Page 49 of Lord of Fire and Ice

She rolled her eyes. “I mean about his qualities as a possible husband for me.”

“How would I know about that? I never visited the bath house when he was there. I can’t tell you a thing about the length of his cock.”

Her jaw dropped. “What’s wrong with you?”

“I was wondering the same thing about you.”

“Me?”

“Ja, why are you doing this? You play at being available to wed. Yet you call me in here hoping I’ll rut you.”

He took a step toward her, and her heart rate hitched up several notches. That was exactly what she’d hoped.

“Isn’t that why you came?” she asked.

He cast his eyes down. “I came because you commanded. I’m your thrall. Your property. Your…thing.”

“Every time we’ve been alone, all you’ve tried to do is bed me,” she said.

This time when he raised his gaze to her, he looked at her with the hard eyes of a stranger.

“Why are you acting now as if it’s not something you want?” she asked.

“Because I’ve realized something about you, princess,” Brandr said through clenched teeth. “You don’t give a damn about anyone.”

“That’s not true.” Everything she did was for the good of her people. Her whole life was dedicated to the well-being of others.

And she cared about Brandr, even though her heart condemned her as a weak-willed, light-skirt for it. She’d accepted him as her thrall to wreak vengeance for Osvald.

She didn’t feel the least vengeful now.

Fast as thought, he closed the distance between them, wrapping his arms around her. He fisted a handful of her hair and forced her to look up at him.

“Then tell me you need me, Katla. Tell me it means something to you when I join my body to yours.”

She needed him like she needed her next breath. The admission danced on her tongue, but she held back. If he knew she needed him, he’d have the power to hurt her.

Instead, she’d let her body speak for her. She pressed herself against his hard length and raised herself on tiptoe to kiss him. His lips twitched under her mouth, but he didn’t respond.

“Kiss me, Brandr.”

His tongue dove between her teeth almost before the words passed her lips. His kiss seared her with its heat, with the promise of unbridled passion. She was taken by surprise at the suddenness and intensity of the longing he woke in her.

Then just as suddenly, he stopped kissing her and stepped back, arms at his sides.

She frowned at him in puzzlement. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, princess. You ordered me to kiss you, and I have done so.”

“And that’s all?”

“If you wanted a different sort of kiss, or a longer one, you should have told me.”

His eyes were so cold they froze her heart. “Don’t you want to kiss me?”

“A thrall has no wants but his owner’s wishes,” he said icily. “I kissed you because you told me to. But be warned. If you order me to bed you, be very specific about your preferences.”

She flinched as if he’d slapped her. “Why are you being so hateful all of a sudden?”