“Then what am I supposed to tell Steve Dugan or the next guy who asks me out? And Talon, men will ask me out.” I added that last part for Talon’s benefit. Frankly, I’d never been nearly as popular with the guys as someone as gorgeous as Marj was, but it wouldn’t hurt Talon to think I was.

“I don’t want men asking you out.”

“How exactly are you going to stop them? This is a small town, and I’m new blood. If you’re not willing to admit that you’re in a relationship with me and men don’t know that I’m taken, how do you expect to keep them from asking me out?”

“You can just say no. Tell them what you told Dugan. That you just got out of a long relationship and are taking it easy. That’s even partially true.”

“Or”—I braced myself—“I could just go out with the guys who ask me out.”

His face reddened. “What?”

“You heard me. Steve Dugan is a good-looking man. He seemed pretty nice and straightforward. What would be the harm in having a drink with him?”

He stood and grabbed my shoulders, yanking me out of my chair. “You will not have a drink with Steve Dugan or any other man, here or anywhere.”

“Are you forbidding me? Just like you forbade me to get a tattoo?”

His eyes blazed with fire. “Goddamnit, Jade, why the fuck do you do this to me?”

“Do what—”

His lips came down on mine. His tongue was cold from the iced tea, but still he tasted of Talon—sweet minty cinnamon. This was one of his raw kisses, one of his kisses that said I was his and only his.

If only he were willing to say that with words.

I pulled away with a smack. “Talon, we—”

His lips crushed onto mine again. No use talking to him right now. Talon was showing me something he didn’t have to, something I already knew very well. That I was his. And I was willing to be his, his lover, his life partner even, if he wanted it that way. But I wasn’t about to be told what I could and couldn’t do.

I tried pulling away again, but his grip was too hard. We were suctioned together. So I let the kiss happen. Kissing Talon was no hardship. I loved every minute of it. Our tongues twirled together as he kissed me hard with passion, with fervor. His kisses were like a drug, something that got into my system and that I couldn’t live without.

When he finally ripped his lips from mine and inhaled a deep breath, I tried backing away, but he held me fast. He nipped at my neck and then came up to my ear. “You will not go out with anyone. Do you understand me?”

Before I could answer, he slammed his lips onto mine again. And though I wanted to argue with him and tell him that he didn’t own me, my body took over and I melted into his kiss.

Our lips slid against each other’s, our tongues tangled and dueled, my skin tightened around me, and my body heated. Sizzling arrows shot straight to my pussy. My nipples hardened and pressed into my bra. He held me tightly against him as he continued to devour my mouth.

You’re mine, that kiss said. You’re mine and no one else’s. Only I will possess you.

And the kiss was right.

I didn’t want anyone else.

His hard cock pulsed against my belly. I unclenched one of my hands from his upper arm and grabbed it.

He groaned into my mouth.

He broke the kiss, and again, before I could say anything, he lifted me into his arms and walked out of the kitchen swiftly.

I didn’t bother to ask where we were going.

I didn’t bother to resist.

He was taking me to bed, and no matter how much I hated the fact that he’d “forbidden” me to do anything, and no matter how much I wanted to make our relationship public, I would always go to bed with him. He didn’t have to ask. He could take me by force, and I would go. I would never deny him.

This was solid truth.

When we got to his room, he kicked the door shut, walked through the sitting area and into his bedroom, and threw me—not gently—onto the bed.

“Get undressed,” he said, his eyes dark fire, his skin aglow with perspiration. He raked his fingers through his heavy mop of hair, tousling it sexily.

Refusing him never crossed my mind. Slowly I pulled my camisole over my head and tossed it to the floor. Then I unclasped my bra and got rid of it as well. I cupped my breasts, holding them out in offering, thumbing my nipples softly. They were already hard as red currants, longing for his lips. I pinched the right one and then the left.

Talon sucked in a breath. “God, blue eyes.”

I was already turned on. My panties were no doubt soaking, and just a few little pinches to my nipples by my own hand got my motor running big-time.

Talon raked his fingers through his beautiful hair again. “I said, undress, Jade.”

I bit my lower lip, and he sucked in a breath again. I lay down on the bed, slid my khakis over my hips and down my legs, and kicked them off along with my black pumps. Only my lacy thong separated me from total nudity.

I turned my head and met Talon’s dark gaze. With my left hand, I squeezed my nipple, while I trailed my right hand down my abdomen, over my mound, and underneath the lace of my thong. My pussy was slick with moisture.

“I’m wet, Talon,” I said. “So wet.”

“God…” He pulled my thighs to the edge of the bed, spread my legs, and ripped my thong off me, tearing it and throwing it to the floor. He inhaled between my legs. “God, blue eyes, you smell so ripe. So ripe for me.”

I closed my eyes and sighed, waiting for his tongue to stroke my wet folds.

But his tongue didn’t come. I opened my eyes and lifted my head a bit, meeting his fiery brown gaze.

“This pussy is mine, Jade. You hear me? Mine.”

Well, it was one step closer to me being his. Maybe he wasn’t claiming all of me, but he was at least claiming my pussy.

“Yours,” I said. “This is your pussy.”

“Damned right it is.” He swiped his tongue from my asshole all the way to my clit.

I shuddered. Blood boiled in my veins. One touch from this man, and I was liquid, molten.

“You taste good. So fucking good. Apples, peaches…”

He ate my pussy, the succulent sounds drifting to my ears, turning me on even more. As he ate me, I brought my hands to my breasts and played with my nipples. God, so good.

He forced his tongue inside my channel and then moved to my clit, sucking it between his lips until I was sure I would implode, but then he turned back to my slit, and he pushed my thighs forward and tickled my tight little hole.