Page 21 of Taken By the Storm King

Lucy picked at her meal, lost in thought.

Then she set down her fork. “Would you...” She exhaled, then met my gaze. “Would you dance with me again?”

My pulse stuttered.

“Anything you want.”

I took her hand, leading her to the center of the room. This was different from the harvest dance---slower, more intimate. Her body nestled into mine, her warmth seeping into me as we swayed together.

“I’ve been thinking,” she murmured against my chest.

I forced my breath to stay even. “Oh?”

“About everything. My mission. You. Our worlds.” She tilted her face up to mine, her lips parted. “About what I want.”

Every muscle in my body tensed, bracing for the blow I knew was coming.

Then Lucy rose on her toes and kissed me---hard and deep and hungry.

My world tilted.

“I don’t want to wait anymore,” she breathed against my lips.

I pulled back, searching her face. “What?”

A wicked grin spread across her face. “I’d like to continue what we started on our picnic.”

Joy exploded in my chest.

With a very undignified whoop, I swept her into my arms.

Her laugh echoed through the halls as I carried her toward my chambers, my heart soaring with the knowledge that she had chosen me.

LUCY

Inuzzled closer into Thalassar’s neck as he carried me through winding corridors. My lips found the delicate scales there, exploring their texture with soft kisses. His grip on me tightened.

“If you keep that up, we may not make it to my chambers,” he growled, desire roughening his tone.

“Is that a threat or a promise?” I nipped gently at the junction of his neck and shoulder.

He stumbled slightly. “Both.”

Guards posted along the hallway stared straight ahead as we passed, but I caught the slight upturn of their lips. Whispers in their musical language followed in our wake.

“What are they saying?” I asked between kisses.

“That I look happier than they’ve seen me in years.” His thumb stroked circles on my hip. “That perhaps their king has finally found his match.”

Warmth spread in my chest. “And have you?”

He paused our progress to capture my mouth in a heated kiss. My fingers tangled in his hair as his tongue swept past my lips, tasting, claiming. When he pulled back, our breaths mingled, ragged and fast.

“What do you think?”

I opened my mouth to respond, but movement at the end of the hall caught my eye. A small group of his people stood watching us, their expressions ranging from curiosity to approval. One elderly woman actually clapped.

“We have an audience,” I whispered.

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