Free Darkness on Fire by Alexis Morgan Page A

a few hours of mindless sex. A woman like you shouldn’t have to settle for that.”
    She crossed her arms over her chest. “A woman like me? What’s that supposed to mean? Because I’m alien, an Other? Or because I’m short?”
    He glowered at her. “Don’t be ridiculous. That’s not what I meant. You’re not like my usual dates—you’re a nice woman.”
    That did it. “You won’t sleep with me because I’m too
nice
? Is that code for you think I can’t satisfy you?”
    Planting her hands on her hips, Jora stalked over to him. “Well, listen here, Paladin: I would rock your
world.
And since you’re too damn stupid to figure that out yourself, I’ll just have to prove it to you.”
    She looked an enraged Paladin straight in the eye. “Where do you want me to start?”
    With her heart beating double time, she blatantly checked him out from head to toe. Realizing that she was actually licking her lips, she decided that maybe she’d gone a little over the top. What if he really
wasn’t
interested?
    “Uh, Penn, I . . .”
    She wasn’t sure what she’d been about to say, but he never gave her a chance to finish. Using those lightning-fast reflexes that Paladins were known for, Penn’s hands snapped out to grab her arms and snatched her up against his chest. Then with a sexy grin, he swept her up in his arms and headed for the bed. He lowered her down to the bed with tender care, then his much bigger body was pressing down on hers. He nudged her legs apart, settling the impressive bulge behind his zipper right where she needed it, and Penn rocked against her with a delicious swivel of his hips.
    She dug her heels into the back of his thighs as she tangled her fingers in his hair and culled his mouth down to hers. Their tongues tangled and teased as his callused hands traced the curve of her hips, lifting her even more securely against him.
    “Too many clothes!” she managed to say between kisses. “Get rid of them!”
    Smoking-hot laughter filled Penn’s voice when he asked, “Mine or yours?”
    “Both!”
    He rolled to the side to help her pull off her sleep shirt and tossed it aside. Penn immediately lowered his mouth to her breasts, working her nipples into tight points. The tugging sensation of his lips and tongue had a direct connection to her feminine core. She groaned and pressed her thighs together, trying to ease the ache.
    Penn smiled against her breast. “Let me help with that.” He eased his hand beneath the lacy thong she’d bought just for him and teased her slick folds with his wickedly clever fingers.
    “Oh, yes!” she moaned.
    Needing his skin against hers, she yanked his shirt free so she could feel all those wonderful muscles with her hands.
    When she dragged her nails down his spine, Penn shivered and then pinned her hands over her head. If they didn’t slow this down, it would be over before they got to the main event.
    “Hold that thought.”
    He rolled off the bed and rooted through the shopping bags, pulled out the box of condoms he’d bought, and cursed as the cellophane wrapper defied his overanxious fingers.
    When he finally managed to tear it off, he spilled the contents out onto the floor. No doubt he was really impressing Jora with his smooth moves. He grabbed up a handful of the packets and tossed all but one onto the bedside table before risking a look in her direction.
    “Why don’t you give me that while you dispense with your clothes?” she asked. When he did so, she sat up to watch him.
    No woman had ever shown such pleasure in watching him shed his shirt and jeans. When he tugged down his boxers, her eyes widened as she let out a long, slow breath. Was that approval? He thought so. He hoped so.
    He knelt on the bed and she quickly ripped open the foil packet and sheathed his cock, not trusting his control another second. This was going to be good. Better than good. He just knew it.
    Even so, he needed to make sure this was really what she wanted. “Are