Immortal Ops: New & Lengthened 2016 Anniversary Edition by Mandy M. Roth Page A

been.”  
    “You have no idea,” he said so quietly she almost missed it.  
    She turned her head away from him. Staring at his muscular arms and wide shoulders made her mind wander to thoughts of sex with him. Why didn’t her hormones understand she was in crisis mode? Now wasn’t the time to be lusting after the hunk who had saved her life. Her hormones didn’t give a crap. They wanted the man—beast-men stalking her and missing boyfriends be damned.
    Stupid hormones.
    Lukian stepped closer to her and her gaze traveled the length of his body. The man looked like he could bench-press a small country. It was easy to imagine him using that same powerful frame to brace himself above her as he drove himself in and out of her. Heat flamed her upper chest and cheeks as she got a pretty good mental picture of that very thing happening. Her hormones applauded.  
    Their gazes locked. For a second, she thought for sure she could see his soul and it was a perfect match for her own. This was all happening so suddenly. Too fast for her to be able to catch her breath , let alone think clearly. It was all she could do to remain on the bed and not throw herself at the man. This wasn’t like her. Not at all.
    It had taken her almost a year to find Kyle remotely sexy. His looks weren’t the problem. Most girls on campus drooled over him. The Science Department had had a boom in class registration when he’d come on to instruct some courses. She’d gone through high school and the greater part of college and remained a virgin. She’d dated a number of men, but never found one sexually appealing. A year after her father first introduced her to his new hire, Kyle, she suddenly found him so irresistible that at times she could scarcely keep her hands off him. It was as if someone had flipped a switch in her. A switch they were currently jumping up and down on when it came to Lukian.
    Now she sat on the bed , forcing her hands under her legs to keep from reaching for Lukian. Something about him called to her and made her want to run her fingers through his dark black curls, and to see what hidden wonders lay under his pants and t-shirt.  
    The bed dipped down a little and she looked to find Lukian sitting near her. He didn’t try to touch her , and she was grateful. If he did, she wasn’t sure she could stop herself from tearing his clothes off. He let out a tiny laugh and she glanced over at him.  
    “What, my not being able to sleep funny to you?”  
    His lips curved upward, but he kept his eyes down. “No, sorry, just, umm, nothing, sorry.”  
    She rolled her eyes and turned to lie back down on the bed. Lukian went to get up to give her room for her legs. Don’t go. Please, don’t let him go. I feel safe with him near me. I can sleep when he’s close .  
    Lukian sat back down at the foot of the bed. Peren didn’t care what made him change his mind . She was just happy he did. Now, maybe if she was lucky, he’d lie next to her and hold her in his arms. She had no clue how to ask him to do that without looking weak , and she already felt weak enough as it was, so she just lay still and pretended to drift off.  
    He slid up the bed, like a cat, and moved next to her. He swept her long hair out of the way and put his solid body against hers, spooning her.

Chapter Twenty

    Lukian lay there, listening to Peren’s breathing as she drifted off to sleep. He could barely contain his excitement enough to lie still and hold her in his arms. She’d wanted him to stay with her. He made her feel safe, and that was what he wanted most. Being a gentleman was hard. But every now and then he’d let his fingertips brush the underside of her breast while she slept. Sure, that was hardly behaving himself, but it was better than what he wanted to do—roll over onto her and fuck her brains out.
    “Luke,” she cooed in her sleep.  
    The sound of his name falling from her sweet lips made him even harder. He knew he couldn’t walk