006

DANIKA

     I should take it back. What was I thinking?

But the moment he looks at me, really looks at me, every ounce of logic starts to crash.

His chest is rising and falling heavily, the veins in his forearms straining. He runs his fingers through his midnight-black hair, his lashes lowering.

"Danika..." he utters thickly. "You don't know what you're asking for."

The sound of my name in that rough growl makes heat flood my veins.

I shouldn't want this. But I do.

I want him so badly I can barely think straight.

“You started this…why are you pulling away now?” I breathe.

“You don’t understand. I’m not—“ he sighs. “I’m the kind of my man mothers warn their daughters to stay away from.”

My gaze betrays me, sliding down his frame. He's dressed like a professor.

Crisp white shirt, sleeves rolled up, the stretch of muscle straining against the fabric, and black slacks that cling to his hips. But he isn't some boring academic. He's ten times sexier than I remember. Those tattoos...

And his scent...it makes my mouth water.

“What are you going to do, strangle me to death?” I whisper and he sucks in a shaky breath.

"The last six months," he says, his voice dropping to a whisper, "were nothing but hell. I've wanted you so bad, sweet thing, I can barely breathe."

He makes me feel wanted.

But this is so wrong. He's practically family. He's dangerous.

My heart hammers. I should step back. Instead, I find myself reaching forward.

Before I can talk myself out of it, my lips crash onto his.

My head spins as I taste him, my body heating up with desire.

Kaziel groans deep in his chest, and then he's no longer holding back.

He seizes my mouth like he's starving, devouring me, kissing me so hard my knees almost buckle.

My fingers knot in his shirt, clinging to him.

He lifts me with ease, and suddenly I'm sitting on the cool surface of his desk.

My bag slides to the floor with a thud I barely hear.

His hand cups the back of my head, angling me deeper into the kiss, his tongue stroking mine until I moan into his mouth. The sound makes him shudder, his body pressing against mine.

My body ignites, fire licking down my spine.

His palm skims up my thigh, pushing the maroon fabric higher, and I arch into him helplessly, lost in the wildness he's unleashing inside me.

I've never felt like this. Never been kissed like this. Never been desired this much.

And God help me... I don't ever want it to stop.

He cups my breast through the thin fabric of my dress, his thumb circling over my nipple until it tightens painfully. I arch into his touch, my breathing ragged.

"Kaziel," I whisper, but it comes out as more of a gasp when his teeth graze the curve of my neck.

The sharp sting makes my thighs press together.

He growls against my skin, dragging the neckline of my dress lower until the top of my breasts spills free from my bra.

My pulse races faster.

Then he buries his face against my tits, his lips claiming the soft flesh, his tongue swirling and tasting as though I'm his only source of air.

A cry rips from my throat when his mouth closes over one nipple, sucking hard while his other hand kneads the other breast.

I can feel everything.

The wet heat of his mouth, the rough pressure of his palm, and the animal hunger in the way he touches me. Sparks explode under my skin.

"Oh my God," I gasp, gripping the edge of the desk. My body bows, my back arching as he alternates between my breasts, sucking, fondling, and teasing.

Pressure builds low in my stomach, winding tighter and tighter until my eyes roll back.

My cry is muffled by his chest, my body trembling violently in his arms.

I slump against him, drowning in the aftershocks.

Desperate to touch him, I reach out blindly, my fingers brushing down his powerfully built form until they accidentally skim over the bulge in his slacks.

He hisses, jerking back as if I've burned him.

I freeze, wide-eyed. His chest heaves, his pupils dilating with hunger. His jaw is clenched so tight it looks painful. He's trying to restrain himself. But for the life of me, I can't explain why that makes me wetter.

"Professor—" I start, breathless, but he cuts me off instantly, his mouth claiming my neck in a rough, searing kiss.

"It's Kaziel," he growls against my skin, his voice ragged.

His lips trace fire up to my jaw, his tongue rolling over my pulse. "To you, dove. Always Kaziel."

And then his teeth graze again, and I realize I'm already tilting my head back, offering him more.

Suddenly, he goes still. His hand freezes against my breast.

I blink, dazed and flushed, as his gaze drops lower, to the swell of my chest.

"What is it?" I whisper, my voice shaky.

His eyes darken, his breath hitching. "That mark... the one right here." His thumb brushes over my skin, hovering just above the faint birthmark shaped like a flame on the side of my right breast. "How long have you had it?"

I frown, confused. "Forever. Since I was born. Why?"

Instead of answering, his jaw tightens.

"What is it?" I press again, suddenly feeling uneasy.

Kaziel doesn't answer. He takes a step back, his fingers working at the buttons of his shirt. One by one, the fabric parts, revealing hard planes of muscle beneath.

Oh my...

He's... unreal. Broad shoulders tapering to a tight waist, every line of his body carved from marble. My breath catches in my throat when I see the piercings on his nipples. I want to run my tongue over them.

Heat crawls up my neck at the thought of it.

But as his shirt slips down his arms, panic washes over me.

What am I doing? This is his office. His desk. I can't lose my virginity like this.

"Kaziel..." I breathe, my thighs squeezing together. "Maybe we're going too far."

He pauses, and then he smiles.

It does something to my insides, melting me like butter.

He's gorgeous.

"I'm not going to take you here, dove." His voice is warm and steadying. "Not for your first time."

Relief and disappointment crash through me all at once.

He turns slightly, his shirt slipping off completely, and I catch sight of black ink curling across his shoulder blade. I watch the way those muscles flex, my mouth watering.

"I just need you to check something," he says softly.

"What?" I whisper.

He glances back at me, his beautiful blue eyes meeting mine. "Tell me if you see a mark. On my back. Same as yours."

Kaziel moves closer, stepping between my parted thighs. My breath catches as his warmth presses into my space.

He smells delicious.

"Look carefully," he murmurs. "On my back."

I hesitate, then slowly I lift my trembling hand. My fingers skim over the sculpted ridges of his shoulders, tracing along the intricate black tattoos that snake across his skin.

They are mesmerizing. But then, something else catches my eyes. Horror washes over me when I see that the tattoos are only cover-ups for scars. Scars so terrible they make me feel sick to my stomach.

"Don't get distracted, sweet thing," Kaziel says, and I swallow past the lump in my throat, continuing my search.

And then I see it.

The mark.

Flame-shaped, exactly like mine, sitting just above the curve of his spine.

"H-how is this possible?" I breathe.

Kaziel curses under his breath, his entire body going rigid. The muscles beneath my touch tense, coiling tight.

"Something's wrong, isn't it?" I whisper, withdrawing my hand.

He doesn't answer right away. Instead, he turns to face me, his eyes unreadable.

Gently, he tugs my bra and neckline back into place. His fingers linger for just a second before he slides his hands to my waist and lifts me off the desk, setting me carefully on my feet.

I can feel the heat flooding my cheeks, my heart pounding harder.

"Tell me where you're staying," he says softly. "Off-campus or a dorm?"

I hesitate, my cheeks flushing. "Off-campus... I share an apartment with three roommates."

He nods, his jaw tightening slightly. Then he reaches for a scrap of paper on his desk. "Write down the address. I need to make sure you're safe, Danika. That's all."

My hand shakes as I scribble it down, and when I hand it to him, our fingers brush. My stomach flips violently.

He takes it and studies it briefly, then he leans down. His lips press against my forehead in the gentlest kiss, and I gulp. I can’t get used to this feeling.

"I'm sorry," he murmurs, his voice husky. "For being too much for you."

I shake my head quickly, words tumbling out before I can stop them. "It's fine. Really.”

His burning gaze lingers on me, and for a moment I think he might pull me back into his arms. But he doesn't. He steps back instead, giving me space.

Grabbing my bag, I head towards the door and leave his office.

My heart is still racing, my body humming from his touch. And despite everything, despite knowing I should run far away, I can't wait to see him again.

I'm too far gone.

I’m so distracted, I don't notice someone stepping into my path until I collide with a hard wall of muscle.

"Whoa," a familiar voice chuckles, steadying me by the arms.

I look up into a pair of bright green eyes.

Tyler.

“Hey, Cakes.”