Savannah Past Midnight by Christine Edwards Page A

back, making me go
still with nerves and raw lust.
    In his low drawl, he says quietly against my hair,
“Don’t matter why you came back, just that you did. I would’ve
found you, Cosette. I hope you know that. The time for runnin’ from
me is over.”
    Ever so slowly, I turn around and stare up at him.
The moonlight plays against his features, making him appear both
handsome and fierce. For the first time in my life I have no clever
response, and apparently he’s not waiting for one because his
backpack drops straight down to the floor beside us as his hand
moves up gently to caress the left side of my neck.
    His stubbled face is calm but his eyes gleam with a
hunger that matches my own. He uses his thumb to trail lazy passes
back and forth against my jaw line while his fingers curl
possessively around the side of my neck. Everything about him—his
measured control, his natural, all male scent, and his larger than
life presence—overwhelms me with primal desire. I took precautions
before seeing him tonight. I fed, hoping that it would help me to
stay focused.
    His free hand closes around my hip and pulls me
closer against his heat. He whispers, not a half inch away from my
lips, “Thank you for coming back and for not fighting me. I want
you so damn bad that just the thought of you drives me to the edge,
you know that, baby? You know how you haunt me each and every
sleepless night? Don’t know why, but I’m not gonna relent until I
figure you out, and it all starts between us tonight.”
    My breath catches in my throat and my body responds,
aching in hot need at the delivery of his possessive words.
    “Don’t be afraid of me.”
    “It’s not you that scares me, Colton.”
    “Good. ’Cause I’d never hurt you. But I’d damn near
kill anyone who ever did. Any more wolf encounters, while we’re on
the topic of your safety? Been worried about you.”
    A protector? Be careful, Cosette. He’s human; there’s
no future with him. Whatever happens, enjoy it as temporary, but
don’t get attached.
    “No. Things have been relatively quiet lately.
Besides, you know that I’m exceptionally capable of taking care of
myself, don’t you?”
    “Yeah, I know that. Doesn’t mean I gotta like it
though, so from now on, I’m your first line of defense. End of
story.”
    “That’s chivalrous, but you can’t do that unless you
take care of yourself first. Here, drink this and take these,
please.” I reach behind me to retrieve the two bottles off the
butcher-block island.
    “I can do that. See? We’re a good team, lookin’ out
for each other like this. Mind putting two of those in my mouth?
Sorry, but my hands are filthy, darlin’.”
    “Sure.” I open the cap and try not to appear as
nervous as I feel. I tip them out and take one between my fingers.
“Ready?”
    Our eyes collide the same moment his mouth opens and
his tongue slides out.
    Oh God. He has to know how he’s unraveling me at
every turn. Whatever few defenses I had left have disintegrated
in his presence. The chemistry between us is so incredibly
powerful.
    I do my best to steady my hand as I place a pill on
his tongue and watch him take a long swig of the orange liquid. We
go through the same motions once again, and just watching him
swallow leaves me practically shaking with need. I want him to
touch me. Anywhere.
    He turns, takes a few steps, flips the lock on the
deadbolt and crosses back to me. His voice is low and has a gruff
edge to it as he says, “Gonna take that mouth of yours now. Can’t
wait any longer to taste you.”
    His hands wind urgently through my tresses as his
face closes in, becoming a blur as those beautiful lips of his
collide with mine for the first time. The pleasure of his hot,
skilled mouth rolls over me like a warm wave as his eager tongue
slips in, seeking mine. My hands twine around his neck, pulling him
closer. I need more.
    “Oh!”
    I gasp as he roughly grabs my ass and hoists me up
onto the island without