Page 27 of The Warrior's Innocent Captive

He meant the gesture to be comforting but he soon realised his mistake. Desire he’d been fighting for so long rushed through him, hot and intense. His body tightened and his fingers shook as he fought with the urge to bury them deeply in her hair.

‘I’m sorry you were scared,’ he said, battling to keep his lust under control. His voice sounded rough even to his own ears.

He needed to step away from her before he did something foolish. He slowly released her, trailing his hands gently down her arms. Her fingers, small and shapely, caught his. Despite his good intentions he linked his hands with hers. Her skin was so soft against his. He traced a small circle on the back of her hand with his thumb. He felt, rather than heard, her soft gasp.

He’d had women before, although not as many as had offered themselves to him. He was choosy about who shared his bed. He knew some women found his roughness attractive. None of those women had ever made his heart pound like this from such a simple touch. She was an innocent. She would have no idea what she was doing to him. How the very sight of her nearly sent him to his knees with longing, how he loathed his half-brother, at this moment, for being able to marry her if he wanted to.

‘Erik,’ she whispered.

His name on her lips was his undoing.

‘Linota,’ he groaned, pulling her back towards him.

His lips passed over her forehead and down the soft curve of her cheeks. Half expecting her to step away, he moved slowly. Gently, so as not to scare her, he placed the softest of kisses against her mouth.

She didn’t pull away or scream in horror.

He kissed her again, longer this time, but just as softly. Beneath him her mouth moved in response.

He pulled away, but she followed him, pressing a kiss of her own. He could taste her inexperience in the tremble of her lips. He knew he was even worse than a traitor, he was the worst of men, for not pulling away, but he couldn’t. Her sweetness called to him, pulling at his soul and demanding he take more.

He reached up, drawing over the line of her jaw with his fingertips. He could feel her pulse beating wildly in her neck. He slanted his mouth over hers. She moaned as he traced the seam of her lips with the tip of his tongue. Her mouth parted and he swept in, groaning in pleasure as she welcomed him.

He cupped her head, her silken hair falling over his fingers.

‘Linota,’ he groaned again, her name almost a plea.

He moved his lips from her mouth, along her jaw, her breath coming in quick, breathy gasps as he dipped to the length of her neck.

She wanted him as much as he did her. That thought was nearly his undoing. His body screamed to take her while his mind roared a reminder of her innocence.

Her fingers fluttered at the nape of his neck, the touch so soft and gentle. So innocent.

His mouth reclaimed hers.

This kiss was nothing like he had ever experienced before. He’d thought he knew all about pleasure, but he’d been wrong. Kissing Linota was otherworldly. He could drown in her body and die happily listening to her soft moans of delight.

There was a reason he shouldn’t be doing this. It tugged on the edge of his consciousness, taunting him in this perfect moment. He pulled her tighter against him, pressing their bodies together. The voice screamed louder in his head, reminding him of his loyalties, reminding him that he was a better man than this.

He lifted his mouth and rested his head against Linota’s forehead. Their loud breathing filled the room. He should step away. He would step away, in a moment, when he was stronger.

‘I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have...’ He tailed off. He didn’t want to apologise for what had happened between them. It was the purest thing he’d ever experienced and, although it was wrong of him to take advantage of her, he couldn’t bring himself to regret it.

What he wanted to apologise for was the fact that he was lying to her, that he was also taking advantage of her innocence.

He couldn’t tell her about his deal with de Bevoir. Linota had made it very clear that she thought betrayal was the worst crime imaginable. She had said that there could be no excuse for betraying someone. If she found out the truth of what he’d agreed to, she would hate him. And he wouldn’t blame her.

He was a bastard in every sense.

He dropped his arms and stepped away from her.

‘Erik?’

He hated the vulnerability in her voice. He’d put that uncertainty there by his actions. He only had to hope he hadn’t completely destroyed the easy camaraderie they shared. He loved the way her eyes lit up every time he made her laugh and he didn’t want to lose that.

‘I’m sorry... I... I’m sorry I left you alone.’ He pushed his hands through his hair, dismayed to find that they were still unsteady. ‘I’ll come up and wait for you to settle again.’

He heard her hesitation and held himself rigid. He wouldn’t be able to stop himself if she closed the gap between them and brought her mouth back to his. He had to hope that her inexperience with men would save them both from what could only end in disaster.

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