own this house, so do not worry about being disturbed."
The only bed was draped with chains, the very chains she'd used on him. He'd put them there, hoping he would not be forced to use them. Had she seen them?
"Now you will chain me, humiliate me and leave me once and for all. Right?"
He sighed. She'd seen them. "No. That is not how this will progress."
Her head snapped up, and she was blinking in surprise. "How then?"
He reached back and tugged his shirt over his head. As he tossed the material aside, a shocked gasp escaped her. "Now I'm going to love you," he said. He unwound the ties at the waist of his pants, loosening them.
Alyssa pushed to shaky legs, scrubbing her face with the backs of her hands. "Wh-why?"
"If you ask that one more time, I just might punish you."
"Aha. So you - "
"No. Hurting you is not my goal." His pants fell, leaving him bare except for his weapons. His erection sprang free, hard and achy. "But if I were to punish you, it would be with a tongue-lashing, then perhaps I would tickle you a bit, then lash you with my tongue again."
She gulped, her eyes impossibly round. "But - but - I don't understand."
One by one he removed his weapons. The blades strapped to his chest and back. The poisoned arrows glued to his side. "What you did to me was deserved. We are even." Not even close. But perhaps, after an eternity of seeing to her needs, they would be. "Do you agree?"
"Yes, but - " She was staring between his legs as though entranced.
He would have laughed if he hadn't been so aroused. He wanted her hands where her gaze was. "What I told you before was true."
"You've told me many things," she said with a tremor.
Gods, he hated to bring this up. "The first time we were together..."
Her cheeks heated to a bright crimson, as if she'd been slapped. From softening female to scorned witch in seconds.
"That was not because of you, Alyssa," he rushed out. "I know that now."
"I don't want to hear this." Stiff, she spun away from him, back to the fire. Imagining him roasting inside it?
He moved to her, placed his hands on her shoulders. He'd thought her stiff before, but she proved him wrong, every muscle she possessed turning to rock. At least she didn't jerk away, even when his erection rubbed the crevice of her bottom. "Every time I was near you," he said into her ear, nibbling on the soft lobe between words, "I saw that terrible night here. I couldn't figure out why, only knew that you were a reminder of it. And with the reminder, my desire was buried under regret. Do you understand?"
She nodded slowly, and he thought he saw a fresh tear glisten on her cheek.
"What do you understand? Tell me."
"That I will always remind you of that night. That you can never truly desire me."
Leaning down, he kissed away her tear. Breath caught in her throat - he heard its cessation. He slowly glided his hands down to cup her breasts. "Wrong. I desire you now more than I've ever desired another." He kneaded, gently pinched at her hardened nipples.
A moan slipped from her. Her hips arched back, rubbing more fervently against his erection.
Shivawn experienced a wave of hope. "Once I knew why, I knew what battle I was fighting."
"Wh-what battle?"
"Thinking of you and that night together, when I should not have. I've separated the two now. All I see, all I desire, is you. And I know you aren't even close to believing me. I know you think I'm merely playing with you to hurt you, but I'm going to do everything in my power to prove otherwise." He was going to have to use the chains, he realized. There was no other way.
Slowly, giving her time to protest, he unhooked the shoulder latch that held her robe together. The bright material floated to their feet. She trembled, but didn't try to stop him.
"Step out of it."
After a slight hesitation, she did. He allowed his fingers to dip into her navel before fanning through the soft curls between her legs. Her stomach quivered.
"Do you feel how hard I am for you?" he asked, his erection nestled against her bottom.
Nibbling on her sumptuous bottom lip, she nodded.
"You know I am a warrior, yes?"
Another nod. She spread her legs, silently asking him to delve deeper, to touch her where was she