Page 48 of The Warrior's Innocent Captive

He didn’t stop her as she finally pushed the fabric of his clothes to one side and ran her fingers over his chest. A soft smattering of hair covered his chorded muscles. She ran her fingers across and down over his stomach. Here the skin was taut. Under her soft exploration she could feel small scars crisscrossing his skin.

She wanted to look, to drink in the sight of him, but she knew that if she stopped this kiss he would come to his senses and stop.

A cold rush of air brushed against her nipples. She realised that while she had been exploring him he had made short work of the ties on her dress.

A fine tremor ran through her as his warm hand encircled her breast, his thumb brushing over her nipple. She shifted beneath him. A restless sensation was building within her. She wanted more, to satisfy this unfulfilled desperate craving.

He smiled against her mouth and then his lips began to work their back down the length of the sensitive skin of her neck and to the hollow at the base of her throat.

She moaned deeply as his mouth settled over her other nipple, biting and licking until she was squirming underneath him. She wanted...she didn’t know what she wanted, only for this to continue and never end. More of this wonderful awareness of her body and the way Erik was making it come alive.

He pushed the remains of her dress away. From deep inside her, she heard her mother’s shrill voice preaching about a woman’s virtue, but all thoughts fled as Erik moved over her, brushing his tongue over her centre.

What...? Was this...? Should she...?

There was another swirl and she bucked off the floor.

This had never...

Erik began to move quicker, increasing his pressure until all that existed was his tongue and her body.

Her hands fell from him as she lost herself in the acute sensations rushing through her, unfurling in her veins and reaching every point of her body. She was building towards something, each pass of his tongue bringing her closer. The fire was coiling in her now, travelling towards her centre, waiting.

His hands spread her thighs wider, before his fingers joined his tongue, gliding over her flesh. She cried out as her body erupted in sensation, the fire rushing through her, flooding her veins and sending her spiralling.

Erik stayed with her as she trembled, his tongue gentle now, almost soothing. The new sensations still ran through her but it was quieter, more subdued, but no less delicious.

Gradually they faded altogether and she slumped on to the floor, boneless.

Erik lifted his head and rested it against her stomach.

Her fingers stole into his hair and he sighed, the soft air from his exhalation brushing against her skin. She had no idea how long they stayed like that. She would have been content to be there for ever, the fire crackling to their left, its flickering light turning Erik’s hair golden, his stubble tickling her belly.

Far beneath them, in another world, she heard Emma say something to Clayborne and Erik stirred.

He pulled away from her and propped himself up on one arm.

Linota’s feeling of bone-deep contentment fled when she saw the anguish in his eyes.

‘I’m sorry, Linota. I shouldn’t have done that.’

She propped herself up so that their faces were close together.

‘Don’t do this,’ she whispered. ‘Don’t pull away from me now.’

‘I’ve taken advantage of your innocence and your—’

‘No,’ she said, reaching out and lightly touching the skin of his cheek. ‘I wanted this as much as you did, if not more so.’

Erik laughed silently. ‘I don’t think it is possible to want you any more than I do. It is practically killing me not to sweep you into my arms and make you mine in every way that is possible.’

She stilled.

‘Then why don’t you?’ she whispered, tracing his lips with the tips of her fingers.

He closed his eyes. ‘Ah, Linota, don’t make this harder than it already is.’

‘But...don’t you want to? I know I’m not experienced, but I can learn. I—’

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