“Unmated men my age don’t stay on planet,” he said after a long pause. “I guess it’s a reminder of what I could have had, in some ways.”
She stopped dancing and looked up at him. His expression was distant, and a bit sad. She didn’t like it.
“Why don’t you kiss me?” she asked.
He looked startled, then smiled again. He lowered his head slowly to hers, and then his lips touched her.
They were firm but still soft, and they danced across her mouth with a self-control that did nothing to hide his strength. Then he turned his head to one side, and his lips opened across hers, deepening the kiss with an intensity that made her sag in his arms. His tongue pushed into her mouth, and she knew that for all his restraint earlier that evening, there could be no denying the depth of his need. They might have been back at the hallway in Manya’s. His arms wrapped tight around her body, pulling her belly against the hardness of his groin. He grew against her, and his tongue plunged into her again and again. There was no doubt what he was trying to communicate to her—he wanted to be inside her, to take her with an intensity that was frightening.
It was the most incredibly sexy thing she’d ever experienced.
She’d been with men before, but not like this. There had never been the sense that they would die without her. The urgency of his every touch, the feel of him as his hips pressed again her—it was almost too much. She wanted to scream, scratch, even bite at him. To do something to release some of the tension that was building in her body. But she couldn’t—her entire body was held motionless by his, his mouth dominating her totally.
After an endless kiss, he pulled his mouth back from hers and she opened her eyes unsteadily. His face was flushed, and his scar had deepened to a deep, dark red.
“Giselle, would you be willing to join me in my cabin this evening?” he asked, the formality of his words at complete odds with the embrace they’d just shared. She took a deep breath and replied fervently.
“Oh, yes.”
Chapter Six
He swooped her up in his arms, laughing—he could hardly believe how much her answer meant to him.
Most of his women in the past had been paid for, and they always said yes. He’d never worried before now whether a woman actually meant it.
She laughed as he carried her down the hall. He loved how her curls bounced, loved how she wiggled against him, wrapping her arms around his neck and holding him tight, as if she actually enjoyed being held by him. When they got to the door, her mouth was too tightly attached to his for him to give an open command, so he bumped at the plate with his hip. Nothing.
Pulling his head away from hers, he muttered, “Damn, I can’t seem to get anything to go right tonight.”
She giggled as she slid down his body. Her hand snaked around to the front of his pants, cupping his erection lightly. “At least one thing seems to be doing just fine,” she muttered.
He slapped at the doorplate and it slid open. Together they stumbled into the small room, and he gave mental thanks to the Goddess that he’d opted for a full size bed. He’d never anticipated anyone to share it with, but he’d figured the extra sleeping space would be worth sacrificing some living space.
She ran her hands over his chest, clawing at his shirt and pulling it open. Then her hands were rubbing across him and she licked his left nipple fiercely. He shuddered, and pushed her back with a gasp. Her knees hit the bed and she went down. He followed her down, mouth gripping hers as his hands frantically scrabbled at her clothing. Her hips thrust up at him, and he could feel his own hips answering her rhythm.
Every little movement sent the fabric of his pants scraping against his cock, and for a moment he thought he’d explode right then and there.
He had to do something, or there would be a repeat of his humiliation in the hostel.
He gripped each of her wrists with his hands, and brought them together over her head. He sat up, and she whimpered, gasping for breath.
“Why are you holding me prisoner?” she asked. “What did I do to deserve this?”
The look on her face was so indignant that he couldn’t help but laugh.
“I think you need some specialized attention before we go too much further,” he said gravely. “But for some reason, I tend to forget that whenever you move.”
“Hmmm…” she replied with gravity matching his own. “But how are you going to give me that kind of specialized attention if you’re busy holding my hands prisoner over my head?”
“Well, I was thinking I might tie you up,” he said thoughtfully.
“No!” she shrieked, bucking against him, giggling uncharacteristically.
He transferred both of her wrists to one hand, then reached down and tickled her stomach with the other. She shrieked again, and twisted against him.
“Truce!” she cried out. “Truce! You’re breaking our truce!”
“Well, do you have any suggestion for how I should deal with this dilemma?” He asked. “You obviously can’t be trusted not to wiggle.”
“What if I grip the top of the bed with my hands?” she asked hopefully. “If I promise not to let go, then you don’t have to tie me up.”
“Well, that would leave me free to have my wicked way with you,” he said seriously. “All right, we’ll give it a try. But if you don’t keep hold, I’m going to have to tie you up. Remember, this is for your own good.”
She laughed and nodded her head. He let her wrists go free and she twisted, turning both hands so she could grip the edge of the mattress.
“So,” she said archly. “Here I am, spread out at your mercy. What do you plan to do with me?”
He schooled his features into a grimace, barring his teeth at her. He knew he looked fearsome. “I’m going to take wild, passionate advantage of you.”
“You hide behind that scar way too much,” she said suddenly. “You can’t fool me any longer. You’re a nice man, and you aren’t going to hurt me.”
“You talk way too much,” he said, his expression darkening. “I’ll need to do something about that mouth of yours.”
Before she could reply, he lowered himself, covering her mouth with his. He kissed her deep and hard this time, pushing himself into her mouth the same way he wanted to push his lower body into hers.
Damn, she was so soft and hot and open. Touching her was almost more than he could stand, but he’d be damned if he’d let her go.