He sat with the sheet covering his lap when she returned. One leg was bent upward on the side of the bed. She was glad she’d taken the time to wrap a towel around her middle before returning to the room, not comfortable being naked. Shadow looked less fierce just waking from sleep with his expression more open and readable. He smiled tentatively.

“How are you feeling?”

“Good.” She wasn’t sure if she should get back into bed with him or not.

The smile faded. “What is wrong? Do you regret coming into my room?”

Her teeth sank into her bottom lip as she shook her head. “I don’t know what to do.” Honesty was best. “None of the men spend the night with the women so I have never overheard the morning-after etiquette. Is there such a thing?”

“What do you want to do?”

She dodged his question. “What do you want to do?”

His leg slid flat on the bed and she gaped a little at the sight of the sheet over his lap. His erection jutted upward instead of lying flat. “Don’t ask a male that. This is the answer.” He reached up to grip the headboard above him, looking relaxed except for his hard-on. “Will you come back to my bed?”

“I want to,” she admitted, happy he wasn’t shutting her out.

His hands tightened their hold on the wood enough that his knuckles turned white.

“What is wrong?”

He glanced at his hands before looking at her again. “I’m trying to appear docile, not to frighten you.”

She laughed before she could prevent it and tugged at the towel to loosen it.

“What’s funny?”

“You’re so big and strong. You couldn’t pull that off. You just look extremely sexy.” Her cheeks warmed. “Should I not tell you that?”

He grinned. “What makes me appealing?”

“The way your arms are up and you’re stretched out a little across the pillows. It reminds me of something I read in a romance novel but the leading man wore handcuffs.”

“I wouldn’t wear those but I’ll keep my hands here if it makes me less threatening to you.”

The towel hit the floor as she stepped closer to the bed. Shadow’s gaze fixed on her br**sts. All humor faded from his features, the tense look returning. She could identify that expression now. He wanted her and it filled her with a sense of courage as she climbed on the high mattress near his feet.

“Why wouldn’t you wear handcuffs?”

He looked away, not speaking. She froze.

“Did I say something wrong?”

He glanced back. “It would remind me of bad times.”

“I’m sorry. I was just curious.”

“Come to me,” he rasped. “I won’t hurt you.”

“I know. I’m not afraid of you.” She crawled up the bed and surprised them both by straddling his lap. Her ass eased down over his sheet-covered thighs. Both her hands flattened on his chest. “I want to hug you. May I?”

“You can do anything you’d like to me,” he stated gruffly, swallowing hard.

“Anything?” The idea did funny things to her stomach, making it flutter.

“Yes.”

One deep breath and she inched closer to him. “I want to kiss you.”

Surprise registered but he nodded. “Okay.”

She studied his mouth. It was full and lush—tempting. “Maybe you should kiss me.”

“I haven’t done this before. Not mouth to mouth.”

“Me neither.” She smiled. “We’ll learn together.”

“Together,” he repeated, wetting his lips, focusing on hers. “Open to me.”

She closed her eyes, parted her lips and tilted her head slightly. The first brush of contact was almost ticklish. He pressed his lips firmly to hers. They were mouth to mouth. The texture of his lips was unbelievably soft. His tongue licked hers and she melted into him. It took a few seconds but she repeated what he did, tasting him and wanting more. It was amazing, that intimacy, and he growled, deepening the kiss.

Her senses focused entirely on Shadow and everything else faded away. Pleasure and excitement seeped into her slowly, radiating from the point of contact, spreading lower. She moaned and Shadow slowly broke the kiss.

They were both a little out of breath. Beauty liked kissing. Judging by Shadow’s heated stare, he did as well. She couldn’t wait to do it again.

She leaned forward until her body rested against his and slid her hands up to his shoulders. She pressed her ear over his heart, relaxing. “Will you hold me?”

Strong arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her more firmly against him. He shifted his hips, sliding her body closer until his c**k was trapped between their bellies with only a sheet as a barrier. She inhaled his masculine scent and a funny noise escaped her—it almost resembled a whine.

His arms loosened immediately and his heart rate jumped. “Don’t be afraid.”

She turned her head, peering up at him. “I’m not. I don’t know why that happened.”

“You’re primate. What were you feeling when you made that sound?”

She evaluated the moment. “Happy. Safe. Sexually aware of you.”

The arms around her tightened slightly to draw her closer. “I growl or snarl when my emotions are strong. Sometimes my instincts are so close to the surface that they refuse to be ignored. That wasn’t a human noise.” He watched her intently. “It’s okay. You were probably having one of those moments.”