"Likewise," Granger said.

Ellison led Maria into the trees, pushing aside branches for her, taking her down a steep hill. At the bottom, a wide pond, formed by a rivulet snaking from the main river, spread like a sheet of silver, sparkling under the sun.

The banks of the small lake ran up into the trees, and clumps of bluebonnets spread across every open, sunny s.p.a.ce. Birds skimmed across the far side of the water, a wading bird turning its head to watch them approach.

Maria, having grown up in arid lands, always marveled that water could simply be. The life water gave-the birds, trees, wildflowers, tall gra.s.ses-constantly amazed her. The heat and humidity under the trees had perspiration dripping down her face, but she looked around with wonder.

"Where are we?" she asked.

"Don't really know. I found this place when I was running as wolf one day. Granger tried to shoot me, I dodged the blast and knocked him down, and we became friends. He knows I need the s.p.a.ce to run sometimes, and he keeps people away when I do. He's a good guy."

Maria thought about Granger's tattoos, which Spike had taught her about this past year. She suspected Granger had gotten some of them in prison, but she said nothing.

"It's a beautiful place."

"Sure is." Ellison hung his hat on the limb of a bush that stuck out from the trees. He unb.u.t.toned his shirt and shrugged it off, hanging it next to the hat. "Don't always see the bluebonnets either. You need the right amount of rain, the right amount of sunshine. We got lucky."

He wore a tight black T-shirt, which he also shucked, then he got out of his boots. Sunlight touched the liquid warmth of his skin and the b.u.t.ter-colored highlights in his hair.

"You joining me?" he asked. "I'm not swimming alone."

"Swim? In there?"

Flashes came to Maria of herself as a tiny child, her grandparents taking her to a lake in the mountains, beautiful and cool. She'd splashed around and played, while they spread a picnic lunch of all her favorite foods. Maria had thought she'd never be happier in her life. Come to think of it, she never had been.

Ellison unhooked his belt buckle and skimmed the belt from his jeans. "I don't see you getting undressed."

Maria swallowed. "You're going to swim in there naked?"

"Sure. Get my clothes wet if I don't."

"There will be snakes." The lake in the mountains had been home to plenty of snakes, and so had the warehouse, but Maria had learned at an early age how to avoid them.

"Probably. I'll scare them away."

Ellison unb.u.t.toned and unzipped his jeans and pulled them off, hanging them carefully next to his shirts. His loose boxers came off right after that.

Maria sucked in a breath. She'd seen plenty of Shifters naked, including Ellison-they saw no shame in it, and after shifting, they took their time sliding back into clothes, as though forgetting they needed to. Shifters were casual about nudity, and Maria had stopped noticing them a long time ago.

But Ellison was difficult not to notice. His body had been touched by G.o.d, sculpted muscle under skin that moved with liquid grace. The silver and black Collar around his neck only drew attention to the bareness of the rest of his body.

He folded his arms and watched her, all that rippling strength becoming still, waiting. Ellison was a being of sunlight and shadow, but with a hint of the moon in his gray eyes.

Maria wanted to look her fill, to feast her senses on his beauty. She couldn't not look at his c.o.c.k, hanging thick and full between his legs, dark blond hair at its base.

"Ungh" was the only thing that came out of her mouth.

"Come on," Ellison said. "I'm getting hot standing here."

Maria's face heated. He wanted her to strip as naked as he was and then jump into the water with him. A slow smile spread over his face, and her body flushed as hot as her cheeks.

Bareness to her meant vulnerability, fear. She hesitated, heart pounding.

"I told you," Ellison said. "I'm teaching you to live life." He came out of his watchful stance and stepped to her, his body filling her world. "Every bit of it, sucking up every drop."

His hand went to the top of her shirt and undid the two small b.u.t.tons there. Polite of him, because he could have just yanked the shirt off over her head. And he did, but at least he unb.u.t.toned it so the shirt with its pretty design didn't tear.

Maria stood in her lacy bra that Andrea had bought for her, hugging her arms across her chest. Her low-riding jeans suddenly felt too low.

Ellison came closer. The heat from his body touched her like sunshine. He smelled of musk and dust, sweat and warmth. He slid his hands to her waist and popped open the b.u.t.ton of her jeans.

A shiver began deep inside her. Fire rose in Maria's body, slowly surging until it blotted out fear, panic, shame. Need eased through her, tangled with warmth and desire.

Ellison's fingers brushed her abdomen as he felt for the zipper. He tugged it down, more touches to her skin. At the same time, he leaned down and kissed her.

A slow kiss, no more frenzy. Ellison's mouth was all that was good, his lips easing hers open. His tongue slid inside, a flicker, as he skimmed his hands up her back to open her thin bra.

Maria's shiver deepened as she felt the bra loosen. Fetters coming off, freeing her.

Ellison traced across her now-bare back, though he didn't pull the bra the rest of the way off. His touch went around her shoulders, up to her jaw. "Come on and swim with me."

Maria swallowed, licking the taste of Ellison from her lips. "Be right there."

He smiled, slow and fine. Another touch to her chin, and he turned away.

His bare backside was taut, legs lean and strong. Ellison unhooked his cowboy hat from the branch, setting it on his head to complete the devastating picture.

He grinned over his shoulder at her. "Last one in's a rotten egg."

Maria suddenly wanted to laugh. What in the world did that mean?

Ellison ran forward, jumped, caught another overhanging tree limb, swung himself out over the water, and dropped in with a magnificent splash.

His hat went flying. Ellison surfaced, swiped his hair out of his face, laughed, and grabbed the hat when it floated past.

"Come on, darlin'!"

Maria didn't give herself time to think. She toed off her sandals, slid out of her jeans, tossed aside her underwear, and ran at the water, whooping all the way.

Maria landed in the water a few yards from Ellison, coming up with her black hair wet. She pushed the hair from her face and opened her eyes, teeth flashing in her big smile.

Ellison made himself start breathing again. He'd sucked in air and held it while her body had come into view, sweet and lush, b.r.e.a.s.t.s high and firm, a brush of dark hair between her legs. She'd spread her arms to run in, as though embracing the pond, embracing the world.

The water now hid everything but her lovely face and dark hair, her eyes sparkling like the waters around her.

"Whoo!" she yelled again, and slapped the surface. "I feel like a little child."

"You're supposed to." Ellison swam to her, his hat firmly on his head. He knew it was stupid to swim with his hat, but Maria liked it, so the hat stayed.

Cool water slid under Ellison's arms, twining around his legs as he kicked his way to her. Maria hopped in a circle, taking in the banks, trees, bluebonnets, and the sheet of water. Her head and neck showed above the surface, her hair floating.

Ellison neared her, took off his hat, and sprang high enough out of the water to hang it on an overhanging limb. As he came down, he wrapped his arms around Maria.

Her body floated up to his, b.r.e.a.s.t.s moving against his chest in a waft of softness. Her hair was heavy with water over his hands, her lips wet as he drew her up to him to kiss them.

Kissing was the best thing. Ellison rarely kissed, because any Shifter women he'd had the pleasure of bedding had been frenzied and interested in getting the job done. Human women were few and far between. In fact, in the last couple years, anything female had been few and far between.

And now Maria. Maybe the G.o.ddess 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 G.o.ddess 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 c.o.c.k, 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.o.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 s.e.x, 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 d.a.m.n s.e.xy, voice. She licked his cheek, hot tongue chasing water droplets. "I need you."

Father G.o.d, help me.

The sun, the Father G.o.d'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 b.r.e.a.s.t.s 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.

"G.o.ddess, 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. .h.i.t 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.

"d.a.m.n . . ." 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 G.o.ddess 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.

Maria gave a little cry, Ellison thrusting now in crazed need. He kissed her, she kissed him, they struggled to hold each other in the slippery water.