Under His Skin

by Stacey O'Neale

  Annabelle bit her lip, holding back her smile. “Then come and take me.”

  Kaden crawled onto the bed, reached for her hips, and pulled her down until she was lying beneath him. He took a deep breath, taking in the peach scent of her skin while he balanced himself on his forearms. “I imagined this moment so many times over the last year.”

  “Imagined what?” she asked playfully.

  “You.” He kissed his way down her neck and over her collarbone. “Naked. Moaning. Screaming my name. I’ve been fantasizing about it.”

  Between heavy breaths, she said, “Tell me about your fantasy.”

  He took both of her breasts in his hands. “I’d rather show you.” Taking one of her nipples into his mouth, he teased the hard tip with his tongue, making her shudder.

  Her fingers dug into his shoulder as she screamed out his name.

  Kaden pinched the other nipple between his two fingers, rolling the tight bud. “Do you like that?”

  “Yes.”

  Lowering himself to just above her core, he asked, “Are you wet for me?”

  She let her head fall back onto the pillow. “God, yes,” she moaned.

  “Really?” He nestled himself between her legs. “I’ll just have to see for myself.” He ran the tip of his finger over her folds. Wetness had already lined the crease. He inserted one finger then pulled it out. Without hesitation, he placed his finger in his mouth. His eyes closed, and he let out a low growl. “One taste, and I’m already addicted to you.” He spread her legs wider.

  She gasped as he ran his tongue over her clit. “Please don’t stop.”

  He couldn’t even if he wanted to. Everything about her was intoxicating. He gripped her hips tighter as his tongue made lazy circles around her most sensitive spot. When he looked up, he saw that she was running her thumbs over her nipples, teasing her breasts as she brought herself even more pleasure. Watching her at the peak of arousal made his cock throb. He needed to be inside her. Now. Instead, he pressed another digit inside her, causing her to let out another strained cry. His mouth moved in unison with his fingers, and within seconds, she was screaming through her orgasm.

  Kaden wasn’t even close to done with her.

  Annabelle had never felt this level of pleasure before. Even as the waves of her orgasm rippled through her, she wanted more—needed more. Her desire for him had become insatiable. It was unlike anything she had experienced with previous lovers. With every touch, every kiss, her body begged for more. She craved him with a desperation she couldn’t rationalize. There was a connection between them so powerful, she wondered how she could ever stand to be without him.

  Her thighs trembled as she said, “I need you inside me.”

  Kaden positioned himself on top of her. The head of his arousal pressed against her wet folds, making her entire body come alive. “It’s our bond, Bells. I can feel it, too.”

  “How do you know it’s the bond?” she questioned.

  He tucked a few hair strands behind her ear. “I can sense it’s more than a physical need. Your soul is connecting with mine.”

  She let herself feel what was happening between them. It was more than a physical bond. It was the love they shared that was bringing their souls together. A tear slid down her cheek.

  A look of confusion came over his face. “Why are you crying? Have I done something wrong? Did I hurt you?”

  She wiped beneath her eyes with the back of her hand. “No, everything is perfect.”

  His eyebrows creased. “Then why are you crying?”

  Running her hand over the side of his face, she said, “Because everything I’ve wanted is coming true.”

  He leaned down, pressing his lips softly against hers. The kiss was so intimate, so sweet, it sent another tear running down her cheek. She was so overwhelmed with love and desire that she prayed the moment would never end. All she wanted was to spend every minute of the rest of her life in his arms.

  “I want you to be mine now and forever. I want to give you all of me,” he said, eyes staring deeply into hers. “Do you understand what I’m asking?”

  She swallowed hard. “Yes, and I want the same from you.”

  “When our bodies join, the bond will be sealed,” he explained. “Nothing in this world will be able to keep me from you. No other will tempt me. I will belong to you and you to me. But before I can go any further, I need to ask you again. Are you sure this is what you want?”

  Never in her life had a man spoken so tenderly to her. Not even in the hundreds of romance novels she had read. Coming from anyone else, she wouldn’t believe it. But there was an intensity to his words. And somehow, she felt their bond already. They were like two magnets aching to connect. “You are what I want. You’re all I’ve wanted since the day we met.”

  “I love you, Annabelle.” He ran the tip of his arousal through her folds, teasing her before he entered her. Barely inside her, he let out a groan from deep within his soul.

  Anticipation shivered through her. “I love you, too, Kaden.”

  As soon as his name left her lips, he thrust inside, sending a wave of powerful heat rippling through her, arching her back. A second later, the same heat pushed out of her body and appeared to rush back into Kaden. The exchange was powerful and sensual and eternal.

  “Did you feel that?” she asked with both fear and excitement.

  “That was our bond,” he replied, gently kissing her lips. “Our souls intertwining.”

  Before she had time to make sense of what just happened, his hips eased back, then pushed forward again. His girth stretched her inner walls in a delicious way, making her scream out in pleasure. The initial sting had quickly drifted away, replaced by euphoria each time he pushed inside her. There was nothing for her to compare this feeling against. It was all encompassing. It was overwhelming. It was everything she had ever wanted and more.

  With each thrust, he buried himself deep inside her. Kaden dipped his head, taking one of her nipples in his mouth. A tidal wave of pleasure surged through her. She felt her lips moving, but her brain was too frazzled to make sense of what she said. Teasing and sucking her nipple until she could take no more, he moved onto the other breast, repeating the same ministrations until he achieved the identical result.

  The pressure inside her continued to build, his dedicated efforts taking her closer to the boiling point. As if he was sensing her climb, his hips drove into her with powerful abandon. She came apart with a burst of pleasure, shattering into a thousand little pieces as she let out a thunderous scream so loud she hardly recognized her own voice. How had he managed to make her orgasm a second time? She hadn’t even known she could achieve multiple orgasms. The sensation was so strong it made her entire body vibrate.

  She had barely caught her breath when his mouth fell on hers with a growl. This wasn’t like the previous kisses. He dominated her, claiming her with every flick of his tongue. The harder he kissed her, the more she wanted. She matched his intensity with some of her own, digging her fingernails into his back and tightening her legs around him. He let out a hiss, then plunged himself inside her even harder. Annabelle bucked restlessly beneath him, never wanting him to stop. She arched her hips, giving him even more access to her core.

  With one final push, Kaden found his release. The sound of his strained roar sent wild shivers through her. Moments later, his body collapsed on top of hers. By some unknown magic, his full weight didn’t suffocate her. Steady pants tickled her ear as he nuzzled his head into the crook of her neck. She ran her fingers through his sweaty hair, reveling in what had just taken place. It was so much more than sex—he had made love to her.

  Love.

  They were joined now.

  They were one.

  He rolled onto his back, pulling her against him until her head lay on his bare chest. “I need to feel my mate against me.”

  Her skin hummed against his, soothing her. She closed her eyes.

  Within seconds, they were both asleep.<
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  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Annabelle is mine, and I am hers.

  They slept for several hours. She remained on his chest as he ran his fingers through her tousled hair. He had every intention of letting her rest until her alarm went off, but having her so close made that impossible. The scent of her arousal still lingered all around him. Tempting him. Urging him to take her once more. Moments after sealing their bond, he’d felt complete for the first time in his life. All he wanted to do was make her happy and keep her safe. He couldn’t wait to spend the rest of his life with her, and he felt so lucky to have found her.

  The clock on the nightstand read a quarter past four o’clock. The sun wouldn’t rise for nearly two more hours. It was almost time for Annabelle to get up for work. Most people would still be in bed at this hour, but not his woman. This was when she started her day. In a short amount of time, she would be downstairs baking her delicious goodies. Soon, his senses would be overwhelmed with the various blends of chocolate, cinnamon, and vanilla.

  Kaden turned to the side, trying to see her face in the dimly lit bedroom. She was still peacefully asleep as she shifted her position, now resting on her back with one arm tucked behind her head. Her hair was scattered across the pillow, a mess of untamed waves. Truly, she was a sleeping beauty. He lowered the flimsy cotton bedsheet to her hips, revealing her naked upper half. The room had chilled overnight, and he watched as her nipples hardened in response. The sight of her sent his libido into overdrive. He had to touch her, to kiss her. Arousing her out of sleep sounded too enticing to resist.

  Slowly, he rolled off the bed, then unplugged her alarm to make sure the siren didn’t foil his plan. His heart pounded in his chest as he gently tugged off the sheets. He jolted when she mumbled something. Glancing up, he made sure she was still asleep. Her eyes were closed, her breathing steady. He softly crept onto the bed. Her legs were already splayed; he only needed to spread them a few inches more to fit between her thighs. A moment before he had her in position, Annabelle stirred and he froze. Only inches away from her sensitive folds, he stopped to take in the view. The anticipation surged in his chest.

  Using his tongue to part her folds, he followed the slippery trail to the sweet bud of her core. She sighed softly in her sleep. He kept his movement slow, circling her delicate nub. She awoke a little bit at a time, hips gradually moving in unison with his rhythm. Her breaths came out faster and faster. When he pressed his finger inside, her eyes fluttered open. Her fingers dug into his hair. Eager to please, he spread her thighs wider and thrust his tongue deeper into her core. Her back arched; his other hand palmed her breast. Her inner walls pulsated around his finger—she was so close. Craving her climax, he buried his face into her pussy, and she gave him what he desired. Her core spasmed as she let out a sudden, trembling cry.

  Panting, she said, “That was…the best…wake-up…ever.”

  Chuckling, he crawled up next to her and leaned on his elbow. “We can do that every day if you’d like.”

  Curling onto her side, she reached down and slipped her hand under his boxers. He groaned as she rubbed the tip of his erection. “Now it’s your turn,” she said, running her fingers lightly over his length.

  As much as it pained him, he removed her hand from his underwear. “Call in sick to work. I want to spend the day in bed with you.”

  “I can’t.” She collapsed on her back, putting her hands over her face. “There’s too much work to be done.”

  “You have employees who can do it for you.” He pinched one of her nipples between his fingers, and she whimpered. With his mouth only centimeters away from her ear, he whispered, “Come on, Bells. I know you want to.”

  Imagining Annabelle spending all day in bed with him, naked and writhing beneath him, made Kaden delirious with need. It took every ounce of control he had not to take her right then and there. But no. She hadn’t agreed, so he had to hold himself back.

  “All right.” She relaxed her arms at her sides and stared at him. “But I have to go downstairs for one minute and just make sure Drew has everything he needs.”

  “You can call him.” His hand slithered down her belly, settling on top of her wet folds. As he gently stroked her slit, he said, “I’m sure he can handle it.”

  Her hands fisted in the sheets, and her eyes widened with excitement. “I will only stay for five minutes, tops, I swear.”

  A wicked grin spread across his face.

  “I’m getting in the shower.” He slid his finger through her wetness, and she moaned. “If you don’t join me in five minutes, I’m coming after you.”

  “Forget everything I said,” she wailed. “Please fuck me right now.”

  It was shocking to hear Annabelle curse. Damn, she really must be out of her mind with lust. He almost laughed when those dirty words came out of her sweet mouth, but he managed to hold back. She had no idea she was feeding his urge to tease her even more.

  Instead of giving her what she desperately wanted, he removed his fingers and put them in his mouth. She watched him with darkened eyes full of lust as he swallowed her juices. “Go get dressed,” he insisted. “The clock starts ticking when the shower water turns on.”

  He watched her as she slipped on a pair of jeans, grumbling all the way. He headed to the bathroom, turned the shower water on, and stepped inside.

  “Tick. Tock.”

  Chapter Thirty

  Annabelle wanted nothing more than to join Kaden in the shower, but her anal-retentive mind wouldn’t let her. She had never missed a day of work in her life. If she had any hope of relaxing today, she had to go downstairs and make sure everything was on schedule. Nothing could go wrong. If something did, she would blame herself. She rolled her eyes. It wasn’t that she didn’t trust her employees—she adored them. This was just about keeping her sanity.

  She opened the kitchen door and was surprised by the silence. Usually, she would hear the clanging of pans or the radio playing. She took in the area. The kitchen light was on. Flour scattered the counter, and the oven had been preheated. Drew seemed to be in the middle of his prep. She smiled, feeling a little silly. He had everything under control. There was no reason for her to come down here. Instead of waiting for him—he was probably in the bathroom—she’d leave a note letting him know she wouldn’t be coming in today.

  Reaching inside a drawer, she grabbed a pencil and piece of paper. She bent over the counter while she wrote the note. Cold prickled her skin, and she rubbed her arm. It was as if the temperature of the room had instantly dropped thirty or so degrees. She heard a sizzle right before her body flailed to the side, knocking her into the wall. As she came down, her head hit the floor.

  A second later, everything went black.

  Annabelle had been downstairs for too long.

  He hurried to dry himself off and get dressed. There was no need to overreact at this point. Drew could’ve needed her help. Maybe the cashier was running late. There were hundreds of possibilities that had nothing to do with her being in danger. He made his way down the steps and turned the knob on the kitchen door. The lights were off. A cold shiver raced up his back. He hurried to find the switch on the wall, flipped it up, and the lights came on.

  “Bells?” He called out to her twice.

  No one responded.

  A muffled noise drew his attention. He rushed behind the metal island, finding Drew tied up with silver duct tape over his mouth. There was a line of dried blood down the side of his face. He removed the tape, then went to work on the ropes keeping his hands tied behind his back. “Are you okay, Drew?” he asked while searching the rest of the bakery. “Where’s Annabelle?”

  “A cop knocked on the door while I was prepping. He asked for Annabelle, and I said she would be down soon.” Once his hands were free, Drew rubbed his temples. “Next thing I know, something hit me over the head and I was being dragged into the kitchen.”

  “Did you see Annabelle?”

  “I was in and out of conscio
usness,” Drew replied as Kaden helped him get to his feet. “What I do remember is kind of hazy.”

  He kept hold of his arm as he tried to steady himself. The blow he took must have been intense. “Try to jog your memory. Even the slightest detail might be helpful.”

  “I shouldn’t have let him in.” He put his hands over his face. “What if something happens to her?”

  “There was nothing you could’ve done.” Kaden tried to remain calm, but on the inside, he was reeling. He pointed to the welt on the side of Drew’s forehead. “You were tied up, and from the looks of things, hit pretty hard over the head. But it’s not too late. You can still help her by trying to remember. Did you hear anything he was saying?”

  “He was talking crazy. Something about getting supplies.” Drew closed his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose. “None of what he was saying made any sense.”

  “Do you remember anything else?”

  Drew opened his eyes and pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket. “I completely forgot. He slipped this in my pocket before he left with her.”

  Kaden opened the folded paper. If you want her back, come to my ship. That was all it said. He turned his attention back to Drew. “I’m going to call for an ambulance. You need to get that knot on your head looked at.”

  “What are you going to do?” he asked as he sat down in a chair.

  Kaden put some ice in a paper towel and handed it to Drew. “I’ll handle it. Don’t worry. I’ll get her back.”

  After he called the police, FBI agents showed up in front of the bakery. They must have a tap on Annabelle’s phone. He rushed over to their vehicle, knowing he had to play this just right. “Annabelle’s been taken. Drew is inside. He was attacked, but he’s alive.” One of the agents got out of the car and dialed a number. He couldn’t go after Uriel with the agents right behind him. He had to lie. “Stay here until the ambulance gets here. I’m going back to the house to wait for my brothers. We can all convene there and determine our next move.”