Page 87 of The Mating Claim

Dancing with the sprites, she laughed and twirled, a vision in moonlight, drenched in enchantment. Drust’s resolve melted away. He would make love with her tonight, and his vow bedamned.

For once, he wanted to think of himself, and Lacey, and not his dragon charges or his duties as the Coldfire Wizard. Life was fleeting and he needed to savor every single moment withher.

Lacey, hissoulmate.

When the sprites flew away and Lacey returned to him, she laughed. “That was amazing. I felt like I could soar upward with them. You’re amazing,wizard.”

And then she saw his face and all laughter died from her, leaving only the clear stamp of desire and passion shining in hereyes.

He stretched out a hand. “Come to my bed. I will take you to the heights of a pleasure you have neverknown.”

She took his hand, and he led herupstairs.

The night had grown intense,and yet she wished to cherish every moment. Because she could no longer deny she was falling in love with Drust, the cynical wizard she once thought of as anenemy.

To her surprise, he went into her bedroom, where a fire crackled on thehearth.

Drust pulled off his shirt, showing a hard chest covered with dark hair. Her anticipationmounted.

He kissed her, his mouth trailing heat. A lick of desire caressed her, making her shiver withanticipation.

She went to thebed.

Shadows danced in the golden flames cast by the crackling flames in the fireplace. On the nightstand glinted two champagne flutes filled with sparkling wine, a bottle encased in an ice bucket hinted it was a fine French champagne. It was a scene set for a deliberateseduction.

Yet she needed no seduction. She wanted this, craved it. Lacey pulled off her clothing and stood by the bed, glancing at thesheets.

“Overkill much, wizard? Satin sheets?Champagne?”

Was that a becoming flush on his lean cheeks? So adorable and boyish. Drust shrugged, muscles flexing beneath his skin. “It’s been a long time since I’ve made love, Lacey. I wanted everything to beperfect.”

“It is perfect,” she told him. “Because it’syou.”

Delight shone on his face, then heated intensity. Drust’s gaze swept over her naked body. He removed his clothing slowly as she watched, anticipation curling throughher.

Then he joined her, standing behind her, pressing a single, sweet kiss to the juncture between her shoulder and neck, trailing a kiss down to her dragon birthmark. It glowed blue, and filled her withwarmth.

He cupped her breasts, palming their heavy weight as she threw back her head and closed her eyes. Drust thumbed her nipples with expert ease, lazily stroking them as they hardened. When he stopped, her eyes flewopen.

She needed him. Now. Lacey climbed onto the bed and lay back, watching him in the firelight. Seeing evidence of his desire for her, his erection hard as steel, the length intimidating. Taking all that into her body… a shudder raced throughher.

“You know wizard, you are kinda big down there. I heard the first time always hurts,” she whispered. “But I trustyou.”

The tenderness in his expression eased any fear. “I want you to feel only pleasure, Lacey. Nothingmore.”

Satin sheets rustled as she shifted her weight on the bed. Drust skimmed his long, slender fingers down her body. Lacey lay still and naked, one arm flung above her head. Between her legs, she ached for him, longed for him to fill heremptiness.

“Such beautiful breasts. I want to taste them,” hewhispered.

An intense gaze dark as fiery as the sun itself, caressed her naked body, causing her flesh totighten.

He was powerful, with a manner accustomed to command. Like his surroundings, he was elegant and refined. Black curly hair touched his broad shoulders. His features were classic, the chin brutally masculine, contrasting to the fullness of hislips.

The strength in those elegant hands could snap necks like dry twigs, or slowly stroke between a woman’s legs, making her beg andplead.

“Bind yourself to me, Lacey. Lose your soul in mine,” hewhispered.

Instead of answering, she slid her arms around his neck and kissed him. Drust shuddered, quivering like a racehorse eager for the run as she trailed her fingers across the hard muscle of his chest, the dark hair coveringit.