21

G E O R G I E

✿

His body bent over mine, he held my hands above my head. "What I meant to say was that it's their strategy to attract prey and finish them off."

I looked up at his face, his features hardened in the bluish light. “I still don't quite get what you're trying to say, mastermind. Now do you want me to mutate into Spiderwoman or not?”

He looked at me with narrowed eyes. "You're really annoying, do you realize that?"

I stared back. "And you're pretty arrogant."

'That's two bites. You're climbing the debt ladder in time."

"Oh yes? And how can I make it up to you?” I whispered, lifting my leg to slide it over his. In a flash, he reached down and pressed it back onto the wet rocky floor, leaving only one hand to hold mine.

The slightly lewd smile widened. "I'll think of something."

I shifted beneath him, tugging at the grip around my hands. "Hmmm. Do that."

His fingers pressed into my thigh as if to let me know that something important was at stake. “Everyone has a strategy. Isaac relies on his long arms to catch anyone. Kaylee on her speed, she circles her opponents, dances around them, makes them tired. Only then will she attack.” he explained to me. “Tiam is dominant. He scares them with some well-aimed, powerful hits. His opponent tucks his tail in fear, stops attacking and stays on defence.”

"But I don't have long arms, I'm fast or particularly dominant."

He sat up and pulled me up with him. “Everyone has a strategy. You have to figure them out, see their gap, and then meet them right there.”

"And what's your strategy?" I asked him curiously.

An arrogant expression on his face. "You'll have to find out for yourself." He stood up and looked down at me expectantly.

"What? Now?” I squeaked.

His brow furrowed. "Yes now. Or do you have other plans?”

"No, not at all." I jumped to my feet and pulled my hair back into a neat ponytail. That was, as best it could be, with my tangled I just woke up and tossed and turned about a thousand times in my hair. "Okay, what are you trying to teach me, Mr. I know it all?"

He leaned slightly on his knees as the corners of his mouth twitched in amusement. His eyes sparkled defiantly. "Fight with me, little one."

My heart pounded loudly against my chest. "If you're dying to get screwed by a girl and bury your honor, then fine with me."

“Less chatter and more benefits.”

I followed his example and got into a fighting stance. I took one step at a time, watching his movements as he watched mine. We circled each other like wild wolves jostling for rank.

He started to attack. Faked a punch on my left flank. I reacted, protecting my left, but missed the blow as Beau didn't attack. At the same moment he grabbed my hand, which was supposed to ward off his implied punch, used the momentum and jerked me around.

Holding my arm at a twisted angle behind my back, he whispered, "What's my strategy?"

"You're faking," I said, breathing shallowly.

"Right." He let go of me. Then he attacked again. Which ended up with me lying face down on the floor with his arm in a chokehold around my neck.

"And what is my strategy now?"

"No idea. Definitely a shitty one.” I gasped, digging my nails into his forearm.

He laughed softly. 'That gives another bite. You're up to three now."

That's how it went. He charged and I tried not to get under it and guess his strategy even before I was on the ground. Or on the wall. Or in a stranglehold.

Desire and frustration were a cruel combination. I've been contorting after him for longer than was good for me. The feel of his body against mine, his hands on my skin. on my curves. And now I was so close to him that every touch, every touching contact with him electrified me. I got hot, hotter than it should be in a cold, musty-smelling cavern.

And yet he didn't touch me right.

I pressed my lips together, avoiding him. But too late.

"Eight bites," he counted. His hand was on my stomach, pressing me to his bare, hot chest, while the other hand held a knife at my throat. "You're quite behind."

The river that flowed just inches from our feet murmured in the background. "I'll get her back."

His hand on my stomach splayed, applying even more pressure, so I moved closer to him. He brushed my hair back from the back of my neck. "Not if I get them first."

I shivered, put my hands on his legs and clawed my fingers into his pants.

He growled and his hamstrings bulged. "Do you want to make it nine?"

“Maybe. Tell me.'

His teeth slowly brushed my ear and he whispered, "I'll make it 10."

"What if I want to bite you too?" I said hoarsely, trying to turn to face him.

His teeth gnawed at my ear as he held me. "Oh no, you stay here."

I shivered as his teeth dug deeper and deeper into my skin. Then his tongue shot out, wandering down to my earlobe.

Oh goodness! My legs became soft as pudding. He felt it in time, pressed his hand harder against my abdominal wall and held me up.

I dug my nails into his thigh. 'I want to turn around. I want to look at you."

"Earn it first," he demanded, then bit into it very gently.

I gasped as waves of arousal shot through me, stoking wild desire within me. I wanted him so bad my vision blurred. My hands wandered up, stroking the back of his neck, clawing at his hair. "Kiss Me."

He bit harder.

I pulled his hair. "Kiss Me!"

His growl echoed through the cave. Then he spun me around, grabbed my chin. "You want me to kiss you?"

I almost freaked out. "Yes, yes heavens-"

He pressed his mouth to mine and everything exploded. Feelings swirled through me, the bond flaring up. I kissed him back, placing my hands on his bare chest and moving my lips against his.

"Georgie," he moaned before his tongue pressed between my lips, demanding entry. I surrendered to Beau's demanding kiss and melted into wax in his hands. Everything about me became soft and yielding. It felt fantastic. Correct. We fit together like two missing pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. Like ebb and flow, day and night, like sun and rain.

I didn't want this moment to ever end. My arms wrapped around his neck, hoping never to let him go. So engrossed in the passionate kiss, neither of us heard the stranger's hand breaking through the surface of the water and tying itself around my ankle. I was pulled away from him with a jerk.

"Beau!" I yelled, reaching out for him before falling into the river and being swept beneath the surface currents.