Wicked Empress: The Onic Empire, Book 4 by Anitra Lynn McLeod Page B

entire world. Dropping all pretense of anger, she kissed him back with just as much heat. If she could, she would part her legs and wrap them around his waist, pulling him even closer to her. But as it was, she just wiggled helplessly as he pressed into her so tightly he took her breath away.
    Lifting his mouth from hers, he grasped her hips, thrusting himself against her as he moaned into her ear all the things he would do to her. “I want to rip this dress off you until you’re standing there naked and shivering, then I’d rub my body against yours to warm you up. I’d slip my hand between your legs and finger your tight, sweet cunt until you were panting and sweating and begging for my cock. Still, I wouldn’t give it to you. You’d swivel those luscious hips of yours on my fingers, crying for more, your body writhing, your mouth seeking mine, and I would thrust my tongue into your mouth, making you think of my cock in your cunt.” He fell to kissing her again, using his tongue just as he said, making her think of his cock doing the same.
    Tearing her mouth away, she struggled to remove her dress. She wanted to feel him against her, flesh to flesh, with nothing separating them. So far, she’d only felt him through fabric and she wanted to know the texture of his skin, the scent of his body, the taste of his sweat. Tugging at her dress, she uttered a growl of frustration as the wet fastener slipped from her grip. His hands were there, helping her, fighting against the sodden fabric that refused to release her. Together they struggled with her dress, kissing and snarling, breathing out all the depraved things they would do once she was free.
    “Stop.” Breathless, he fell against her, his weight a comfortable protection from the cold. “I cannot do this.”
    “Damn you and your silly morals!” She forced him to look at her. “You are not an acolyte anymore. There is nothing holding you back from me.”
    “That never held me back.” His finger traced along her nose to the tip, then down to the very edge of her upper lip. “You are beautiful, Bithia, but more than that, you are a wild, untamable woman. You are everything I’ve ever wanted. With you, I honestly believe I could be satisfied for a lifetime.”
    No man had ever spoken so plainly to her, so forthrightly about his feelings. No games, no courtly flirting, just simple honesty that left her feeling more vulnerable and afraid than she ever had because she knew in her heart he wasn’t finished. She wanted to stop him from speaking any further and ruining this moment, but she couldn’t get her hand up to his mouth in time.
    “But you are my friend’s bondmate.”
    Her eyes closed because that was the last thing she expected him to say. She imagined he would worry about creating an illegitimate heir, or that she would cast him aside when she no longer wanted him, but instead, his concern was for another. Not himself, which she could understand, nor even her, which would have touched her deeply. No, his concern was for another man.
    “I thought Drahka was just your student.” Even as she made the accusation, she knew it wasn’t true. She’d seen the way they looked at each other, but she’d thought only simple lust glittered their eyes, not anything deeper than that.
    “At first he was, but now he is my friend. And…” His voice trailed off, making Bithia aware that more brewed between the two men than she had previously thought. He couldn’t put it into words, but she was certain Viltori looked upon Drahka as more than a student, more than a friend. Dare she think he looked upon the man with something like love in his eyes?
    An age-old hurt rose to the surface, decimating whatever kindness she felt. She pushed Viltori away. He would rather have Drahka than her. Always, Bithia was second best, second choice, second-class. Her parents had rejected her for her half-sister Kasmiri, and now Viltori rejected her for her bondmate. If Viltori were