The Consolation Prize (Brides of Karadok #3) - Alice Coldbreath Page 0,116
giving a small nod. “Close enough,” he conceded tightly, and then lowered his mouth again to hers in another hard, plundering kiss. Una gave up trying to hold her own and collapsed against him. It made no difference, he held her even harder to the wall. Suddenly there were tears streaming from her eyes and she sobbed into his mouth.
It took a few seconds for him to register that she was crying and then he pulled abruptly back, holding her up by her upper arms. “Repeat after me,” he said in a low ominous tone. “I do not put others before myself.”
“I don’t,” she objected.
“You do it all the fucking time!” he roared. “Right in front of my eyes!”
Una gasped and shut her eyes against his fury. She was past the point of rationalizing his behavior. Dimly in some part of her mind, she realized he had been scared she would fall to her death and she felt the spark of something warm in her chest area. He hadn’t even waited for anything else, she marveled. He had stormed right back to the house with her.
“I won’t do it anymore,” she said in a small voice. “I promise Armand. I truly won’t.”
His grip tightened even more on her arms making her wince.
“Do you even realize,” he started unsteadily, “what it would have done to me if you—” He broke off his words impatiently, staring up at the ceiling.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered. My gods, he was really upset. “Please—”
Suddenly he pushed her away from him with a hard shove. “I’ll leave you to wash,” he said in a different voice, completely devoid of emotion. Shutters down, his eyes hooded.
“No!” she burst out, suddenly desperate for him not to leave. “Don’t leave me.” Suddenly it was imperative that he stayed with her. “Please Armand.” When he remained planted where he stood, she flung her arms around his middle and hugged him, pressing her face into his chest. Her mind raced trying to think how to get him to stay. “I’m scared,” she lied unashamedly. “I don't want to be alone.”
He’d wanted to join with her when he’d first pushed her into the bedroom she realized with womanly instinct. He had wanted to feel physically close to her. That had been his first overriding instinct, after his scare. Maybe she could use that? She pressed her lower body against his as blatantly as she dared. Was he hard? she wondered with her cheeks filling with color. “Please Armand,” she pleaded again, rubbing her hips slightly against him. He let out his breath in a low hiss. His hand came up to force her jaw up so their eyes met. She willed herself not to look away from the burning expression in his own.
“I always knew,” she whispered. “That Sir Lusty Loins would come to rescue his dragon.”
“I can’t play that game right now, Una,” he said tightly. “I don’t feel remotely playful.”
“I don’t care,” she replied, winding her arms around him tighter. The next thing she knew, he had backed her against the tapestry again, but this time he scooped her up so only her back was pressed to the wall and her legs were about his waist. This time, she felt more stimulated than constricted by his weight.
“Una,” he murmured between urgent, devouring kisses. It almost seemed like he was burning for her, she thought dazedly. And she was not the sort of woman to ever get men worked up like that. She knew her good points. She was practical and she was stout of heart. A legendary beauty she was not. Not that she was complaining. It was thrilling to have him so eager for her embraces. She returned them with enthusiasm.
He drew back again, regarding her with dark eyes, brimming with emotion. “I don’t want to be your ideal traveling companion, Una!” he burst out frustratedly. “Nor your faithful friend, either!”
She blinked at him, wondering where this was coming from. Then she realized he was quoting her own words back at her. She had meant them as a compliment! Had they rankled then? “I only—” But she did not get to finish, for his mouth was on hers again. Then he was yanking her away from the wall, back into his arms, where he held her tight. “Gods, I do everything wrong where you’re concerned, Una,” he said against her brow. “I should be consoling you right now.”
“No, you do not, Armand,” she insisted. “You do just as you ought.”