Page 28 of The Dragon Sacrifice

“But they all loved you, no doubt,” Jerrard said, his eyes lingering on her.

She laughed. “Hardly. I think I annoyed a lot of them. I was supposed to be a healer’s apprentice, but I was terrible at it.”

“You healed me,” he said, glancing down at the open V of his shirt where the healing scars were visible.

Seela’s eyes traced over the skin beneath his cotton shirt, over the rise of pecs, the skin hairless and so smooth she wanted to run her hands over it. Shivering with the thought, she shook her head to bring herself out of the daydream.

“Is there a magic spell in here to solve your curse problem?”

He shook his head, his dark hair falling into his eyes before he tossed it away. “Unfortunately, no. We’ve had a lot of time to read, and none of these books are useful in that regard. There are several spells to cure warts, and even a great one for making your hair grow long and luscious.” He tossed his head, mimicking luxurious hair cascading down with a smile. “I think they put these books in here to keep us busy, to keep us preoccupied while they figured out how to kill us.”

“But they never could,” Seela added.

“Yes, until now. It seems like they’ve just been biding their time until our powers waned. And waned they have. A very unfortunate timing for you.” He gave her a sympathetic look.

“We’ll figure it out,” she said, gazing at him. He was so handsome, with slight dimples in his cheeks when he smiled. His hair fell into his eyes in a boyish way that made her want to reach up and touch those silken strands.

“What were you thinking of just then?” he asked, stepping a bit closer. There was little distance between them, causing Seela’s heart to speed up and her pulse to race. She let her eyes flick from his broad chest to his arms to his strong jawline. Why did she always turn to putty in front of these men? And why was she always fighting herself? She was stuck here forever, so what did propriety matter now?

Heart pounding, she wondered if she had it in her to tell him the truth. “I was thinking about you.”

“About me?” He took another step. One hand reached up to grip a bookshelf above her head, nearly pinning her in place. But she liked being caged in by his glorious body. It made her feel vulnerable and excited at the same time.

She licked her lips. “I was thinking about… your skin.”

“My skin?” He stepped even closer until his body was nearly touching hers. Their clothing was all that stood between them. “That’s funny,” he said. “I spend a lot of time thinking about your skin, too.”

Gently, he trailed the back of his hand down her cheek. It sent a thrill down Seela’s body. She arched her back, flush with emotions. She wanted Jerrard just as badly as she’d wanted Stenton the night before. And as badly as she’d wanted Langdon before that.

His head angled down. For a moment, she thought he would kiss her, a hot surge jolting through her body at the thought, but he didn’t. He lingered, his lips inches from her own. She could smell the minty scent of his breath, feel the whisper of air as it slipped out and in.

She thought about something else slipping out and in. The warmth between her legs flared hotter.

“When you think about my skin,” she said boldly, “what do you think about?” Her eyelashes batted as she coyly glanced down and then up into his green eyes.

“Oh…” he said, drawing out the word. “Many things. I think about how soft it looks, about how badly I want to touch it. To run my hands over it, down it.” He nibbled at her ear, letting his teeth graze her neck before pulling back slightly. “I think about seeing what’s underneath that dress.”

Seela moaned, unable to stop herself. Between her thighs was wet now. She could feel it readying for Jerrard’s touch. She wanted to ask him to kiss her, but the words were caught in her throat. Too many years of pre-programming about what a lady was and was not supposed to do. Instead, she arched her back, pressing her breasts forward as an invitation.

Jerrard’s head dipped low again as his teeth nipped at her neck. “What is it you want from me, Seela? Tell me and it’s yours.”

She bit her lip. How badly she wanted to tell him to undress her, to quench the want that was becoming unbearable between her legs. Rubbing her thighs together, she tried to quell the desire, but it only seemed to intensify things. If he didn’t touch her, she might go mad.

“What do you want, Seela?” He sucked at her neck again as his hand cupped her waist. The wall of his body brushed against her, and she felt the hard length of him press against her stomach. She wanted to see what he had for her down there.

But she couldn’t answer his question. What kind of lady would talk about such things? “I… I don’t know.”

He stepped back, causing her to pitch forward. His eyes roved over her face as if searching for answers and finding them wanting. “You don’t know what you want, do you? Well, I’m not going to push. You’ve been through a lot, and this all must be confusing.” He turned away, running a hand down his chest as if to calm himself down. It appeared as if he would leave.

“Jerrard.” She reached out to him.

Turning back, he raised his eyebrows.

Seela opened her mouth, but the words she wanted stayed locked out of reach. “If you need more help… medically… well, I’m here for you.”

“Thank you,” he said with the hint of a sad smile. “Please, enjoy the library for as long as you wish. And if you need anything, all you have to do is ask.”

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