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His voice drips with dark seduction.“You know what wouldn’t be fair?”Taking my hand, he cups it over his hard-on.“Leaving me like this.”His warm breath fans over my lips.“You did this.Now, fix it.”

Damn.

He feels good.

And just like that, all my noble intentions vanish and my resistance crumbles.When I lean against him, a wicked smile curves his lips.He lifts me up, waiting until I’ve hooked my legs around his hips before he carries me to the bed.

I lock my arms around his neck, staring into those mercury-colored eyes.“I want to take Karl and the women outside.They need fresh air.”

He’s all flexing muscles and virility, his large body engulfing mine.“You can take them to an inner courtyard.”

“The Sky Bridge.”

His powerful steps jostle me in his arms.“Ten minutes.”

I’ll take that.“And I want to see the scrolls again.”

“Next week.”

My smile is challenging.“Tomorrow.”

His eyes turn into slits.“Are you using sex for bargaining with me again, mate?”

I fake innocence.“You know what?Actually, I’m exhausted.Maybe we should wait?—”

“Fine,” he growls impatiently.“Tomorrow.”

I’m about to gloat about that victory and rub it in his face, but everything I wanted to say is forgotten when he splays his fingers over the back of my head before closing them in a fist in my hair.With a gentle but decisive tug, he tilts my face back, exposing my mouth for his taking.

Whatever I was thinking turns to ashes in the wake of the flames that blaze between us.

Before my back hits the bed, he’s already kissing me like there isnotomorrow.

Chapter10

Elsie

Guilt sets in when bright sunlight wakes me.I’m snuggling in Aruan’s bed with my back against his chest.He has one arm thrown over my waist, anchoring me to him, and I’m using the bicep of his other arm as a pillow.His breathing is even, but he’s awake.I sense it.

When I turn in his arms, he’s staring at me with such an intense gaze that goosebumps break out over my skin.The butterflies in my stomach are both from apprehension and something entirely different, something that feels a lot like… I can’t describe it.Contentment?Excitement?Nerves?

Wait a minute.

Am I freaking falling in love?

The idea is so disconcerting that I jackknife into a sitting position.

What the fuck am I doing?I haven’t even decided if I’m staying or going.I have no business developing feelings for my mate.Because what we share is only physical.For now.I can still leave without either of us getting hurt.

But if I allow feelings to enter the equation, it won’t be so easy to simply hoof it out of here as soon as I find a portal to Earth.Feelings will complicate everything.Besides, Aruan’s interest in me is of a proprietary sexual nature.It doesn’t go further than that, and it will be stupid to make myself more vulnerable than I already am.

Becoming aware that he’s diverted his gaze from my face to my naked breasts, I tug the sheet up to my chin.It takes effort to push my startling train of thought down and not to let him know where my mind has been wandering.To my surprise, I find that I can block him from probing our bond.

He raises a brow, letting me know he’s onto me.

It takes a lot more effort to keep my voice normal.“How long have you been awake?”

His lips quirk.“Long enough.”