Dragon Heat (Dragons of Perralt Book 2) Read online

  His hand under her legs shifted and slipped up under her robe to caress her bare skin.

  She swallowed hard as small tingles traveled up her legs to her very center. She felt herself grow wet and swollen with want and need.

  Holding him tight, she bit her lip, less he hear her cry of desire. Or worse, the servants, hear her moan of ecstasy as he carried her up the stairs. The least she could do was wait until they reached his room before she lost all sense of propriety.

  He smiled down at her. Perfectly aware of what he was doing. His fingers tracing long, languid circles on the back of her thigh. It was enough to make a girl cry.

  When he reached his room, she bent and turned the knob for him, looking up at him with a mischievous grin.

  He answered with his smirk, then stepped into his room.

  Chapter Eight

  Laila’s heart continued to pound in her chest. They were going to make love. She was going to feel what a woman feels. The thought made her happy to her very soul.

  She looked around his room quickly, perfectly aware that at any moment, he would make her forget her surroundings. Best if she orient herself while she could.

  His room was simple. A big four poster bed on the far wall, dressers and wardrobes of simple dark wood. No mirror, she realized with surprise. Of course not, the man was perfect. He didn’t need a mirror to tell him that.

  He stood in the middle of the room. Continuing to cradle her in his arms as he looked down at her. She felt her heart jump. The man looked as if he wanted to consume her in a single bite. Like he wanted to have her every way imaginable.

  “Are you sure?” he asked. “Once I put you on that bed. I won’t be able to stop. You could tempt a stone mountain, woman.”

  She laughed. “Yes, I am sure,” she said as she stared up into his eyes. “One time, tonight, yes.”

  He smiled slowly as he thought of what was to come. It sent a warm shiver down his spine as ideas and fantasies jumped through his head.

  Setting her on her feet, he slowly untied her robe and pushed it off her shoulders.

  He gasped when he saw her standing there in his shirt. Her bare legs exposed to the night air and to his burning gaze. He gave her a devilish grin, then stepped forward to start unbuttoning the shirt.

  She suddenly became nervous. What should she be doing? How was this supposed to go? She thought to the dancing master Flint had hired for her last week and his constant hectoring about her taking a misstep.

  What if she did that now? Made a fatal mistake. What if she did something to ruin the night?

  Flint saw the hesitation in her eyes.

  “Don’t worry,” he whispered into her ears. “You are beautiful, you are all a man could ever ask for. Relax and let me lead you through the night.”

  She felt herself relax into him. This was Flint. She could trust him. She had trusted her very life to this man. He wouldn’t allow her to make a mistake.

  His fingers trailed down the front of her night shirt, slowly unbuttoning a button, then moving on to the next.

  He gently pushed her shirt off and let it fall to the floor, joining the robe, then stepped back to look at her. Laila felt her entire body grow warm with embarrassment. The man stared at her, his eyes traveling over her breasts to the curve of her waist, and then to her sex.

  He slowly licked his lips, and then looked into her eyes.

  “You are perfect,” he said. “As perfect as a mid-winter sunrise over the mountains.”

  She couldn’t stop herself from smiling back at him.

  “Now you, I want to see you,” she said, as she stepped forward and began to quickly remove his clothes.

  Their fingers and hands became tangled as they both fought to get him as naked as she was.

  At last, his thumbs slipped into the waist band of his pants and pushed them down.

  Laila gasped. The man was huge. A flutter of fear traveled through her. It was impossible. How could she ever take him?

  She couldn’t take her eyes away from him. His manhood was fully erect. Throbbing, demanding. Pure male. Everything about it was fascinating. So different, so beautiful.

  Without thought, she felt herself drawn to it. This burning need inside demanding that she touch it.

  Stepping forward she reached for him, then hesitated, looking up. She silently asked if it was permitted.

  He smiled back down at her. “Tonight, my dear, I am yours. Whatever you want.”

  She smiled back, then returned to staring down at him. Slowly, she took him in her hand, unable to wrap her fingers all the way around him.

  He felt of velvety steel. Strong, pulsing with life.

  Slowly, she slid her hand back and forth over him.

  “Oh, Laila,” he moaned. The sound of his voice sent a feeling of happiness to her heart. She was doing it right.

  Suddenly, he bent and picked her up once again, only to lay her on his big bed. He stood over her, looking down at her for a moment. Savoring the beauty of her.

  She let her eyes travel over him. Admiring every cut muscle, every hard bend, and sharp edge. The man was like a chiseled statue, perfection.

  No, she reminded herself. He is a man, a warm, breathing, needy man. And for tonight, he was hers.

  She reached out for him. He was too far away, she needed him with her.

  He lay down next to her. The bed dipping with his giant size, rolling her into him. He laughed and pulled her tight. His lips kissing her neck, then her shoulders, slowly working their way down to her breasts.

  Taking a nipple into his mouth, he began to suck and squeeze her breasts. Her world expanding a thousand times. Oh my, this new sensation went directly to her inner thighs. To the very core of her being.

  He continued to suck on her breast. She held his head in place. Silently demanding that he continue.

  As he tasted and took. His hand slowly traveled down her stomach to her mound. She felt herself growing with anticipation. A strong need building inside of her.

  “Please,” she said. “Touch me, I need you to touch me.”

  She could feel him smiling as he continued to suck at her breast. His hand hesitated for a moment then gently began to slip into her folds.

  “Yes. Oh, yes,” she moaned as she arched into his hand.

  Something inside of her let go, and she felt herself grow wet for him. A quick, embarrassment passed through her, but she quickly forgot about it as his finger slowly entered her body.

  Never, oh my, never had she thought she could feel like this. As if her world were growing, as if everything in life was wonderful.

  His finger began to caress and move back and forth, then his thumb found her button while his finger bent to touch something inside. The sensation made her jump. It was as if what she had thought was possible, was merely a dream of what was to come.

  He continued to rub, to fondle, and caress. Building her higher, making her need. She felt herself swelling, expanding, preparing herself for him.

  “Please Flint,” she begged. “I need you inside of me.”

  He smiled up at her with that silly grin of his. She knew that she was begging, but she didn’t care. All she wanted was to feel him inside of her. Every instinct, every part of her being was demanding it.

  He shifted to kneel between her legs. She bit her lip as she tried to prepare herself. Would it hurt? How much. What if they couldn’t because he was so big? What if it didn’t fit?

  She was torn in two ways. She needed him desperately, but her fear made her muscles tense with anticipation.

  “Relax,” he said “I will be gentle. We have all night.”

  She smiled back at him, he understood her fears. Forcing herself to relax, she stared into his eyes as he positioned himself.

  He placed himself at the center of her opening. She held her breath. Slowly, he began to enter her.

  The feeling of fear mingled with the feeling of joy. It felt right, it felt like what she had always hoped it would feel like.
r />   Slowly, ever so slowly, he began to work his way into her. Gently forcing her to open for him.

  He was frowning with concentration as he began to sink deeper into her. When he came to her barrier, he stopped for a moment. Letting her adjust.

  The feeling of being filled flashed through her. Already, she felt herself stretched and invaded, yet he had not yet fully entered her. How would she ever accommodate him?

  He read the emotions on her face and lowered his lips to kiss her, then thrust through her barrier.

  A sharp pain exploded inside of her but, quickly lapsed into a feeling of wholeness. He was through.

  Still, he continued to push into her until he could go no further.

  She felt a new sense of wonder. He was all the way inside of her, and the world was perfect. Her muscles instinctively clamped onto him. Holding him in place.

  He threw his head back and moaned. Then, smiled down at her and shook his head.

  “You little minx,” he said with a smile. “Two can play at that game.”

  Then, he began to move inside of her. Slowly, almost removing himself, then forward, filling her once again. Over and over. Laila’s eyes closed and she was lost. The sensation of pure bliss was unbelievably joyful. Every ridge, every bump seemed to pass over a sensitive spot inside of her.

  Every thrust lifted her higher. Made her want more.

  “Oh, Yes, Flint,” she said. “Yes.”

  Her body moved with him. Met his thrust. Rising higher. Searching for release.

  He continued to move back and forth. A little twist and turn with each thrust as if he were trying to go deeper. Trying to reach every spot possible.

  His hips continued to thrust into her over and over again.

  Laila became lost in a world of senses with only Flint in this world. The feel of his shoulders under her hands. That manly smell of his that melted her insides. The sound of his breath, laboring as he fought to bring her higher. The taste of his salty skin.

  “Yes,” she said, as she shook her head back and forth on the pillow. This man had become her entire world.

  “Please,” she begged, as she searched for release.

  He continued to thrust into her like some mighty monster taking her higher than she had ever gone before.

  “Yesssssssssss” she screamed, as her world exploded. Wave after wave of pure pleasure passed over her as he continued to move inside of her.

  At last, Flint gave out a mighty roar and thrust one last, hard time into her and exploded inside of her. Pumping her full of himself.

  His throbbing explosion set off another wave of pleasure as she once again gained release.

  Her world spun, and she feared she would faint. Wrapping her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck, she held on. Desperate to remain with him. Desperate to be part of his world.

  At last, her breath began to return. She could feel Flint's heart pounding in his chest. His heavy weight on her where he had collapsed. A delicious extra benefit. Being covered by this man. It sent a warm, soft feeling to her heart. She wanted to remain like this forever.

  Flint, exhausted, laying on top of her. There was no better feeling in the world.

  After a long moment, he rose up and looked down at her. He cocked an eyebrow, silently asking her what she thought.

  She could feel her cheeks erupting with a blush. She had just had this man inside of her.

  But the feeling of happiness could not be denied. This was what a person should feel like, she thought. All the time, every moment of her life.

  Reaching up, she gently kissed him and whispered, “Thank you.”

  He smiled back at her, “Don’t thank me yet,” he said. “We have all night. I hope to make it a night that neither of us can ever forget.

  Laila felt a tear forming in her eye, she pulled him down to her so that he wouldn’t see. She would never forget anything about this man. She knew perfectly well that she would spend the rest of her life remembering tonight.

  Chapter Nine

  Flint turned over and reached for Laila. Damn, the woman was gone. He quickly looked around the room. Gone, like a wisp of the wind in the night.

  His arms ached with the need to hold her. What had he done? The woman was intoxicating, and he was giving her away to some strange prince from a distant land.

  The coin he reminded himself. Everything must be for the coin. His family’s heritage, his family’s future depended on it.

  Yet, the sense of loss that washed through him could not be denied.

  Swinging his legs over the side of the bed he held his head in his hands and fought to tame the beast raging inside of him. Take her, the beast yelled. Take her away from here and never come back. Make her yours forever.

  Flint’s fingers dug into his forehead, trying to silence the beast.

  “She doesn’t know about you,” he said to the beast inside of him. “She doesn’t know what I am, if she did, she would never love me.”

  The beast pushed back, it didn’t care. All it wanted was the woman. To hold and protect her from all evil.

  Pushing the animal away, Flint rose and slowly got dressed for the day. No. he would do this. He had given his word. And, a Dragon of Perralt never broke his word. His ancestors would rise up from the dead and curse him if he did. And he wouldn’t blame them.

  Sighing to himself for the tenth time that morning, he entered his study. His heart jumped. Laila was there, standing by the fire. As beautiful as ever. Her long brown hair glistening, her eyes shaded as if afraid he might see what she was thinking.

  “Good morning,” he said with a smile.

  She smiled back at him hesitantly. She doesn’t know how to act, he realized. She is scared and excited, and absolutely clueless about the impact she had on him.

  “Good morning,” she replied, her hands clasped together in front of her.

  He chuckled. “Relax, Laila, I’m not going to bite, I swear.”

  She blushed, and he was sure she was remembering the love bites she had given his shoulder last night.

  “I uh, I …”

  He smiled to himself and walked over to her, taking both of her hands in his as he stared down into her eyes.

  “I understand,” he said. “Don’t worry. Last night was wonderful. You were wonderful. Thank you.”

  She looked up at him, her eyes began to tear up at the corners. He was positive she secretly wished she had her dagger easily available. The woman would rather fight than show any weakness. She didn’t realize that it was her vulnerability that was her greatest strength.

  He leaned down and kissed the corner of each eye then brought her into a deep hug.

  “What now?” she said into his chest.

  “Now,” he replied slowly as his heart twisted in the wind. “Now, we get you your dream. A prince with a castle. What every girl wants.”

  She squeezed him, as if afraid to ever let go. “Just like that? We forget about last night.”

  Flint laughed. “Oh, Laila, I will never be able to forget last night. But, we each have a life to live. I have duties and responsibilities. You are the girl from Fifth Point who will marry a prince. Our lives are not always our own.”

  “Why can’t they be?” she asked as she continued to hold onto him. “Why can’t we do what we want to do? Why can’t every night be like last night?”

  He took a deep breath. Oh, how he wished he could follow his heart. But, the woman didn’t understand. She would never understand. His secret would ruin any chance of happiness between them. And, she deserved a prince. Hell, she deserved everything in this world.

  He gently pushed her away and looked deep into her eyes. “Laila, we can’t. There are things about me, you do not know. Things that would change everything.”

  “What? Do you become a ghostly ghoul on the summer solstice? I know, you have a wife and a dozen children? Or, you’re secretly a member of the City Watch. Sent here to capture Laila Mason, the dangerous pick pocket? What?” she dema
nded.

  Flint stepped away from her. How he had hoped to avoid this. But the only way to avoid this would have been to deny themselves last night. And nothing in this world would ever make him regret their night together.

  “Things, Laila, let’s leave it at that.”

  She looked up at him, hands on her hips, her look of adoration quickly turning to hate and contempt.

  “I see,” she said. “You got what you want. Now, it’s thanks, see you around sometime.”

  “No,” he barked. “It is not like that, and you know it. What’s more. It is you that will be leaving with a prince, remember?”

  Her eyes turned to spiteful flames as she shook her head at his idiocy. Giving a big huff, she stomped out of the room.

  Great, Flint thought. Just great.

  .o0o.

  Laila studied herself in the mirror. Her hair was up in an intricate arrangement that defied all sense of the laws of nature.

  She ran her hands over the front of her dress. Who would ever believe a girl from Fifth Point would wear such a garment. The deep blue fabric shimmered, the cut hung perfectly, accenting every good thing about her and hiding all the bad.

  The bastard wanted her to marry a prince. Well, this dress was going to make it happen.

  She glanced into the mirror at Mrs. Peabody standing behind her as she examined her one last time. The woman smiled and nodded her head with approval.

  Laila inspected the sapphire earrings Sharp had delivered to her room. They matched her dress exactly. The deep blue stones glinting in the candle light. Flint had sent them. Along with a gold necklace with a large sapphire pendant.

  She had put on the earrings, but decided to wear the locket he had given her. The one with the coin inside. It looked good around her neck, and she wouldn’t feel whole without it.

  “You will outshine every woman there, I promise,” the housekeeper said to her, catching Laila’s eye in the mirror.

  “Thank you, Mrs. Peabody. I couldn’t have done it without your help.”

  The housekeeper stopped fiddling with the fabric around the belt and looked up into Laila’s eyes again.