Part 23 (1/2)

”I-I suppose you're wondering...” His voice trailed off, and she had to smile at the burnished red color that flooded his cheeks. ”Well, you must be wondering about the light,” he finally finished, rubbing his chest self-consciously.

”It's all part of the mystery, Jared.” She laughed gently. Then she cast a very quick downward look at her own half-concealed body. No glowing. No corona of golden heat ringing her skin. Oddly enough, its absence left her with a hollow feeling in the center of her chest.

He seemed to read her thoughts. ”It's because of my other nature,” he explained softly, stepping closer toward her.

She looked deep into his eyes. ”What does it feel like?”

”Warm.- Tingling. Alive.” His lips formed a slow, seductive smile. ”Arousing.”

She opened her palms toward his chest. ”Can I touch you there?”

He swallowed visibly and nodded his agreement. She slipped hungry fingers beneath the collar of his robe, and met the velvet warmth of delectable skin. G.o.d, she loved the way Jared felt. The smoothness of his chest, only the downiest black hairs dusting his warm golden skin, the allure of it beneath her hand. She slipped both open palms beneath the terry cloth, exploring, rubbing until he gave a soft gasp of pleasure, the robe falling completely open.

”You're right. It's nice and cozy in here,” she whispered, and he leaned in close to her until his hot breath fanned against her cheek. He smelled like the earth, all natural and touched by the mountain air. His large hands closed about the center of her back, drawing her closer against him-with her hands she edged his robe farther open until it slipped off his shoulders and he shrugged it to the floor. Before her he stood, a glorious warrior gleaming with otherworldly power and barely restrained s.e.xual heat, and she found herself simply staring, transfixed by the sheer beauty of the man she'd taken as a lifemate.

She took a step backward, but he grasped at her. ”No,” he growled low in his chest. ”I need you in my arms-not separate from me. Please, mate, I beg you.”

”But I want to see you,” she explained, her voice a husky shadow of what it normally was. And she did want to see him-desperately wanted to see his fire, displayed all across his skin. But what met her gaze, as she staggered backward momentarily, was the hardened length of him, jutting out toward her with the same kind of devouring hunger she glimpsed on his face. With a single graceful motion, he spun her back into his arms, and with a possessive kiss, he took her. Until his golden-brown chest pressed hard against her collarbone. Until her towel slipped to her ankles. Until she felt swimmy and weak legged from the rippling sensuality of his embrace.

G.o.d, she had never wanted a man so much in her entire life. The shattering pa.s.sion they'd shared earlier had already managed to multiply many, many times over.

”Look at me, Kelsey,” he begged. He cupped one hand behind her head, tipping her face upward toward him. ”You needn't fear me. Not ever.”

”I don't,” she said, but the look in his eyes was so fevered, she knew this mattered to him. She lifted a hand to his face, feeling the sandpaper of new stubble beneath her hand. ”Jared, I would never be afraid of you,” she a.s.sured him.

”But you're trembling,” he whispered in a soft voice. ”Look at you.”

And she was trembling-but definitely not from fear. She smiled at him, a little embarra.s.sed, wanting to convey every bit of love she felt for him. ”Trust me, Jared. It's not fear that's making me shake,” she answered with an awkward laugh. Dang it. Even her voice was all fluttery.

His dark eyes narrowed, his face warming visibly. ”It is desire,” he said in a knowing voice. ”Yes, I understand this feeling.”

”Besides, you don't scare me. If you did, I would've run at the beginning.”

He bowed his head, still holding tight to her, but clearly wrestling with something too. ”Perhaps you felt compelled then.”

”Compelled to what?” she cried. ”To love you? To follow you any d.a.m.n place you'd lead me?”

His mouth turned upward in a sideways, grudging smile. ”Well, when you put it that way...”

”Why does this keep coming up?” she asked, wanting him rea.s.sured once and for all. ”I feel so safe with you, Jared. You always make me feel that way.”

”I am fearsome, Kelsey. You have seen it.” He dropped his head again, his jaw tightening, but he said no more, and instead lifted both hands to cup her shoulders. Heat radiated from his palms. Genuine power. She could understand another woman potentially fearing him-but not when his wilder nature was tempered by such uncompromising strength and goodness.

”No, what I've seen is a man who is beautiful,” she told him. ”Handsome. So many things I never even dreamed about. My heart's desire, Jared. That's what you are.”

He dropped his hands from her shoulders. ”For so many years, I didn't believe I'd find a woman like you,” he whispered, emotion glinting in his dark eyes. ”I didn't remember you, so I couldn't let myself hope. Not with my life the way it is. Who would stand with me? Who would love a man who'd done the things I have?” He gazed downward at his open palms, shaking his head. ”You still have no idea-not really-of what or who I am, Kelsey.”

”I know your heart, Jared,” she whispered. ”I've seen your soul. That's all I need to know right now.”

His eyes widened, ringed with emotion for a long, silent moment, and then with an almost pained cry he captured her mouth roughly with his own. His tongue sought hers, his hands moving all over her body as if needing to learn the shape of her.

Jared wanted everything about Kelsey. Her body, her mind, her soul, her spirit, her hunger for life and learning- everything he could taste across their newly formed bond. But if he didn't have her physically again, now, he thought he'd absolutely explode with pent-up need.

”Kelsey.” He panted in her ear, stroking his fingers beneath the soft curve of her bottom until he found her wet heat. ”I need to join again.” Even as one part of his mind reminded him that he spoke of Refarian ways, another couldn't silence the need. To join-in body, soul, and mind-was the height of satiation for a Refarian.

”So do I,” she agreed without hesitation. Did she even understand what he craved more than his next breath? Now as full bondmates he could lead her into deeper places- things she'd only begun to glimpse in their lovemaking.

He dragged her back toward the bed, avoiding the tray and champagne bottle. With a deft move, he spun her so that she fell backward beneath him, her hips settling right on the edge of the mattress. Not a bad strategy, he commended himself, nudging her legs apart with his upper thigh. She lay on her back gazing up at him, and he positioned his erection right between her legs, barely able to restrain himself from plunging deep inside the woman. But not yet, he cautioned himself. Pleasure her, ravenous king. She longs for it. Take her to an unknown, sweet place...

Hitching his hands beneath each of her knees, he lifted her thighs around his hips, drawing her tight around him. With a painfully gentle gesture, he pressed against her opening-so warm, so ready for him -and teased her. Nudging, stroking her with his length. Beneath him, she gasped her urgent need, but he planned to take his time. With a s.h.i.+ver of desire, he lifted his open palm and slowly rubbed it across one of her b.r.e.a.s.t.s, the nipple beading in reaction to his caress. She squirmed beneath his stroking; he felt the aching crescendo of her l.u.s.t wrapping itself around his mind-impossible not to feel it across their bond, its pulsing heat slamming into his every awareness.

Take me, he heard. Jared, just do it!

He bent low over her, leaning heavily on one forearm, and showered her chest with kisses, suckling on first one breast and then the other. You are ready? Her hot breath wanned his cheek as she reached to cup his face in both of her gentle hands.

Oh, G.o.d, what do you think?

I think you are enjoying yourself very much. He groaned across the thin barrier separating the two of them. I think I should not rush things, he teased.

She gave him a playful slug in the shoulder. Do it!

He laughed softly, climbing past her and into the center of the bed. ”Not yet, love.” With a dramatic gesture, he reached beneath her and folded back his dark bedspread, revealing the edges of pale cream satin sheets. His people were always insisting on some modic.u.m of royal treatment for their king, and for once he didn't disdain their showy pampering.

Kelsey sat up, her mouth swollen from his kisses; her messy hair spilled to her lower back, tumbling evidence of their pa.s.sion. She reached with one hand, gingerly stroking the top edge of the satin sheet. He felt a surge of pride: That he could offer her something indulgent and sensuous here in his war camp gave him a thrill of heated pleasure. She was his mate. Here, in this chamber, he could wors.h.i.+p her as such.

He drew back the covers in silent invitation, and with the sweetest of smiles she slipped her bare body underneath. ”Ooh,” she whispered huskily, ”these feel nice, Jared.”

He growled his own pleasure, sliding his heated body beside hers. Whenever he was around her, he couldn't seem to constrain his soft growls and rumbles of desire, even though he knew his Refarian expressions had to be alien to her. Still, as he nestled down beside her, tugging her hips flush to his, another long, heady growl escaped his chest.

She giggled, narrowing her eyes at him. ”I have an idea,” she said.

Nuzzling her collarbone, he suckled at the tender flesh there. ”Um, does it involve interspecies bedplay?” he purred, ready to take her at any moment.

”Here,” she instructed, giving his shoulder a light shove. ”You roll onto your back.”

He blinked up at her, curious, and did exactly as she guided him to do. Closing his eyes, he s.h.i.+vered in antic.i.p.ation. He heard the rustle of covers, the s.h.i.+fting of her position, and then something light tickled his thighs, causing his abdomen to knot with fevered expectation. Oh, G.o.ds! Her mouth! The unexpected soft warmth of it closed over his shaft. He cried out, his eyes flying open, and found her head bent low over him, her thick curls spread across his thighs. He dragged his fingers through that auburn hair, desperate to hold himself back. Groaning, he squirmed beneath her licking and sucking, his hips thrusting upward, desperate for more. He wanted it deeper, harder. G.o.ds, if she didn't stop...

She didn't stop. The sensations increased in their fury and intensity, and it was all he could do not to release himself right in her mouth. ”Kelse,” he half begged, writhing convulsively as her warm mouth drew in even more of him. In all his days, no woman had ever pleasured him this way. No woman-not even in bed-would dare be so intimate with the king. Kebe, please, love, please. Please!

What was he even begging her to do? To stop or to take him deeper still? Even he wasn't sure of what he really wanted. With an agonized gesture, he tugged at her arm, and she released him, sitting upright. She blinked in confusion and he explained shakily, ”You... must...”

”Danger zone?” she teased, rubbing her mouth with the back of her hand.

His only reply was a trembling groan of delight. This lit her up, from the inside out. Leaning onto her side next to him, she began her next temptation-she took him within her hand and began rubbing him back and forth until he nearly came right within her palm.

”Kelsey!” he cried, placing a stilling hand over hers. G.o.ds, it killed him to stop her, that heated friction she was creating, the back-and-forth over his erection and the soft folds of his skin. ”Kelse,” he groaned in her ear, and she pulled back, staring up into his eyes. A low growl rumbled out of his chest, and he squeezed his eyes shut. Sucking in burning gasps of air, he wrestled to still the tremors that shook his whole body.