Total pages in book: 108
Estimated words: 105132 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 526(@200wpm)___ 421(@250wpm)___ 350(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 105132 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 526(@200wpm)___ 421(@250wpm)___ 350(@300wpm)
He broke the kiss.
Adira immediately sought his mouth again, but he held her still.
His eyes shifted toward the bed, then returned to hers.
Adira followed his glance. understanding came quickly.
When she looked back at him, he was waiting. He did not gesture. He did not tell her what he wanted. He simply waited for her answer.
Her heart beat wildly as she stared into his eyes. She had never believed this would be hers. Never imagined a man would look at her as the king did now, wanting her and yet demanding nothing from her.
She nodded… once.
Dravic’s mouth was on hers again.
The kiss changed. The anger that had driven him back through the door was still there, but something more powerful had joined it. Weeks of restraint he had not realized had been there gave way beneath hands that no longer seemed willing to keep their distance and kisses that left Adira clinging to him.
He ended the kiss reluctantly, but he needed to be sure.
He looked into her eyes. There was no hesitancy. She knew immediately what he was asking.
Had she changed her mind?
Adira looked to the bed, then back at him and nodded firmly.
He didn’t hesitate. He swept her up into his arms.
Adira startled, grabbing hold of him as he carried her toward the bed. Her surprise quickly vanished beneath a smile she made no attempt to hide.
Dravic saw it and stopped.
For one suspended moment, he simply looked at her. She had been afraid of him once. Now she rested willingly in his arms, trusting him with something neither of them could take back.
His hold tightened. He would remember that… always.
He carried her the remaining steps to the bed and lowered her to her feet beside it.
She was unlike any woman he had ever bedded. Those women had been experienced and there to please the king. There had been no uncertainty, no need for anything beyond pleasure.
Adira was different.
She stood before him with no experience to guide her, yet there was no mistaking her willingness to be there. She trusted him, but that wasn’t all.
She loved him. He saw it in her eyes. It sparked like a flame, an eternal flame that would never dim or fade away. It would remain strong and grow ever brighter. He knew it. He could feel it.
The realization settled heavily upon him.
Trust and love were not easily given, especially by a woman who had once feared him. Yet somehow, over the months they had spent together, she had come to trust and love him.
And bloody hell if he did not feel the same about her.
He ran his finger along her cheek faintly as he held her gaze.
He wanted her. Gods, how he wanted to make love to her, but wanting her was no longer enough. He wanted her to remember this night and know they had chosen every moment of it.
His fingers went to the ties of her blouse and undid them slowly, waiting to see how she would react.
He watched her gasp silently and moved his hand to his own garments and began to slowly disrobe.
Adira was not ignorant of the act of coupling, having seen animals during mating season and coming upon a man and woman when at market one day. Feena had quickly pulled her away from the entrance of the alley where the man had the woman against the wall, both fully dressed and he shoving into her hard. She did not understand what pleasure mating could bring… until now.
She ached with the want of the king, to mate with him, to give her heart to him, and though nervous, she began to undress.
Dravic hurried and finished to stand naked in front of her, his hand reaching out to stop her. He wanted the pleasure of undressing her, revealing her little by little, enjoying the torment that would grow his manhood ever harder and flame her growing desire.
Adira let her hand fall away, letting the king have his way. He took his time, slipping her garments off piece by piece ever so slowly. His hand grazed her skin lightly, the side of her breasts, the curve of her waist, along her hips, and she silently gasped when his fingers brushed the triangle of hair where Feena had made it clear she was to let no man ever touch.
But she wanted this. Wrong or right, she wanted this.
How could it not be when she loved him and she saw the love in his eyes he had for her?
It would all settle later, for now, she simply wanted to get lost in their love.
When the last of her garments dropped at her bare feet, she smiled softly and ran a slow gaze over him and a shiver of pleasure ran through her. Another tingle of pleasure surfaced when his fingers brushed over her nipples that had puckered tightly. His faint touch grew them even more taut, and she would be only too glad for him to touch her again and again.