Lord Dragon's Conquest by Sharon Ashwood Read Free Book Online Page B

the delicate tracery of pale blue veins. Her skin was warm and beautifully flushed, the sweet taste of it spiced with her arousal.
    Once upon a time, dragons had loved human women, but now that was forbidden on pain of death..Larkan no longer cared. He pulled Keltie down to the furs beside him.
    * * *
    Keltie had been afraid too long, and his touch invited her to lay her fears at his feet. No, his touch demanded it. His opening gambit was simple persuasion, though words were neither necessary nor welcome. Gently his fingers soothed the knotted muscles of her neck and shoulders, working them until she felt boneless. Keltie sighed against him, tears stinging the backs of her eyes as tension left her body. He kissed her lightly, demanding only that she surrender her burden. It was a small step, and yet the situation was too strange. Surrender took trust, and Keltie wasn’t there yet.
    Obviously, she hadn’t been expecting dragons. Her body had relaxed, but her emotions were stuck in a hard, frightened knot.
    And yet she wanted, needed him close. As she lay back against the soft, luxurious furs, he worked the hem of her shirt up her ribs, leaving kisses in his path. The scruff of his beard provided interesting friction and she squirmed beneath it. Her fingers dug into the thick silk of his hair, pulling his face up to hers. Larkan’s bright green eyes questioned her, his gentle request heating to a demand. As their lips met, she felt that heat ignite her own desire, one candle to another. With a will of their own, her hands explored his chest, feeling the thick, hard muscles. She was still disoriented, excited and terrified to be there. She didn’t know what she wanted from Larkan, or what the next hour would bring.
    But there was one thing Keltie did know. She wanted to feel him against her. All of her. With a noise of impatience, she pulled her sweater over her head, reveling in the sudden freedom. Larkan’s mouth dropped to her collarbone, his lips on the flesh she had suddenly offered. He folded her into his arms, as if his body was the only shield she would ever need. The protective gesture won her over. Keltie melted inside, the cold knot within her finally letting go. The future was a gamble, but right there, right then, she knew she was safe.
    As if Larkan sensed her change of mood, he gathered her closer, hands and mouth cataloguing every curve and hollow of her form. Only then did she fully understand how large he was, every part of him long-boned and roped with muscle. Piece by piece, clothing disappeared until all that surrounded her was the nest of furs and Larkan. A slow ache was gathering deep in her belly, begging for release, but she was willing to let it wait. Larkan was not an experience to be rushed. She found the dark trail of hair that invited exploration of the hard ridges in his abdomen. He discovered her breasts and then the moist apex of her thighs, and gave every part of her its due.
    When he finally entered her she was wet and ready, but he was still a tight fit. He eased in slowly, a little at a time, retreating and thrusting again until she was accustomed to him. By then Keltie was already on the edge, digging her fingers into the heavy curve of his shoulders. They moved as one, the electric, maddening ache of it firing every nerve inside her. She wanted him inside her. She wanted him gone. She wanted relief. She wanted...everything.
    Keltie unleashed the wildness he stirred in her, unafraid to use her nails, her teeth, every part of her to possess him. Larkan welcomed it all, more than able to meet her strength. And he was hot, literally, his body growing warmer as their lovemaking went on. The sensation within her—tight and heated —expanded until it blossomed to an explosion, wave after wave tearing through her until the sweet pain of it was more than she could stand. And just before the last shudders were wrung from her, Larkan gave his final thrust, spilling hot and full into her and