Cain laughed bitterly. “Love. I’ll tell you about love.” He turned away and began to pace the room. “Do you know where I was?”

“You know that I don’t.” She remained still, not wanting to distract him.

“My mother, my last living relative finally died and I went home to take care of the legal work.” He stopped and turned to glare at her. “Home. What a joke.”

“I’m sorry about your mother.” She reached her hand out to him and dropped it immediately as she sensed his growing anger.

Cain erupted, flinging his glass against the fireplace. It shattered into hundreds of pieces as it crashed into the stone. Shards flew into the air and Katie jumped back in reflex.

“Sorry…” Cain’s voice lowered to a harsh whisper. “Don’t be sorry, I’m sure as hell not. My parents beat the hell out of me when I was a kid for no other reason that they were unhappy, miserable people. They never really wanted a kid and they made that fact known until I got too big for them to hit. Then they got afraid of me as I grew bigger and bigger. And do you know what I did?”

He didn’t wait for her to answer, but kept right on talking. “I used that fear to make them let me go live with my mother’s father. My grandfather, Elijah Stone, was the only person who ever cared for me. I was eighteen when he died.” Anger rolled off him in waves. “I’ve been on my own since.”

Katie backed up as Cain stalked towards her. A bead of sweat ran down her back even as she shivered. Deep down, she knew he wouldn’t hurt her, but right now he was a frightening sight. His face was a shadowy mask of rage, contorting his features. She’d forgotten how large a man he truly was until he began bearing down on her. His massive chest heaved with every harsh breath he took, and his hands were clenched into giant fists.

“Love. My parents claimed they loved me even as they did everything to destroy me. Love doesn’t exist.” Cain loomed over her as he finished his tirade. He raked both hands through his hair in agitation. “So you can see, Katie. I can’t be controlled or manipulated by anyone or anything. I do as I choose.”

Katie tried to stop herself, but she could not restrain the tears that fell from her eyes. The images Cain’s words conjured broke her heart. She could picture a young, dark-haired boy being abused and knew that far worse damage had been done to his heart. She reached out to him, wanting to do no more than comfort him. “I’m so sorry.”

“Don’t you dare feel sorry for me.” Cain gripped her by the arms and pulled her close to him.

Katie knew Cain would never have told her any of this if his mother’s death hadn’t ripped open a wound that had never healed. All his old memories and hurts had boiled over and he’d been unable to contain them. If she hadn’t demanded to see him tonight, his defenses would have been firmly back in place and she might never have known anything about his mother or his childhood.

“Don’t you dare,” he muttered between clenched teeth before leaning down and kissing her hard.

Katie could feel the anger and pain in his bruising kiss, so rather than fight him she gave in to him. His lips ground hard against hers and she forced them to soften. Opening her mouth, she invited him in. His tongue thrust into hers and she responded by wrapping her arms around him. Immediately, his kiss softened. He gently sucked her tongue before licking her swollen lips in silent apology.

When his lips licked up a salty tear, he used his thumbs to carefully wipe her tears away. He took a deep breath before slowly releasing it. “I didn’t mean to frighten you.”

Katie sniffed back her tears and, although she knew she shouldn’t ask, her heart needed to know. “Is that what happened to you?” She brushed the side of his scarred face before he could withdraw.

He quickly captured her hand and drew it back to his lips for a kiss. “No. That was an apartment fire when I was in college.” Cain wrapped his arms around her and they held on tight to one another, two people spent by the outpouring of emotions. The dark was like a protective cocoon, protecting them from the rest of the world. Katie took these few moments to try and digest everything she’d just learned about Cain. She sensed his growing restlessness and knew their moment of respite was coming to an end.

Cain pulled back from her embrace, drawing his protective armor back on as he went. Spreading his legs apart, he braced himself as if for a blow. “So where does that leave us?”

“I don’t know,” she honestly replied.

Cain laughed and it was a hollow sound. “So much for loving me.” His voice was laced with sarcasm as he poured himself another drink, gave her a mock salute, and took a large swallow.

“That’s not fair.” Katie’s thoughts were totally disjointed, but she suspected that Cain didn’t know what love really was. If his childhood was as bleak as he’d painted it, and she suspected it was even worse, then it was up to her to teach him about true love. Having made her decision, her next action was easier than she expected.

Padding silently across the floor to Cain, she found his hand and gripped it in both of hers. Without saying a word, she tugged at his fingers, urging him to follow her. She knew she couldn’t move him without his cooperation, but she needn’t have worried, for he put down his glass and followed her unquestioningly.

Katie gingerly picked her way up the darkened hallway and into Cain’s bedroom. He stopped right inside the door and wouldn’t budge. Instead, he tugged her around to face him.

“There’s no going back, you know.”

“There never was.” Reaching up to him, she tugged his head down to hers and kissed him, holding nothing back. She poured all her pent-up feelings and emotions into this one kiss. Love, tenderness, and passion all mixed together in this heady embrace. Katie gentled him with her hands, massaging his scalp with her fingers before moving downward to rub the tense muscles in his back and his shoulders.

“Damn it, Katie.” Cain groaned and pulled her into his embrace as he crushed her mouth against his. Katie was only dimly aware that her feet were dangling in the air above the carpet. She didn’t care. She was where she wanted to be. In Cain’s embrace.

Chapter Eleven

Cain couldn’t believe that Katie was here in his arms. After the explosive scene in the living room, he expected her to run out of his apartment as fast as she could. Again, she had surprised him and run to him, instead of away from him. She felt so damned good in his arms. Too good. He didn’t believe in love, but he was no fool. He’d take whatever she would give him and then some.

With Katie still wrapped tight in his arms, he walked towards the bed. She smelled delicious, like vanilla and sunshine. He wanted to devour her from head to toe and everywhere in between. Katie was certainly not the most beautiful woman he’d ever slept with, but there was something about her that rocked him to his very soul. In some intangible way, she completed him.

Right now, she was wiggling in his arms, silently demanding he put her down. Reluctantly, he slid her down the front of his body until her feet touched the floor.

“Let me love you.” She pulled his head down and punctuated her words with little kisses. Not waiting for a reply, she pulled back and tugged her sweater over her head and let it drop to the floor. Her bra was next. The slight beam of moonlight bathed her in its glow, making her appear more ethereal than ever. She was a fantasy come to life. But this fantasy was not waiting for him to take control.

While he watched, she toed off her shoes and shimmied out of her jeans and underwear. He stood there riveted by her luminescent skin and her siren’s smile. She stood naked and proud before him, allowing his intimate inspection.

Her feet were spread slightly apart, but her toes curled into the rug, as if looking for support. Legs, long and lithe, led to her flat stomach and small waist. Skimming his eye higher, he admired her breasts. Though small, they were perfectly shaped, and the tips were puckered into tight little nubs. The curve of her shoulder flowed up her neck to her face. He knew her face would haunt his dreams for the rest of his life. Her hair stood in spikes, as it usually did, making her look strangely vulnerable. Her eyes glowed with desire and her luscious lips looked slightly swollen from their passionate kisses.

Finally out of patience, she huffed out a deep breath before stepping over to stand in front of him. Reaching out, she began unbuttoning his shirt.

He lifted his hands to stop her, but her low plea of “let me” made him drop them back to his sides. His fists clenched as she worked the buttons open from top to bottom. She pushed open his shirt and rubbed her nose against his chest, breathing deeply.

“You smell good.” She kissed her way up his chest. “Warm and sexy.” Her tongue flicked out and licked at one of his flat brown nipples. His whole body tightened in response and his hand lifted to cup the back of her head, encouraging her to continue. A sultry laugh escaped her as she kissed her way over to the other side and teased the other nipple.

“You like that as much as I do.” Pleased with herself, she continued teasing him. It was a novel experience for a man his stature. Usually both men and women were wary of him because of his immense size, even though he was very careful to control his strength. But Katie, after their initial meeting, had shown no fear at all. In fact, she reached out to him instead of pulling away.

Cain swept one hand over the smooth line of her spine, loving the way she arched under his hand. Tracing the curve of her hip, he finally reached the soft, white globes of her ass. He squeezed them with his palm and urged her closer to him. His cock was hard and he rubbed himself against her stomach.

Her sexy mouth left his chest and she turned her attention to his jeans. Her nimble fingers quickly undid the snap and pulled down the zipper. He clenched his teeth, and his breath came out in a hard hiss as she carefully eased the zipper over his rock-hard erection. Tugging both his jeans and his underwear down over his legs, she then dropped to her knees in front of him and pulled them off one foot and then another, taking his socks and sneakers as she did.

When he was finally naked, except for his shirt, she sat back on her haunches and looked up at him. Taking her time, her gaze slid up his muscular calves, his rock-hard thighs, his huge erection, and his rippling chest, all the way to his face. He knew what he looked like. Huge and rough. His fists clenched at his sides as he waited to see what she would do next.

“You’re beautiful,” she whispered in awe.

Cain had never been so stunned in his life. Never had anyone said those words to him. All at once, his common sense reasserted itself. She had never seen all of him, he thought sardonically. He was sure she’d have something different to say if she ever saw the extent of his ruined face and scarred body. But still it was nice to hear.

Her palms touched the front of his calves and she slid them up his thighs, coming up on her knees as she did so. Her hands continued their exploration, skimming his waist and stomach as she moved closer to him. Cain could feel his testicles tighten almost painfully as she nuzzled the hair of his groin.

“Katie,” he moaned. More than anything, he wanted her to take him in her mouth, but he wouldn’t ask. It had to be her choice.

As if she could read his mind, her lips gently skimmed the length of his cock, placing soft kisses from the base to the tip. The ability to think left him. Everything was focused on Katie’s mouth and trying to maintain some control. He didn’t want to come until he’d had a chance to enjoy her intimate attention.

Katie used her tongue to trace the long blue vein that ran the length of his erection. When she reached the top, she swirled her tongue around the bulbous tip. A small amount of fluid leaked from the tip and she lapped at it before taking the head into her mouth and sucking softly on it. Wrapping one hand around his solid length, she pumped it slowly up and down, while she used her other hand to gently squeeze his testicles.

“Damn it, Katie.” His large hands held the back of her head as his hips thrust forward. He felt as if he would explode any moment.

“Don’t you like it?” she teased as she licked the tip again before taking him even deeper into his mouth.

“Take more, Katie.” He was past all reason now. Having Katie kneeling before him, eagerly taking his cock into her mouth, was better than any fantasy he’d had.