Page 30 of Bargains with her Naga Boss

He put one hand on her back and one on her hip. He urged her close. His snake tail began to curve around one of her legs. She remembered that happening before, and she liked it.

He broke the kiss but held onto her. His voice was very low and very soft. “You sure about this? Because I swear I didn’t ask you over here for sex.”

“You didn’t?”

“I told you I like you,” he said.

“Well, the two things are not mutually exclusive.” She grinned, feeling impish.

“You know what I mean.”

“Yeah,” she whispered. “I do.” She swallowed. “Look, you don’t know everything there is to know about me, Niles, so maybe you shouldn’t—”

“Oh, believe me,” he said. “I know. I don’t know what’s up with me. I’m never like this.” He kissed her again, his tongue wet and urgent and sweet in her mouth.

She groaned against him. It felt good to be close. She touched his face.

He kissed her jaw, whispering in her ear. “It’s only that you’re different. Whatever it is about you… I don’t know if I’ve ever…”

She jerked back. “Don’t,” she said.

“Sorry,” he said, wincing. “I’m freaking you out, right? You’re like, ‘Who is this guy being all intense with me?’ I don’t mean to be—”

“Intense is fine,” she said. “I don’t mind intense.” She ran a hand up and down his chest. “Iamdifferent, though. That’s the thing.”

“Is it your wings?”

“You noticed.”

His fingers went higher on her back, and now he was stroking the nubs of them through her shirt.

She let out a mangled gasp. “Wait.”

He stopped. “Sorry. Sorry, I didn’t mean—”

“I don’t want to talk about them.”

“Okay,” he breathed. “It’s all right.”

“They look… burnt, but they’re not… they’re fine.”

“Sure,” he said, gentle now, gazing at her. “Hey, if you don’t want—”

“I do,” she said. “Like, Ireallywant you, Niles. Every time I think about us together in the kitchen, the way you bent me over and said those things to me—”

“Those things were weird, though. I don’t know why I—”

“They werehot.”

“Yeah?”

She nodded fiercely.

“You liked it?” His voice had taken on another quality.

“I just keep thinking about you saying those things to me and…” Her voice dropped several levels. “Touching myself.”

He sucked in a noisy breath. “Up the ladder,” he ordered suddenly.

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