Page 18 of Breath From the Sea
“The ring, but aye, I like the look of the fabric clinging to you.”
She blushed, hiding her face as she raised the shirt over her head. Her belly was flat, and even though she’d bound her breasts, he could still make out a swell beneath the fabric.
Antónia dropped the shirt to the floor and stood there, waiting. Titus’ desire grew, but he watched her face, watched the way her eyes drifted over him. There was interest there. Even if she didn’t want to admit it just yet, she liked him. He could tell in her kiss. And, the fact that she’d offered herself to him. She could have offered coin. Could have even shot him in the leg and not killed him, to escape.
“Keep going,” he said. “I want you in nothing but that ring.”
She reached for the knot between her breasts, unwinding the linen until the pink globes of her breasts were revealed. Beautiful, supple skin, topped with rosy nipples that hardened into peaks as he gazed at her.
The linen fell to the floor with her shirt and then she reached for the ties of her breeches. Titus’ throat had gone dry, his body pulsing with the need to touch, to taste, to conquer. He itched to reach forward, to trace the line of her jaw all the way down to her navel.
Antónia kicked off her boots, then shimmied out of the breeches, revealing the curve of her hips, the tuft of dark, red hair at the crux of her thighs, long, shapely legs, dainty feet with wriggling pink toes.
“Does the merchandise satisfy?” she asked with a raised brow, a cock to her shoulder.
Hell, aye, it did. “Turn around.”
She opened her mouth to protest, but he made a whirling motion with his finger. Titus had to keep his laughter inside as she muttered something under her breath and begrudgingly turned in a quick circle, giving him just a flash of her delicious bottom.
As she turned back to face him, he covered the distance between them, grabbed her bejeweled hand and tugged her flush against him. Blast, but he had to bite his lip to keep from groaning at the delicious feel of her length against him.
“Very satisfying,” he murmured, gazing into her emerald eyes. “I’ll take it. Twice.”
Desire darkened her eyes to the color of pine. “And the ring is mine when ye’re done. Free and clear.”
“The ring is yours.”
“Free and clear.”
“That I can’t promise, for I intend to tell the queen you robbed me.”
She tried to back away but he held her tight, his hand splaying on the soft skin of her back.
He trailed his fingers over the line of her spine. “And she will demand I chase you all around the world, and every time I see you, I might be enticed to make another arrangement.”
“Why ye—” She wriggled against him.
But Titus didn’t allow her to speak. Instead, he crushed his lips to hers, taking what she offered and preparing to give her a piece of himself in return.
