Page 54 of Heart of Fire
“Considering the fact you willfully deceived me, you have little ground to stand upon,” she shotback.
“True. But now we’re here, and you know the truth. What are you going to do now?” His burning gaze lit her blood on fire.“Always stubborn, my Freyja. I think that is what I like about you most. That you never fear what you probablyshould.”
“Why should I fear you?” She took another step back, the backs of her knees hitting the bed. “After all, you’re the one who warned me you don’t intend to harm me. No, what was it? You planned toeat me allup.”
That smile turned dangerous. There was nowhere to go. “Perhaps Istillplan to eat you allup.”
Rurik took that last step between them and then she was tumbling onto a mattress so soft and fine that for a moment, she could only stroke the deliciously soft material that coveredit.
“Silk,” he murmured with amusement. That devilish light still lit his eyes. “Especially for you, Freyja. I have dreamed of you on my silk sheets. Dreamed of what I would do to you.” That hot gaze scored her body. “Wondered how soft your skin would feel against the silk.” He held his arms out, the thick muscle in them flexing as he gestured to the room. “All of this was for you, and you say all I want from you is onenight?”
Freyja swallowed hard. He didn’t know what he did to her with those words, or how long she’d dreamed of someone saying them to her. Foolishness. She knew it, and still she’d dreamed aboutit.
“I do know.”His eyelids hooded over dangerous eyes.“I want to say them all to you—andmore.”
Freyja slammed her shields back into place. He wanted her in his bed. He’d pursued her, tricked her, and finally resorted to taking what he wanted. Well, she would let him. He would have her body; he would never have herheart.
Rurik bared his teeth at her, swooping down to pick up the blindfold. Freyja scrambled back, her skirts slipping on the cursed sheets. Then his hand locked around her ankle, burning hot and immoveable. She squealed as he hauled her back towardhim.
A hand slid behind the back of her knee, his callused flesh meeting hers as her skirts curled around her waist. The feel of his touch so intimately against her made a shiver run over her sensitive skin. Images from the night before drove into her brain, and she rememberedeverything.
“I want all of you, Freyja. Not just the parts you choose to share with me,” he told her, the other hand capturing the back of her other thigh. He parted her legs as he stepped between them, and yanked her closer to the edge of themattress.
The position put her aggressively in front of him. Freyja’s hands pressed against his thighs as if to halt him, her fingers digging into the bare skin there. Deliciously soft skin rode over hard muscle. She looked down, unable to stop herself. A surge ofsomethingwent through her at the sight of his arousal, leaving her frantically sucking in breath, her fingernails making small half-moon marks in his tanned flesh. She didn’t understand any of this. How could she ache so at the sight of his desire for her? The sensitive skin between her thighs throbbed with it, even as fear circled throughher.
He asked too much of her. For he asked not just for sex, or to take what he wanted from her, but to own her. To possess her heart entirely, and make herhis.
And that terrifiedher.
“Well, you don’t get to choose how much of me you get,” she shotback.
“Don’t tempt thedreki,” he said. His hand caught her chin and lifted it, one of his knees pressing into the mattress between her spread legs as he leaned over her. “Or there will be hell topay.”
Freyja’s fingers flexed against his chest. Heavens, but every inch of him was hard. “You don’t scareme.”
“Really? Then why is your heart beating sohard?”
“Because I’m arguing,” she pointedout.
Rurik gave her a slow, hot smile, amber eyes flaring with golden heat. “You’re alwaysarguing.”
“I wouldn’t have to if you didn’t think you ruled this part of the world... andme.”
“You would argue until your face turned blue.” He leaned over her, one hand beside her hip. “You would argue until the world turned to dust. It wouldn’t matter what Isaid.”
“Then why bother withme?”
“Maybe I like arguing with you.” His cheek brushed against hers, his lips nuzzling her ear. “It gets me all hot under my skin. Makes me think of ways I could win theargument.”
Heat crept up her throat. She felt like she was in his claws again, flying through the air with the wind whipping past her. Any moment he could drop her, and then she’d be freefalling through the air, and damn her beating heart, but the thought almost excited her. “Rurik.”
“Like this....” His mouth trailed across herjawline.
Freyja’s breath caught. His knee came down on the bed between her thighs, pressing her skirts beneath it. She was trapped. And all of this... predatory male heat was spilling overher.
“And this.” Another kiss skated over her cheek, then her mouth. He nibbled at her lips, his tongue darting out to tasteher.
Freyja tumbled onto her back as he followed her down, leaning on his elbows above her. That enormous weight came down upon her, pressing her hips into the mattress, and… oh, lord. Freyja’s eyes shot wide, even as he claimed hermouth.
