† † †

Slowly, the world settled around her.  Darius’s leather jacket was cool and foreign against her cheek.  Georgia sighed.  She could feel him chuckle, then he shifted until she was standing on her own two legs again.  She braced herself for when he backed away.

He didn’t.  His arms closed around her.  His chin came to rest on top of her head.  Georgia’s lips curved.  She closed her eyes.

Something unmistakably hard jabbed her stomach.  Georgia opened her eyes again.  Her mouth went dry.  “Ah.  Darius.”

“Don’t.”  His voice was quiet, but the warning was unmistakable.

Impossibly, a slow trickle of heat started to pool inside her again.  It made her bold.  Georgia rubbed against him.  “Darius.”  She started to reach for the fly of his jeans.

Darius caught her wrist.  Georgia looked up at him.  His face was drawn tight.  She blew out a frustrated breath.  “I don’t get it.  Why won’t you let me touch you?”

A muscle ticked in his jaw.  “Because if you do, I won’t want you to stop.”

Georgia’s pulse leaped.  She licked her lips.  “Then I won’t.”  She tried to reach for him again.

His hand kept her wrist where it was.  “No.”

Something in her chest seemed to shrivel up.  “Ah.”  She gave her wrist a tug.  He gave her a wary look, but released her.  She let her hand drop to her side.  “I understand.”

Darius blinked.  “You do?”

All too well.  Georgia slid out from between him and the house, and put two steps between them.  “Yeah.  I do.”  Her chest constricted.  “And for the record, I’m sorry.  I should have seen it sooner.”

His eyes narrowed.  “Just what is it you understand, exactly?”

Georgia shrugged.  “I’m a witch, right?  And a black witch, at that.  You said it yourself: I’m on pretty much everyone’s shit list.  Not a good person to be getting tangled up with if you’re trying to steer clear of subversive problems.”

Darius took a step towards her.  “Georgia—”

“Look, you didn’t want this.”  Georgia swallowed hard.  “I get it.  I—”

“Is that what you think?”  He took another step, effectively closing the distance between them.  “That I don’t want you?”

He splayed a hand over the small of her back and drew her flush to him.  His cock strained against her belly.  Georgia’s jaw slackened.  Her insides went soft.

Darius leaned down until their lips nearly touched.  “I fucking want you, Georgia Clare.  But not here.  I’m not going to let our first time be in a goddamn yard, where anyone might see.”  His voice dropped.  “When I fuck you, it’s going to be for us: you and me.  No one else.  And I plan on taking a good long time.”

###

Season Of The Witch is coming soon! Meanwhile, pop over and add it to your Goodreads TBR list now!