Or me.

She didn’t say those words, but they seemed to hang between them.

“There are some things you can’t forget.” He brought his lips to hers once more. He didn’t trust her. The story about helping him escape could be pure bull, but the need for her overwhelmed everything else in that instant.

So why not take her?

They were alone. She was beneath him. His body was so hard for her that he ached.

Why not take her?

When he kissed her again, the kiss was harder. Deeper. His tongue swept inside, taking every bit of sweetness that he could. And she was sweet. Her taste made him heady, eager for more.

Her fingers curled around his, and she was shifting beneath the covers. Arching her h*ps against his.

He wanted those covers gone.

His mouth went to her neck. Her scent was stronger there, and he loved that light, sexy smell. He licked her skin, sucked the tender curve of her throat, then scored her with his teeth.

“Dante!”

The covers had to go.

He freed her hands. Yanked at the covers. When they got tangled up, he just ripped them away.

She was naked.

For some reason, he hadn’t expected that.

“I-I . . . only had the one pair of clothes and when I got into bed . . .”

His fingers caressed the tip of her breast. Her nipple was tight and tempting.

“I didn’t want to—” Cassie’s words choked off in a moan.

And when he bent his head and took that nipple in his mouth, her whole body trembled.

Yes. This was what he’d wanted. Her. All of her. Spread before him. Her body was perfect to him. Smooth and sexy, making his c**k grow heavier and harder.

He wanted to drive into her as deeply as he could go. But he held himself back. His savage instincts screamed for him to—

Take.

But another part, a part somewhere deep inside whispered . . .

Savor.

So his fingers trailed over her skin. He licked her br**sts. Kissed those ni**les. Loved the sound of her gasps as her nails sank into his back.

I haven’t had her before? He must have been insane.

More covers ripped as he pushed down between her legs. His finger slid up her thighs. Up, up . . .

“Dante?” There was a note of fear in her voice.

He didn’t want her afraid.

His gaze held hers, even as his fingers slipped over her sex. “I won’t hurt you.” That was a vow.

Her lips parted on a sharp breath.

His fingers eased into her. Tight. So incredibly tight. Wet. Hot.

His fingers slid out.

Her eyes widened.

He pushed into her again, then slid out, letting his fingers trail over the center of her need.

Cassie’s breath came faster and harder with her rising arousal. He could make her come, just like that, caressing her so slowly, he knew he could.

But he wanted more.

Savor.

Take.

He wanted to taste all of her. To put his mouth on her and mark her as his.

He’d been looking for something ever since he woke in that alley. Now he’d found her.

Once won’t be enough. So much for the brilliant plan. Already, he was sure once wouldn’t even begin to take the edge off his hunger.

He began to kiss a path down her stomach.

Then he heard the faint rumble of a car.

They’d taken a long, twisting drive to get to the cabin. There were no other homes near.

Just them.

He kissed her skin once more. He was so close to what he wanted most.

So damn close.

But that rumbling engine was getting louder. And it wasn’t just one car.

He heard a whoop-whoop-whoop. His jaw locked and he glanced up at Cassie. In the dark, her eyes gleamed. Her breath panted out.

“Company.” Fucking company. “Someone’s coming, Cassie.” Coming in fast, and, from the sound of things, by land and by air.

Hating it—hating it—he pulled away from her body. That someone was going to pay for denying him what he’d wanted most. Someone would burn.

Cassie blinked and shook her head. “What?”

Whoop. Whoop. Whoop.

Louder. Closer.

“A helicopter,” she whispered as her eyes widened. “How? How did they find us?”

The how didn’t matter. Getting away mattered.

Dante jumped from the bed, and Cassie rushed to dress in her jeans and T-shirt. A damn shame, that. He much preferred her naked. I didn’t get to taste all of her.

But he would. Every single inch of her.

“Dante?” She stilled, staring at him. Probably because he looked like he was about to leap on her again.