Princess in the Iron Mask - By Victoria Parker Page 0,29

face, so close. Her mouth was mere inches away from his lips. ‘Lucas?’

He had a mystifying glint in his eyes, pupils dilated, heavy. Hot. ‘Do not do that, Claudia. I cannot—’

‘Why not?’ she whispered, moving a little closer...

Then leap went her heart when, in one deft move, he sank his fingers beneath the loose twist at her nape and whisked his arm from under her thighs until she slid down his hard body onto her feet. With his free hand he brushed a stray curl from her eyes so she could see him properly, or maybe so he could see all of her. And all the while his fingers tightened in her hair, sending tides of sensation flooding down her spine in one glorious wave after another.

‘So brave,’ he said, eyes glittering like two rare sapphires.

Was it pity she could see lurking in the depths? Please, no—anything but that.

His body grew as taut as his jaw and she fancied he fought some inner battle. One she lost when he slackened his hold, sending her stomach plunging to the floor. No. Claudia grabbed a handful of his shirt to stay upright, to bring him back...

A groan tore up his throat and with one tug—oh, yes—his mouth was on hers. Soft, yet achingly hard, scorching her lips until she burst into flames.

Alive. She’d never felt so alive. Her entire body shook with an excitement so intense it blanked all thought of self-preservation.

His kiss was blatant and intense as he bowed her in a delicate arch, caged by the unyielding steel frame of his awesome body. Firm, smooth lips moved over hers, back and forth so skilfully she quickly cottoned on to his rhythm and skill, earning a wickedly thrilling growl. The touch of his tongue sliding against her lower lip, flicking to the corner, was a call to surrender and she opened for him with a high-pitched moan, laying siege to his delicious assault.

Eyes closed, fingers flaring on his shoulders, she plastered herself against him. The crush of her heavy breasts, the flick of his velvet tongue against hers, set off a chemical reaction: heat surged through her veins, the deafening rush of blood sped past her ears. A hot splash of liquid melted her core—awakening her body in a way she’d never dreamed of. Never known existed. And all she could think was more, more.

Her fingers skimmed the broad contours of his shoulders, followed the column of his neck and slid under his ears...into his hair.

Lucas groaned long and low, tightening his hold, one hand on her nape, the other still at her waist, until she felt precious, wanted.

Desired.

The seductive pull of his mouth became pure exhilaration as she felt his hands wander, as if he craved to learn her shape—curving over her hips, slinking into her waist. And when his thumbs brushed the underside of her breasts...oh, my.

No fantasy had ever lived up to this. Even when she’d lain in bed the previous night, knowing Lucas was so close in the room next door, dreaming he’d kiss her awake, imagining the hard press of his weight on top of her.

As if caught in between a dream and reality she ground her pelvis against him—instinctive, wanting—and revelled in the thick hard ridge digging into her stomach. The thought of that part of him inside her drove a soft pleading moan past her lips.

Lucas stilled, his mouth fused with hers. His breath, warm and wet, slipped past her parted lips. ‘Claudia?’ Gruff, yet undoubtedly perturbed, his voice doused the flames of desire and she rocked back on her heels.

‘Dios,’ he muttered, scooping her back up against his chest. ‘I need to get you out of here.’

She said nothing, just buried her hot face in his shoulder, trying not to touch, twisting her fingers together in the deep well between her stomach and his. Her brain was in a complete state of confusion. Why had he kissed her? What on earth had possessed her to kiss him? One minute she’d been ranting like some despicable idiot and the next... Heart breaking, she’d craved a distraction—that was all. Maybe comfort. There wasn’t anything pathetic about that, was there?

Oh, God.

Any lingering warmth froze solid in her veins as he opened the door and reality closed in.

Daylight stroked her eyelids. London’s midday crush filtered through her ears and Lucas’s scent was replaced with smoggy car fumes and greasy bacon from the van permanently stationed in the hospital car park. The mingling aromas were enough to plunge