Page 70 of Clash of Storms
"You're blushing," he purred. "Have I ever told you how often I've wondered just how much of your skin that blush covers?"
She squirmed. The body was willing. More than willing. But her heart held doubt. "But the princess—"
"Means nothing."
"How can I believe you?" she cried. "You want me in your bed, but you're the one hunting the princess!"
"Don't pretend I don't want you. You know, Malin. Youknow. There is something between us. There's always been something between us. And you want me too. You would never have taken such pleasure in driving me to my wit's end all those years if you didn't secretly enjoy it."
"Fine. I will concede I am strongly attracted to you," she countered, squaring her shoulders. "You want to bed me? Then the answer is yes. I want it too."
Heat flared in his eyes, and he reached for her—
"But there is one condition: I cannot let you into my bed if you are bound to Árdís. Swear to me you will not pursue her. Cast off your word to mate with her, and I will be yours. End this chase."
Instantly, his expression turned hard. "Damn it, Malin, its not that simple."
"Yes, it is," she insisted. "I will let you ravage me, Sirius." The rasp of her dress seemed to irritate her sensitive breasts at the mere thought. "I will willingly give you every piece of me, if you forswear her in front of the Goddess."
She held her breath.
Conflict warred on his face.
And Malin's heart sank a little.
If you wanted me, truly wantedme, then you would not hesitate....
All these years she'd longed to know the identity of her admirer, certain her fate lay entwined with his. Certain he could love her.
That it was Sirius no longer shocked her. Perhaps she hadn't expected a fiercedrekiprince to long for her, but she could reconcile herself to such a fate. She liked him. Too much, perhaps.
But this? All her worst fears came true.
She was not enough.
"You don't want me," she whispered.
"Of course I do." He clung to her hands when she tried to draw away. "You knownothing. I gave my word to mate with her."
"Clearly your sense of honor is more important than me," she whispered. How wrongly she'd judged him.
"If I break it, then my father will kill Andri!"
"What?"
"I don't want Árdís. I never have." Sirius stared at her intently. "Andri and Magnus were sent to treat with Rurik. I demanded father send me in place of Andri, but he said if Magnus and I both went, then nobody would believe Rurik had attackedus. It was meant to be a trap, Malin. They were meant to kill the prince. And Andri couldn't do it." He squeezed her fingers, stroking the back of her knuckles as if suddenly fascinated with the sensation of her skin. "Rurik defeated Magnus, and when Andri returned with news of his death, Stellan meant to kill him. By the time I arrived, there was little left of him, and the only reason they spared him was because I pledged to do anything Stellan wanted of me.Anything."
They stared at each other, breathing hard.
Malin's lips parted, as her rage washed out of her. "They were going to kill Andri?"
So dark his lashes. They shielded his eyes, as if he sought to hide from her. As if she somehow had the power to hurthimin this moment, which was ridiculous.
"Unless I agreed to the betrothal ceremony," he admitted, in a rough voice. His thumb stroked her sleeve, sending a fractured awareness skittering down her spine. There was a world of yearning in the gesture, every inch of him restrained with fierce mental chains of iron, barely daring to touch her. "And when I saw Árdís leaving that night I let her, because I thought—I hoped—if she wasn't there, then the mating ceremony wouldn't go ahead." His voice hardened. "I was wrong."
The breath skittered from her. "Oh."
"If I go back on my word then my father will kill Andri," he said, in a hard voice. "You don't know how much I want to accept your offer. You haveno idea."
