“It was incredible.”

She stopped talking to avoid saying something she’d regret. It had been more than just sex to Jeanie. The urge to tell him how much she loved him—had loved him for so long—was too tempting but she didn’t want to make something so special into an awkward moment for True. Men didn’t want to hear that kind of confession after sex, especially when they didn’t return a woman’s feelings.

He caressed her cheek. “You will be safe if I mate you.”

Hope that he loved her back flared so bright she couldn’t even draw air.

“They can’t ever send you away from me. It’s the best way I can think of to protect you. I owe you my life and freedom, Jeanie. It is something I’m willing to do.”

The sharp stab of pain to her heart hurt so much she sucked in a breath. “What?”

“I could mate you to save you from going to Fuller, regardless of what the task force decides.”

It tore her apart inside. He was such a good man to offer to marry her for honorable reasons but she couldn’t accept. It wouldn’t be fair to lock him into a relationship just because he wanted to protect her and felt he owed her his life. She swallowed the lump of emotion that nearly choked her, carefully choosing her words.

“That is very sweet of you, True. I appreciate it.”

He frowned.

“I can’t though.”

“Why not?” He released her face and gripped her h*ps instead. “It’s a life commitment to only share sex with you.”

Longing to have that with him was a bitter pain inside her chest. “To save me?”

“Yes.”

Jeanie battled her morals. She’d give anything to spend the rest of her life with True but it would be wrong to take advantage of his sense of duty. Loving him meant she had to do what was best for him, regardless of what would make her happy. The fear of him one day regretting that decision, or worse, growing to hate her for accepting what he was willing to sacrifice, won out. “I want you to want to mate with me for the right reasons, True.”

He appeared stunned. “You are refusing my offer?”

“I want you to mate me for the right reasons,” she restated.

“You are saying no? Do you understand that you’ll be safe from Species law as my mate? They can’t ever send you to prison or punish you for anything you’ve done in the past. It will protect you.”

“I’m saying no to you wanting to do it to save me.”

True hid his anger and confusion. Why is Jeanie refusing to be my mate? The dull throb of pain from her bite seemed proof she’d enjoyed the sex, along with her other reactions. He’d heard human females sometimes faked orgasms but he was certain that hadn’t been an act. It didn’t make any sense. He could protect her and had shown her he’d be a good mate.

Perhaps she needs more proof. Females could be stubborn. He rolled over and pinned Jeanie under his body, careful not to crush her, using his elbows to hold his chest off hers. Pretty brown eyes widened as he stared into them but he saw no fear.

“I could convince you.”

He didn’t wait for an answer. He found his footing on the floor so he was bent over her, tugged her by her shoulders and held her in place as he drove inside her pu**y—deep. He hesitated there, making sure she could take him without pain. A soft moan as her eyes nearly closed told him all he needed to know.

He withdrew until he almost completely left her body, adjusted his hips, and slowly pushed back inside. The tight fit of their bodies felt heavenly to him and he shifted his h*ps just enough to see her reaction when he found the right spot, the one females enjoyed so much. He’d learned a few things about pleasing a female since he’d gained his freedom. Species demanded satisfaction from the males they allowed into their beds or they wouldn’t be invited to join them again.

Jeanie moaned and her fingernails dug into his skin. It took effort to mute a snarl of satisfaction as he began to pump in and out of her at the right angle and her breathing increased to a pant. Sweat broke over his skin as he fought back his own pleasure to focus solely on hers.

“Nothing feels as good as you do,” he confessed. “You’re so soft, wet and tight.” He picked up the speed of his driving hips, pounding her against the mattress while fighting off his release. She was too tight and felt amazingly good but a lot was on the line. He needed her to understand what he offered as a mate. “Heaven,” he decided aloud. If it was a place on Earth, Jeanie was it for him.

Her eyes closed and her head tilted back as her legs wrapped tighter around his hips. The feel of her heels digging into his ass just spurred him to a faster pace, the friction between his rigid shaft and the tightening muscles of her pu**y drove him to near insanity. He wanted to lose himself in her, mark her from the inside with his se**n and own her forever as his.

“True,” she cried out.

Her fingernails dug into his skin deep enough to draw blood, the slight pain turning into the satisfaction of knowing she marked him in a human way. He reverently hoped she’d leave scars. He glanced down between them and watched with rapt fascination as her ni**les beaded into taut tips right before her pu**y quivered and the muscles clamped around his dick.

Her loud cries as she came were all it took for his control to slip. He snarled, clenching his teeth to avoid biting her shoulder when the urge struck and then lost the ability to think at all. He cradled her as best he could as he jerked with each violent spasm as his se**n filled her. White-hot ecstasy seared his loins and went straight to his brain.