Page 36 of The Silver Spider
“It’s just a kiss, Serephone. Not your virginity.”
For a moment her thoughts turned somewhere dark, and then she yanked them back into the present time.
When she looked at him again, he was watching her. “Yes or no?”
“Fine. Just get it over with.”
His brows rose, but he smiled. “Come closer, sweet.”
She leaned against him. “Don’t call me—”
“Yeah, yeah. You should probably just straddle me. A better angle.”
“You aretaking advantage—”
“You wound me.” His words were playful, but his expression implacable. “I’ll wait for you to be comfortable.”
She knew she was delaying. It was just a kiss and there was no need to make a big deal over it. But it was Amnan. Amnan, who was already wheedling his way under her skin for some inexplicable reason she couldn’t identify. Damn dragon.
Serephone used a touch of her magic to darken the shadows around them as a concealment. The nature of her work costume was such that when she straddled his lap, her bare inner thighs were across him with no more barrier than the scrap of her panties. She sucked in a breath, feeling the hard length of him underneath her. His eyes closed.
“I can’t help the reaction of my body, Serephone,” he said. “Ignore it. Please.”
She didn’t want to. For a split second she struggled with the urge to rub herself along him, a flicker of throbbing in her body. Damnit. She bit her lip, smothering a gasp when her hips moved, just a little.
“Serephone,” he growled. “Stop it.”
She scowled. “I didn’t mean to.”
“Stone and Skies. When you mean to, let me know?” He blew out a breath, opening fiery eyes. “Business. Focus.”
“You’re the one who—”
His hand slid around the back of her neck, silencing her. She watched him warily. She wasn’t afraid of his desire, or her own. She just didn’t want to deal with it. But for now she needed to set her issues aside and get done what needed to be done.
“I’m going to kiss you now,” he said.
She rolled her eyes. “You don’t have to treat me like—”
“Fine.”
He kissed her, a taste of irritation under the desire. Tension in his body, in the strength of his fingers and the vibrating energy running through him as he held his entire body still, except for the lips on hers. Smooth lips, flavored with the red wine, the scent of male and dragon in her nostrils. His mouth pressed hers open, tongue delving inside. The first tendrils of magic curled around her and her body…reacted.
Her hands seized his shoulders, fingers digging in as she leaned into his chest. He inhaled abruptly, intensifying the kiss, tugging her head back and for a moment they both forgot their purpose. He was beneath her, hard and ready, and the booth was dark. She could just slip her hand between their bodies, release him, raise her hips, and…
….she tore her mouth from his, a moan in her throat. “Damn you.”
“Not my fault.” His arm slid around her waist. “Come back, spell not done.”
His eyes flickered, the same sensual torment in the strain on his face. She wanted, she needed, and it was completely unexpected.
Her damn stepbrother.
“Serephone, you have that look again,” he said. “I’m closing my eyes, because in just one minute, I’m going to take you up on the invitation.”
She glared at him. What fucking invitation?
“That’s better.” He let out a breath, muttered something she didn’t understand, and kissed her again.
This time is was sharp, forceful, and fangs deliberately nicked her lips. Blood filled their mouths, the salty explosion seized by his magic and the spell wrapping around them both. She fought instinctively to control it, to exert her will on the shape of the spell. His mouth moved against hers, silent words, and for a moment her heart stopped beating, her breath gone. And then their breaths synced, and before the feeling faded and she felt normal in her skin again—except for the uncomfortable desire—she felt him in her blood. His restlessness, his desire, his complete focus on her, as if nothing else was in the room. And, something else, something she chased, trying to analyze before she was shunted aside, and the spell slipped into obscurity, as if it wasn’t even there.
“Done,” he said hoarsely. “Now get off my lap, unless you want me to fuck you.”
She scrambled off his lap immediately, as if he were a sack of coals. He grabbed her wrist as she stood, yanking her to a halt. Her fist curled and she looked at him.
“When Serephone?” he asked.
She answered before she thought. “I don’t know.”
And didn’t realize until moments later why he smiled. Because she’d all but admitted that therewould bea when.
