Page 50 of Stealing the Dragon's Heart (Dragon Lords 3)

She gestured around the room with her flattened palm. “Do you see anyone else here looking out for Caryn and me?”

He went silent for another moment. “It’s like I can see two versions of you, and I can’t tell which is real.”

She could sense the truth of his statement. His intention wavered wildly between wanting to kiss her and wanting to put as much distance between them as possible. She understood his dilemma. She always hated it when she couldn’t read someone clearly. It was like a terrible ringing in the ear that refused to relent. She almost felt sorry for him, but this was her chance to encourage his attraction…or to test the strength of his resistance. A man would do just about anything to protect a woman he was interested in bedding.

Brazenly, she slipped over his lap, resting her knees on the cushion on either side of him, her hands curled over his shoulders.

Eyes widening, his body stiffened slightly, but he allowed the action.

“Is this real enough for you?” she breathed.

After a long, tense moment, he stretched his arms out along the back of the couch and gave her a cocky grin. “Trying to seduce me isn’t going to work in your favor.”

Because he’d see it as more games? In part, he was right, but she realized there was something more going on here. Being astride him was sparking an arousal in her that she hadn’t expected. It had been too long since she’d truly wanted someone physically. The excitement of it made for a temptation she couldn’t deny.

She ran her palms over his tightly muscled torso, her body heating as she caressed every corded ridge through his shirt while imagining what he would look like without it. Sweetly, she replied, “All I’m trying to do is give you a kiss.” She leaned down to mutter in his ear, “Where do you want it?”

He hissed in a breath, his resistance nearly shattering then and there. His desire was evident in his liquid-hot gaze, but, strangely, he wasn’t acting on it. She didn’t understand it. He wanted her like crazy. In her experience, men rarely denied their baser needs, if ever, and she was essentially serving herself to him on a platter.

Irritated, she leaned down to brush her lips along his with the lightest of teasing touches, testing his resolve. But to her dismay, he didn’t kiss her back. Despite his desire, did he find her so abhorrent?

She pulled back. “If you truly don’t want me, Aidan, all you need to do is say it. We’ll be gone at the next stop, and you’ll never have to see me again.”

Indecision danced behind his eyes for one heartbeat, two, three. He wasn’t saying yes, but he wasn’t saying no, either. At least he hadn’t tossed her off his lap. That told her something, at least. As did the growing bulge in his trousers. It was as if he wanted to see how far she was willing to push.

Draping her arms around his neck, she eased her legs farther apart, sinking down on him. “If you want me,” she whispered confidently, rocking her hips along his length, “why not have me while you can?” Then she pressed her lips to his.

With a relenting groan, his hand slipped around the back of her neck and he pulled her harder against him, deepening the kiss and invading her mouth with his tongue.

Madness was a frosty-haired seductress caressing his length with the magic of her hips. Under the haze of his heavy desire, he knew she thought she had him. Hell, maybe she did. He was losing control. He might well be losing his mind. And though it was clear her actions were derived from manipulation, he nonetheless couldn’t bring himself to end this.

When she shimmied along his crotch once more, he nearly lost all sanity. He’d come here with a purpose, and it wasn’t to let the sexy witch ride him, but, gods forgive him, he’d wanted to see how far she’d take this.

And now he knew…far past the cage of his discipline.

Those succulent hips of hers seemed to find a rhythm that made her gasp into their kiss. The sound made every muscle in his body tighten with a drugging need. Though they were both fully clothed, the sensation of her grinding atop him was more erotic than anything he’d ever experienced.

Her fingers threaded through his hair, her nails scraping his scalp, driving him wilder still. He itched to touch her in return, but he wouldn’t give in. Not yet. He refused to lose this battle of wills, even as his body screamed to take her. The moment he relented, he’d lose what little control he had over this situation.

He gripped the back of the couch harder, stabbing his fingers into the worn fabric until pain stung his joints.

She didn’t seem to notice. Her tongue delved to meet his, her hips whipping harder. Little sounds of pleasure began to escape her. More kindling for his insanity. He couldn’t resist this. He wasn’t strong enough. And he wanted her so damn bad ithurt.

He tried to clear his mind of her maddening ministrations, to think pragmatically, but when another sensuous mewl escaped her as if she were nearing a precipice, his restraint snapped.

Palms shooting to grip her hips, he ground her deeper into the line of his crotch. Her body bucked with compliance.

“Yes, Aidan! Oh, yes!”

Her words drove him deeper into the pit of his lust. “Beg me to make you come.”

“Please, please, please,” she chanted mindlessly.

He liked that, but he wanted something more. Something real. He reached up to grip the hair at her nape, forcing her to look at him. “Tell me something true.”

She blinked, looking startled. Then her lids grew heavy again. “I want you.”

Ice filled his veins. “You want me because I can do something for you.”

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