CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Xypher came awake to die oddest sensation of his existence. A woman snuggled against him. He lay there on his side in silence, just feeling her against his spine. Her right arm was draped over his waist, while her thigh was nestled between his. Her cheek lay against his shoulder and her breath tickled his skin.
He closed his eyes, savoring every nuance of her against him. Was this what being human felt like? Did human males take this for granted?
How could they? To have someone trust you enough to lie unconscious against you while you did the same, and for both of you to awaken unharmed . . .
It was heaven.
No, Simone was heaven.
Why couldn't he have been born human? Born to this time and place so that he could stay with her. The fact that he couldn't was even more cruel than the torture he'd endured in Tartarus. He wanted to crawl inside her and stay there forever.
But it wasn't meant to be and all the dreaming in the world wouldn't change the fact that once this reprieve ended, he'd be right back in hell where memories of her would torture him forever.
How would he be able to stand it?
His heart heavy, he carefully rolled over so as not to hurt her. She whimpered in her sleep before she moved and smacked him in the nose with her elbow.
Ow! He rubbed die up of his nose and blinked back involuntary tears.
"You're going to pay for that," he whispered against her skin.
Pulling the covers back, he stared at her naked body. Her curves were lush and full, her nipples slightly puckered. Her hips were flared and rounded, while her legs were parted just enough for him to see that she was still moist. It was the most inciting sight he'd ever beheld.
The frown returned to her face before she grabbed at the sheet to cover herself and rolled away to cocoon in it.
Xypher laughed. She was a cantankerous thing in the morning. So much for all her talk about beginning her day with a purpose. More like she began her day with pouting. Amused by that, he leaned down to nibble the underside of her breast.
Simone came awake to small licks that caused her stomach to contract and her body to melt. Opening her eyes, she saw Xypher staling up at her with a look so intense that it stole her breath.
"What are you doing?" she teased.
"I'm licking you," he said, before he drew one nipple deeper into his mouth, "I couldn't be this close to you and not touch you. Besides, you owe me for my latest shiner."
She rubbed at her eyes. "Latest shiner?"
"My nose. You slapped me while you were sleeping."
"No I didn't."
"You're right. You actually slammed your elbow into my nose."
She brushed the hair back from his eyes and touched his nose where she'd accidentally hit him. "Oh, my goodness. I guess I'll have to kiss it and make it all better."
His look was wicked and warm as he crawled up her body. "I've got another boo-boo for you to lass."
She looked between their bodies to see his erection. "Hmmm, and what a big boo-boo it is, too."
Xypher kissed her, his heart pounding at the way she teased him without malice. He honestly loved the newness of it.
People were afraid of him. They were angry at him.
No one had ever laughed with him or played with him.
And it was then he came to the most shocking conclusion of all.
He loved her.
Deep inside in a place where he never looked, he felt that love blazing. It burned and it ached, and it would do anything in the universe and beyond to keep her safe. The knowledge lifted him up.
And terrified him to the depth of his soul.
No! The scream of denial ran all the way through him. He didn't want to love anyone. Love was for weak-minded fools.
Glancing at his arm he read the words he'd branded there . . .
It's a tool used to manipulate and ruin anyone who is stupid enough to hold it.
Don't be stupid. Love destroys.
He'd given his love to Satara and she'd thrown it back in his face and then lashed him for his foolishness. But Satara had never treated him like this. There had been no laughter. No tender touches. No early-morning blushes and lasses that warmed him all the way to his core.
And in the honor of his realization over Simone was the knowledge that he'd never really loved Satara. He'd wanted to know love so badly that he'd contorted the concept of it to fit a relationship that it had no part in.
This time love had come up behind him and clubbed him on the head when he hadn't been expecting it. These emotions took him by surprise, they weren't conjured by some inner need he had.
When he'd met Simone and thrown her into her car, she'd been nothing more than a pawn.
Now she was his world.
And there was nothing he wouldn't do for her. How the hell had that happened? Yet there was no denying it. The worthless demonspawn who'd been wanted by none had given his heart over to a human misafy . . .
Simone moaned as she felt a shift in Xypher's touch. It was tender and sweet. Almost reluctant.
And at the same time it was master fill. His hands roamed her body, giving her pleasure and making her sigh.
Lifting his hand, she kissed his scarred knuckles. Then she took the pad of his forefinger into her mouth to gently suckle it.
Xypher rolled with her, pulling her on top of him. Smiling, Simone straddled his waist and stared down at him with an expression of kindness.
He'd never seen anything more beautiful or welcome. "Love me, Simone."
"What?"
"Make love to me."
Simone nodded. There was something needful in his eyes. Something that said this meant more to him than just a physical act. Wanting to make him understand that she would never hurt him, she kissed his lips softly as she slid herself onto him.
Xypher threw his head back as she slowly moved against his hips. It was an exquisite torture. Slow and steady. One so fierce that all he could do was tremble.
He was helpless against his woman and her guileless charms.
The light cut across her body, making it glow. She leaned over him, letting the ends of her hair brush against his chest and stomach while she rode him ever so gently.
Biting his lip, he lifted his hips, driving himself into her even deeper. Needing to feel as much of her as possible.
Simone smiled at the beauty of Xypher. She ran her hand down his muscular chest, cupping and stroking the tawny flesh. She couldn't imagine going back to her life without seeing his face every day. It would kill her.
In no time at all, she'd grown accustomed to his being a permanent fixture in her life.
She never wanted him to leave.
Normally when someone was around her all the time, she got irritable with them. Even Tate. But Xypher was like Jesse. Even when he was annoying, it was charming and she didn't mind it in the least.
His eyes sealing her, he took her hand into his and led it to his mouth so that he could nip the side of her flesh. God, those lips were beautiful. Leaning forward, she ran her tongue over the stubble on his chin. It was so rough and masculine. She loved the sensation of it prickling her skin.
Xvpher wrapped his arms around her and lifted his hips, meeting her strokes.
The warmth of his body and the feel of his skill on hers-it was more than she could stand. Staling into his eyes, she came in a blinding white moment of sealing peace.
Xypher laughed deep in his throat as he felt her climax and watched the pleasure play out across her features. He loved the way she felt in his arms, the way her brows drew together an instant before she came. And the sound of her contented purrs as her body spasmed against his.
Burying his head against her shoulder, he gasped as he felt his own release finally come. Grinding himself against her, he held her close as he released himself inside her.
She collapsed against him. He held her there, tracing lines over her back while her breath fell against his nipple.
"That was a nice start to the day."
He kissed the top of her head. "Yes, it was."
Simone sighed contentedly, stretching like a newborn kitten against him. "Now I don't want to get up. I just want to stay here in your aims for the rest of the day . . . You think Jesse could teach my classes?"
He chuckled at the thought. "I think watching him try could be highly entertaining."
"Well, I'd ask you to go do it, but that would defeat the purpose of my staying here ... I wonder if I could retire early and live on the streets? What do you think?"
"Living on the street wouldn't work. Not enough privacy for what I want to do with you."
She smiled. "Very good point."
Her alarm clock started blaring.
Xypher growled at the piercing sound. "Rip that out of the wall." He flung his hand out at it, but she quickly diverted his blast.
"Don't you dare. I love that alarm clock."
He snorted. "You get attached to the damnedest things."