War Bride (Battle Born #7)(30)
Guilt squeezed her heart for an instant, then anger burned it away. “I will not apologize for resisting you.” He turned to walk away, but she grabbed his brawny arm. “I’m your prisoner. You want to use me to incubate your child and then throw me away.” The review was as much for her benefit as his. She could not allow herself to forget what he really wanted.
“You’re my mate.” He looked back at her without turning around. “I didn’t understand what that meant until I captured you.”
She was one potential mate, but they’d had this argument so many times she didn’t bother saying it. Instead, she pointed out, “You had a morautu. You had to have known how it would feel to interact with a compatible female.” Not waiting for his response, she let go of his arm and moved toward the sitting area. “You want to free Arton and I want to be free of you. Let’s focus on those goals, please.”
You’ll never be free of me.
Skyla’s heart skipped a beat as Kryton’s thought reached her mind. Clearly he hadn’t meant to share the traitorous vow, but their minds were already linked and strong emotions were nearly impossible for Skyla to filter out. She stopped walking and turned around. “What did you mean by that?”
“By what?” His voice was more of a growl, but guilt sparked in his gaze.
“Why will I never be free of you? If Arton is rescued, you promised to release me.”
Rather than answer her question—as usual—he asked one of his own. “And you promised not to scan me, so why did you hear my thought?”
She licked her lips. Why was she on the defensive? He was the one intending to break his vow. “Our minds have formed a link. It wasn’t intentional, but I think I triggered it when I scanned your mind. I felt it again when I shared your dream.”
He chuckled. “‘Shared your dream’ makes it sound consensual. You took control of my dream so you could indulge impulses you’re not willing to surrender in reality.”
“That is not why I did it.” Color crawled up her cheeks, contradicting the vehemence in her statement. “I had no way of knowing what you’d be dreaming about when I joined you in the dream realm.”
“Really?” He clasped his hands behind his back, challenge clearly written in his narrowed gaze. “I’ve thought of little else since I brought you aboard my ship. What did you think I’d be dreaming about?”
“Dreams aren’t usually so…focused.” She fiddled with the fall of her sleeve, avoiding his gaze. “I just wanted to talk to you.”
He closed the distance between them and lightly grabbed her upper arms. “I crave you, Skyla. Your image never leaves my mind and my dreams are even worse. I need to be near you, to protect and comfort you, and yet I know the primary threat in your life right now is me. How am I supposed to protect you from myself?”
Skyla tensed. This was it. All she had to do was stop struggling against their natural attraction and she’d be on her way. She’d use his genetically compatible body to give her the child she’d always wanted. She’d repay him by rescuing his son from the harbingers, and then she’d walk out of his life forever. Just like he intended to walk out of hers.
“I know what you mean.” Slowly raising her gaze to his, she inhaled his evocative scent. “I’m so tired of battling myself. I don’t think I can fight it anymore. I ache as you ache.”
It was all the encouragement he needed. He crushed her against his chest, dragging her to the balls of her feet as his mouth crashed down on hers. She wrapped her arms around his neck and opened for his questing tongue, more than ready to surrender to nature’s demand.
Without separating their mouths, he picked her up and carried her to the bed. He sat her down in the middle of the mattress, then attacked his clothes. His boots went flying and his garments joined them half a second later. She pulled off her slippers, but that was as far as she got before he joined her on the bed.
“Let me.” It was more of a plea than an order for a change. “All my fantasies begin with me undressing you.”
She didn’t argue, but didn’t help. She just sat there and let him take off her clothes. Resisting him had been one of the hardest things she’d ever done. Still, if she suddenly had no qualms at all, it would seem suspicious.
Once he’d removed her blouse, he pulled her to her knees, then unzipped her skirt and eased it down past her hips. She wasn’t wearing undergarments and the realization drew an appreciative moan from him. He knelt as well and lifted her far enough so he could sweep the skirt out from beneath her legs. Then their naked bodies pressed together from shoulders to knees and his hands moved greedily over the back of her body. She wrapped her arms around him and pressed her face against his chest, unable to meet his gaze.
“Are you sure this is what you want?” His voice was barely a whisper and his hands moved away from her ass. “I am serious, Skyla. I won’t claim you unless you’re willing.”
“I want this, but I dread the outcome.” She eased away so she could look into his eyes. “I’ll be a pariah. Don’t you realize how horribly former war brides are treated on Bilarri?” And I will never allow you to separate me from my child.
“Then stay with me.”
Time stood still as she stared into his eyes. Was he serious, or was he telling her what she wanted to hear? His expression was so intense that she couldn’t tell if it was calculation or sincerity fueling his inner fire.