A Kiss of Fire (A Kiss of Magic #2)(53)

“When will you be returning back home?” Raj Vich asked her, another of those knowing smirks on his lips. It was a very unattractive expression. It thinned out his mouth, made his eyes seem beady and mocking. Unlike his brother, there was nothing handsome about his features to recommend him to a woman. Not in her opinion anyway. But clearly he was attractive to other women because he had a harem full of them. Or perhaps it was his power that made him so appealing to others.

“That has not been decided as yet,” she said graciously when Sin stiffened beside her. She once again laid a light comforting hand on his. “I find I am having such a nice time here that I may not want to leave any time soon.”

That shut his brother up resoundingly. If he had expected her to start screaming she was a prisoner, she was glad to disappoint him. It was clear she had surprised Sin as well. He turned his hand up and caught her fingers in a light, barely there squeeze. A silent communication that he was pleased with her behavior. She had not done it to please him…rather to…to…

To protect him. She was guarding him, she realized. Protecting him from his brother’s attacks. Why would she do that? A week ago she would have happily joined Vich in tearing his brother down. But now…

Confused by her own reactions, she rose when everyone else did. In Saren the men would have retired to the study or the library for port or brandy and the ladies to a parlor. In Kilt they said goodnight at the dinner table…and she was glad of it. Dueling with his brother had been exhausting, but she felt very accomplished in her work of the night.

“I will walk you to your room,” Sin said to her as he kissed his mother’s cheek and bid her goodnight.

“Are you certain you don’t wish me to come with you?” his mother asked archly.

“No. That is all right. Please, find your bed and have good dreams,” Ariana said, reaching out to squeeze the older woman’s hand.

They parted ways in the hall and Sin lightly cupped her elbow in his hand as he led her past darkened corridors. Then, before they were in sight of the guard outside her door, he pulled her into one of the dark shadowed doorways and swept her into his arms and against his body. Their breath began to rush rapidly as he stared down into her eyes.

“You are a remarkable creature,” he swore vehemently.

“Why do you let him attack you like that?” she asked on a breathy whisper. “In front of so many witnesses? You should put him in his place.”

“Why should I when I have you to do it for me?” he asked softly, his hand coming up to brush light fingers down the length of her neck. She shivered at the ghosting erotic touch. His fingers drifted down into the square of her neckline, skating in a barely-there caress over the very tops of her breasts.

“Was that your goal? To see if I would defend you?” She frowned to think of him working such machinations.

“No. No, that was a delightful surprise. I resist countering my brother’s less than veiled attacks because I do not wish for those visitors to my court to see contention in the ranks of my household and think we are weaker for it.”

“So it is better that he undermine your rule?” she asked skeptically.

“Normally I would have riposted the way you did, but I confess I was distracted by other things.”

“Other things?” she asked breathily as his knuckles turned and drifted down the slope of her breast, brushing back and forth over her nipple until it stood out in a hard point.

“Yes,” he hissed. “The same thing that has haunted me every minute since yesterday night. The sight of you naked in bed. Every time I look at you I see this bare, beautifully pale white skin, the rosy tips of your nipples begging for my attention and lower,”—his hand drifted down the front of her body, over her belly and onto her pubis—“these fiery red curls hiding everything away from me. Begging to be explored.”

“But you did not. You walked away and left me,” she reminded him. She gasped when his fingers sought for her through the fabric of her skirt. Without realizing she had done so, she parted her thighs and allowed him limited access.

“Because that is not how I want you. I do not want you to mindlessly give yourself to me so that you can renege and blame me for it. I want you to come to me as a powerful, independent woman who knows her own needs and wants. I want those needs and wants to be me. I want to be the only one who can satisfy them.”

With that he dipped his head and caught up her mouth with his. This kiss was different than the ones previous. They were animalistic and wild, this kiss was more measured and burning. He kissed her until she was boneless in his arms, her weight his to bear. Suddenly he broke his mouth from hers and bent down. He was back up in just a second, but now his hand was beneath her skirt, his fingertips sweeping up over the skin of her thighs, insinuating themselves between her legs. His finger raked through her curls as he kissed her once more. She gasped when his fingers glided into damp feminine folds, seeking expertly at the heart of her. Ariana knew she should protest. That she should push him away, but the heat swirling through her was so magnificent. She felt weak and wonderful and his touch was casting a spell over her.

“Sin!” she moaned. “Please!”

“Please what? Please you?” he asked hotly. “I can please you, Ariana…if you’ll just let me.”

He sought for, and found the little bud of nerves that gave her pleasure and her spine curved as she went wet against his fingertips.