laugh was wrenched from her lips. “If any other male asked me that question I would assume that he—”
Her teasing words were cut off as Baine glared at her with an unexpected anger.
“Don’t,” he rasped.
Tayla’s heart slammed against her ribs. She had a sudden glimpse of the lethal predator that lurked just beneath the surface.
“You won’t talk of other males,” he commanded, bristling with pure male possession. “You won’t even think of them.”
Caught off guard by his fierce reaction, she gave a shake of her head.
“What do you mean?”
He leaned down until they were nose to nose. “I’m the only male you will have on your mind.” He claimed her lips in a kiss that radiated heat to the tips of her toes. “And in your bed.”
CHAPTER EIGHT
Somewhere in Baine’s addled brain he knew he was overreacting.
Since when had he considered whether or not a female was thinking about another male? Never. That’s when. As long as she was in his arms he just assumed she was there because she was eager to be his lover.
Why wouldn’t he? It wasn’t like there weren’t females lined up to be invited to his harem.
Now, however, he was battling the overwhelming urge to…
To what?
He’d already claimed her with the dragon marque that hung around her neck. Still, there was a restless need deep inside him that demanded more.
Perhaps sensing his avaricious desire to keep her entirely for himself, Tayla eyed him with a wary suspicion.
“Baine…”
“Shh. No more talking.” Framing her face in his hands, Baine angled her face upward, kissing with a stark demand.
Mine, a voice whispered in the back of his mind.
Parting her mouth with his tongue, Baine tasted deeply of her tart sweetness, a savage need humming through his body. For a second she remained stiff beneath him, as if still wary of his fierce possessiveness. Then, with a sigh, she arched closer to his body, her fingers sliding through his hair.
“Bossy,” she muttered against his lips.
The beast inside him growled in satisfaction, sensing her capitulation.
He brushed his mouth over her eyes, the narrow line of her nose, before returning to her soft lips that seemed to plead for his kiss. At the same time, he was settling deeper between her legs.
They groaned in unison as the head of his cock slid through her moist cleft. Baine clenched his teeth. It would be so easy to slam his way home and put an end to the brutal ache to possess this female. But there was no way he was going to rush through their first time.
Not when he wanted her so lost in her need that she would forget she’d ever been bartered to him by her father.
Nuzzling a tender spot at the base of her throat, he smiled in satisfaction as she tilted back her head to allow him greater access.
Exploring downward, he released a tiny burst of fire that danced over her tender skin. Not hot enough to burn, but sizzling with an erotic heat that made her jerk with startled pleasure.
“That is…” Her words trailed away as he headed downward, taking a puckered nipple between his lips. “So good.”
“Perfect,” he murmured, savoring her tart taste as he explored over the curve of her breast, and then lower.
Downward, he traveled. Along her narrow ribcage, over the flare of her hips.
She was tiny, but flawlessly curved, and so exquisitely fragile. Like a rare book that needed to be handled with care, he sternly reminded himself.
Leashing the beast inside him, he inched himself down the mattress, sliding his arms beneath her thighs. Then, spreading her legs even wider, he sucked in a deep breath of her enticing arousal.
With a low groan, he tugged her legs over his shoulders, giving him the perfect angle to sweep his tongue through her pussy. His cock twitched as the taste of her filled his mouth.
Damn. It was richer than most imps. A complex mixture, as if she had hidden depths.
At any other time he might have paused to work through the mystery. Dragons loved puzzles, after all. But he was in no mood to halt long enough to question her about the multifaceted flavor that teased at his senses. Not when his tongue was dipping into her tight channel before stroking back to her tender clit.
She quivered, her sharp gasp filling the air. Ah. So his little imp liked that. Repeating the caress over and over, he tightened his hold on her legs as she squirmed in delight.
“Enough,” she breathed, reaching down to thread her