9. A Kiss.
"Aye, if you can just direct me on what to do, I will clean and dust or wash, or—" who was she kidding? She had never washed, cleaned or dusted anything in her entire life!
And heavens, he just broke the last foot between them. He was standing right in front of her, and she was too terrified to look up and face those eyes.
Those flaming eyes that seemed to command, and demand, and burn.
Her entire system was already burning up because of his closeness, she could barely breathe, he radiated a certain heat, the kind that set her flesh ablaze. It was nothing like she'd ever known. So she couldn't put a name to this feeling. All she knew was that she was scared.
"Oh, the extra maid was not sent for those kinds of chores," she finally lifted her head, tilting her neck all the way back so she could see his face, and lords! He was staring back at her.
A sound escaped her lips as he suddenly lowered his head to ease her distress. But he only made things worse, for his lips were just some inches away from hers. And before she could take a step back from him, his arm snaked around her waist, pulling her close and tight to his body.
Still with that one hand around her waist, she felt her feet rise from the ground, as he straightened up again to his full height, taking her with him.
"Your job is beyond cleaning, and washing, and dusting." His voice had gone lower, almost lower than a whisper, but still deep and she could sense the darkness in there. Or was she just imagining things?
"Your job is the kind you will not be needing clothes for." Her eyes dilated as his lips were literally touching hers. Why wasn't she talking? What was wrong with her? Why couldn't she say a word? Why wasn't she saying a damn thing? A man was holding her like this and she had somehow lost her voice! How?
"It is a job I really fancy." He smirked, then added, "Your job is to satisfy prince Barak in bed."
Neriah didn't know when or how, but her lashes fell over her eyes as she felt his lips unexpectedly take over hers.
Or did she expect it?
…
His lips were rough, she could feel it. Only now as he kissed her did she realize she had been staring at those lips. Only now as he kissed her did she realize she had actually been wondering if his lips were rough or tender.
They were rough… Or maybe it wasn't his lips that were rough, maybe it was the kiss. Yes, she was certain, it was the kiss. His mouth was warm. No, hot, and it burned her, burned her so badly that she could feel the heat from his mouth filling her entire body.
The people of the Trago Kingdom were known to wield fire, so she'd heard. Maybe that was why he was so hot.
It was a rough kiss, a kiss that commanded and demanded a reaction. Some kind of response that she was not familiar with, that she did not know how to give.
Her lips were deep inside his, and his tongue, sleek and long, had made its way beyond her teeth, entangling and coiling hers. His hand still held her body off the ground, pressing her hard to his body. His other hand held onto her nape, firmly. Roaming into the lush of her silky red hair.
Lyle had kissed her before. On her knuckles, on her forehead, on her cheeks. He'd even kissed her upon her lips, but it was just a light kiss. Just a brush of both their lips, nothing intimate. Nothing like this!
This kiss was blinding, deadly, and far more intoxicating than any of those wines Aria used to sneak into her room for her. Yes, she was intoxicated. Bewitched in fact, because she wasn't thinking right. She had lost all sense of reasoning.
Were people of the Trago Kingdom wizards too? Did he cast a spell on her? Her eyes could not open and she was thinking, thank the goddess he was holding her up, she would have fallen to the ground a long time ago.
He wasn't trying to be gentle at all. Like the barbarian she believed him and his people to be, he was kissing her with authority and possessiveness and yet, yet there was something tender there. Something that meant to thrill, excite, and ignite a certain fire in her.
Oh! She felt a lot of things for Lyle, none of which could come close to what she was feeling right now in the warm—hot arms of this total stranger.
Something in his kiss was cajoling.
Almost like he was silently asking for her permission and also showing her he was the man with the power. All these examinations in a kiss.
A kiss! She was being kissed! By a man she didn't even know, in the bedchamber of the prince she was to be wedded to! And dear goddess! She was betraying the man whom she claimed to be in love with. Lyle!
Cold hard realization hit Neriah, and her eyes flew wide open, her hands that were somehow holding onto his tunic now tensed. Maybe he felt her tense up in his arms, but he suddenly broke the kiss. His dark lashes flew up, revealing compelling golden eyes staring back at her.
She could see some kind of amusement in those eyes, they taunted her. Mocked her, insulted her in the most silent manner.
And still, beneath the amusement and mockery, and insultive gaze, she saw something else flicker in those eyes. Something that seemed like a desire to own, conquer, and possess. Something that seemed like a hunger, a hunger for something he seemed to be surprised he was craving.
A smirk rose to his lips and a deep dent appeared on his left cheek. His dimple was deep. Too deep, she thought of putting her little finger in it, she thought of—
"Why so tense? Have you never been kissed before?" He spoke, and it seemed his question only awakened her further. Her eyes dilated, and her hands instantly began to bang and scratch at his chest as she screamed and screeched some words that definitely did not belong on the lips of a princess.
Of course she had been kissed, many-a-times by the man she loved. But they were all innocent harmless kisses! Just a slight touch of the lips, nothing intense like this. Not once did Lyle slip his tongue into her mouth! But this barbarian just ravaged her entire mouth like he owned the damn place!