Predator's Kiss by Rosanna Leo Page B

thwarted desire. Why wouldn’t he kiss her? “Oh, a little. Garbage, mostly, I think. I wasn’t in the right frame of mind.”
    He glared at her lips and she saw his jaw clench. “I should let you get back to work.” He turned toward the door.
    No! Kiss me, you fool . She took a step, following him. “Ryland, wait.”
    He had his fist curled around the door handle and was staring at the floor. He finally looked up at her as if her presence vexed him to the extreme. “Yes?”
    Say something . “I, uh, am having trouble with this one scene in my book. I could use your help.”
    “What kind of help? I’m not a writer.”
    “Well,” she began, not quite sure how she was going to finish her sentence. “I need my characters to have a kiss, but they’re fighting me on it. The hero is being way too stubborn and won’t accept the heroine really wants him to kiss her.”
    Ryland pinned his gaze on her face, his nostrils flared as if breathing her in. “Maybe the hero is worried he’s too different from the heroine. Maybe he’s worried the timing is wrong. Maybe he’s just a worrier, period.”
    A tremor of need pulsated through her whole core, making her reply, even when she wasn’t sure she should. “Maybe the heroine doesn’t care about all that. Maybe she just really needs his kiss.”
    He only paused a moment. Within seconds, Ryland Snow was stalking his way back to her, looming over her. She wanted to sink into him and drown in his masculine aura.
    He stared down at her, engulfing her as easily as flames shooting through kindling. “Soren doesn’t get to kiss you again, Lia,” he threatened in silky tones. “But I do.”
    He pulled her against him into such a possessive clench her feet almost came off the floor. She had to stand on her tiptoes to remain in the position. His lips met with hers in a kiss that wasn’t soft or tentative, as a first kiss might be. Rather, he took her with his kiss. Laid claim to her. As Ryland’s mouth smashed against hers, he circled her skull with one hand, holding her where he wanted her. His other arm wove tightly around her waist, pulling her flush against him. His erection slammed against her rib cage, stunning her with delicious possibilities.
    He nudged her lips open with his tongue. And of course she opened to him. She let him come inside, let him explore and take her on a journey she’d lost hope of ever traveling again. As he slid his tongue against hers, Lia’s pussy sent out sweet, moist warning signals. She did everything she could to not open her legs and appear the shameless tart her parents had labeled her. But everything in her wanted to swallow Ryland up. She wanted to embrace him with every limb and take him deep inside herself.
    Lia could barely think, he felt so good, and she couldn’t have asked for a better first kiss with him. It was proprietary and carnal, just what she’d sought to express in her novel when Claudio kissed Adelaide for the first time. Her every sense felt dazzled; her limbs were mush.
    He knew it too. As he held her close, the bulge of excitement in his jeans seemed to grow. Dazed, she wondered at his apparent length and girth. Was it possible for a man to be so big? Of course, this was no regular man.
    Oh, golly, I’m in big trouble here. What would Lady Adelaide have done?
    Stifling a laugh, she realized her novel’s heroine would have already have been spanked and disciplined at this point. Perhaps even tied to her bedposts by the sinful Claudio. Okay, maybe she wasn’t quite that brazen, as much as she really wanted Ryland to follow suit.
    And yet, with every playful, territorial nip from Ryland’s teeth, Lia couldn’t help but wonder if he had a bit of Claudio in him.
    The bear shifter uttered a low growl as he moved his lips down to her neck.
    Oh, damn. This man is an animal. For real!
    The thought sobered her immediately and Lia pushed herself away from his hard body.
    Ryland looked at her, clearly stunned. His