Page 50 of Sanctuary of the Shadow
Chapter Eleven
The concept of modesty did not exist for Raith. And yet, as he stood there while Harrow’s gaze traveled over every inch of his naked skin, he fought a bizarre impulse to shy away from her.
Did she like what she saw? All he knew about his body was that it was strong and good for violence, and that he looked frightening to others. He had yet to consider it from the standpoint of how it might give pleasure.
He wanted to give Harrow pleasure. He needed to. But how? He had no memory of anything beyond that first day in the desert, and not one of the moments he’d lived since then included anything remotely close to this situation.
Instinctively, he knew what to do—or at least what he wanted to do—but was that what she wanted? The things he was imagining… Surely there was no way Harrow would want that. Would she? Or was he wrong in wanting them?
“Come here.” Her whispered words were seductive, yet a certain shyness lurked in her gaze.
He didn’t even consider hesitating, was crawling onto the bed over her before she’d even finished speaking. As soon as he was within reach, her hands lifted to touch him. They hesitated, trembling slightly, and he went still so as not to startle her. Soft palms landed on his chest and slid up to his shoulders. Her fingers clenched slightly around the muscles at the top before traveling over to his back.
Her eyes fell shut as if it brought her great pleasure just to have her hands on his skin. He stared at her in awe. He hadn’t even done anything, and she enjoyed it this much? Maybe he could do this after all.
“I want…” He trailed off as her hands traveled down his abdomen, the muscles jumping beneath her touch.
Her knuckles brushed the tip of his hardened sex.
He wasn’t sure if it was intentional or not, but he couldn’t hide his reaction regardless. His hips jerked of their own accord, breath expelling from his lungs as if he’d been struck.
“What?” She watched him with that sultry gaze. A combination of vulnerability and seduction.
“Touch you,” was all he could manage.
She started to sit up, so he shifted back to let her, watching to see what she would do. Those slightly trembling fingers reached down and pulled her nightgown over her head, tossing it away.
His mouth went dry.
She glanced away, and her hands lifted to cover her breasts before she forced them back to her sides and met his gaze again. He couldn’t stop staring. He never wanted to stop staring.
Supple skin was lit lovingly by moonlight. Her breasts were heavy, her belly a soft curve. Her naked thighs parted to welcome him between them, and he followed her down as she lay back, tracing the swell of one full breast, watching in fascination as she arched into his hand with a sweet sigh.
She liked his touch. She liked his eyes upon her. It was too perfect to possibly be real, yet he refused to waste a second doubting his good fortune.
The passion in her silver eyes gave him confidence, and he flattened his palm on her sternum, sliding it over to cup her other breast. The way the flesh overfilled his palm appealed to some ancient, primal part of him he hadn’t known existed until now. Such a simple thing—womanly flesh overflowing his grip—made him want to growl with satisfaction. It lit a fire in him he had no idea how to control.
He wanted to be closer, as close as it was possible to be. And then closer than even that. He wanted to sink so deep into her warmth he lost himself completely.
Lifting her arms, Harrow wrapped them as far around his shoulders as she could reach and pulled him down to her lips again. His hands continued to travel hungrily over her body as they kissed. She kneaded the muscles of his back, digging her nails into his skin.
He wanted more. Something. Everything. Justmore.
He nipped gently at the skin of her neck as she tilted her head back to expose her soft throat to him. So delicate. So vulnerable. She would snap like a twig under his fingers if he lost control for a second. He would die before that happened.
He dragged his mouth down her chest and paused at her breast, suddenly doubting his desires. Lifting his head, he met her gaze. “Kiss?”
She dropped her head back. “Yes. Kiss.”
He sucked her nipple into his mouth, pleased at her responsive moan. He did it to the other one, too, and received the same reaction. Emboldened, he gripped her supple backside and squeezed.
“I want…” Did he even know what he wanted?
He wanted her.Her head thrown back, crying with pleasure as he tasted the very core of her.
“Yes,” she breathed, though she couldn’t possibly know what he was thinking.
He worked his way farther down her body until his mouth hovered above her abdomen. He ground his hips into the mattress, dragging his erection painfully over the scratchy blankets in an attempt to calm his fervent desires. Unable to deny the urge, he snaked his tongue out to trace the arch of her hipbone down until he reached the soft hair between her thighs.
