“Sean ...” The happy bubbles died across the kitchen, a rich aroma permeating the air. “The coffee’s done.”

“Unplug it.”

“I’m dying for coffee.”

“I’m dying for you.” Sean licked Andrea’s neck, his breath hot. “I can’t hold back, love. I’m trying, I’m trying damn hard, but I can’t.”

Andrea looked straight up at him with those smoke gray eyes. If this had been a hundred years ago, when Shifters were wild, Sean wouldn’t have waited for her decision. He’d have scooped her up and taken her. After all, she was his mate, she belonged to him, and the frenzy was killing him.

It makes you want to f**k or die, Liam had once said.

Or die if I don’t f**k, Sean thought. A better way of putting it.

Even so, he knew that his frenzy wasn’t just for sex, wasn’t just the biological drive that ensured that more cubs were born. Sean’s frenzy was for Andrea.

For her clear gray eyes, for her sweet curves, for the way she said his name. For the way her clothes clung to her body, for her sense of humor, for her buying him underwear with smiley faces on them. It was the way she smelled, the way she liked coffee, and the way she winked at the Shifter groupies in the bar and left them speechless.

It was her Fae scent and her fine skin, her breath, her warmth, and the fact that she walked upon the earth.

Andrea’s eyes darkened as she slid cool hands up his arms. “You’re burning up.”

“With fever. I want you, damn your beautiful eyes.”

Andrea burrowed her hands under his T-shirt. “Maybe taking this off will help.”

Sean liked how her appreciative smile touched her lips as he nearly ripped the shirt from his body. She returned to running her hands over her skin, tracing the muscles of his chest, her lashes flickering as she examined his torso.

Sean smiled a hot smile. “I showed you mine. You show me yours.”

His control slipped as Andrea stepped back and pulled her shirt off over her head. Her bra was silver lace today, a sweet and petite slash of fabric that cupped her full br**sts. Sean itched to take his teeth to the little bow in the center.

Sean folded his arms, pretending not to shake. “All of if, love.”

Andrea’s smile widened. She reached behind her back and unhooked the bra and let it fall softly to the kitchen floor.

No more holding it in. Sean went to her and slid his arms around her waist. He gently pushed her backward until she arched against the counter, and then he licked her throat and down between her br**sts. He turned his head and caught her nipple between his teeth, filling his mouth with her round breast, suckling, tasting. Andrea let out a sigh of satisfaction and drew her hand up his back.

Lovely, lovely br**sts. Sean could feast on them all day. He was hard, straining against his pants, his mouth happy to lick and nip and suckle. She was so soft, yet so firm, flesh like satin.

Andy-love, you taste so damn good.

Sean felt fingers at his belt, his jeans loosening. “I showed you mine,” Andrea said as she worked the button open, the zipper down.

Sean let go of her long enough to toe off his boots and shove his pants down. He waited for her laughter that he’d worn the “Fine” briefs, but Andrea’s eyes darkened as she looked him over, then she slid her arms around him, fingers under the waistband.

He kissed her lips, taking her in slow, long strokes. Her mouth was hot, willing, tasting of whatever beer she’d drunk while out with Glory. Damn lucky beer to slide down her throat. Sean bit her lip and then traced the path the liquid would have taken until he swirled his tongue across her navel.

He tugged at the waistband of her jeans. “Your turn.”

Andrea, bless her, gave him a show. She slowly undulated her hips as she stepped back from him, sliding her shoes from her feet. She unbuttoned and unzipped her jeans, the hips rocking, teasing him, enticing him.

Andrea turned around while she eased the jeans down, so that Sean saw her lovely dark hair falling down her bare back, her sweet ass coming into view covered with a bikini panty of gray satin. She stepped out of the jeans and glanced back over her shoulder.

Sean closed the distance between them in two strides, wrapped his arms around her from behind, slid his hands into her panties, and easily found the warm, wet core of her. She gasped as he touched her heat.

He’d seen her naked before—they’d both shed clothes when they’d shifted. But this was different; this was slow, and this was hot. Shifting was about the animal, and the animal didn’t care anything about clothes or nakedness. It only wanted the feel of fur and fangs, wanted to give in to the instinct of the hunt. Screwing in animal form was basic, hard, and swift, and had nothing to do with nudity and sensuality.

What Sean did now was about loving, about savoring the goodness of her.

Sean licked Andrea’s shoulder as he slid his fingers into her, Andrea warm and wet and open. Andrea, a woman who’d never felt a man inside her, stifled a groan.

He knew he needed to go slowly with her. The beast in him wanted to rip the panties from her, spread her legs, and lift her so that he’d fit against her from behind. His c**k was pounding at him, telling him to do it and be done.

But Sean never could. He wanted to feel Andrea surrounding him, wanted to watch her eyelids grow heavy as he loved her. He wanted her to give him that seductive smile as he licked the curve of her lips, see the shine of her eyes as she felt him inside her.

Andrea leaned back against him, eyes closed, as she enjoyed what Sean did. He could open her like this, with his fingers, get her used to being touched, entered. It would take time, and his body wanted him to hurry.