Page 25 of Promise of a Knight
Wrapping her up in his embrace, his lips touched hers, gentle, but demanding as they slid against her mouth. Alex’s arms, of their own volition, rose to wrap around his neck, fingers tangling in his hair as though she’d done this a thousand times. Kissing him was as natural an action as any other, and yet it brought about so many more sensations and emotions whipping through her until she could barely think straight.
Senses on heightened alert, she could smell the very masculine, spicy scent of him. Feel the ridges of his body pressed hotly to hers. Taste the mulled wine on his tongue. Hear the beating of his heart pounding in tune with her own, the subtle groan from his lips when she arched her back, pushing her breasts against him. Though her eyes were closed, she could see much in her imagination. She could see the two of them standing beneath a starry sky, passionately entwined. And she could see more. She could see him carrying her back to his chamber. Back to his castle in Northumbria. And the funny thing was, she didn’t mind being in England. Wishful thinking? She didn’t want to ponder that, only to enjoy this wondrous moment when she was in his arms. The one he desired. The one he wanted to share something special with. His life. Hers.
Their tongues danced, sliding, twining, tasting. Sensual and intoxicating, Alex wished he’d go on kissing her until the earth ceased to exist.
Her body was heated, throbbing in places she didn’t know could throb, and deep in her belly she felt a warming pressure, an itch that needed to be scratched. Somehow, she knew that the only way to relieve that incessant pulse was to keep on kissing. That both thrilled and terrified her.
“Oh, Alex, you Scottish nymph, I cannot stop thinking about you. Touching you. Desiring you.” Alaric’s lips dragged from her mouth to her ear, skimming the top as he breathed in the scent of her hair. “And I do not want to stop. Seems that while your agenda might have been to steal a precious jewel, you’ve stolen my senses instead.”
She leaned her head to the side, allowing him to leave a trail of kisses down the side of her neck to her collarbone. A soft moan escaped her, and then his hand was inching over her ribs, resting just below her breast.
Oh, to have him touch her! Her nipples grew taut, her breasts heavy and need consumed her. She arched further into him, welcoming his wicked caress.
Alaric groaned, a growl deep in his throat. His teeth scraped over her collarbone. His opposite hand slid from her hip down to her thigh where he lifted her leg to wrap around his middle, twisting at the same time so her rear pressed against the ramparts. Their new position brought with it a whole new explosion of sensation. His arousal, thick and long, pressed hard to the apex of her thighs, and what she thought was a pulsing need for relief grew tenfold.
“I want you so bad I can taste it,” Alaric said, coming up to nibble and lick at her lips. “But I cannot. This is wrong. You are a maiden. A noble lady. I cannot take advantage of you.”
“Oh, but I want ye to,” she found herself saying, her body craving and speaking over the warning signs in her mind.
Alaric chuckled, a heady sound that grated provocatively over her flesh as he continued to kiss her, to press his hard body against hers, to tease the flesh just beneath her breasts.
“You little thief, stealing my senses and now my good sense.” His voice was low, gravelly, filled with desire.
Alex smiled, a feeling of power and hunger coursing through her. “Ye are not the only one to suffer from such.”
His lips captured hers, claiming her as his and she surrendered willingly. But as wondrous as their kiss was, it did not last.
“As much as I wish to whisk you away, my love,” he whispered against her mouth, “I must unfortunately return you to the Great Hall, else all of Scotland and England thinks I have ravished you upon the ramparts. Even if I did.” And then he was kissing her again. One last one.
One last, delicious, heady kiss to keep her up all night dreaming of this moment.
Alex may have stolen his senses, his good sense, but she was most certain that he had stolen her heart.
