Ivar's Escape (Assassins of Gravas #2) - N.J. Walters Page 0,33

me. Only me.”

“That was a mistake. And don’t pat yourself on the back. I really hadn’t had the opportunity until now.” Not quite true, but he didn’t know that.

She could easily get away from him. A quick knee to the balls would leave him writhing in pain. So why was she still here?

He growled. He actually growled. “You’re my woman. Mine.”

“I don’t think so. I belong to myself.”

Ivar reared back and dragged his hands through his hair. “You’re the most maddening woman I’ve ever met.”

“I’m likely the only woman you remember meeting,” she shot back, ignoring the crushing sensation in her chest. She snagged the second blanket and yanked it over her as she sat up. “It’s likely proximity. And let’s face it. You’ve been locked up quite a while. It’s only natural to want to have sex.”

He shook his head. “It wasn’t just sex.” He brushed his fingers over her cheek. “It was making love. I botched it. It was a shock to discover an incredible woman like you hasn’t had a lover.”

She would not be moved by his words. She wouldn’t. Yet all her resolve wasn’t enough to stop the melting of her anger. “Listen, it’s okay.” They needed to get things back on an even keel between them. They weren’t out of danger yet.

“It’s not.” He lifted one of her hands to his mouth and kissed it. First the knuckles, then her palm. “Let me show you how it should be done.”

“Right, you didn’t finish.” She’d avoided looking below his waist until now. Yup, still as hard as titansteel.

He gave a rough laugh. “I could use my hand if all I wanted was to finish, as you put it. I want to make love to you, to show you how things should be between us.”

Us. That tiny word reverberated inside her, as crisp and clear as a bell.

“There is no us.” There couldn’t be. Even if they got out of this alive, he’d go home and she’d go … somewhere. It was her and Zaxe. It had always been her and her twin. And then later Sass had become their sister by choice. But Sass had Spear now.

Her purpose for volunteering for this mission had been to secure a place for her siblings and herself. When had her priorities shifted to it becoming all about Ivar and getting him home?

“There will be.” His certainty would have worried her if she didn’t know better. Once his memories returned—and she had no doubt they would as Gravasian medicine was rumored to be the best in the known universe—he’d forget all about her. She’d be nothing more than a footnote in his personal history.

Overwhelming sadness threatened to crush her. She tilted her head back and faced Ivar squarely, not willing to back down. “I don’t think so.”

“Then let me love you. What are you afraid of?”

That he’d steal more of her heart than he already had.

“Let me show you how it should be.” His voice was pure seduction. It wasn’t fair. Now that she knew what his touch did to her, it was impossible for her to stop her breasts from swelling and her core from throbbing.

Damn him. And damn her. She’d been better off not knowing. But if that was the case, she wanted it all. “You get one shot at this.” She didn’t care how pissed off she sounded. Something had been lost. What he gave back to her would have to replace it.

It wouldn’t be a fair deal.

Sometimes ignorance was bliss. Before Ivar, she’d speculated what it would be like to make love to a man, to have him desire her above all others. It wasn’t anything like she’d imagined. It was messy and emotional and not all parts of it were pleasant.

But it was real.

If these stolen moments were all she’d have of him, she wanted every one of them.

He didn’t laugh, as she’d half-expected he would. His nod was solemn, almost regal as he tugged the blanket away from her. He spread it out and lay on his back. “This time, you’re in charge.”

Intrigued, she tilted her head to one side. “You want me to be in control?” Not many men would.

Holding out his hand, he invited her closer. “Climb on top of me. You decide how deep I go and set the pace.”

Heart galloping, she licked her lips and almost smiled when he groaned and his shaft twitched. She had as much power in this as he did.

Delphi straddled him and smiled.

****

This was either