He further buries his hand into my hair. “Julia. You have no idea how badly I…”
He trails off as I kiss him back, throwing months of frustration, fear, and stress at him, being rough, wanting to make him suffer through the emotions with me, though I’m starting to think he’s probably suffering already. The branches shift on either side as he slips us into the trees and away from the shore. I don’t know where he’s taking me, only that it’s probably someplace private and away from the others. As the shadows deepen, I grind against him, excited to discover the bulge in his tail is firm. Nudging against my ball of nerves, my toes curl as I push even harder against him.
“Make me feel good,” I beg.I just need to feel something…
He pushes me against the trunk of another tree with enough force the coarse bark digs into my back. I pull back as a gasp escapes. Digging my fingers into him, I strengthen my grip to match his, turned on by his sudden forcefulness. He lifts me higher up the tree with the curve of his tail spreading my legs. When I’m at the angle he wants me, he draws back with a frustrated hiss, and pulls the mask from my face.
Inhaling a cool breath of air, I refuse to acknowledge the risk I’m taking, deciding right then I’m not going to stop this from happening if it does.
He leans slightly back to gaze at me, his eyes molten with lust and framed in shadow. With his right side shaved and evened out, he’s never appeared more tousled or handsome. His serpentine eyes and scales only highlight his unusually attractive features.
“Krellix,” I say, leaving the question ofusunspoken in the air. Practically writhing with pent-up desire, I cup his face with myhands and pull him to me, wanting him to crush his mouth to mine once more.
Maybe I’m brave enough to make the decision for us.
Instead, refusing to let me pull him in, he rests his brow on mine, denying me by mere inches.
“Tell me not to stop,” he groans the words through a frustrated breath, his claws digging at the bark on either side of my head. His continued nearness floods more heat into my senses, making my skin flush. Before long, his body’s scent dwarfs the smell of the forest, the flowers, and the moist soil aroma of the river.
There are so many reasons this is a bad idea. His pheromones can and will sicken me if I breathe enough of them in. He could get me pregnant. He may like it too much; he will take back his word, and not let me walk away. I may like it too much. I may not be able to walk away… and then I’ll be the heartbroken one.
“You don’t want this, remember?” I whisper, reminding him.
One of his hands clasps the back of my neck. “I do want this, more than anything.”
I search his face, nervous all of the sudden. I try to pull him back in for another kiss but he refuses again. “Why… Why are you saying this now?”
He shakes his head, his brow rubbing mine. “You are everything that I could have, if I had not lost everything.”
I frown. “What do you mean?”
“I have nothing to offer you, nothing but myself, and that issss not enough. It will never be enough. Not now.” His face shudders with an expression of remorse. “There is no place truly safe.”
Cupping his face, a tenderness I barely recognize arises in me. “You are enough. You’ve always been enough.” I softly trace the side of his jaw with my fingers. “I thought you wereindifferent. I thought you didn’t want to be burdened with… this.” I lightly wave my fingers to indicate us. “I didn’t want to burden anyone.”
“Indifferent? Only because I cannot have you,” he rumbles, his eyes snapping open to finally meet mine again. He pushes me harder against the tree in response. “I will have you tonight.” His nostrils flare as I take in the warning in his voice. “I will take everything you are willing to give me and nothing more. Anythinghewanted, you said. Now, you know what I want.”
“What about the others?” I whisper.
He runs his thumb under my eye, the tip of his claw gently tracing the bottom of it. The small caress sends arousal crashing through me. “They will be safe enough. If anything should happen, I will hear it.” He presses his tail and the bulge at its center harder against me. “Give me what you would have offered another, Julia,” he growls. “If I cannot keep you, let me have you in every way a male can have his bride just once. I want to know what it is like. I want to know you.”
I stare at him, my thoughts swirling, uncatchable.
Trembling with excitement, I catch hold of one thought and grip it tightly.
I nod.
SIXTEEN
DANCING IN THE DARK
Julia
Krellixand I ease away from each other but only slightly. After a moment, he lowers me so I can plant my feet back on the ground.
His heated gaze roams over me as mine does the same to him, tracing the supple outlines of his thick arms and wide chest. His golden hair no longer drips with river water but the gleam of the water’s dew is still there. My hands are full of him, my front pressed to his, the nearness sending delightful shivers down my back. With how close he is, he shields me completely from the evening chill.
I’m not new to sex but I’m new to him. I’m new to this. I’ve been given details from Daisy and the other women about how it works between a naga and a woman, but I never thought I’d be in a position to act on them. Not really. Not when the one naga that kept sneaking into my thoughts, wasn’t acting like he was interested.
