Page 17 of Hearts on Fire

Leaning back a little, I tugged at the silk sash around his waist, loosening it. He didn’t stop me, and I untied the lacing on his pants next, finally slipping my hand inside.

He was even hotter here, his length hard and pulsing.

“Amber… Amber,” he kept repeating my name like a mantra as I wrapped my fingers around him. “Gods…yes.”

He flexed his hand on my nape, bringing my face to his, but I turned my head, evading his lips.

“Kiss me,” he begged. “Please.”

I didn’t. I buried my face in his shoulder instead, rubbing him harder with my hand. He writhed under my touch, completely in my power. I had control, but only as long asItouchedhim. If I kissed him, if I let him touch me back, I would lose myself to him, and I’d fall for him fully and completely.

I couldn’t let that happen.

“Come for me, Elex,” I whispered, instead.

A growl vibrated deep inside his chest. His hand found its way under my robe. He deftly opened both clasps of my dress. Then both his hands were on my body, touching me through the barely there fabric of my shirt.

The heat of his palms seeped through the material to my skin. He slid his hands up my sides to my breasts. A pleased rumble sounded in the back of his throat as he cupped them. My nipples hardened, pushing against the fabric, and he found them by touch with his thumbs.

“I want to hear those little moans you make when I play with these, my spark.” He pinched the tips through my shirt, sending a shudder of pleasure through my body.

Breath rushed out of me as I arched my back, pressing my pelvis to his.

“Just like that,” he murmured approvingly at my needy whimpers. “Oh, how I missed these sounds.”

I felt my control slipping after all. My body ignited with need. The desire for him rushed through me with hot sparks. I no longer cared where we were or what was happening around us. It was just Elex and I. Soaring, as if we were high in the sky again, where nothing else mattered.

“Kiss me,” he pleaded, searching for my mouth with his.

I jerked my head away, snapping back to my senses. Squeezing my fingers tighter, I moved my hand faster along his length.

“Come, Elex,” I begged. “Come, now.”

I feared that if he took just a little longer, I’d give up. I’d give him my body and soul. And I’d lose every bit of myself to him, without him ever asking for any of that.

He gripped my sides, his body tensing under me. His lips parted. Air left him in sharp breaths as he came in my hand. I trembled, as if I came with him, which of course I didn’t. My hand shook when I removed it from him, taking it out of his pants.

His body relaxed. But the look in his eyes remained as intense as ever. He searched my eyes with his, and I looked for distraction once again.

“Well…” I held my hand between us. His release glistened on my fingers. “I guess I’ll have to go wash my hand now.” It was as good an excuse to leave the room as any.

I made a move to get off his lap, but he grabbed my wrist.

“Wait.” He yanked the sash from around his waist. “Let me clean it.” With the red silk of his sash, he wiped my fingers thoroughly, one by one. “Here you go.” He placed a kiss in the middle of my palm. “All done.”

“But it still smells like you,” I mumbled.

The faint spicy scent was pleasant.

Why? Why did he need to smell so nice?

He arched an eyebrow. “And is that a bad thing?”

I stared at him firmly. “I don’t want to smell like you.”

Silently, he reached for his goblet on the table next to us and dipped the end of his sash into the wine.

“Here,” he said, wiping my hand with the wet silk. “Now, you smell like pomegranate wine. Better?”