Claimed & Seduced (13 page)

“I’ve heard Prince Lynx is a terrible flirt and has a reputation with the ladies. I think you’re made in a similar vein.”

“Only with you.” He set his container of berries down and stalked her. His gaze connected with hers and held as he moved toward her with sinuous grace. He cupped her face, his fingers gentle while pure naughtiness curved his lips. “I haven’t met anyone else who entices me to exert my charm.”

“I’m a widow and my birth makes me the enemy. You shouldn’t be with me.” One last attempt to stop this folly.

His chin lifted, his expression sliding into lines of arrogance. “I like you. I have from our first meeting. You don’t treat me like a prince.”

“How do I treat you?”

“Like a man. We’ve picked enough berries. Let’s go swimming.”

Keira glanced down at her container. The berries came up to the three-quarter mark and Jarlath had picked about the same amount. “Hortese will grumble.”

“Let her,” Jarlath said. “She’s lucky we picked any berries.”

Keira snapped covers over both containers and placed them in the flymo. “Bring the basket. The swimming hole isn’t far.”

“I can hear the bubble of water,” Jarlath said. “Is it cold?”

“Refreshing,” Keira countered with a glance back at Jarlath. With his dark hair loose, stubble shading his jaw and his common clothes, he could have passed for a laborer. “Do you shave?”

His mouth tipped up and she noticed a cute indentation to the right side of his lips. “I use stop-beard. Need another application.”

“I like the stubble. It looks sexy on you.”

Keira led the way into another clearing, bordered by the forest and more berry bushes. A stream cut through, making the fourth boundary. The solar star shone, making the water glisten.

“It’s beautiful. Do you come here often?”

“Hortese and I visit on occasion, but the farm work keeps us busy.”

“You work too hard.”

“I like activity.”

“I understand. It’s better to keep the mind and the body active. Last one in is a rotten fodo egg.” Jarlath unfastened the toggles of his black tunic and tossed it aside to reveal a tanned and muscular chest.

This man might complain about sitting in a cage, but he didn’t laze around eating choc-sweets either. Keira’s fingers ceased unfastening her tunic and she gaped, her mouth going dry. Marcus hadn’t looked like this—all muscles and fluid motion. Like Marcus, Jarlath bore a tattoo of a black cat, etched into his biceps, signifying he was of the feline species. Her fingers itched to touch every part of him, to explore his sexy form.

Jarlath sat on a rock to tug off his boots. His gaze met hers and he paused. “What?”

“You are beautiful.”

“Men aren’t beautiful.”

“Let me rephrase. Your body is very attractive.”

“You haven’t seen all of me yet.” Humor glinted in him as he stood and stripped trews down his muscular legs. When he straightened again, he was naked and sporting a full-out smirk plus an erection.

For her.

While Keira gaped, he coughed, and her attention darted to his face.

His nose lifted and he sniffed. “What is that I smell? Ah, yes. A fodo egg.” He sauntered to the water’s edge and dove under the water, the volley of splashes rousing Keira from her stupor.

Feeling unaccountably shy, she disrobed and stepped into the swimming hole. She gasped at the chilly water lapping around her toes.

“It’s not bad once you’re in.” Jarlath made no secret of his interest and her wretched crow started its insistent
caw-caw
again.

“Come here, sweetheart. I’ll warm you.”

“This isn’t a good idea.” While Jarlath made no secret of his desire to have her, she worried about consequences. The realist in her knew they had no future together. How could there be when he was heir to the throne?

“I’m not going to force you. If you don’t want this, I’ll walk away. We haven’t known each other long, but every time we’re together, my feline goes crazy. It feels as if my cat is going to burst from my skin.”

“You too,” she blurted. “I have never felt this before, but since I met you my crow has woken and caws in temper. She spears her talons into my flesh. It’s disconcerting.”

“Maybe it’s a sign. Sweetheart, admit it. You want me as much as I want you. Your kisses give away your feelings.”

She sighed. She did want him. Maybe she should take what she wanted and worry about consequences later. “Yes, you’re right.”

“Come to me then.”

He was making her feel claimed rather than coerced. Without further thought, she waded into the water, her attention fixed on him.

A tiny smile played around his lips, making him seem more normal rather than the untouchable prince.

“I like it when you smile. When I first met you I didn’t think you knew how.”

“Oh, I knew.” He drew her against his chest. “Until I met you there wasn’t much to smile about.”

His mouth covering hers stopped her reply, but pleasure at his words soothed the last of her concerns. They couldn’t have a future, and yet she wanted to enjoy this stolen time with Jarlath.

“I love the color of your skin,” he said against her lips. “So pretty.”

“Inherited from my mother,” she said.

“You miss her.”

“Yes.” Even though she’d never understood her mother’s love and loyalty to Xavier Cronan. The man had creeped her out as a child, and his son—her half-brother—even worse. “I thought you intended to seduce me?”

“I wanted you comfortable before I pounced.” His hands slid down her naked back to cup her bottom. “The thought of you changing your mind—”

“Won’t happen. I’ve made up my mind.”

“Good.”

Mischief lurked in his green eyes, and she found herself smiling, willing to accept his pace.

“I think we’ve played enough,” he said without warning and hauled her to the spot where they’d left their picnic basket.

Jarlath took her in his arms again and sensual tension fired to life. His hands ran up and down her arms and hips and back while he pressed a trail of kisses from her mouth to her jawline and down her neck. His teeth played across the flesh at the base of her neck, scraping back and forth.

She shuddered, pleasure at his touch like warm syrup running along her veins. Her heart ventricles pumped overtime while her crow made soft sounds that echoed through her mind and sounded surprisingly catlike.

“Let me look at you,” he said and gently pushed her away. “Beautiful breasts. Slim body yet strong muscle definition too. Ah, Keira. So pretty. I have never wanted another woman as much as I want you.”

“I want you too.”

He spread the blanket Hortese had sent with them on the ground then swept her into his arms with a broad grin. “Let’s get to the fukking.”

Chapter Seven

T
he blunt language was an attempt to put this situation in perspective. Keep this thing with Keira rooted in truth, because while he hated the idea of marriage, he knew he’d probably obey his parents. But try telling this to his feline. His other self strained against his skin and threatened to burst free.

Jarlath attempted to slow his racing heart, taking deep breaths while he set Keira on the blanket. His feline stretched then subsided, leaving him in full control. Instantly, blood drained downward to settle in his shaft. Oh yeah. Both he and his feline were working in concert now.

He caged Keira between his body and the blanket. His gaze shifted to her mouth, and he plundered that first, taking pleasure in the way she laced her fingers in his hair to hold him close. She writhed beneath him, communicating a hunger as deep as his own.

“Keira,” he whispered when the need to breathe made him break their contact. “You have no idea how much I want this. You.”

“Too much talking.”

“I don’t want to scare you.”

“Flying stars! I’m made of stern stuff.”

Before he could blink, she rolled their bodies, so she ended up on top, straddling his hips and beaming like a bright solar star at her success. “Since you’re not in a hurry, I get a chance to explore.”

“Have at it.” He hoped he managed to restrain his urgency. He’d try because most women were interested in one thing—scoring with a royal. Keira was different and intrigue filled him at what she might do, so he waited.

She scooted back until his cock collided with her backside. “One part of you isn’t patient.”

“You’d do well to remember that.”

Her husky laugh had his feline bursting to action again. Jarlath curled his fingers—claws—into the blanket in an attempt to remain in place.

Instead of replying, she ran her fingers over his chest and strummed his nipples. A growl squeezed past his lips and she chuckled. She set about taunting and teasing with a lick here, a pinch there and a kiss or two to change it up.

“You’re killing me, sweetheart.”

“No, my touch won’t injure you,” she cooed as she moved farther down his body.

He quivered when one hand curled around his shaft. Her fingers were cool against his hot flesh, and he arched into her grip, a moan of pure pleasure escaping. “Again,” he demanded in a thick voice.

“My pleasure.” Her hand went up and down, up and down, up and down until he trembled like a leaf in the wind.

“
Grata
,” he muttered as desire prickled, as distressing as an uncatchable itch. Raw urgency suffused him, and he flipped her off and under him before she had time to blink. She grinned up at him, the delicate green highlighting her cheeks charming. Super sexy, she called to him on every level. “My turn.”

He sealed his lips over hers and cupped one breast. His finger and thumb toyed with the nipple until it hardened and swelled. Her sweet taste filled his mouth while her scent enticed him. Flowers and arousal.

Sweet.

Addictive.

Mine.

His hand drifted down her flat belly. Her navel was a miniscule indent, a discovery he found fascinating. He paused to lick a lazy circle. His actions tugged a giggle from her, and he smiled against her satin skin. Moving lower, he parted her toned legs and trailed his fingers down her slit. She was hot and wet when his fingers slid over her smooth flesh.

“Do that again,” she said, her voice thick with need.

He repeated the action, then lifted a digit to his mouth to taste. “You taste so fukkin’ sweet.”

Patience at an end, he wedged her legs farther apart with his thigh and positioned his cock at her entrance. He kept his gaze on hers as he pushed inside her feminine heat.

Keira’s eyes fluttered closed and she rocked her lower body, forcing him deeper. She sucked in a hasty breath and released it in a sexy moan.

Jarlath withdrew a fraction and surged back into her until he was balls deep. His cock throbbed while he paused to luxuriate in her heat.

“Move,” she ordered. “Please. No teasing. I need…I want…
please
.”

“Keira.” Her name was a loud purr, full of everything he dare not put into words. Instead, he withdrew and set up a fast rhythm of in and out. Hard friction of their bodies. Soft sighs. Hers. Loud grunts. Him.

Her fingers curled around his upper arms, her nails gouging his flesh. The pinprick of pain shunted through his body and sweetened the pleasure bubbling in his balls. He groaned, and helpless to hold back, he surged into her channel again and again. His teeth pierced the skin at her neck, and he tasted her coppery blood as he licked the wound. Pleasure, so hot he didn’t think he’d survive, whooshed through him and up his cock. He thrust again and his seed burst from him in hard pulses, taking everything with it, his thoughts, his heart and soul. His last thought as he exploded into Keira was it had never been like this before.

Never.

It took long mins to come back to himself. Keira’s hands pushed against his shoulders.

“Heavy,” she muttered. “Move.”

“
Grata!
Sorry, sweetheart.” He pulled free and flopped over onto his back, breathless and sated from the experience.

“Is that it?”

Jarlath turned his head to look at her. Her beautiful face was flushed green and the golden flecks in her eyes seemed brighter than ever. “What?”

“When is it my turn for pleasure?”

“What?”

She hit his shoulder, and his brain belatedly interpreted the signs in the correct manner. Not pleasure or happiness but temper. He frowned and sat up.

“I thought you’d be different. Never mind. I’ll do it myself.”

Jarlath gaped as her hand slid down her body to delve between her legs. For a moment, disbelief kept him frozen.

“No!” The word burst from him. “I’m sorry. Please let me.” He moved over her and jerked her hand from her sex. “Let me. I’m not usually this selfish. Please let me prove it to you.”

They fought a swift duel by gaze, and finally, she nodded.

This time he noticed the things he’d failed to observe. In arousal her pink nipples took on a tinge of green, as did her lips, currently pursed in a firm, flat line. He kissed her mouth until the frown gave way to acceptance.

While his hands glided over her breasts, shaping and testing their weight, he castigated himself. Something had happened to him. For the first time in his life, he’d lost control. It couldn’t happen again, not if he hurt Keira in the process.

He pressed his lips to her neck then licked her skin. The faint taste of salt hit him and it contained an underpinning of something floral. He moved his attentions farther down her body, pausing at the base of her neck to nibble on the fleshy pad of skin where her shoulder began, the spot where his teeth had pierced earlier.

She’d remained silent until that point, and he was heartened to hear her soft cry of pleasure. He bit down a little harder, giving her a hint of pain, and her hands crept around his shoulders, holding him to her.

Relief kicked him in the gut. This was fixable. He’d apologize later, ask her what had happened because he’d missed something in his stupor. For now, he’d focus on her pleasure. His tongue lapped across the skin he’d bitten, and she cried out again, her fingernails digging into his skin.

Next, he paid attention to her breasts, took a moment to taste the pink-green nipples. His hands coasted across her skin, stroking, sometimes pinching while he worshipped her breasts. She mewed—a very catlike sound that grabbed him in the chest. Beating back amusement, he moved his explorations south.