He didn't try anything romantic like carrying Elizabeth to the bed this time. He simply kissed her while he slid his hands under the hem of her cropped top and lifted it off over her head.

She wore a tiny black bra underneath, a strip of satin and lace above which her br**sts swelled. She closed her eyes as Ronan drew his fingertip along her butterfly tattoo, bared in its entirety now. It had tasted fine the other night. Ronan lowered his head to taste it again.

Elizabeth made a little noise of pleasure, and her fingers came up to furrow his hair. She smelled good, the cinnamon scent overlaid with her own musk. He tasted perspiration and her as he glided his tongue over the smooth line of her tattoo.

Elizabeth slid her hands down his back and tugged at his T-shirt. Ronan obliged her by pulling off the shirt and tossing it away. He was rewarded by Elizabeth running her hands down his torso, fingers finding his flat ni**les among wiry hair.

"You have to be the largest man I've ever seen," she said.

"Kodiaks get big." Ronan slid his hands to her waist. "You, though, are tiny."

She laughed softly. "Oh, please, I've never been called tiny in my life."

"You are to me. And yet . . ." He moved his hands beneath her br**sts. "You have curves a man could lose himself in."

"You aren't bad yourself." Elizabeth skimmed her hands down to his bu**ocks, which were still cupped by his jeans. She usually liked to hook her fingers through his belt loops, but this time, she slid them into his back pockets.

"I could grow to like this," Ronan said. "But I'm getting a little frenzied."

"The frenzy again?"

Ronan snaked his thumbs under the elastic of her bra, finding a soft cushion of woman beneath. "A Shifter's curse, the mating frenzy. When it comes upon us, we'll do anything to hole up with our mates and not come out until it's over. For days. Or weeks."

"Good."

Ronan warmed. "Good?"

"Means you'll be too busy to go to that stupid fight club."

"Maybe." Ronan's blood was hot with need, his skin starting to bead with sweat. Elizabeth was lovely, and soft, and damn sexy in that bra. Choosing between lying with her for a week or fighting a smelly Shifter wasn't difficult. Ronan ran his fingers around to the back of her bra and fumbled with the hooks. "I'm not good at this."

Her smile made her eyes soft. "Don't tell me you're inexperienced."

"I've never been with a human woman, no." Ronan finally worked the two catches free. "I think I've been missing out."

Elizabeth took her hands from Ronan's pockets and slid the bra straps from her shoulders. Her br**sts came into view, round and full, tips dusky. She had another tattoo, he discovered, a tiny one just below her left nipple--a perfectly formed little fairy with finely penned wings. He lowered his head and kissed it.

Elizabeth's intake of breath made him warmer still, and he licked where he'd kissed.

"That hurt when I got it done," Elizabeth said in a near-whisper. "I thought I was crazy. The lady who did it for me, though, she was a real artist."

"I like it," Ronan said into her skin. He moved his mouth upward and caught her areola with his tongue.

Elizabeth stood perfectly still, sensations pouring through her as his mouth did its dance. Her body was open and hot, the space between her legs relaxed and wanting him.

She unhooked his belt and pulled it open then popped the button of his jeans. Ronan came up, his eyes holding the same longing she felt. He quickly pulled off his boots then unzipped and got rid of the jeans, pulling his underwear down with them.

Elizabeth had seen him naked before, but this time was different. Before, he'd been shifting, a warrior, protecting her. Now he was a man, bared to take her to bed.

She ran her hands down his chest, over his flat abdomen, and stopped when she reached the hardness of him. Elizabeth became needier still as she closed her hands around it.

"So the rumors are true," she said. "About the extra inches."

"Every single one of them, sweetheart."

She wanted to laugh. "You're full of yourself."

"No, you are full of myself."

"Shithead."

Elizabeth rose on her tiptoes, still holding on, and kissed his mouth. Ronan made a noise of enjoyment as she squeezed him, and his answering kiss took her breath away.

No more holding back. Ronan yanked open her jeans, the top button flying across the room. Before Elizabeth could move to assist, he had the jeans down, hands deftly removing her high-heeled half-boots at the same time. Next came her black satin panties that matched her bra, his large hands warming her legs.

Now she was bare, and so was he, standing body to body. He kissed her as he scooped her against him, lifted her, and carried her to the bed.

He stripped back the quilts, laying her on the sheets before he climbed into bed beside her. Elizabeth slid her hand again to his very erect shaft, knowing exactly what she wanted to do. She came up on her knees and coaxed him onto his back, then she straddled him, sitting back on his shins so she could keep rubbing him with her hand.

Ronan curled his arms behind his head, watching her with intense eyes while she stroked him. She could tell he was holding back, keeping himself from reaching for her, while waiting to see what she'd do.

"Lizzie-girl," he said, voice raw. "You're going to kill me."

Elizabeth gave him a sly look. She leaned down and licked his navel, then let her tongue glide down, all the way down. She traveled the length of him and closed her mouth over his tip.