...The angel stiffened and bowed his head. “I do not know what overcame me. I am weakened and in a form I have not taken in millennia. I have no control, I…” He trailed off, exhaling sharply.

Nathan tugged at Ramiel until the angel turned to face him. “No matter what you are, you’re human now, and close quarters plus attraction equals lust, desire, whatever you want to call it. Trust me. I’m half human and half animal. If anyone can understand, it’s me. Your reaction was quite understandable.’”

A half smile quirked the side of Ramiel’s mouth as Nathan repeated the angel’s own words back to him. Apparently not all humor was lost on the angel, then.

He stared at Nathan through the gold silk of his bangs and Nathan’s chest went tight. Without thought, he reached up to palm Ramiel’s cheeks. The lost look in his eyes hit Nathan deeply and he was overwhelmed with the desire to kiss him, to ease the loneliness Ramiel must surely be feeling, exiled from his own kind. He raised up, tilting his head…

Ramiel’s mouth crashed onto his, a hungry, elemental force that caught him by surprise. Pent-up need emanated from Ramiel, and Nathan speared his fingers through Ramiel’s hair, dragging the angel deeper into the kiss, letting him know it was all right, that he could take whatever Ramiel had to give.

With a low growl, Ramiel hauled Nathan tight against his big body, his hands grabbing Nathan’s ass. Ramiel’s tongue licked along Nathan’s lips, then plunged deep inside, stroking and twining with Nathan’s.

Ramiel’s taste was a wild kaleidoscope of flavor. Spicy and sweet with a hint of the meaty burger he had just eaten. It teased at the back of Nathan’s mind, a long forgotten treasure rediscovered. Pleasure overrode any more coherent thought like a tsunami, and Nathan was swept up in its wake, drowning in sensation. His erection pulsed behind his zipper, a primitive, throbbing heat that tightened his balls.

Nathan wanted nothing more than to be skin to skin with Ramiel, exploring every plane and hollow of him. He needed to be closer, with no barrier between them.

Ramiel groaned, stumbled and the two of them nearly toppled over. Nathan clutched him, balanced on his feet, and averted disaster. He locked eyes with Ramiel, their breath coming in rough gasps, and noted the pallor of the angel’s skin beneath the sex flush.

“Come on. I think we need to get you into bed for some serious rest.”

Ramiel stroked a finger along Nathan’s jaw, with a banked fire in the silvery depths of his eyes. Nathan regretted saying a thing.

“I have no desire to sleep. I prefer very much to continue what has begun.”

Belying his words, Ramiel swayed.

Nathan tightened his hold. “Sweetheart, as much I would love to take you up on that, the truth is, you need to recover. Sex will deplete what resources you have left, then demand more. I can’t have you collapsing before you get to the end.” He flashed a teasing grin. “That would be no fun at all.”

He helped Ramiel to the guest room, a painful trip considering both of them were still feeling the effects of their encounter. Nathan stopped beside the bed. “Do you prefer to sleep in these or shall I take them off?”

“I prefer nudity.”

“A man after my own heart. All righty then, let’s get the sweats off first.” Nathan eased the sweats over Ramiel’s hips, then pulled the fabric away from Ramiel’s half mast. He sucked in a breath at the sight of the thick cock. Giving in to the temptation that had been torturing him for the last couple of hours, he pressed a kiss to the smooth, hot crown. To his delight, it stirred,

Ramiel’s breath hissed. “Please.”