She checked on him, his hand still linked with Kye’s, his body arched in pain.He slowly sank to his knees, and Kye released her hold on him.Lyra ran to him, putting her armsaround his shoulders.They were rock-hard with tension, shivering with the tremors that moved through him like electrical currents.
“This is normal, right?”Lyra asked.
“Yes.”Kye putahand on Lyra’s back.“Stay with him.He’llbe okay.”
Lyra leaned back enough to look at his face.Tears streamed down his cheeks.Gods, every feelinghe’drepressed all coming out at once.
“It’s all right, Archer,”she whispered, sending him her affection and gratitude for what he was going through to be with her.It overwhelmedher,the bond now forged between them.Hewasinside her now.
He collapsed to the floor, releasing such a long breath that she wondered ifhe’dbeen holding it all this time.She watched his face as he processed everything, unaware of how much time had passed.Or even that Kye had quietly left some time ago.Lyra held his hand all through it, hoping itwouldn’toverwhelm him so much thathe’dhave to go into isolation like one Caido had.He had been gripping her hand back all along.When he released his hold on her, she watched as his eyes slowly opened.
“Archer?”
He never took his gaze from her as he managed to sit up.“I feltgrief and angerand joy and…you.I felt so much for you.”
She laughed and reached for the hand he held out to her.“Me,too.That was overwhelming, but ina good way.”She rubbed his palm with her thumb and letall ofher feelings flow.“No pain?”sheasked.
“Not even discomfort.”
Archer got to his feet, pulling Lyra up beside him.He scooped her up in his arms and took her to his bedroom.The moment he set her on herfeet,she started unbuttoning his shirt.He torehersoff, yanked her close, and devoured her mouth.He let out the most amazing sounds, low moans and sighs, his hands sliding over her arms, her breasts, devouring her body, too.
He laughed while still kissing her.“No pain.I can feel all of it, desire, heat…you.All in full Technicolor.”He braced her face with his big hands,wonderin his beautiful eyes.“For the first time.”The enormity of it resounded in his voice.
And it was with her.Only with her.She ran her fingers across his face, finally able to touch him.“You’re not cold anymore.”
He shook his head, taking her thumb into his mouth.She tilted her head back, lost in the sensation of his tongue, something so simple and yet so erotic.His mouth moved across her palm, then down her wrist.He drew her other hand to his chest.“I’mon fire.Right here.”He dragged that hand lower, across his ridged stomach, over the rough material of his jeans and the thick ridge beneath.“Here.”
She flexed her fingers, and he groaned.“Definitely there.”
Archer anchored his fingers in her waistband and yanked her closer.He unbuttoned her pants, and she shimmied out of them.She freed himofhis jeans, sliding them down his contoured legs.She ran her fingers back up his body as she stood again, feeling the golden, coarse hairs of his legs.
“It’s been a long time,”he murmured, kissing her neck.
“How long?”
“Twenty, thirty years.Can’tremember exactly.And it was never withtrue desire, only a need for release.So, in effect, this is my first time.”
She gave him a coy smile, loving the idea of that.“Should I be gentle with you?”
He traced his finger along the edge of her panties, and with a flick of finger and thumb, broke the string.“I might not be gentle with you.The need for you is overwhelming.”
“Mmm, I think I can handle that.”
He pushed her back onto the bed and leaned down over her, holding his weight so hedidn’tcrush her.But his mouth did, taking her in with a ruthlessness that spoke of all those years of hungerhe’dsuppressed.She pulled him down all the way, reveling in hisbodypressing hers into the mattress.He jammed his hands beneath her, squeezing her and pulling her againsthim.As though he could pull her right inside him.She ground her pelvis against his, digging her fingers into his back.
He growled, nipping at the curve of her neck and working his way down.Her Dragon growled back, and she released a roar as Archer’s teeth skimmed her skin, both pleasure and pain.He worked his slow, tantalizing way,nibbling, making her friggin’crazy.
“You’re vibrating,”he murmured against her skin.“I think you’re about to combust.”
“I thinkI’mabout to catalyze.My Dragon loves you.I mean, it was turned on by you before, but nowitlovesyou.”She had to catch her breath as his tongue traced lines down her stomach.
“Well,” he said, breathless.“I haveDragonin me now, don’t I?At least a small part.”
“That explains why my beast is going so crazy,”she said on a laugh.
“And perhaps why I feel…hot.”
She lifted her head to look at him on that word,spokenso heavily.His eyes were heated instead of glittering like ice.“But you heated me right from the beginning.Once I drew that heat into me, I was done for.”
