“Move?” she echoed in disbelief.
“The way you smile. The way you…” he indicated her entire being, “…are.”
“Am I supposed to scowl the entire time? Like this?” She dipped her chin, and her lower lip thrust out in a seductive pout.
“No! Stop it. You know what you’re doing. You know how it affects men.”
Her brows rose, and she seemed vulnerable for a moment. “But it doesn’t affect you.”
“Of course, it does! I’m a man!”
“You’re affected when I smile?” Her eyes lit up, and a grin stretched across her lips.
“Willow…” Christian pleaded.
“Or just when I move?” She turned sultry in the blink of an eye, parting her lips in a silent gasp, and breathing deeply. Her lids lowered over sleepy eyes.
Christian froze, stunned. How did she do that? How could she be that alluring? He grabbed her shoulders firmly. “Stop it. You’re going to get into trouble one day.”
She moved closer, still so seductive and tempting that Christian didn’t know what to do with her. She was like fire in his hands.
“It’s lucky I know how to take care of myself,” she whispered, her gaze centering on his lips.
His stare swept over her face, and his lips tingled. He was so furious with her for teasing and tempting him. For teasing and tempting all men. He pulled her against him, feeling the length of her body pressed to his. “What if you can’t get away?”
Her gaze lingered on his lips. “What if I don’t want to?”
That was it. Teach her a lesson. Show her what the men would do to her. He bent his head to her lips in a punishing kiss. He swept his mouth over hers, commanding, his tongue demanding entrance. She parted her lips for his exploration, and he took the invitation. She tasted of ale and cheese and honey. His kiss was firm, insistent, and hot. His hands gripped her shoulders, holding her to him, capturing her so she couldn’t escape.
Her fingers entangled in the hair at the back of his head, locking him to her. Her wet gasps matched his. Her kiss enflamed fire within him.
It was as if the fire had spread from her seduction to him, stoking flames inside him. Their kiss was full of need and was well past due.
His hands moved down her back to her firm, rounded bottom. This would show her just what men wanted.
Instead of gasping in outrage as Christian believed she would, Willow pulled herself up using his shoulders as a base and lifted her legs to wrap them around his waist.
Startled, he stepped forward, pinning her against the tree. He was losing control as passion erased rational thought. He realized for the first time that she was in control. Suddenly, he didn’t know who was punishing who.
Shewasfire.
And part of him wanted to be burned. Scorched. Enflamed. But his rational part was crying out to stop. He easily dismissed the thought of stopping.
His hand traced her curvy bottom up her side to her breast.
A heated sigh escaped her lips.
Her breast fit perfectly in his hand. He wanted, nayneeded, to feel her skin. He quickly unlaced her leather armor, and it swung open. As it did, something dropped and hit him in the toe. Pain flared from his appendage, and he looked down.
As Willow brushed kisses along his cheek, Christian located the item in the leaves that had fallen from her armor.
Her book.
Instantly, his mind cleared. He moved away, and she lowered her feet to the ground, confusion wrinkling her brow.
Christian picked up the book.
When she spotted the book in is hand, she reached for it.
