Page 12 of Baking and Angels

“I have no idea!” he crowed, throwing his arms wide. “But it feels really damn good!”

Now the laughter was working its magic, washing over her face, enhancing her beauty, making her eyes shine.

He rushed across the space, throwing his arms around her, like he had when they had dropped through hell. Instead of dissipating into nothingness like she had before, this Helena felt solid and real. She tucked her head into the space where his neck met his shoulder, burying her face there. The smell of her hair hit him, and his body responded. She was real and whole, and he didn’t deserve this miracle.

“We’re alive,” he muttered. “I’m alive! I won! I won!!”

He hadn’t noticed right away that while he was riding high on his elation, Helena’s laughter had died away too fast. Not until she lifted her head to look up at him, tears bubbling inher eyes.

“This is going to destroy Scarlet Promotions,” she mewed as if she were embarrassed. It sobered him immediately. “And after everything I did…wedid to try to save it. Even if they are not holding us responsible for…” She shook her head. “Damn it. It seems so stupid to be worried about it. I mean, Yosef died! A man lost his life, and I’m worried about… But Scarlet Promotions was his whole life too. Literally Scarlet’s whole life and now… she’s ruined and he’s dead and I can’t do anything to fix any of it!”

He cupped her face. “I am sorry for everything,” he repeated. He couldn’t tell her that he didn’t care about all that. Those people and places didn’t mean very much to him at all, but they meant something to her, and she was in pain over it. He wanted to do anything to take it away.

She took one of his hands, pulling it away from her face so she could plant a precious kiss in his palm. “How could you have known? When all you’ve ever known before were people who used you? What do you have to compare it to?”

Dammit, her mercy and compassion for him seemed to have no end. “I should have…”

“Shhh,” she hushed, breathing on his lips, blowing away his half-formedarguments.

Then she rested her forehead against his and savored the feel of him. It was intoxicating and he succumbed to it. “I saw hell. I know what you’ve been through and where you come from. And Ilove you.”

There were so many other arguments to make. So many things left unresolved. Things he wanted to say, but… he couldn’t get the words out or his thoughtsto order.

There was only Helena.

And sheloved him.

And he had won.

Then those lips were pressing against his. He opened his mouth to their demands and let her tongue in. She caressed along his own and she tasted wonderful. Heady and rich. His fingers slipped through her hair, holding her, while her hands slid down his chest, leaving a different sort of fire trail that felt like it burned him through the cloth ofhis shirt.

God, he craved more.

And she offered it without being asked, pulling up the edges of the shirt to slide her hands over his skin… his real, warm skin… and uphis back.

The groan that shuddered out of him broke their kiss as he arched back. She wasn’t bothered by the interruption at all. Instead, she moved in closer to press her lips to his exposed neck, then just behind his ear, and across his vulnerable throat, where her teeth could cut him open and spill his blood, ending him forever. The irrational danger of it sent more shocks of pleasure bolting through him. She could do it, but she never would, and that was hot.

He had had all sorts of sex before. Other than making food, making sex had been the most requested task of him.

This was different. He felteverything. Every touch that had come through the body formed from demonic magic had been nothing compared to this and making love to Helena had been intense in that form. She had elicited such sensations that had burned through the layers and layers of numbness, yet even then the sex and subsequent orgasms had been more in his own mind than in his body. Now her touch consumed him.

“Rafferty?” Helena’s voice cut through the chaos of thoughts inside him.

Opening his eyes, he panted, wondering why she had stopped. She looked at him with concern.

“It’s just so… much…” he gasped out. At some point, she had gotten his shirt off, her fingers still resting on his heaving chest.

“I’m going too fast.” She started topull away.

“No!” He wrapped her up against him again, to keep her in place. “It just… I just feel so… much.”

“It’s okay, come on.” She tugged him away from the window, toward the bed, pushing him down gently but firmly. He laid himself out before her, like a dish being served. She stripped him out of his pants, and he felt vulnerable and exhilarated at the same time before her appraising eyes. He hoped she liked what she saw. She must have because she smiled warmly, shedding away the rest of her own clothes. This body had something to offer her. This body wouldn’t drink her essence when she touched him and gave herself to him. He couldn’t harm her by simply loving her.

Holy hell,I’m alive!

He welcomed her as she came to straddle him. He longed to be inside her, even as he relished her exploring fingers.

“Tell me if you need me to stop or slow down,” shewhispered.

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