Princess in the Iron Mask - By Victoria Parker Page 0,50

is you.’

Lucas bowed his head. Trust. She trusted him. And he’d never wanted anything more than to taste her. To show her.

Watching the rapid rise and fall of her chest, he stroked up her midriff, ran his thumb along the underside of her breast and felt her stomach spasm beneath his palm. Desperate to see her every reaction, he gazed into her eyes while he cupped one heavy breast, taking the weight, thumbing the tight nipple poking through the Lycra.

‘Oh...’ Her dark lashes fluttered.

Her legs gave way and Lucas tightened his hold on her waist.

Dios, she was so responsive. But what if he hurt her?

‘Look me in the eye and tell me you don’t want to make love to me,’ she said. ‘If you can, I’ll leave. Tonight.’

Everything inside him rebelled. His voice turned thick, pained. ‘You know I cannot say that, querida.’

‘Exactamente,’ she whispered, her gorgeous Arunthian accent heavy. ‘Bésame. Kiss me until we can’t breathe. Take the agony away. Please, Lucas.’

She opened her mouth and sank her teeth delicately, deliciously into his bottom lip. And he gave up the fight, uncaring of tomorrow, just knowing he needed her, needed this explosion of passion to take him to the edge of the abyss and throw him over the other side.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CLAUDIA BASKED IN the taste of his wild desperation as Lucas carried her swiftly through the dusk-drenched house, never leaving her mouth.

When they finally reached his bedroom he slowly ended the kiss and oh-so-languidly let her slide down his body until her feet hit the luxuriously thick wool carpet. As he stepped backwards a cool sweep of air dashed over her body and she shivered, the thought of him changing his mind a deep, dark hollow in her soul.

Risking a look at him, she felt the chill evaporate in an instant when, with a sexy smile, he tugged the shirt from his waistband and tore it from his torso, making her insides dissolve into a potent liquid heat.

She’d seen him earlier, of course, but up close he epitomised a modern-day gladiator. Smooth cast-bronze skin stretched taut over military-honed dominating muscle, and his hard pecs flexed as he unsnapped the button of his trousers.

Her breath was now coming in short pants and she swallowed hard. Told herself to look away while he undressed. But she was desperate to watch him, see him. In all his spectacular glory.

The expensive cut of black cloth parted excruciatingly slowly, as if to tease, and she couldn’t help the smile toying about her lips. Lucas loaded with bad-boy charisma gave her a swift sharp thrill that made her want to come out and play.

Reaching behind her, she gripped the bikini catch and then stilled—heart thumping against her ribs—wondering if Lucas would like what he saw. Oh, she hadn’t thought of that, and she felt the heat leach from her face. But she was in a bikini, and really there wasn’t much left to uncover, right? And she’d felt his hardness, tasted his passion on her tongue. Now was not the time to torture herself with visions of his other women. He was Claudia’s. For now. She didn’t need to hide from him. And the hunger to satisfy him, prove she was worth the effort so he’d never regret making love to her, overwhelmed any lingering doubt.

Claudia unsnapped the clasp, rolled her shoulders and watched the coffee-coloured splash drift to the floor at his feet. After a bracing heartbeat she looked up to his face, saw the fierce need in his sapphire eyes and felt a delicious river of satisfaction pour down her spine.

He slowly peeled the material back from his ripped stomach, shucked his trousers to the floor in one deft move, taking his hipsters with them. So self-assured, so brazen, and—oh, my—he had every right to be. Not that she had anything to compare except what she’d seen in art—much, much smaller—but, hey, intellect told her they would fit together. They had to or she’d die.

Then he cupped her face in his hands, traced the full curve of her lips, the arcs of her cheeks with his thumbs. ‘We go slow. I need to know if I...’ His throat convulsed. ‘If I hurt you.’

Heart-shatteringly wonderful—that was what he was. She wondered if her inexperience was what bothered him the most. It made her even more determined to relax, to make it good for him. ‘You won’t.’

Lucas lowered his mouth and kissed her hungrily. She melted into his arms, loving the feel of his fevered