“You would not have. You’re harder than that to get rid of.” Those lips he’d been admiring twisted wryly.
“Probably true. I am determined to fulfill my mission.” That was a truth, alas.
“The one to protect me.” Her eyebrows twitched. “For the sake of the rebel faction.”
He smiled and traced her throat to her collarbone, his fingers longing to wander lower. That simple flap would be so easy to shift aside, the knot to untie. Then, he could touch more than her face, her throat. His groin tightened with eagerness as he imagined cupping one of her full breasts, of bringing his lips to it and tasting her.
“If you’d bound me,” he murmured, “you could have forced me to tell you if that’s the truth or not.”
“My magic isn’tthatpowerful.”
“You might not have needed that much to sway me to speak the truth. After all, you saved my life. As I said, I’m grateful.”
He wasmorethan grateful. It bothered him that they were at cross purposes. He wanted to reward her for respecting him as much as he wanted to sate his own desire. Well, maybe notasmuch, but he would like to thank her. But, bound by his oath and his orders, he couldn’t thank her by leaving her to fulfill her quest without his involvement. That was, he had no doubt, what she truly wanted.
Her eyes closed, however, as if she was enjoying his touch toomuch to think about her mission. Good. Hewantedher to enjoy it. Just as she had by the window.
What would have happened if that guard hadn’t returned? He let his hand wander lower, brushing the outline of her breast through the robe as his fingers strayed toward the knot. A soft sound escaped her lips, almost a gasp, and she shifted toward him. He smiled, glad his touch pleased her. Perhaps he could reward her that way.
“Don’t make me regret making an honorable choice,” Syla whispered. Almost a plea.
Honorable. That was his word. What he always wanted to be. And yet, in this situation, he did not feel honorable. She deserved better. She deserved…
More than him. But what more did he have that he could give? His oath was to the Sixteen Talons, his heart and soul to his people. He couldn’t betray them. Physical pleasure was all he could give her, but he vowed to make it something she would remember. Always.
With that thought, he leaned forward and kissed her. By now, it didn’t surprise him that she returned the kiss without hesitation, but it pleased him. He wanted her to enjoy this.
When she ran her tongue over his lips and gripped his shoulders with eagerness, he knew she would. It was as if she’d been dreaming of being with him since they met and couldn’t wait.
His groin thrummed with excitement and anticipation—his entirebodydid—but he willed his libido to stand down. He wanted to give her more than his selfish lust. After she’d retrieved him from the sea and carried him here, she deserved that. Maybe, afterward, she would find that she craved more of him, but he wanted to give her pleasure first. It would be an expression of his gratitude, and maybe it could also be an apology of sorts, since he knew he would eventually betray her. He had to.
When he pulled Syla into his lap, she came eagerly. She had tofeel his desire, but it didn’t alarm her. If anything, she wriggled against him, excited to know he wanted her.
He untied the flap of the robe and slid his hand up to cup her breast, its curve as wondrous as he’d imagined. He stroked her soft skin as he kissed her, sliding his tongue into her mouth, reveling in her taste.
Images of pushing her down onto the bed and plunging into her eager core swept into him. With great effort, he thrust them aside, wanting to focus on givingherpleasure instead of taking his own.
Later, he promised his hard cock as she shifted in his lap, rubbing against him, building his need without even knowing it. Though he wanted this to be about her satisfaction, he realized he wouldn’t be able to restrain himself if she writhed and bucked beneath him, exposing herself and crying out for him. He would have her.
With a growl, Vorik shifted her onto her back, pushing the flaps of the robe fully aside. She touched his shoulders, then his arms, and his waist, her nails grazing him as she hungrily ran her hands over his muscles. One hand brushed his cock through his trousers, and a burst of hot need almost made him reach for the clasp, to free himself and take her. She lay before him, eager and ready.
But no. He remembered his intent and left his trousers on, needing that barrier, that reminder, and lowered himself to kiss her while his fingers explored her body. Oh, but her eagerness made it so hard to concentrate on pleasing her, on stroking her breasts, on making her quiver and twist, trembling where he touched her. It was so erotic. She didn’t even mean it to be. It was simply her natural response to him.
He ran his fingers down her stomach as he kissed her, her tongue dancing against his as she reveled in his touch, his taste. He found the slit of her core, already slick, already throbbing forhim. Her fingers tightening on his shoulders, she arched up, full of need, her body begging for him.
He rubbed her sensitive flesh, stroking her as he’d done with others, knowing what many liked, what would send wondrous sensations through her entire body. Through Syla. He wanted her to experience such exquisite ecstasy that…
That what? She would forgive him for later betraying her?
No, she would never forgive that. This was simply to give hersomething. The only thing he could offer.
And that she wanted. She gasped, pushing against him, hungry, desperate. Again, thoughts of freeing his erection filled his mind. She wouldn’t object. He knew that. She wanted this. And so did he. He longed to touch her and taste her with more than his fingers, to let himself prowl down her body, a suck here, a lick there.
When their mouths parted, her eyes opened and locked onto him. They gleamed with scorching desire, and her grasps on his shoulders turned into a push, guiding him lower.
He obeyed, his own excitement electric when he finally slid his tongue into her. He stroked her as her delicious heady scent wreathed him. And she tasted exquisite. He groaned. By all the gods, he wanted her.
Her head fell back as she pushed up toward him, fingers clenching the sheets now. She groaned and thrust, so hot. And he was so hard. After this, he would take her. Hehadto take her. But first…
