was unleashed. It worked better than I expected. I don’t remember what happened. I only remember coming around in the ruins of that house, cold to the bone and still afraid.”
Hartt placed his other hand over hers, tangling them together in a knot that felt too good. She stared at their joined hands, letting her past wash over her, letting it all flow away to leave her calm inside. Lighter than she had felt in a long time.
She slowly lifted her eyes and her gaze collided with his. His soft expression reached deep into her, touched her soul and warmed her heart, and stirred something she found she didn’t want to deny.
Her walls fell away as she leaned towards him, as her focus lowered to his mouth, as a need filled her again and she didn’t fight it this time.
She wanted to kiss him.
She wanted these sparks that leaped between them to set her on fire.
Even when she felt sure she was only going to get burned.
Chapter 14
Mackenzie captured Hartt’s lips before he could draw away from her, willed him to respond as he froze, his mouth still against hers as she swept her lips over it. A heavy feeling grew inside her as he didn’t react, slowly filling her with doubt and a need to break away from him, to curse herself for thinking he wanted this too.
For thinking he felt the sparks that leaped between them too.
She went to break the kiss.
Hartt seized her nape, tunnelled his fingers into her hair and claimed her mouth, his kiss far fiercer than hers had been. She melted into it, gasped as he slid his other arm around her waist and pulled her to him, settling her sideways on his lap. He groaned as he stroked his tongue across the seam of her lips and she opened for him, as she brushed her tongue against his and angled her head to kiss him more deeply.
He leaned into her, bending her backwards, towards one arm of the blue chair, and cradled her as he kissed her. He slowed it, softened it until she was floating in his arms, lost in how good it felt to kiss and be kissed by him. He skimmed his hand down her side, over her hip, and she trembled as he made contact with her bare skin. His whisper-soft caress heated her, threw fuel onto the fire that had ignited inside her the moment she had set eyes on him, making her burn for him.
For more.
Mackenzie brushed her fingers through the short blue-black hair at the back of his head and then brought her hand forwards. He moaned and shuddered as her palm accidentally brushed his ear, and she couldn’t stop herself from doing it again. She feathered her fingers along his ear, from lobe to pointed tip, and smiled wickedly as a low groan rumbled from his chest and he stilled against her for a heartbeat before snarling and seizing her mouth in a punishing kiss. Flames licked through her, had her writhing in his arms and desperate for more as he dominated her, as he bent her to his will and possessed her.
She teased the pointed tip of his ear again, revelled in the way he kissed her harder still, the way his fingers tightened against her, pressing into her flesh so hard she was sure she would have bruises when they were done.
She didn’t care.
She liked how fiercely he held her, as if he didn’t want to let her go, as if he needed her as badly as she needed him.
She liked his strength, how he easily matched her, made her feel she didn’t have to hold back with him. She wouldn’t hurt him. He was strong enough to handle her.
Mackenzie ran with that, couldn’t stop herself from twisting in his arms, moving to sit astride his thighs facing him. Her tunic rode up, but she didn’t care as Hartt palmed her bare legs, as he skimmed his hands up to beneath the only thing she wore. She shivered and kissed him harder, tangled her fingers in his hair and clutched him to her as she waited to see what he would do, on the verge of panting with anticipation.
He groaned as his hands met her bare backside, yanked her closer so she pressed against him, and rocked his hips up. She moaned and shuddered as his hardness pressed against her, twisted her fingers in his hair and yanked his head back. He grunted,