Page 28 of On a Barbarian World

He, in the process of pulling her plate of uncooked meat closer to him stilled, watching her lips as she ate. “Woman, you make a noise like that again and I’ll have you finish the rest of your meal in my lap.”

Desire flared to life and made her breath catch. “I wouldn’t let you.”

He leaned closer. “No one allows a warlord anything. I do as I see fit. I am a fair and protective leader, Aurina, but I am also a warrior, and I have my limits.” His voice lowered. “I am being understanding with you, as a stranger who is unaware of our customs. But do not push me too far.”

“Or what?” Oh, Aurina, just keep your mouth shut, girl.

He moved closer still. He picked up something else, this time a piece of juicy fruit a color between orange and strawberry red. He rubbed it across her lips and she licked it, tasting the sweet flavor.

“Or I will take you back to my rooms, strip you naked, and rub the mata fruit all over your sweet skin. Then I will take my time licking it off. But it will be for my pleasure, not yours. I would see you writhe with need as punishment for your disobedience.”

When she could speak, she leaned closer, running her finger over her lips. “Barbarian, I obey no one. I am my own woman, and your customs do not change that. I will respect the fact that you are the leader here, and I will try not to do something in public that causes you grief. But behind closed doors, I do as I please. I will not writhe for you unless I damn well want to. And you will not touch me unless I want you to. You’ve already banished a man for that, so don’t tell me you’d do the same thing.”

“There is one large difference.”

“Oh, yeah? What’s that?”

“You want me to touch you.”

She pulled back, hissing out a breath. “You are so arrogant.”

“I see the desire in your eyes when you look at me. I feel it pulse between us, I’ve felt it growing all day. I want to see your sunset hair spread on my sheets. And I will suck the mata juice from your skin soon…from the delicate skin between your legs.”

Aurina felt a shot of heat arrow down to the juncture of her thighs. She turned her attention back to her dinner and tried to soothe her jumping belly. “Just eat, barbarian.”

“No witty remarks now?”

She barely resisted stabbing him with her fork, or kicking him under the table. Instead, she resumed eating and turned her attention to the hall.

People were still watching them. Or rather, watching her. She figured she’d be old news after a day or two.

“Try this.” Kavon set a piece of…something on her plate. Cooked meat, she decided. She speared it with her fork and ate it.

Her eyes widened. “Oh, that is good.”

“It is⁠—”

She touched a finger to his lips. “No, don’t tell me. It’ll probably ruin it. Let me enjoy it, and tell me later.”

A rusty laugh burst out of him. That made her smile.

When she looked back at the hall, people were staring at Kavon with shocked gazes, as though he’d grown a second head. She guessed he didn’t laugh much.

Aurina had finished a plate of food and was enjoying a drink she guessed was some sort of juice, when a woman sauntered up to them.

She was tall, with a lean figure encased in a leather corset and a white skirt that had a high slit on one side flashing a slender thigh. Colorful scarves had been braided into her long dark hair. She stopped and bowed her head. “Warlord, I wanted to see if you had need of me tonight.”

Kavon sat back. “No, Lali, I told you the other evening, I’d have no need of you again.”

The woman’s face tightened and she glanced at Aurina. “But surely you don’t lie with this…ugly creature. She is short, and round, and odd.”

Aurina raised a brow.

Kavon stiffened, his eyes turning bright gold. “Lali, you apologize to my guest for your rudeness.”

The woman shifted, the whip of his voice making her drop her gaze. “I am sorry, Warlord.”

“To Aurina, not me.”