubbing their bodies together.

Noelle was still debating what to do next. After all, she barely knew the man, even if her hormones were flooding her system in close to an overdose. On the verge of succumbing, it was a foreign noise that decided for her, for both of them.

“What’s that?”

Brandon reared back, gently putting her down, before reaching into his back pocket.

“It’s Ryland.”