Page 89 of Hot & Heavy

He kissed her.

She kept saying "no, no, no" against his mouth. At the same time, her hands had crept around his neck and pulled him closer. He moved his chest back and forth across her breasts. He hoped to God that the abrasion of cloth on cloth, chest on breasts, felt as good to her as it did to him. When the nos turned into a moan, he put his hands inside the elastic waistbands of both her shorts and panties and let them drop to the floor.

She looked up at him, her eyes droopy, her kiss-swollen lips parted, and murmured, "I'm still angry with you."

"I know," he said. "We can fight later. Let's make up first."

"Truce before the war?" She laughed, but it was only a short laugh because he'd perched her on the edge of the washer, spread her legs and slammed into her. He closed his eyes and saw bright red sparks.

When he opened them, he saw that Maddie had closed her eyes, too. Leaning back, holding on to the edge of the machine, she spread herself wider for him. He looked down and saw her blond curls intermingled with his dark ones… and almost lost it.

It was short and sweet… emphasis on sweet. She came. He came. A dustpan, plastic bucket and box of detergent had gone flying off the shelf at the force of their lovemaking. Now he pulled his shorts back on and helped Maddie with hers.

He did not like the look on her face. It was definitely that of a woman who was well satisfied and looking for more… but something else, too. They went into the kitchen, which was fortunately empty. Geek must still be in the computer room. Ian soon found out what was on her mind.

Maddie turned to him. Her braid had come half unbraided. She did indeed have whisker burns on every visible surface of skin. And her nipples were standing out like sentinels. But she was staring at him with…

determination.

Little alarm bells went off in his head.

"Do not give me orders again," she said.

That's my job, sweetheart. Leaders give orders. But she is not going to like hearing that. At first he refused to answer. Then he said, "I'll try." That is such a lie.

"One more thing."

"Uh-oh."

"Since we are getting along so well, does that mean you will help me raise an army to regain Norstead?"

Norstead again! Raise an army? Who does she think I am? "Be reasonable."

"Reason has no place in a quest for vengeance."

"That sounds like one of my motivational quotes." He laughed.

She did not laugh. "Say me aye or nay, but do not muddle about with half-answers. Are you going to help me raise an army?"

"Hell, no."

She exhaled loudly with disgust. "So be it. That was the last time we will make love, then. It cannot happen ever again."

"If raising an army is the price, then you're damn straight it's the last time."

She looked at him as if he'd just killed her cat. He felt as if he'd just killed her cat.

Sam walked into the kitchen just then, her belly dragging on the floor like a mop. She seemed to study Maddie, then him, then made a hissing sound as if to say, Dumb, dumb, dumb!

Chapter Thirteen

War of the (Viking) roses…

One sennight later, Madrene was sitting on the solar carpet with Pretty Boy, eating a delicacy called popcorn, and watching repeats of Sex and the City on the magic tea-vee box. A snoring Sam had wrapped herself around Madrene's shoulders like a mantle.

The tea-vee box was enthralling. She did not care what anyone said; there were actual people inside the box, acting out parts. Some of those plays were deliciously scandalous, like this one. She was learning soooo much.

She had given Luke—that was Slick's real name—her ten jewels to sell, and it appeared that she would gain a huge amount of coins for her mission.