Confusion struck. How had she ended up in his arms? She remembered being shut up in his suite—thanks, Adrian. Owe you one. She remembered pacing, wondering what Thane planned to do to her, and yawning a few thousand times, despite her agitation. She remembered cursing the fact that she was missing a Multiple Scorgasms practice. The team might never forgive her. She remembered settling on the couch to conserve her energy. Then...nothing.

Now...Thane’s strong hand stroked along the ridges of her spine, up and down, up and down, stopping every so often to play with strands of her hair. Delicious. Desire too long denied rolled through her, an unstoppable tidal wave. Consuming her. Drowning her. But, oh, what a way to go.

Here was everything she’d craved for the past year. Comfort. Contact. Connection. The three C’s of enticement.

Thane wasn’t a candidate for her bang and bail...but he was the only male she wanted.

Being with him will come at a terrible price.

Oh, yeah. Swallowing a moan that would have embarrassed her, she jolted upright. His arms, already banded around her, tightened before she could stand, locking her in place. Ignore the rapturous feel of him. Desperate, she cast her gaze over the room. The lights had been dimmed and now cast only the softest, most romantic glow. He hadn’t moved her from the couch, but had slid in underneath her. Oh, criminy, why?

“Look at me, Elin,” he demanded, the strain in his voice catching her by surprise.

Reluctantly she faced him—and then wished she hadn’t. This close, she could see tension branching from eyes crackling with electricity, and a mouth set in a hard line. He looked wild, savage, capable of any dark deed...and yet she yearned to sink closer to him, to put her hands all over him, and feel his hands all over her.

“Are you going to punish me?” she asked. Nothing would toss her out of her amorous mood faster.

“Punish you?” His expression shuttered, then closed off entirely. “No. Why would you think that?”

“I threatened your friend with arsenic.”

“That’s right. You did. Thank you for the reminder.”

She slapped the heel of her palm against her forehead. “How dumb can I be? Golden rule number one is never remind a boss of your mistakes. If he can’t remember, you shouldn’t, either.”

“I liked that you threatened him. He deserved it.” His gaze dropped to her lips. His eyelids seemed to grow heavier by the second, lack of emotion no longer a problem. He sizzled. “But that isn’t what I wish to discuss.”

Oh. “Then what?” she asked, relieved..nfused.

He gave her a look so intense, so hot, it would be forever branded in her mind. “I thought I could stop it, but I can’t.”

Stop it. The attraction.

The need.

She knew that was what he meant, and heat pooled low in her belly.

Oh, no. No, no, no. One of them had to stay sane.

“You are wasted on a man’s memory, kulta,” Thane continued silkily, “and I’m not going to stand for it anymore.”

Killing me... “You don’t have to. I decided to be with someone,” she whispered.

One corner of his mouth tilted up. “Me.” It wasn’t a question.

She hesitated, then admitted, “Actually, no.” Maybe the truth would stop the madness.

He stiffened, and flames began to crackle in his eyes. Flames so wild, they were actually scary. “Who?”

The word was like a punch.

Should have kept my mouth shut. There was no way to make this better. But that was what you wanted, right? “Uh, well, uh, see. I was still deciding between some guy—you’ve probably never met him. I mean, yes, he’s obviously been here, you hired him, but—”

“Hired. Adrian—no, I’ve seen you with him, and there was nothing sexual there. McCadden—no. He’s in love with another.” He paused, other names probably rolling through his mind. Then he narrowed his eyes, the fire raging brighter, and dug his fingers deeper into her flesh. “Merrick.”

Her eyes widened. How had...? No way he could... Argh!

“That’s not going to happen, Elin. You’ll be with me.” He lifted her by the waist and forced her to straddle him. “No other.”

She struggled for a moment—and realized she was merely grinding her aching core against his erection. Her body settled, enthralled by the new position...while her heart careened into an uncontrollable beat. A mating rhythm.

He sucked in a breath. “It’s better than I imagined.”

“What is?” she breathed. But she already knew, because she thought so, too.

“Holding you like this.”

“You imagined this?” He didn’t just want her, she realized. He wanted her desperately. It was a heady thought.

“Many times.”

“Me, too,” she admitted softly, the words leaving her of their own accord.

His hands gripped her harder. “Say yes. Here. Now.”

Yes, yes, a thousand times yes. Touch me. Please. But self-preservation proved stronger than primal instinct. “Yes to what, exactly?”

“To me. To us. I want to be with you, Elin. I want to do things to you. Things you would have never dreamed possible.”

A low moan broke from her throat. I want you to do those things to me, too. “I...” Shivered with anticipation. “I can’t,” she forced herself to say. Even though I’m willing to beg for it. “I’m sorry.”

His eyes hooded in challenge. “Don’t be sorry.” He kissed her neck, at the same time pressing his long, hard length more firmly against her core. Despite her claim, she tilted her hips toward him, deepening the contact, making it last longer. “Answer a question for me.”

“Yes.” The agreement felt good on her lips.

“You’ll give yourself to another, but not to me?” His palms grazed the tips of her breasts. “Why? To punish me for the Harpy?”

Goose bumps broke out. “No.” Maybe. “I...” Take a time-out. Weigh the pros and cons. “Want to give myself to you. I do.” Forget the pros and cons. They had no time to form. Desire burned them away. Burned her.

He stilled. “What changed your mind?”

“It’s what I’ve always wanted,” she admitted, toying with the ends of his hair. “I’m just not going to fight it anymore.”