I stepped back, watching her, but that one thing was obvious. I'd just roughed her up a bit, and she looked like she wanted more, but that didn't make sense! I knew what had happened to her. She should be running into the other room, begging Sylis to help her.
Instead, she turned her hand to press against the base of her throat. Her pulse raced up the side of her neck, but when she clenched her thighs together, I realized she was completely turned on. For me.
"I have beentryingnot to terrorize you," I hissed, closing the distance between us again so Sylis wouldn't overhear this in the other room. "I'm being a fucking gentleman, Meri."
"Stop."
My body rocked with the power of that word. "What?"
"I'm tired of being good!" she snapped. "I'm a Dragon, Drozel. I'm free, and that means I can do what I want. I don't have to be the remnants of what the Moles threw out. I don't need to be a proper wife. I amallowedto be naughty, and just once, I want to - "
I didn't let her finish. I'd heard enough, so I kissed this woman again - and didn't hold back. My hand found her throat, tilting her face where I wanted it. The other caught her hip, pulling her against the immense pressure in my pants, and she leaned in to grind against me.
The growl in my throat proved she was the one in control here, because I was unraveling quickly. This tiny, timid, gentle little creature had me wrapped around her smallest finger. When she caught the waistband of my pants and pulled? I bucked into her, grinding my length against her belly.
That earned me the softest moan, so I shifted my lips from her mouth to her jaw, then her neck, pausing beside her ear.
"I am going to have a shower now, my pretty little Sparrow. A very cold one so we can both let the blood return to our brains, but you think about this. I don'tjustwant to kiss you. I want to throw you in my bed. I want to pin you against the wall in the shower. I want to bend you over the kitchen counter. I want to make you scream, Meri, but in pleasure. Never in pain. Do you hear me?"
"Yes," she breathed.
I stole her mouth again, kissing her hard, exactly the way I wanted - but quickly. "I am too much for you. I have tried hard not to scare you, because you deserve to be pampered. A woman like you should be loved, treasured, and protected, but that's not the kind of man I am."
And I turned, snagging the towel off the floor before heading into my room. I needed an ice-cold shower, so it didn't matter if the heat was burning. Cold would get my brain going again.
Then my bedroom door slammed closed. I turned to see Meri standing there.
"Do not ever tell me what I want," she said calmly.
I tossed the towel on my bed and crossed my arms. "Okay."
"I am not fragile."
"You are."
And she squealed in the back of her throat. "I amnot! I don't break, Drozel. I'm not big, or strong, or dangerous, but that doesn't make me fragile."
Slowly, I nodded, seeing her point. This woman? She was more like a willow. Each strand was beautiful and delicate, but they didn't break. They bent. They adapted. They withstood things larger trees couldn't and came out just as beautiful on the other side of the biggest storms.
"Okay," I relented.
"And I know what happens between a man and a woman," she continued. "I'm not stupid either. I want to be loved, okay? I want to be happy. I want many, many things, Drozel, and here I'm allowed to have that. Iwillhave it!"
I let my arms relax and closed the distance between us. Gently, I clasped her arms, encouraging her to take the last step to me. When she did, I slid my hands up, cupping both sides of her face and bent, pausing just before my mouth found hers.
"Fragile is not weak, little sparrow."
"I'm not fragile," she whispered, those blue eyes searching mine, and she didn't pull away.
"Okay," I said one more time. "But I'm not going to be the one telling Lessa about this. If you survive that, I'll believe you're the strongest woman I know."
And then I kissed her again, but this time, I didn't rush it. I made love to her mouth the way she deserved. I kissed her until she moaned so sweetly, and then I drank it in, deciding this wouldn't be the last time this happened.
Seventy-Six
Meri
Leaving Drozel's room to get that workbook for Sylis? I may have swayed a bit. When I gave it to him, he tried to pretend nothing had happened. At least until the water started running in the other bathroom. Then, he admitted he'd heard some of that.
