Addison was in bed, as Zander had said. The room was warm, the windows shut, and Addison was sound asleep.

Kendrick locked the bedroom door, pulled off his clothes, and climbed into the high bed. He slid his hand under Addison’s body, and when she fluttered her eyes open, Kendrick brought her up to him.

“Addison,” he said, his voice low. “I can’t stay away from you. I try and try, but you defeat me in the end.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

Addie came fully awake to find her arms around Kendrick’s very naked, hot-skinned body. She flattened herself against him as his mouth came down on hers, and she kissed him back, tasting fire.

Something had changed in him, and not just the fact that he’d abandoned his vow to keep himself from her. Kendrick tonight was wilder, more vibrant, more alive.

She pressed her hands to his shoulders to break the kiss. “Wow. I’d say finding your friends really made you happy.”

“You make me happy.” Kendrick spoke in a growl. “Jaycee might have died, might never have come home—except for you.”

“Yeah, throwing myself into three pissed-off, diabolical Shifters is nothing to me.” Addie shivered. “Scared the shit out of me. Is she all right?”

Kendrick smoothed a lock of Addie’s hair, fingers warm. “Zander says she’ll be fine.”

“He told me that too. But I mean, is she really all right?”

“Dimitri’s with her. He’ll take care of her.”

Addie traced Kendrick’s cheekbone. “Jaycee’s in love with you.”

“I know.” Kendrick cupped Addison’s face in his hands, his touch both hard and shaking. “I know she is.”

“Dimitri loves her.” Addie felt the need to add this.

“I know. All of us are fucked up.”

Kendrick pushed her back into the mattress, hands dragging her T-shirt from her body. He dipped his head to lick one breast. Addie arched as her nipple went into his mouth, his tongue stirring fire. She stroked his hair, thick and sleek, his warm neck, smooth back.

Kendrick wasn’t gentle—he tugged and pulled with his teeth, his hand coming up to cup her breast. He teased that nipple with thumb and forefingers at the same time he nipped and suckled the other.

Addie drew her foot up his leg, the covers dropping aside. It was too hot for blankets anyway. Addie pushed off the rest of the covers, nothing but the cool bottom sheet under them now.

High on this tall bed, it was as though they floated in an aerie, where nothing could reach them. Addie hugged Kendrick to her as he went on, his touch making magic. He knew how to pleasure with only hands and tongue, as he’d showed her in the barn, and Addie’s body came alive in response.

When Kendrick released her breasts to take her mouth again, Addie let her hand move to the thick hardness between his legs.

Kendrick sucked in a breath and lifted his head, eyes glittering.

Addie gave him a hot smile. “You think only one of us can play that game?”

“I think you don’t understand your danger.” His voice was gravelly rough.

“I understand it just fine.” Addie squeezed, and Kendrick let out a groan.

Bree had confided in Addie, confirming the rumor that Shifters were big. Very, very big. Addie had put this down to exaggeration, but she realized now that Bree was right.

It had been a while since Addie had been in bed with a man, but she’d never been shy about sex. She’d been curious and she’d discovered.

Exploring Kendrick opened up a whole new world to her. Addie wrapped her hand around his cock, marveling how sleek it could be. Kendrick growled, his eyes half closing then filling with something like pain.