And now Maria. Maybe the Goddess had made sure all the women who’d ventured to Shiftertown recently—Kim and Andrea, Elizabeth and Myka—had found mates in other Shifters so Ellison would be free when Maria came along. He’d joked that he was never fast enough off the mark, but none of them had touched his heart like Maria.

The Goddess had been good to Ellison. Maria tasted like fire, of woman and wanting.

But she was hurt, like a broken bird, like Deni, who was fighting to regain her life. So much had been taken from Maria, and Ellison wanted to give it back to her, without pain, without fear.

Ellison kissed the corners of her mouth, tasting sweetness. Water droplets lingered on her lips, his tongue finding every one.

Her plump mouth was softness itself. Her lips met Ellison’s, her kisses falling on the whiskers above his top lip, the curve of the bottom one.

Maria drew back and gazed at him face-to-face, her smiles gone. Ellison smoothed her hair from her forehead, the laughter leaving him as well. He read desire in her, and also terror so harsh it cut.

He’d have to be slow with her. It might take months, or years, of teaching her that he cared. That he’d never hurt her.

“Maria . . .”

“Shh.” Maria touched her fingers to his lips.

She kissed him again, resting her arms on his shoulders. He felt her feet leave the bottom of the lake, she balancing on him so she could let her legs come up.

Ellison forced himself to stand easy, though he caught her around the waist, steadying her so she wouldn’t slip under the water. He had to let her decide what to do.

Keeping her gaze on him, Maria laced her legs around Ellison’s hips, letting his cock, which was hard and vigilant, brush her. It slid between her thighs, seeking her warmth, but Ellison held back. He was on fire, but he couldn’t rush her.

He smoothed his hands down her back, satin skin with a little indentation where her bra strap had been. She’d be beautiful in a sarong, one piece of clothing wrapped around her, as Shifter women liked to wear in the summer. One piece, which could come off with the tug of a string.

Maria closed her eyes as she kissed him, then she broke the kiss and looked straight at him. Her eyes were dark like velvet night, the lashes black and thick.

She brushed a lock of Ellison’s hair from his forehead, then she adjusted herself on him and slid down onto his c**k before Ellison could stop her.

Sensation after sensation poured through his shaking body. Maria was tight against him, her intake of breath loud in the stillness, her eyes widening.

“Maria, sweetheart.” His voice was a choked whisper.

She touched his face. “I want this.”

“You sure?”

Ellison wanted to hold on, to drive into her in his growing frenzy, to spill his seed and slake his need. A Shifter was built to mate. Nature drove them to sex, to have cubs, to live as hard as they could.

But Maria was shaken and upset, and Ellison couldn’t take advantage of her. He told his body that with everything he had, but he still couldn’t withdraw, stop her, take her away from here.

“I’m sure.” Maria brushed a light kiss to his lips. “With you. Do you want it?”

“You think I don’t?” Ellison’s thoughts started to jumble. “I need to be good to you. I don’t want to hurt you.”

Maria slid farther down onto him, scattering the last of his thoughts into incoherency. “You won’t,” she said.

Ellison felt like fire. Need crawled through him, his blood hot and his skin chilled. The water took Maria’s weight, making her light in his arms.

He wanted to drive into her, not stopping until he found his deepest pleasure. He wanted to rock into her, fast, faster, find her, know her, feel her close around him, squeezing him.

But Ellison held back. He’d go slow, he’d show her caring, tenderness.

If he could hold back. Maria’s legs were silken against his tight skin, the depths of her like a wash of flame. Ellison pressed higher into her, holding on, his arms shaking. His toes curled as he braced himself in the mud at the bottom of the little lake, the bluebonnets all around them shimmering in the warm breeze.

“Ellison,” Maria said in her low-pitched, and damn sexy, voice. She licked his cheek, hot tongue chasing water droplets. “I need you.”

Father God, help me.

The sun, the Father God’s symbol, seemed to laugh, kissing Ellison’s shoulders with heat. A blessing, something inside him whispered. The sunlight, the cool water, this woman in his arms.

Ellison slowly thrust up inside her. She squeezed instinctively, embracing him inside her as she embraced him in her arms.

The sensation rocketed through Ellison’s body, engendering another thrust. Up and up again, the water buoying him. Maria kissed his cheek, then across his cheekbone to his ear to nibble his lobe.

It was erotic and tender at the same time. Maria was opening to him when she’d been terrified and closed for so long.

A gift. And Ellison was glad to receive it.

He thrust again, holding her, making love to a beautiful woman in the sunshine. The water cradled them, her br**sts crushed to his chest, and she brought her caressing mouth to his lips.

This kiss was slower, less tense, the warm goodness of two people sharing the ultimate intimacy.

Ellison rocked carefully into her. Her body welcomed him, accepted him, held him and didn’t let go. He couldn’t move as much as he wanted in this position, but it didn’t matter. This was their bodies getting to know each other, becoming one.

He’d spill his seed soon. Too soon. Ellison wanted to stay inside Maria forever, closer to her than he ever dreamed he could be.

“Goddess, you’re beautiful,” he said. “You’re the most beautiful thing I ever saw.”

He brushed her face with his lips, kissing her eyelids, her cheek, the corner of her mouth. Ellison licked across her cheekbone, then returned to her mouth, sliding his tongue inside as the first of his shudders hit him.

Maria was feeling it too, he knew, her eyes half closed, little sounds of pleasure drifting from her throat. She kissed him back as her body moved with his, her hips rocking to pull him farther inside her.

“Damn . . .” Ellison released, control leaving him. Joy poured over him, every piece of his body aching with pleasure.

It was beautiful. She was beautiful. The sun flushed Maria’s face, and her eyes were warm, her body welcoming. The Goddess had made her for Ellison, and Maria was embracing him and taking him. Ellison needed her in his life the same way he needed air every second of the day.