Page 13 of Denied

“Let me see your eyes,” he said. When she looked up at him, his jaw tightened. “So much love. I do not deserve you, my lady. But this…” He drew out, and pressed back into her. “This I can give you, every night, every morning. Every time you permit me to touch your body, and taste your lips, and smell your skin.”

“That’s good.” She linked her hands around his neck. “How open are your afternoons?”

He laughed, and kissed her, and went to work. The loving thrusts of his thick cock into the aching softness between her thighs was slow and thorough. Each stroke glided as smooth as the silky, liquid heat that spread through her belly.

But Kayla sensed he was holding back, trying to make it good for her, and nipped his lower lip. “Stop being polite,” she murmured, and put her mouth by his ear. “I want all of you, Sheridan.”

“So you shall have me.” He dragged her legs over his shoulders, shifting over her to drive deep and hard. “You tease me and kiss me until you drive me mad with longing. When all I can think is how I must fuck you until you explode around me with your pleasure. I want it, love. All your heat and delight. You will give it to me again and again.”

Kayla felt his fingers circle around her wrists, binding her as he pumped deep and hard into her pussy. She heard the sexy sounds spilling between them, her soft whimpers and his deep grunts. Tension coiled in her belly as he sank himself home, moving faster, using his entire body. Heat flooded between her legs, moving higher, until her sex clenched in a spasm of pure pleasure. She gripped him tightly as the first explosion of her climax rocked her.

“Yes, yes,” he crooned. “I feel you, love, I feel your heart embracing me. And here is mine.”

Bliss shimmered through Kayla’s body as she felt him plow into her, his big frame tensing and shuddering as he began to come. The thick, heavy jetting of his seed wrenched her from her descent into another, impossibly hot climax that made her cry out his name.

Ryan rolled with her, holding her against his heaving chest as their sweat-slick skins glistened in the flickering glow of the fireplace.

“You owe me a belt,” he whispered as he stroked the back of her head.

Kayla kissed his shoulder and sighed. “You’re going to need more than one.”

CHAPTER 8

C OLM MADE HIS final rounds of the new camp before returning to his cottage, where he found Christine inside, standing at the window. She had changed into a loose T-shirt and dark leggings, and let her new mane of sun-kissed brown curls loose on her shoulders. The bareness of her pale arms reminded him of all she had suffered before their resurrection, when one of the Blackstones’ dragons had burned her alive. Although she had come back, all the colorful tattoos had vanished.

Both he and Christine had been brought back as blank slates, and Colm intended to fill hers with as much love as she would accept from him.

“What do you watch, my lady?” he asked. But as he joined her he saw the cottage she stared at. He tucked his arm around her waist. “Tara.”

“I should have ended her for what she did,” she said quietly. “I don’t get her. I mean, anyone would kill to have someone who cared for them half as much as Kayla loves her. How could she be so hateful to her?”

“I cannot say,” he admitted, “but she is here by her sister’s request. Despite all, Kayla still cares for her.”

“So do I. I think that’s why I still want to strangle the little bitch so bad.” She drew herself up and turned to him. “How’s Gavan doing?”

“I sent him into town to get supplies.” He hesitated before he added, “If you also stay away from Tara, in time your regard for her will fade.”

“Yeah, I heard all about how she’s been all magicked-up to make everyone love her. It didn’t work that well on me.” She glanced back at the cottage. “They don’t do shame, do they? Her kind.”

“That would require her to have a conscience, and feel remorse.” His mouth flattened. “She has used Kayla all her life, and to my knowing has never once shown regret.”

“Maybe she just didn’t show it.” As she heard herself Christine rolled her eyes. “Yeah, I’m definitely staying away from her.” She forced a smile. “You hungry? One of the guys delivered some groceries, and I make the world’s best bacon and cheese omelet.”

Before Colm could agree a knock sounded on the door, and he grimaced at her before he went to answer it. Ryan and Wallace stood outside, and both looked grim.

“Forgive the intrusion,” Ryan said, and smiled past him at Christine. “May we have a word with you both?”

Christine suggested they sit in the little kitchen, where she brought out a pitcher of iced tea she’d made and a tin of cookies.

Colm smiled at her as she sat down at the table with them. “You make an excellent housewife.”

“Then you should make an honest woman of me,” she countered with a wink. Before he could react, she said to Ryan, “How’s Kayla holding up?”

“I left her to sleep. She is exhausted, and Tara’s betrayal has wounded her deeply.” He sat back and eyed Colm. “My lady wishes to find her true sister. The dragon claims that the sister went missing with their mother before the Blackstones arrived to make the switch. Both may yet live.”

“Let’s say she’s alive,” Christine said. “How could you possibly find her?”

“‘Twill not be easy,” Wallace put in. “I could return to Tennessee and sweep their childhood home, but I doubt any life-energy she left behind yet lingers. As a halfling she will be also difficult to locate by the usual spells. Her mortal blood interferes. Or it could be…other matters.”