He stepped forward and grabbed the shirt she’d removed but still clutched in front of her. He jerked it out of her hold and tossed it on the floor.

“You’d hate me later if we do this and you have feelings for someone else.”

“No excuses,” he snarled.

It gave her pause as she regarded him with alarm.

He slowly crouched. “If there is a female, she’s not here. You are.”

Ouch. Would anyone with br**sts do it for him right now?

He seemed to guess where her thoughts went. It shouldn’t have surprised her. The man she’d known had been deeply insightful.

“I am certain there is no female I want more than you, Joy. If I was dating, I settled for her.”

“You can’t know that for sure.”

He leaned forward, gripped the edge of the bed with both hands, and nodded. “I have no doubt.”

He was completely sincere. It was almost embarrassing how close to the surface he brought her emotions. She prided herself on keeping a tight leash on them but then Moon had come along, tearing at the very foundation of her soul until she’d had to walk out of his life to avert disaster for both of them. She’d suffered regret and misery.

“Okay.” She reached back and unhooked her bra.

His gaze lowered to watch her remove it. She dropped it over the side of the bed before stretching flat on her back and lifting her hips. Her thumbs hooked the band of her panties and pushed, widening her fingers to catch her bunched-up skirt, sliding both down her legs as she drew them up to do it. Both garments fell to the floor when she kicked them away. She was totally naked. Moon took in every inch of her body with a methodical gaze.

His feelings were closed off as she watched his face, looking for hints of what he was thinking or feeling as she lowered her legs. She had no idea what to do with her hands so she rested them flat on the mattress, next to her hips.

Moon stood and reached for his sweats. His c**k pressed tightly against the cotton material, stretching out the front. He had to ease the waistband over his arousal and it stood straight out when he worked it free. He bent, hiding that sight from her, and softly cursed.

“The damn chains.” Material tore as he ripped off his sweats to get rid of them since the shackles prevented him from getting na**d otherwise.

Joy gasped when he straightened again and moved to the bottom of the bed. He put one knee on the end, dropped forward, and his hands braced his upper body. His gaze swept up her legs to her face.

“Spread open for me, sweetness.”

“Don’t you want to kiss me first?”

“I’m going to.” His gaze dropped to her shaved mound. “Open.”

Oh shit. She broke out in a sweat. “Maybe we should take this a bit slower? Um, it’s been a while and, um, I’m a bit rusty. Maybe we should kiss first and work up to that, or down? Yeah. That would be down, wouldn’t it?”

Moon held her gaze and smiled. It was devastating. “You aren’t a virgin. I remember that.”

So did she. He’d gotten furious when she’d explained she’d had ex-boyfriends she’d been intimate with. He’d seemed so naïve, thinking lasting love and sex always went hand in hand with female humans. It had drawn her to him more.

He crawled a few inches higher and one of his chains caught. The smile died as he lifted a hand and jerked, making it scrape along the bottom rail.

“Hold on!” She drew her legs up from between his arms and rolled to her side, escaping the bed to stand.

Moon snarled. “Get back here.”

“Give me a second.” She raced to the cell door. The metal dragging on the floor was the only warning she got before it slammed closed when his hand flattened against it.

“No. You aren’t leaving.”

She spun, staring up at him. “I’m going to go get the key for your shackles. You want out of them, don’t you?”

Indecision played across his face.

“I’m coming right back. I threw the key when I unlocked the door so you couldn’t take it from me. I can remove them.”

He hunched down until their faces were close, to study her. “You could be lying.”

She reached up and caressed his chest. “Trust me, Moon. I want you. I’m getting the key and I’m coming right back.”

It stunned her when he slid to his knees, keeping her trapped between his hands, which gripped the door at her back. He released the bars to cage her ribs and dipped his head. The feel of his hot, wet mouth on her right breast almost made her knees collapse under her.

Her fingers trailed upward and into his hair while he sucked on her nipple. There was nothing gentle or tender about his mouth now. Strong tugs made her quiver all over, sending jolts of pleasure directly to her cl*t and warming her belly until she felt as though she had ignited in flames.

“Yes.”

He released her breast to go for the other one, giving it the same aggressive attention. Growls tore from him and the hands that gripped her tightened. Joy clung to him to stay upright. She feared melting into a puddle of need on the floor.

Moon suddenly released her and lifted his head to stare into her eyes. He sniffed and a deep rumble came from his parted lips. “You want me. I can almost taste your desire.”

It was impossible to speak. She nodded instead.

The hold on her eased until he backed away on his knees. She had to let go of him, something she didn’t want to do but had no choice. “Get the key. If you’re lying to me…” The threat hung in the air.