Brawn (New Species, Book Five)

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An Excerpt From: BRAWN

Copyright © LAURANN DOHNER, 2011

All Rights Reserved, Ellora's Cave Publishing, Inc.

“Here we are. Do you think you can fit in my bed?”

Brawn stared at the huge mattress. “That will be fine. Thank you.”

She smiled, amused at his stiff stance and it was obvious that he wasn’t comfortable inside her feminine room. “You might want to lie down first to make sure. I’d hate to move them and then realize it won’t work.”

Brawn kicked off his shoes and climbed onto the bed without protest. It was low to the floor. He seemed at odds with how to get on at first but as he stretched out on his back his feet didn’t fall off the end—just barely. If he angled himself a little across it, he could sleep comfortably. His gaze met hers and he gave her a sexy smile.

Damn. Becca swallowed hard, thinking how incredibly appealing he looked on her rose-colored bedspread, the reddish-pink hue of it making him seem even more masculine if that were possible. The sight of that big, impressive body of his stretched out made her wish he wasn’t wearing clothes.

The urge to climb onto the bed naked with him arose and she clenched her teeth to avoid sighing. She really needed to get laid since a stranger had her body tied in knots. She’d tried to be intimate with the few guys she’d dated but had always ended up thinking of her late husband, Bradley, and the guilt had eaten her up. As her attention wandered across the man’s body the only thing that ate at her was the desire to test out her new mattress with him.

“It’s great.”

She had to remember he was talking about the size of her bed, not her wanting to jump his bones. “Terrific. Let’s get to it then.”

He rolled gracefully and stood. Between the two of them, it didn’t take long to switch the beds. Becca glanced at the king-size bed in the guestroom when they were done. It was a little too big for the space but there was a small walkway at the end of the mattress to allow access to the bathroom.

She bent over to remove the sheets from the bed, wanting to give him fresh, clean sheets. “It’s going to be a tight fit but I think you can squeeze in without too much effort.”

Brawn growled loudly, an animalistic sound that surprised her.

Becca jerked her head around to stare at Brawn, only to find him a few feet behind her with his legs planted apart and his hands fisted at his sides. His gorgeous eyes were fixed on her ass as she bent in front of him. Her last sentence replayed in her head and she laughed, straightening.

“I was talking about you being able walk between the end of the bed and the wall and squeeze through the bathroom door.” She grinned.

Brawn met her gaze. “What else would you have been talking about?” He arched an eyebrow at her and hid his hands behind his back in a relaxed stance that seemed forced.

She laughed. “I didn’t realize you were right behind me when I said that. You growled, which made me aware of how that sounded and looked. I assumed I needed to expand on what I was talking about since otherwise it just sounded like an invitation of a sexual nature.”

His gaze narrowed. “You’re very direct.”

“I am. I appreciate that in people. It cuts down the bullshit.”

“I like directness too. I did take it wrong at first and mentally agreed it would be a tight fit. You’re small. For a second, as I admired your bent form, I forgot why I’d never touch a human female and I growled in appreciation. My kind do that when we’re aroused. You have a nice form.” He glanced at the dresser in the corner. “May I use those to store my clothes?”

“Of course. The closet is empty too. This is your room while you’re here and please feel free to make yourself at home.” She paused. “May I ask you something personal? I am curious.”

His gaze returned to her. “Ask.”

“Why wouldn’t you ever touch a human female?”

“Do you want a polite answer or a direct one?”

“I like direct.”

He hesitated, seeming unsure.

“I won’t take offense.” She reached up to cross her finger over her heart and smiled. “You can’t say something like that without me wanting to know why. I’m a bit nosey and with my father being who he is, there are enough secrets I’m not allowed to know. You don’t have to answer but I’d appreciate it if you would.”

“I’m bigger and stronger than human males. I like rougher sex than human females could handle. I’d end up hurting her without meaning to.”

She let that sink in. “I see. Well, it’s kind of muddled but I think I have the idea. Thanks for answering.”

“What part is muddled?”

“The rough-sex part. There are a lot of ways to take that.”

He nodded. “I do not hit, nor am I into bondage or toys. I’ve seen some of your human pornographic videos. I like to bend my females over and take them from behind. I do not like to be gentle during the sex, the way your males are, but I am not into choking or harming them the way I’ve seen your males do in those films.

“I just like to take a female hard, fast and deep. Species females are bigger and more durable than most human females and I would hurt a human since they are fragile. There is no pleasure for me in that. It would be pointless to have sex with a female like you because I’d end up accidentally bruising her or taking her too rough. As I said, I’m larger and stronger than your males. When I say large, I am not just talking about my height and weight. I’ve seen your males naked and I’m thicker and longer.” He glanced down his body before meeting her gaze again. “Do you understand or do I need to specify the body part I’m referring to?”

Becca was shocked at how blunt the man had been with his answer but she’d asked for it. She let all that information sink in and hid a shiver of fear. Yeah, he could definitely hurt a woman if he didn’t restrain himself at all.