LITMIR.BIZ

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damned well good and ready. Hell would freeze over before anyone told her how to live again. Period.

      She locked the door, and not bothering to get undressed, headed straight to bed. Too fucking exhausted. The blankets were so warm and inviting she didn’t even get her second shoe kicked off before sleep consumed her.

      A very restless night ensued. Horrid dreams filled with visions of Tyr. His brooding face, fits of rage. His toys. Broken furniture, dishes. “You’re mine.” He stroked her cheek with long fingers.

      “Oh God. No!” Grayce woke tangled in sweat-soaked sheets. Tyr dreams were few and far between, but when he did haunt her slumber, it put her in the foulest of moods. After a Tyr dream, it was best to stay home and clear of human contact.

      * * * *

      Grayce spent the morning hours and early afternoon curled up on her secondhand couch. Phone didn’t ring all day. Thank God. Wouldn’t have answered it anyway. By two in the afternoon her stomach growled loud enough to vibrate the sofa. It took some mental cheerleading but she finally forced herself to the kitchen for food. Hmm... Cereal or leftover nachos? She opted for nachos, cold, and settled back into her warm spot on the cushions. By three her ass was asleep and she was considering a shower when her cell buzzed. She wanted to ignore it. A nagging curiosity made her answer.

      “Yeah, what?” She snapped in her grouchiest don’t-fuck-with-me tone.

      “Good afternoon, Grayce. I hope it’s okay I’m calling you.” Shit. Zander.

      “Um, yes. It’s okay. How are you?” Embarrassed by the tremble of her voice, she stumbled to find words. What does one say to an uber-sexy superhero, anyway?

      His voice, deep, throaty and silky smooth, could probably melt the polar ice caps. “I’m sorry I left last night. It was my responsibility to get you home safe.” He paused to clear his throat. “Can I see you today?”

      Whoa, wait a minute cowboy, what? See me? Giddiness crept up her spine and took root in her brain. Grayce didn’t do giddy. “Me? Why?”

      A deep chuckle oozed its way through the phone into her ear, warming her down to her toes. “I would like to see you.”

      No. “Um, okay?”

      He let out a loud sigh of relief. “See you in a sec.”

      In a sec? No, not happening. Before she was able to formulate an escape plan, the doorbell rang. A quick peek in the mirror made her wish she’d showered, or at least brushed her hair. Not a pretty sight. Well, if he didn’t like the view, tough shit. At least her teeth were brushed.

      Of course, Zander looked glorious standing in her doorway. If he’d arrived sporting a halo and backed by a choir of angels, she wouldn’t have blinked twice. Damn, he was radiant.

      To enter, he had to duck and turn sideways because he was so—massive.

      “Hi.” A whisper was all she could manage.

      “I need to know something.” The man exuded sex and power. Confidence, also. Something Grayce had always longed for.

      “What?” Awestricken, Grayce unconsciously took a step back from the mountain of masculinity invading her personal space. Dressed in military style cargo pants and a clingy black t-shirt, he could’ve jumped out of a kick-ass, shoot ‘em up video game, larger than humanly possible and able to survive even a nuclear attack. Fierce. Deadly. Determined.

      With the tap of his heel, the door slammed behind him. His gaze penetrated with such intensity, she froze, captured and completely at his mercy. A heat spread over her cheeks. God, the way he stared, studied, invaded. She hoped like hell he couldn’t read her mind.

      With no warning, she was trapped, arms pinned to her sides, engulfed in his embrace. Surrounded by warm, hard male, Grayce couldn’t move, breathe or think. Without asking permission, he lowered his head and kissed her. No easing into it, just a full blown, toe curling, tongue swirling kiss.

      Much to her dismay, she let him continue.

      There was no pulling away, no revulsion, or escaping to her dark place. Instead, every ounce of her turned to soft mushy goo in his arms. And there it was again—the adrenaline jolt, liquid electricity that jetted through her veins, churned in her abdomen and warmed her from the inside out.

      Blood pumped from her most guarded organ, rushed to her neglected private parts and beat heavy in her ears. A trail of heat followed in the wake of his hands as they slid down her waist and cupped her ass. In one swift move, she was lifted, spun, then pinned to the door with her legs wrapped around his waist. It all happened so fast. He kissed with fervent need. She’d never been kissed like that. Never believed it possible. He took her with carnal hunger, like he was dying of thirst and she was his first drink.

      Unaccustomed to being ravished and uncertain of the proper etiquette in the situation, Grayce could do nothing but grab his shoulders and hold on for the ride. As his hips rolled against her with a subtle rock, a hard erection pressed into the sensitive tissue between her legs, triggering unbidden ripples of pleasure. Oh shit, he wanted sex.

      Reality smacked her like a two-by-four between the eyes, or the legs rather, and the electricity fizzled. No. She so wasn’t going there. This wasn’t one of her fucked up fantasies. She placed her hands on his chest and tried to push herself from his grip with no effect whatsoever.

      “Stop.” Grayce mumbled through the sweet tortured assault on her mouth. “No. No, I can’t do this, stop.” With a disapproving groan, he released her lips. Eyes closed, he pressed his forehead to hers.

      “I knew it,” he groaned between clenched teeth. Grayce was still pinned to the door. Every nerve ending in her body on fire with his erection shamelessly and unapologetically pressed against her now moist and throbbing special place.

      “What? Knew what?” Grayce gulped and gasped, trying desperately to catch her breath. What the hell? Her cursed body betrayed her again.

      “It’s you. You’re the one. I knew it.” He eased her down the length of his arousal to the floor. “I’m sorry, that wasn’t a very gentlemanly thing to do.” With palms against the door, he braced her between his arms and lowered his head to capture her gaze.

      “I’m lost here. Please, do explain. What did you know?” she asked in a whisper, thankful for being propped against the door so her jiggly legs didn’t collapse. He pushed away from the door, engulfed her trembling hands in his own and led her to the couch.

      * * * *

      “Sit down. Please.” After she obliged, he knelt on one knee at her feet. Even kneeling, he towered over her. Intimidating as hell, but damn she felt safe. One hundred percent safe and protected.

      “Do you believe in fate? Or destiny?”

      Grayce shook her head, not quite sure what to say, or where this conversation was headed. Still reeling from the kiss, she struggled to believe this powerful man who had held her with such tenderness, was here in her apartment. Holy fuck. A man was in her apartment. What was she thinking?

      “I do. I believe in destiny.” His penetrating gaze pierced her fragile soul. “I’ll cut right to the chase.” Tension laced his voice. “I don’t believe you’re a girl who likes to beat around the bush.”

      Damned straight about that one, she thought, and nodded again.

      With a deep inhale, he continued. “I’m different from most people. I’m sure you’ve noticed.” She attempted to speak and he raised a finger to her lips. “I believe humans, but especially people like us, have soul mates, one person we are meant to be with for eternity.”

      People like us? Grayce let free an exasperated giggle. It was too strange hearing words like “soul mates” coming from the man who knelt before her, so big and strong. His eyebrows furrowed. Oh shit. He was serious.

      “You are my soul mate, Grayce. I’ve been searching for so damned long now.” Shoulders slumped, he ran a hand through

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