Firedrake - By Bianca D'Arc Page 0,22

powerful. Any idea she might have harbored that he was just the slightest bit inexperienced was wiped away forever by the way he took command of her body and her senses.

He kissed like a dream. His hands were gentle but firm as he stroked over her, working at the ties of her simple dress to bare the skin beneath. He moved with deliberate slowness, giving her every chance to object, but Krysta had no intention of stopping him. What he was doing felt too damn good.

She slid her hands under the hem of his shirt, dragging upward to caress the sinewy muscles of his rock solid abdomen. She felt powerful when his abs clenched under her exploring fingers and he pulled back, breaking their kiss.

“Do you want more?” His gaze mesmerized as he looked down at her.

Krysta licked her lips, liking the way his gaze followed the movement of her tongue. Smiling, she nodded with deliberate, seductive motions.

“I’ll let you know if I want you to stop.”

“I don’t think I can take much more, milady. You’re very potent.” Mace tugged her closer, setting his hard thighs between hers on the soft, mossy ground.

“I can take all you’ve got, sir knight.” She stroked his cheek with one hand. Boldly, she rocked her hips against his, loving the way he fit—even with their clothing still between them—into the notch of her legs. He felt huge and very hard, and she wanted that hardness inside her.

It had been too long since any man had made her feel this way. It had been years since Krysta’s last intimate encounter, in fact. After the broken heart she’d suffered as a young girl, she kept her liaisons short and as unemotional as possible, preferring to concentrate on her work rather than the Jinn rogues who were constantly in her path.

Mace, however, was a different story. The man was solid in every way. Grounded, mature, rock-hard in all the right places, but still he had a sense of adventure and unexpected humor. He intrigued her and made her want to risk her heart—just a little—for the first time in years. She knew he was courting her with an eye to the future. Knights didn’t bother coaxing short-term bedmates into accepting their dragon partners. No, this whole afternoon was a sure sign Sir Mace had a longer-term relationship in mind, and Krysta didn’t mind that one bit.

She just plain liked Mace, and Nellin too. She wanted a steady man in her life now that she’d finally found a permanent home in Draconia and a place to use the skills she’d honed as a warrior of the Jinn. She was planting roots and making a home. If her new life in Draconia included Mace, so much the better. She could do a lot worse than hook up with a knight like him.

“Are you sure?” Mace searched her eyes.

Krysta pushed his shirt off over his shoulders, drawing him down to meet her lips. “I’m certain, Mace. Make love to me.”

The words were music to his ears. He hadn’t planned on seducing her this afternoon, but she felt so right in his arms, he couldn’t help himself. He wanted to take things slow, but his heart recognized its mate and it didn’t want to wait.

Neither, apparently, did she.

Krysta tugged at his clothes and Mace pulled away long enough to rid himself of his boots. When he reached for her once more, she’d shucked her own soft, lace-up boots and he got his first glimpse of her shapely bare calves.

He rubbed his hands over her lean, muscular legs, raising the skirt of her simple dress higher and higher. Her skin was so soft. Mace didn’t think he’d ever experienced anything headier than the womanly scent of her or the strong muscles beneath her delicate, feminine skin. She was a wonder.

His lips trailed after his hands, kissing his way up from her ankles to her hip. He pushed the dress and undertunic up and away, taking it over her head and tossing it aside as he got his first look at her naked form.

She was lovely. Just incredibly lovely.

All the long hours of training showed in the sleek, lean muscles of her arms, legs and abdomen, but nothing could disguise the curves he found so appealing. Mace had never lain with a warrior woman before and after seeing her, he knew there was no going back.

Krysta was it for him. Possibly for the rest of his life.

Mace tucked that thought away as he