The storm of what ifs and when will it bes that had been laying waste to her thoughts, churning in her gut, had all quieted. Gone. It wouldn’t be easy with this man. She knew it like she knew her name. He had trouble written all over him.

But there was something else too. Something beyond the beauty of the skin stretched taut over muscles. A body she wanted to caress and lick from head to toe. Beyond the cant of the smile that promised very bad and enjoyable things. He was so incredibly beautiful, cocky, self-sufficient. And yet there was a vulnerability there she’d just seen glimpses of. There was something in his eyes that gave her an absolute surety that he’d be worth the struggle.

She expected scientific proof of many things. But sometimes fate was just fate. And he was hers.

Sliding her fingertips down his temple, she found the warmth of his jaw, the softness just beneath, the fragility of him just there. His pulse thundered against her touch as a sound broke from his lips — a ragged moan that tore at her self-control. Opening her hand, she luxuriated in the feel of him against her palm when she slid it around his neck, the hardness of him sending need through her, flooding, intoxicating.

The warmth of his body brought his essence, man and magick, rising to her nose and she shivered at how delicious he was. Her mouth watered as she wanted. Wanted to taste, to lick and kiss and to be licked and kissed.

His eyes, half-mast and burning with some inner light, locked onto hers and nearly sent her to her knees. She paused, not a bad idea really. She wanted to devour him. It hit her with so much force her hands began to tremble.

And then she closed her eyes. Just for a moment.

A vision of him above her, of sliding against him, sweat-slicked skin. Of him inside her hit her and rebounded back to him. With a gasp she opened her eyes, needing to see him, needing to know if she was alone or if he had, indeed felt what she had.

The pale green gaze she found locked on her face told her she wasn’t alone, which sent heat through her anew. His eyes darkened. The flutter of his pulse at the base of his throat caught her eye and she licked her lips.

With a soft intake of breath, he banded her waist with his arm and hauled her against his body. His mouth covered hers and the sweetness of his desire bled through her, saturating every single cell. Need ravaged through her as he drove out all the emptiness in a way she was certain only he was capable of.

She swallowed his ragged moan and dug her nails into his biceps. She’d never wanted anyone before with such raw power, such craven greed. Her skin itched with it, her insides melted as the flames of his energy licked through her.

He tore his mouth away, chest heaving as he strained to breathe. His cock burned into her lower belly where it was quite clear he felt the same way she did.

“I can’t be your bond-mate.” The statement was laced with desperation, but he knew it wasn’t true.

She laughed. “You are and you know it. But it’s sudden. I get that. I can wait until you’re ready.” He would be. It’d just take time. He’d need to get to know her before he could commit. In the meantime, there was no reason at all why they shouldn’t be together, get to know each other. And, um, have sex and stuff. A lot of it.

But not right away. Sex would only make the need grow, only strengthen the connection they had. And there was no way she wanted him to ever wonder if he rushed into things or if he’d been swayed by the scorching-hot sex. And she knew without any doubt at all it would be just that.

She cleared her throat after her mouth had gone dry at the very idea of what they’d be like in bed. “I need to break the circle, all right?”

He nodded, his arm still banded around her waist, making it absolutely clear he had no plans to let go. Yum. Gooseflesh worked over her. She loved an in-charge male and this one spilled magick and testosterone until she drowned in it.

Even when she broke the circle, the intensity of their attraction still made it hard to think straight.

“Just so you know this, whatever else is happening between us, I need you.” He pressed his mouth to the place where her neck met her shoulder and took a long, deep breath.

Swoon.

“I plan to need you more than once.”

His voice made her nipples harden to the point of pain. Yep, not just a bonding of like powers. This was a deep, DNA tingling, supercharged fuckfest of a bonding. Two lives united to heighten power was a given of the magick bond. But Dominic Bright was her heart’s mate as well as her magick’s mate, even if he wasn’t ready to know or accept that part yet.

But she was certain. If he was simply a magickal mate, their connection wouldn’t have been sensual or sexual at all. But it sure as heck was sexual. All her parts paid attention in an oh-let’s-make-babies sort of way when their energies mixed.

That knowing appealed to the organizer, the control freak within, satisfied her in a way she’d been totally surprised by.

She shivered when his lips brushed over the outer shell of her ear as he whispered, “Six blocks. I live six blocks from here. I’d take you right here if I didn’t know the door would be pounded on sixteen times in the next hour. I’m in no mood to be interrupted.”

“I’m across the lake in Bellevue.” She tried to move back but he held her in place. “We need to take this slowly. We can talk at your place. Unless it’s all stunk up with other women.”

He laughed, taking two handfuls of her ass and snugging her against him even tighter. “I don’t play with women at my apartment. But I’m going to play with you there.”

“Play?” She swallowed. What had she gotten herself into and could she get there faster? No! No, she needed to keep her mind above her waistline and be smart, damn it.

He let go, only stepping a few feet away to pick up the phone, giving directions as his gaze greedily roved over her body like a roughened caress. “I can get us a taxi or we can walk. It’s up to you. Tell me and I’ll make it happen.”

Goddess, she wanted him to kiss her again.

She cleared her throat, lecturing herself to hold it together. She was a powerful witch, a smart woman and if she rushed into this without thinking, she might miss something good. This man was the rest of her life; it would be a crime to not pay attention.

Yes, what they had together was intoxicating, but there were real-life considerations to be made. He didn’t trust or apparently understand much about clans and it would be a wedge between them if they didn’t address it.

Clans were everything Meriel was. She was proud of what her foremothers had done before her to protect their people. As next in line, she’d run Owen one day. If he accepted her, he’d have to accept that too.

But none of that was necessary right at that moment. Just then she wanted to be alone with him, to touch and be touched. She needed him all to herself.

She smirked up at him. “My car is in valet. Some sad little wannabe named Spider, who’d piss his pants if a real vampire ever showed him fang, parked it. Better not have scratched it either. Really, Dominic, Spider?”

His lips quivered as he tried not to smile. “I don’t name them. They come with names you know. I walked so I’ll let you drive, although I sense that may be a mistake. Give me the tag, I’ll have it brought around.”

She handed it to him, both of them shivering a bit as their fingertips brushed, and he called quickly. A tap on the door sounded. Meriel opened the wards and Simon walked in. He took in the sight of her and cut his gaze to Dominic, looking mighty annoyed.

“Damn it, Dom. You’re poaching.” He looked very handsome and territorial standing there. Until his nostrils flared and his spine lost its rigidity. “She’s got your damned scent all over her. Outclan witches like you have mates? You’re like one of those full-council guys and you didn’t tell me?”