Four-Letter Words by Evans, Gabrielle (top 10 books of all time .txt) 📗

Staring up at his lover as he sprawled across the dark blankets, Zasha wrapped his arms around Thane’s neck and pulled him closer until their lips met in a kiss mixed with desire and apology. He didn’t understand how the man could harbor such love and loyalty for him, but he wasn’t so jaded as to refuse the gift.

Unfortunately, however, he just couldn’t return the sentiment.

He cared very much for Thane, but he didn’t know that it was love. Hell, love was such an abstract concept. There was no tangible proof that it existed. He couldn’t see it, touch it, taste it, or hold it in his hand, and he was skeptical about this very human convention.

Zasha wasn’t convinced two people needed to love each other to be happy together. Fate threw them onto the same path because they were the best possible match, and from there, well, they just had to find a way to make it work.

There wasn’t anything he wouldn’t do for Thane, and the thought of losing him pierced his heart like a jagged, rusty dagger. He’d heard humans speak of many types of love—unconditional love, a mother’s love, true love, eternal love, and the ever-popular love at first sight. Sometimes, he envied them and their ability to find joy based purely on faith.

Of course, he’d heard paranormals speak about love as well, but mostly, he felt they were just confused. Their compatibility with their mates, a healthy dose of pheromones, and some animalistic instincts did not necessarily equal love in Zasha’s opinion.

Suddenly, his bottom lip was sucked between his mate’s teeth, and Thane bit down sharply as he growled. “That’s it.”

“What the hell, Thane?” Zasha swiped his tongue over the abused flesh and frowned. “What was that for?”

“Are you into this at all?” Swiveling his hips, Thane rubbed their naked cocks together and lifted one eyebrow in question. “I adore how brilliant you are, but you have to stop thinking everything to death. Turn it off for just a little while, Zash.”

Unfortunately, he didn’t know how. The only time he could wipe his mind and cease his racing thoughts was when he blacked out and lost all control. Somehow, he doubted either of them wanted that to happen again.

“Do you trust me?” Thane asked again.

This time, Zasha was a bit more hesitant to answer, but ultimately, the dominant tone and forceful demeanor didn’t change anything. “Yes, Thane, I trust you.” Plus, since he’d just tied them together for all of forever with no way to undo the binding, he was the last person who should be carrying on about trust issues.

“Close your eyes.” Soft lips fluttered over his eyelids when he complied. “Good,” Thane whispered. “Breathe in…and breathe out. Relax. I promise you there will be no earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, meteor crashes, or any other natural disasters. It’s okay to let go and take something for yourself sometimes, Zash.”

He wasn’t arguing the validity of the statement, but he was going to have to take Thane at his word, because Zasha never unplugged. It just wasn’t his personality. Even when he wasn’t working, he was worrying about work—or Thane or his future or how one would affect the other. When he forgot about these types of important things, even for a second, he felt horribly guilty, as though he was shirking his responsibilities or dismissing crucial information.

However, he’d made a promise to be a better partner, and it wasn’t too much to ask that Thane receive his undivided attention for a little while. His mate was right. The world wouldn’t come crashing down around him just because he forgot to worry for an hour.

The ability to quiet his mind became increasingly easier as Thane nibbled up his neck and along the curve of his jaw. The witch’s strong hands mapped each contour of Zasha’s body, caressing his skin and kneading the tense muscles. The warmth from his lover seeped into him, spiking his own temperature until a coat of sweat glistened across his body.

Their lips pillowed together and their tongues dueled, twining and sliding in an intimate dance. The kiss was unhurried, but a sense of urgency tinted the mating of their mouths. Zasha’s cock responded once again, swelling and aching as it throbbed between their flushed bodies. Pre-cum seeped from the tip, lubricating their skin and giving him a smooth glide with just the right amount of friction.

Thane’s unique scent filled his head and invaded his senses, and with each inhalation, his control slipped just a little more. His canines elongated, lengthening quickly while his gums tingled and itched. Zasha didn’t fuss about it as he normally would, though. It was a natural response to heightened arousal. Thanks to the donor bag he’d hijacked from the kitchen and the additional feeding from his mate, he was fully in control in of his bloodlust.

There was also a sense of calmness about it he hadn’t felt in a very long time. While he hadn’t consciously decided to bite Thane, the incident had further cemented his overreaction to the entire situation. A quick feeding every few days wasn’t going to cause the man to shrivel up like a prune.

In fact, Thane seemed stronger than ever and determined to torture him until he was mad with need. His lover licked and nipped at every inch of available skin he could access without moving too far away. Open-mouth kisses along his collarbones and across the expanse of his chest sent a shiver rippling down Zasha’s spine.

The scrape of teeth over his nipples had him sucking in air through his teeth as he arched up from the mattress. That same breath rushed out on a long groan when long, slick fingers rubbed his entrance and pushed past the tight muscles. Thane’s discreet laughter didn’t go unnoticed, but Zasha was too busy trying to stave off his orgasm to care.

“Very good,” Thane praised as he inserted a third finger and pumped steadily into Zasha’s hole. “See? It’s not