He slid his hand around to the small of her back and pulled her against him, letting her feel the hard press of his erection.
“Oh.” Her slender throat rippled when she swallowed. Her nostrils flared, and her eyes glazed over. If he tossed her over his shoulder and took her back to the hut they’d been assigned, no one would stop him, least of all Jamaeh.
That wouldn’t be smart. Bad enough that he’d let his guard down this afternoon. To do so this evening would be foolish. But he could give them both the pleasure of the dance. She didn’t object as he drew her deeper into the shadows. The laughter and voices fell away.
She swayed to the fainter strains of music, her breasts pressed against his chest, one of her feet between his so their lower bodies aligned. “I like dancing.” Arousal deepened her voice.
His clothing was way too constricting. If they were simply a man and a woman, he’d grab a blanket and lead her into the desert and make love to her under the stars and moon.
“I’m glad.” He barely swallowed a moan when she circled her hips against his, her mound warm against his straining cock. Keep dancing. Discipline had never been difficult, but like an untried youth, he quivered in anticipation, his heart pounding and his breathing increasing.
He slid his hand up her spine and cupped the back of her head, pressing it against him. She snuggled next to his heart and sighed. The music slowed, as did they. When another lively turn began, they remained still, their bodies aligned.
Zaxe closed his eyes and absorbed the moment. The scent of fire, the satisfaction from the delicious meal, and the dry night air. The sound of the drum and pipes and happy voices. The way Jamaeh rested against him, her breathing fast, and her hand on his waist gripping him hard. Using his chin, he nudged her until she looked up. He cursed the darkness keeping him from seeing her better, but he knew the slope of her nose, the high cheekbones, and full lips well enough to draw them from memory. Her form was indelibly etched on his soul.
When he lowered his head, she came up on her toes to meet him. Her lips grazed his, mint and spices and hot woman. He licked at her bottom lip and then nipped it, loving the way her breath caught and the low moan that escaped. She explored in return, more confident than she’d been the first time, eager to take what she wanted.
His body shook under the restraint. There could be no more than a kiss tonight, but this one would be one for the ages. He swept his tongue into her mouth, laying claim. She met the challenge, advancing and retreating, teasing him until his balls threatened to explode. He kept his hand on the back of her head so she wouldn’t leave before he’d had his fill. Not that she seemed in any hurry. She clung to him, rubbing her breasts against him. If she was anything like him, she was aching with barely suppressed need.
“Did you see the way she walked over to the men? Bold as brass.”
Zaxe went totally still and squeezed Jamaeh, urging her to stillness. The women were getting closer.
“What can you expect, considering she’s traveling alone with a man?”
“Hush, you two,” an older woman scolded. “She has no family other than a younger brother. Be grateful you do not walk in her shoes.”
Jamaeh stiffened in his arms as the voices receded. When she tried to move away, he tightened his hold and lightly shook his head. They needed to wait a bit longer. He should have heard them coming long before they’d gotten close, but he’d been distracted.
When he was certain it was safe, he stepped back. “We need to return to our sleeping quarters.”
Chapter Fourteen
Jamaeh tugged her hood over her face as she followed Zaxe. He’d gone from molten hot to icy cold in a heartbeat. Only a short time ago, she would have assumed it was because of what the women had said, the reminder that she wasn’t deemed as worthy as most women. After spending time with him, she was more inclined to believe he was blaming himself for not being more aware of their surroundings.
She hadn’t heard the women coming, but she wasn’t an assassin. How did one even become one? Didn’t seem like a vocation one voluntarily chose, but what did she really know