More Bark Than Bite

by Melissa Hosack

  "I don't think I'm likely to get snatched up by any monsters, but I appreciate your concern.” Fiddling with her keys, she finally managed to find the one she was looking for. She avoided eye contact while she pushed the door open. She didn't know what to say. Have a nice evening. I hope you don't watch the news Monday morning. That would go over well. Thanks for the scoop. Hope it doesn't get you fired. Even worse. Turning in the slightly open doorway to face Graham, Morgan stared up at him. All she had to do was shut the door and he'd be gone. Simple as that. Her mouth didn't seem to agree with the strategy her brain wanted to follow though. Before she could close the door, she blurted out, “I really am grateful for the help."

  "Honestly, I was glad for the excuse to get to talk to you. It gets lonely eating all by myself."

  Morgan flashed him a genuine smile. “Dinner was nice.” Feeling a rush of gratitude to him for not leaving her stranded, Morgan moved forward. She stood on her tiptoes and brushed her lips against his cheek, lingering a tad longer than she probably should have. Sure, she hadn't really been stranded, but he didn't know that. He'd played the part of hero and brought her safely home.

  Realizing thoughts like these would only give her an unnecessary ulcer, she went to step back and go inside where things weren't quite so confusing. While her mind screamed of retreat, her lips took another direction altogether. Instead of withdrawing and moving into the less perplexing atmosphere of her home, they decided it would be a wise idea to graze themselves along Graham's.

  Her mind instantly jumped to a panicked alert. Oh my God! Did I just kiss him?! she silently asked herself. She frantically tried to make sense of what she'd just done. Did I just-

  Her thoughts were cut off abruptly when Graham hauled her up against his chest and crushed his lips to hers. His mouth was rough and demanding, taking what it needed from her with brute force.

  The fervor with which he kissed her caught Morgan by surprise. She'd never had anyone kiss her this vigorously, this indefatigably before in her life. Deciding that she liked his bold move, she responded to him, returning the passion she was given in full force. It was hard not to. Though a little pushy, it was the best kiss she'd ever received.

  Graham deepened the embrace and Morgan couldn't help but notice a feeling of almost desperation in the way he clung to her. It was as if there was something here that she'd missed, some important reason for him to want her so badly. She couldn't for the life of her figure it out.

  Graham's right arm slid around her back, holding her tightly to his chest. “So you can feel it too?” he whispered against her mouth. “This thing between us. Until you kissed me, I thought it might have all just been in my head."

  Morgan stared up at him, green eyes wide in wonder. She'd always felt drawn to Graham, felt that inner excitement any time he entered a room or even at the mere thought of him. Now that she'd kissed him, his pull on her had intensified. That was the important thing she'd missed. The need to touch him wasn't something she had any control over. It consumed her, pushing any rational thoughts to the back of her mind. Her body was going to throw itself in his arms no matter how much her brain objected. She thought that might be what Graham's desperate hold on her had been about. He was unable to control himself just as much as she was. “I feel it,” she breathed in return, closing her eyes in delight when his palm slid over her back.

  Graham loosened his grip on her and leaned against the doorframe, causing Morgan's eyes to fly open in surprise. A minute ago, he couldn't keep his hands off her. He'd had her crushed so firmly against his chest that she'd barely been able to breathe. Now he was slouched back with a speculative look on his face, his arms so loose around her that they were barely there.

  His fingers stroked distractedly along her back as he talked to himself. “Well, I didn't see this coming at all. I mean, I knew I was attracted to you, but I didn't realize...” He peered at her in consideration. “So what happens now?” Though he asked that question of her, he didn't look as if he expected an answer.

  Tilting his head to the side in thought, he returned to conversing with himself. “I never really asked questions because I was reluctant about this whole concept. Do I scent her? Or do I mark her?” He shifted his weight to his other foot while debating this. “I suppose it's all a matter of personal choice.” His eyebrows drew together and a slight frown touched his lips. “I'd prefer not to do marking. At least for now. It seems so barbaric. It's like branding a cow."

  Morgan blinked at him, confusion written in her expression. “Graham? What are you talking about? What's like branding a cow?"

  Graham's eyes filled with insight and he pushed away from the wall, his arms tightening around her. “You're absolutely right. Why am I talking this to death? I just need to go with the flow.” As an afterthought, he added, “And I'm sorry for calling you a cow."

  An affronted look flashed across her face, but Morgan tried to concentrate on the more pressing issue. “Talking what to—"

  Graham broke off her question by pressing his lips vehemently to hers. Realizing that he was being a tad forceful, his lips softened to a more gentle pressure. “I will let you decide how this is done,” he assured her, his tongue flicking out to run along her bottom lip. “You can call the shots.” His mouth moved to her jaw and he nibbled lightly at her skin as he walked her backwards so he could enter her home. “Just tell me what you like and I'll do it.” He moved down her throat, nipping and kissing a path that had her feeling weak in the knees. “Do you like this?” he questioned against her neck, his fingers caressing a trail down her back.

  Morgan wasn't quite sure what was happening. His ramblings had confused her something terrible and she wasn't sure what was going on between them, what this unbreakable pull he had on her was. He was causing her to act unlike herself. This definitely wasn't the normal course of action she took with a guy she liked. This situation was quickly spiraling out of her control. Despite all this, she did know that she liked what he was doing and didn't want him to stop anytime soon. Tilting her head back to give him better access, she breathed, “Yes. Don't stop."

  Graham gave a growl deep in his throat. Grabbing her by the waist, he spun her in his arms and pinned her to the door. His mouth descended on hers once again, back to being greedy and demanding.

  Morgan gave a squawk of shock. She didn't remember the door ever being shut. How did he ... He'd moved so fast. It didn't seem humanly possible.

  "I need to possess you,” he informed her as his lips crushed against hers with enough force to bruise.

  Morgan found his choice of wording interesting. He didn't say want or hope or wish. He'd said need, as if it was something beyond his control. She knew exactly how he felt. This went beyond merely what she wanted and had become a burning need. Arching her back so she could press her body against his, Morgan simply said, “Okay."

  "Right now. Tonight."

  "Okay,” she repeated, her heart pounding frantically in her chest. It frightened her how easily she gave in to his demands. It wasn't normal behavior for her. She never slept with a guy on the first date. She didn't on the second, third, or fourth either. This was so out of character.

  "Good. I'm glad you agree.” In one swift motion, he lifted her off the floor, wrapping her legs around his waist. “Where is your bedroom?” he asked, getting right to the point.

  Morgan gaped at him in disbelief. This situation was so unreal. She couldn't fathom how she'd gotten here, arms and legs wrapped around a casual acquaintance. It felt like a dream. A very sexy, arousing dream, but a dream nonetheless. To test her dream theory, Morgan pinched Graham's neck. Sure, she should be pinching herself, but that might hurt.

  "Ow,” Graham grumbled halfheartedly. Mistaking her pinch as a complaint, he walked into the living room. “You're right. I can get the tour later. Right now, we have more important business."

  Before Morgan could even comment, he dropped to his knees on the plush rug in the center of the room.

  Graham lowe
red her until she was lying on the rug. Instead of joining her on the soft carpet, he stayed on his knees, staring into the dark room.

  Morgan raised an arm and felt for him in the darkness, brushing a hand along his stomach. “What are you doing?"

  Graham climbed to his feet, and the sound of him moving across the room filled her ears.

  "Making a fire,” he said carelessly.

  Morgan blinked in incredulity. Surely she'd heard him wrong. “You can't make a fire! It's the middle of summer! Besides, you can't possibly be able to see. It's dark. You'll hurt yourself.” Morgan was inwardly surprised he'd even been able to see that she owned a fireplace.

  "I have excellent night vision,” came his humored reply. A moment later, a fire sprang to life inside her hearth.

  "Very excellent night vision,” Morgan whispered in awe as she stared at him in the light from the flickering flames. He looked even better in the warm glow, his eyes shining as if made of jewels.

  He gave a small nod at her observation of his eyesight. “I do."

  "You can add exceptional hearing to that list,” Morgan said in astonishment at the fact that he'd been able to hear her lowered voice from clear across the room.

  Graham gave a smile that seemed to hold so many secrets behind it. “You can put exceptional lover on that list as well,” he remarked as he removed his gun and set it on top of an end table.

  "That's yet to be determined,” Morgan gently pointed out, watching him as he removed his shoulder holster and placed it next to the gun. He moved so gracefully, his actions a second nature that he didn't even seem to be aware of. Just the sight of him doing a thing as mundane as setting his wallet down had her wanting to touch every inch of his body.

  Piling the rest of his police paraphernalia on the table, he sent her a sly look. “Trust me. You can add that to the list.” Strolling back to her side, he lowered himself to the rug next to her. For a few minutes, he didn't even touch her. He simply took pleasure in the fire, stretching out and letting the heat sink into his skin.

  "You look like a cat,” Morgan observed with a laugh as he stretched out his limbs. The expression on his face was one of complete rapture. She was glad he'd decided to make a fire. Seeing how much enjoyment it brought him was worth the heat.

  Graham's content expression turned into a grimace at her remark. “I hate cats."

  Morgan gave a horrified gasp in response to this declaration “How can you hate cats?"

  "Let me revise that,” Graham said, rolling onto his back. “I don't hate cats. They hate me."

  "That's just silly,” Morgan said, skepticism of his statement evident in her voice.

  "Trust me. They hate me.” His brow furrowed and he frowned up at her. “We are talking far too much about cats. Obviously I have let the fire distract me into not giving you enough attention.” Grabbing her by the waist, Graham rolled Morgan on top of him. “I am sorry for neglecting you,” he whispered against her mouth.

  Morgan closed her eyes in delight as he nibbled at her bottom lip.

  His mouth traveled down her throat as his fingers buried themselves in her hair, massaging her scalp as he ran his fingers through the silky locks.

  She made a soft, content noise in the back of her throat at his gentle caress. Bracing her arms on the ground on either side of his head, she rubbed her body along his, enjoying the feel of his hard muscles against her soft curves.

  With a pleased grin, Graham tilted her chin up so he could look her in the eyes. His other hand ran down her back in a tantalizingly slow line. “Do you like this?” he asked quietly as his hand slid over the curve of her butt, holding her against him as his hips bucked off the floor.

  Morgan exhaled in a breathy rush. “Yes."

  Releasing her jaw, Graham's right hand slid down to join his left. He pinned her tiny body against his, lifting a knee slightly to put his leg between both of hers. When she gave a soft sigh of contentment, he leaned up from the floor just enough to capture her mouth with his. While his hands held her in place, he lifted his knee a little more, rubbing the thigh she straddled against her feminine parts. He ran his tongue questioningly along her lower lip, silently asking for permission to explore her more fully.

  Morgan moaned into his mouth, her eyes squeezing shut at the feeling of his leg against such a sensitive area of her body. She opened her mouth to him, wanting nothing more than to have the taste of him on her tongue.

  As soon as he was permitted entrance, his tongue ventured into her mouth, battling with hers for control in a bout of passion.

  Placing a hand flat to his chest, Morgan reluctantly drew her mouth away from his. As much as she wanted to keep kissing him, she also wanted to have access to parts of his body that she'd yet to explore. Moving to a sitting position, she gripped a button of his shirt in her hands, fumbling to get it undone.

  Graham followed her into a sitting position so that he could press his mouth to hers once more. As much as he wanted her to undress him, he still wanted the taste of her on his lips. Placing his palms on either side of her face, he kissed her so passionately it felt as if he was trying to put everything he was feeling into that one kiss.

  Morgan continued with his buttons, returning his fervor with her own.

  When Morgan got his third button unfastened, Graham grabbed her fingers in his hands and forced her to stop what she was doing. With a wicked grin at her confused expression, he lifted her shirt over her head and tossed it to the side. Flashing her another grin, he said, “Please continue."

  Morgan returned his smile with one of her own before returning to her task. She undid the rest of his buttons, taking her time so that she could caress every inch of skin as it was revealed. When she finally got to the last button, she pulled his shirt open to reveal a very masculine chest. He was deeply tanned and muscled to perfection. Mesmerized by his beauty, she ran her hands over his skin, her fingers brushing along the small dusting of blond hair that covered his chest. Overcome with desire, she wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him a slow, passionate kiss. Her slow kiss melded into a series of quick, spirited ones.

  As she showered his face with rapid kisses, Graham slid an arm under her butt and lifted her off of his leg with one arm. He held her in the air slightly above him. With the other hand, he unhurriedly slipped his fingertips up the inside of her thigh. He moved higher and higher underneath her skirt until his index finger curled around the side string of her panties. With deliberate slowness, he slid them down, removing them from her body. With her undergarment gone, he lowered her back down on top of him, guiding her legs to straddle him.

  Morgan mused at the sheer strength he possessed to hold her like that, but all thoughts flew from her mind when she felt him hard beneath her. Keeping her arms wrapped tightly around his neck, she nuzzled his jaw, leaving small kisses along the stubble on his chin.

  Graham slid his hands leisurely up her back, pausing when he came to the hooks of her bra. He managed to get them unfastened with only minimal trouble, then moved his hands to the front of her shoulders. He began sliding the bra slowly downward, his mouth leaving soft kisses as it followed after his fingers. “You have no idea how long I've wanted this,” he whispered against her skin.

  The low, husky tone of his voice made Morgan shiver in delight. It was nice knowing that Graham had been craving her just as much as she'd wanted him. Pulling back, she used the light from the glow of the fire to stare into his eyes. “You need to lose some more clothing,” she informed him in a soft, sensual voice.

  She'd barely finished the sentence before Graham rolled her off of him and onto the floor. He deposited her on her belly and climbed to his feet.

  Morgan gave an amused laugh as he stripped out of his pants and boxers in record time. At his confused look, she laughed even harder.

  Graham arched an eyebrow, hands moving to his hips. “What's so funny?"

  The laughter suddenly died in Morgan's throat. The sight of him bare and exposed for her to see m
ade her breath hitch.

  He was absolutely gorgeous. He looked like a Greek god, his body chiseled from the most precious stones known to man. She blinked up at him, mesmerized by the carved plains of his body, the sheer mass of sculpted muscle. He looked fierce and intimidating, as if he could crush her without much effort.

  Her eyes saved the most impressive bits of his body for last. She took in a sharp breath at the sight of his manhood.

  He was long and hard, ready for the activities he'd been all but promised. The skin here wasn't as dark as the rest of him. It was more of a cream color that practically invited her to touch it, to feel if it was as smooth as it looked.

  Climbing to her feet, Morgan made her way slowly over to his side, her eyes drinking him in with every step. When she got close enough, she let her fingertips brush along the area that had so gripped her attention. His skin was soft, feeling like raw silk beneath her fingers. Her eyes lifted to his to find them dilated and eager. “You, sir, are absolutely adorable,” she informed him.

  Tugging on his hand, Morgan pulled him back to the floor. Putting a hand to his chest, she forced him onto his back. Lowering her head over his belly, she began a trail of kisses up his body, letting her hair tickle along his skin as she went. She crawled up his body, her lips brushing over his chest, his neck, his chin, and finally his mouth. With a throaty laugh of enjoyment, Morgan pressed a few soft kisses to his lips. She lifted her eyes to his as she settled her legs around his hips. “Are you sure this is what you want?"

  Graham looked down the length of his body to the erection that was eagerly awaiting her attention. “Does it look like I'm having second thoughts?"

  "Good point.” Morgan slid up his body, hovering over him with a devilish smile for a moment before slowly lowering herself down onto him. She bit her lower lip, closing her eyes in delight, not even trying to stop the soft moan that escaped her.

  "If you keep biting your lip like that, I'm going to finish way before you're ready for me to."