Page 14 of Tempting Her Grumpy Protector
Greer’s pale eyes stayed locked on hers as his long fingers traced slowly inward in a spiral… closer… closer… until the shimmering trail ended at her tightened nipple.
“There, little one,” he rumbled, his pale gray eyes flashing. “I’ve marked you as mine.”
Heat shot through her in a wicked rush. Was that a challenge in his gaze? It certainly felt like one.
Well, two could play at that game.
Sunny reached for a pot of deep scarlet, scooped a generous amount on her fingers, and smeared it deliberately across her lips. The sweet, metallic tang of the pigment hit her tongue. Without looking away from him, she leaned forward and pressed her mouth to the center of his chest.
The crowd murmured in approval but Sunny wasn’t nearly done.
She kissed him again, lower this time, leaving hot, red marks along the ridges of his abs. The paint smeared and streaked across his gray skin, bright as fresh blood.
But still Sunny wasn’t done. She wanted to do more than just perform for the crowd—though honestly, she was really enjoying putting on this little exhibition—she wanted to truly lay a claim on her big Protector. After all, this was their last mission together—her last chance to show him how she felt.
She dipped back into the pigment, coating her mouth once more. Then—heart pounding, pulse roaring in her ears—she went to her knees.
Greer’s breath hissed between his teeth as she lifted the edge of his leaf kilt. The heavy length of him swung free, thick and already swelling. Sunny leaned in and pressed a crimson kiss to the broad crown of his cock.
Gasps went up all around. The scent of pigment and male heat filled her head and made her feel almost dizzy.
When she looked up, Greer’s eyes were darker than she’d ever seen them, his jaw clenched tight. A muscle jumped there… and she knew she’d won whatever silent contest he’d started.
The air around them seemed to thicken after that last kiss and for a long moment, no one moved. Greer stood like a carved statue, chest rising and falling, his cock thick and heavy against his thigh. Sunny could feel the eyes of every Thropp’ian woman locked on the two of them.
Then the chant started.
“Mate him! Mark him! Claim him!”
Sunny got to her feet, but the knot of women pressed closer, eager hands trying to push her back toward the pigment pots.
“She has marked him,” one of the older women called out, “but the male must mark her in return or the Claim will be incomplete!”
Sunny’s stomach flipped. She hadn’t thought this far ahead. She’d only wanted to meet the challenge she saw in her Protector’s pale eyes.
Greer’s hand came to the small of her back, steady but firm. “Easy, little one,” he murmured, voice low so only she could hear. “It will be all right.”
“But—”
“We don’t get out of this without giving them what they want,” he rumbled. “Just… trust me.”
Before she could answer, he dipped his long fingers into the same gold pigment he’d used before. His eyes held hers as he painted his lips with it. Bending down, he took her right nipple into his mouth, sucking hard and leaving a golden mouth-print around it when he finally pulled free. Then he went to work on her other breast.
Sunny moaned breathlessly as sparks of pleasure shot through her. Had she thought she’d won their little silent contest? Apparently she’d been wrong—Greer was raising the stakes.
When he finished sucking and marking her second nipple, she was certain he was finished. But then he dipped one long finger in the melted gold pigment and painted his lips again.
“Spread your skirt open for me, little one,” he growled. “I need to mark you the way you marked me.”
Sunny felt her stomach flutter nervously.
“You…you don’t really have to do that,” she faltered. “I mean, not if you don’t want to.”
Her ex, Bernard, had never wanted to perform this particular act for her. He was always talking about how “unhygienic” it was—though he had no problem requesting blow jobs which were apparently, perfectly clean.
Greer frowned.
“What are you talking about? Not want to kiss your sweet little pussy?” His eyes were suddenly lazy with lust. “Little one, don’t you know I’ve been wanting to do that from the first minute I met you?”
