The Unexpected Bonding Vow - Michelle Howard Page 0,28

slim thigh thrust between his parted legs. Tangled covers wrapped loosely about their hips.

Memories flashed through his mind about the previous night. His escape. Saedra. She slept on top of him instead of hugging the edge of the bed as she had been when they’d fallen asleep.

Garik tried to recall when she’d actually moved toward him in the night but couldn’t. Nor had he awakened from the contact, which in itself should have sent terror raining down his spine.

An arm was hooked loosely about his waist and the top of her head was snug beneath his chin, while light snuffles signaled her slumbering state. But it wasn’t fear Garik was feeling. Not from...Saedra. His bond mate.

Warmth spiraled from inside as emotions set off mini-explosions while he tried to capture what it meant. No answer came to mind, only a growing need to see to her care, a desire to do more than nuzzle the wealth of hair rubbing the side of his face.

Garik raised his arms from the bed and held them hesitatingly in the air. He should move her but didn’t know how to go about it without waking her. Forcing back his unusual reluctance, he placed his hands at her waist. She moaned and cuddled closer. Cuddled. Wonderment burst through him followed by a cinching sensation in his heart that almost had Garik arching up on a sudden gasp.

His hands tightened, the fabric of the blanket and her thin shift bunching between his fingers. No one had ever at his harsh questions cuddled with him. He was an assassin from the Guild who worked best alone and never failed.

There was so much blood on his hands. So many deaths, yet this woman, unconcerned with the risk to her own life, slept deeply in the same bed with him—her body practically wrapped around him. Garik closed his eyes and inhaled, needing a moment to control all he believed in rearranging down to his soul. Priorities realigned along with new goals.

He didn’t care if it was the bonding vow causing this shift and change. She was his. And Garik Denikon, assazi or not, protected what belonged to him. He opened his eyes as the vow solidified in his head.

Hands at her waist, much more confidant about his actions, he slid to the left with the intent of moving from under her weight. Saedra made a mewling sound and her arm tightened about his waist, the thigh between his legs pressing dangerously close to sensitive body parts. He froze.

Saedra crawled closer, nuzzling the base of his throat. Her hair swirled like a sensuous glide over the bare skin of his chest. Garik muffled a groan and allowed his head to drop back on the bed to gather his breath.

The more she moved against his body, the harder his cock got. Every muscle tensed as he fought to hold himself back. When he felt in control, Garik made several more attempts to move away, even managing to reach as far as the edge of the bed. Before he could breathe a sigh of relief and get up, Saedra followed with an annoyed murmur until she was once more curled back in his arms. On his chest. The only difference was the lean leg she threw over his hip instead of between his thighs.

Sweat beaded his brow. If not for her shift and his pants, his cock would be thrust directly between her thighs.

Disgruntled mutterings filled the air, too low to discern the words, but the tone was enough to convey her displeasure at him moving her. The vise-like grip returned to his chest and Garik found himself rubbing the fine slope of her delicate frame, his hands moving up and down her back in reassurance until she settled.

Rubbing her back? He stilled. What was wrong with him?

“Garik?” Saedra mumbled, this time loud enough to understand.

“Yeah?” His voice was guttural almost unrecognizable. Garik dropped his arms to the bed. He shouldn’t be touching her, had no business craving the knowledge of how silky her skin would be without the cheaply woven clothing she wore between them. The impulse to rip the shift up and over her head was a strong one. Clenching his teeth, Garik repeated, “Yeah?”

Her head swiveled on his chest before lifting. Dazed brown eyes met his stare, the drowsy look tempting him to lean forward and kiss her slightly parted lips. He edged forward, prepared to follow through on the thought then stopped at her startled inhale. Their mouths were