“Perhaps. But I suspect you are the one who will be burned.”
He would be burned, he had no doubt. Her hair was an abundance of pure flame, flowing around her ivory shoulders and naked breasts with shimmering life. And yet even knowing the danger, he couldn’t stop himself from reaching for her.
“Take care, Lucian-”
She never finished her sentence. His hungry mouth swallowed her words as his arms crushed her to him.
He kissed her fiercely, anger and arousal making his blood surge hot. She tasted like fire. Flame seared him as he thrust his tongue deeper into her mouth, while savage possessiveness burned inside him.
He felt her involuntary response. She had gone rigid at first, but suddenly Brynn opened to him, her lips parting to accept his thrusting tongue. His hardened shaft cramped beneath his breeches with primal need.
He groaned against her mouth, the sound thick and raw. He wanted more of her, needed more…
His hands grasping her shoulders, he bent to her breast, capturing a taut nipple. She arched instinctively, pushing herself against his hot mouth. When he drew hungrily upon the peak, sucking hard, her hands clutched in his hair.
He heard her hoarse breath through a haze of passion. “Don’t you see?” she gasped. “You can’t stop yourself…”
He jerked backward. With a fierce effort at control, Lucian tore himself away. He stood staring at her, drawing in deep gulps of air, passion making him shake.
The struggle was clear on his chiseled face, Brynn realized, feeling clashing emotions of triumph and despair. His eyes glittered with arousal and something darker, a primal lust that was almost savage.
Reaching for her bodice with trembling hands, she covered her naked breasts, which were still heaving at his explosive kiss.
“Do you see now, Lucian?” she asked softly, praying the lesson had sunk in. “You can’t escape the power of the curse. You won’t be able to resist me unless we keep our distance.”
His fists clenched. “I think you underestimate my willpower. I won’t surrender to your spell, siren. I’ll prove to you the curse isn’t real. I won’t touch you again.”
It was precisely the response she had been hoping for-for Lucian to determinedly fight her allure. So why did she suddenly feel such a loss?
Moreover, his newfound resolve created a fresh dilemma. Brynn forced herself to smile tauntingly while her eyes widened with skepticism. “Does that mean you won’t make love to me any longer? If so, then how can I fulfill my wifely duty and conceive a child?”
Smoldering silence met her question, while his virile face hardened.
Brynn took a steadying breath. “That is what you want, is it not? A child? Well, I’ve begun to want the same thing. You promised that when I conceive an heir, I no longer must endure your carnal attentions. So the sooner I comply, the sooner we can be free of each other. I trust after this, however, when you do visit my bed, you’ll make an exerted attempt to control your lustf
ul urges.”
Having delivered that blow, she turned and forced herself to walk regally from the room.
Alone, Lucian stood shaking as the vestiges of passion began draining from his body. What in hell’s name had come over him? He had been wild to have her. If she hadn’t taunted him about his lack of control, he would have stripped her naked and taken her right then, ravishing her without any thought to tenderness.
He could have raped her, his hunger had been that raw, that explosive.
Lucian clenched his teeth, willing his muscles to unlock, willing the fiery ache in his groin to dissipate. He had never been so powerless, so mindlessly out of control.
He swore a vivid oath. And what of next time? If he touched her, would he be unable to resist the flame-haired, green-eyed witch who was his wife?
Chapter Ten
She dreamed of Lucian again. His tongue was on her, gently plying her sex between her thighs, softly licking, arousing, savoring. His tenderness was exquisite.
She arched against the pleasure, whimpering at the sharp sensation that rippled through her. His caresses brought her to the edge of explosion, yet he drew back, leaving her unfulfilled, aching with excitement.
“Lucian… please…” She wanted them joined, yearned for his possession.
He understood her craving.
His kisses moved upward, his breath searing on her naked skin… her belly, her breasts, the curve of her throat. Her body shuddered in welcome as he covered her. His swollen hardness slid into her yielding, wet flesh, deeply penetrating… but then he held himself still.