wall to either side of her, caging her in, once again reducing her whole world to nothing but him. No one had ever made her feel as tiny and petite as he did. She tilted her head back, locking her eyes with his.
He lowered a hand to her shoulder, where he hooked the thin strap of her cami with his claw. “Take off the towel, Tabitha.”
“No,” she said again, her voice much weaker than it had been a moment ago.
“Hmm.”
Faster than she could perceive, he grasped the towel and snatched it off her as easily as if she hadn’t been holding it at all. His movement produced a little burst of air that fluttered the hem of her cami around her hips and caressed her now bare thighs.
Zevris swept his gaze down slowly, dragging it over her body, his eyes flaring brighter as they moved. “Fuck.”
As he tossed the towel aside, something thin but strong looped around Tabitha’s lower back and drew her against him. She only realized it was his tail when the soft fur at its tip brushed her outer thigh. Zevris dropped his hands to her backside. Her breath hitched, and she slapped her palms against his chest, planting them firmly, but she knew she couldn’t separate their bodies even if she used all her strength.
He palmed her ass with both hands and groaned as he squeezed.
She opened her mouth to protest, but all that emerged was a gasp as Zevris lifted her off the floor. His hands slid to her upper thighs, guiding her legs to move around his waist, and they complied as though they’d wanted for nothing more. She threw her arms around his neck, telling herself it was just for the need of something to hold on to.
Zevris spun around and strode toward the bed. His tail brushed over her calf, reaching for something behind her, but she could not look away from him to see what it was doing. There was a brief flutter of fabric from the bed—like the covers being swept aside—and then Tabitha was falling backward.
She landed atop cool, soft sheets, and her damp hair fanned around her. Zevris didn’t let her go. He came down over her, his hips still wedged between her thighs, bracing himself with one hand on the mattress beside her head.
He raised his other hand, settling it on her elbow, and slid it up her forearm slowly. His touch was gentle but firm, and it spread thrilling sparks across her skin. That hand continued higher and higher until it finally reached her wrists, which were still crossed behind his neck. Zevris grasped both her wrists in his big, strong hand, ducked his head slightly, and guided her arms down.
Though she longed to touch his chest, to run her fingers over the ridges of his muscles, she let her arms fall, settling them on the bed to either side.
Zevris reared back and stared down at her. His gaze was so bright, so intense, so heated and hungry, that Tabitha swore he was about to devour her. He placed his hands on her sides, his thumbs close enough to Tabitha’s breasts that her breath caught in her throat. As he trailed his hands down toward her hips, palms rasping over the satiny cami, he released a low, appreciative growl. Desire pooled in her core.
His touch was even lighter than before—it was outright teasing her now, especially with the fabric of her cami separating their skin. But his hands were not the only things teasing her. His cock, long, thick, and as hard as steel, was pressed against her pussy, throbbing rhythmically.
He…actually wants this. Wants me.
Tabitha’s nipples stiffened, their outlines immediately visible through the cami. She lifted her arms to cover herself, but they froze when Zevris growled again and shook his head.
“No, Nykasha.” He leaned down, slipping a hand under her head to twine his fingers in her hair. His lips were within an inch of hers when he stopped. “There will be no hiding. You are beautiful beyond words, Tabitha.”
His hold on her hair tightened, and he tilted her head back, exposing her neck to him. His face moved closer still, so close that the tip of his nose brushed along her jaw, and he inhaled deeply. “And your scent is ambrosial.”
When he exhaled, his warm breath fanned across her skin, only amplifying the heat at her core. Tabitha’s heart raced, and little tremors coursed through her body. She raised her knees, and she barely