Ravenous Read Online Free Page A

into focus.
    “I need to go.” She moved back to gain enough distance to do up the buttons of her blouse. He could feel her pulling away from him, physically and emotionally.
    Stepping back, he gave her space while he hunted for his shirt.
    “Damn it.”
    He straightened and watched her scoot off the railing, patting her hair.
    “I bet I look a treat.”
    She did. The full moon left her haloed in light. Her ponytail was askew, with loose hair sticking at odd angles. He didn’t know how it got that way. Maybe he pulled it or ran his hands through the lengths without knowing. He’d always loved her hair.
    “You look beautiful,” he said, picking his shirt up off the ground.
    Erin diverted her gaze and bent to pick up the bowl. “I’ll meet you back at the house,” she blurted out, reaching for the bottle of water.
    Before his shirt was over his head she began to stride away, leaving him half dressed, horny as hell and unsure of where this left them.

Chapter 3
    Erin kept her gaze lowered for the remainder of the night. She prepared food with hands that still felt the hardness of Jesse’s chest and her legs were numb with the after- effects of orgasm.
    “I’m so stupid,” she muttered to herself, cleaning the last of the plates in the sink.
    The past hours had been torture. At least at the start of the night she’d been able to concentrate because he’d been nowhere in sight. Too bad it didn’t stay that way. Once she came back inside, he followed, taking a seat at the large dining table.
    He observed her every move, the caress of his gaze never leaving her skin. If only she’d pushed him away outside. If only she had the strength to resist him. Then she wouldn’t be feeling overwhelmed and her panties wouldn’t be uncomfortably soaked.
    “You need a hand?”
    Erin didn’t look up. She couldn’t glance at his intense brown irises or those full lips without showing her emotions. He would see her adoration, the wash of love in her eyes, the lust in the flush of her cheeks. She needed him, and the ache he left her with so long ago had settled back beneath her breastbone.
    “No I’m fine, thanks.” She continued to scrub the baking trays, concentrating on the stubborn food instead of Jesse manoeuvring around the kitchen island to come toward her.
    Please don’t get any closer. Don’t make me try and resist you. Not after what you’ve put me through. She wanted to say the words aloud, to make him step back and leave her alone. Only, as much as she needed him to leave, she also wanted him to stay. She yearned to have his talented hands all over her body, stroking her with feather light touches.
    He nestled in behind her, settling the warmth of his chest against her back and leaned in close. “Let me help.”
    Before she could protest he grabbed the cleaning cloth from her hand. The brush of skin sent an electric current along her arms, down her spine. She sank into his shoulder, more languid and weak than she cared to consider, and gloried in his smell. Dark spices, all masculine, entirely hypnotic. Why was he so perfect?
    “Stay the night.” His breath grazed her neck, skittering along her sensitive nerves.
    She gave a half-hearted chuckle and tried to ignore the way his hands teased hers while they cleaned the tray. “In your old room with the single bed? Somehow I don’t think we’d fit.”
    He slid his wet fingers over her wrists, up to her elbows, and then left her body completely to rest his hands on her hips. “We can go to your place, or get a room in town.”
    She sucked in a breath at the vivid image of both of them in a foreign room, arms and legs entangled, tongues and fingers entwined. “No.” She needed to deny her over enthusiastic libido as much as she needed to deny him.
    His wet hands travelled under her blouse, teasing her waist and her belly. Memories flooded her, of nights spent in his arms, of days lost gazing into his loving eyes. Suddenly she was a teenager again, in love