Page 29 of Zar

Chapter Nine

Zar moved on top of Callie, then watched as her eyelids drifted open. He brushed at the tendrils of hair that clung to her face and neck. He couldn’t take his gaze away from her. He’d been awake for an hour watching her sleep. The swell of Callie’s breasts quivered with her swift breathing. The golden mane he loved was fanned out in disarray. Suddenly, their gazes locked, held. Zar could see the instant Callie realized the intimacy of their position. She glanced downward, then back up. “Good morning,” she mumbled.

“Morning.” Zar’s body reacted to Callie’s nudity. His nostrils flared, inhaling her musky scent. He wanted her again. Garra knew Zar would always want Callie.

Callie turned her head away, putting a stop to the excitement swelling between them. “Um, I’m not much of a morning person, Zar.”

Zar had a feeling that Callie was attempting to put distance between them. Emotional distance. Frustration and a good deal of fear welled up inside of him. He dipped his head and kissed her cheek. Callie sucked in a breath, her hands flattening on his chest. Now that he’d experienced her sweet body, Zar wanted more. Tasting her last night had only stirred the beast in him. He brushed his lips across her chin, then covered her mouth with his. Callie stiffened when Zar teased her lower lip with his tongue. He coasted back and forth, tasting the sweetness of her. He lifted a few inches and whispered, “I need you, my ofelia.”

Callie shut her eyes tight. “No, we need to talk.”

Zar held himself still above her, gauging whether he could change her mind. He could and she would enjoy it. But Zar had a feeling that if he used Callie’s own body against her, she would resent him. He sighed and gave in. After all, stealing Callie away from her home was bad enough. Zar didn’t wish to add to the list of infractions.

Zar moved and sat on the edge of the bed beside her. Callie didn’t hesitate to scoot away from him. She grabbed at the blanket and wrapped it around her body, then sat up. Her body was already imprinted on his memory, the blanket was useless. Still, Callie seemed to need the shield. Any other time such a thing would have made him smile. Instead he kept his face blank and waited for her to speak.

“Last night we were talking about choices if I remember correctly.”

Zar shoved a hand through his hair. “Yes, we were.”

Her frown deepened and her gaze was so unreadable that it made Zar nervous. “You are under the impression that we are fated to be together. Period. End of story.”

“My heart has already chosen, even if Garra hadn’t,” he explained, hating the direction she was headed.

Callie sighed and her body slumped a little. “Zar, I’ve only known you for what…twenty-four hours. Hearts can’t choose that fast.”

He shrugged. “They can, Callie. Mine has.”

“Fine, but my heart hasn’t chosen didly.”

His lips twitched. “Didly?”

She rolled her eyes. “I’m not saying I don’t care about you. That I’m not drawn to you.” She pointed to herself and added, “Clearly I’m into you or I wouldn’t be nude right now. In your bed. Nor would I have agreed to stay a few more days to get to know you and your people. To attend your sacred festival. All those things make it pretty freaking clear that I’m hot for you. But is my heart involved? Am I ready to become your soulmate? No. Definitely not.”

“You will at least give us a chance? Give me a chance?” Zar asked as he let his wings stretch out and wrap around Callie. She stiffened a moment, then relaxed. She was becoming more comfortable with him, even if she wasn’t aware of it.

“I’m willing to…get to know you better,” Callie amended as she pulled her legs to her chest and rested her chin on her drawn up knees.

Zar shifted around until he was kneeling in front of her. “I will take anything I can get, Callie,” he murmured as he placed his hands on her blanket-covered knees, needing the small connection. Callie reached out and placed her own smaller hands on top of his and began absently stroking his fingers.

“You are so intense, Zar,” she said, her voice soft and unsure. “This thing between us…it’s new territory for me.”

Zar smoothed a palm up her thigh. “You think it’s any less frightening for me? I’m a king, Callie. I have never doubted my standing in Zenarian society. Yet, you come along and suddenly I’m fumbling around like a fool. I have no experience with the kinds of emotions you inspire in me. I have never been out of balance with my creature, my other half, and yet that’s exactly what’s happening.”

She cocked her head to the side. “What does that mean? What’s happening?”

“My creature is pushing for intimacy right now,” he murmured. “Every fiber of my being is on edge because you haven’t accepted us.”

She started to say something, but Zar was through with the conversation. He wanted to make her feel their connection instead. He gently pushed her backward and came over top of her. His head came down and his mouth latched onto hers. The kiss started out as a demand but quickly turned into searing heat.

Callie knew Zar was trying to distract her and she had it in her to stop him, but her body betrayed her yet again by going pliant against his massive frame. Her hands had a mind of their own as well, dropping away from the blanket to skate over the hard strength of his back and the powerful wings protruding from his shoulder blades. Zar tugged and the blanket was suddenly gone. Callie moaned as Zar’s fingers drifted over her sensitized nipple. Her thoughts scattered. She wrapped her legs around his waist and pulled him closer still. Zar groaned, but he never lifted his mouth from hers as he angled his head for a deeper kiss. His big, skillful hands grasped her around the waist and turned them so that Callie was sitting on top of him. She flattened her palms on his chest and pushed, breaking the kiss. She stared down at him. Zar’s lips kicked up sideways into a sexy grin. “You like control,” he explained.

Callie wanted to deny the claim, but why should she? She did like control. Sometimes anyway. “I do,” she confessed. “You like it when I’m in control, Zar?”

She felt it then, his arousal pushing at the cleft of her bottom. A little thrill ran through. Oh yeah, he liked giving up the reins. Zar traced her jawline with a finger and groaned, “There are times when I feel the weight of my position as King.”

She grinned down at him. “Well, in here with me you aren’t a king.”

He arched that regal brow at her. “What am I then, little dove?”

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