Iris Johansen by The Ladyand the Unicorn

escalating the molten heat that seemed to be flowing in every vein of her body. “Yet you didn’t take me,” she said huskily, her head swimming dizzily.
    “You scared the hell out of me,” he said incredibly, his lips hovering only a breath away from her own. “I wasn’t about to be dragged into an obsessive relationship that I couldn’t control. I had to reject you to prove that I could do it.” His tongue was gently tracing the line of her lower lip. “Open your mouth, Janna. I’ve got to know the taste of you.”
    She parted her lips, and his eager tongue entered to explore and slake himself on her inner sweetness, his hands rhythmically kneading the muscles of her back while his lips drank thirstily from the bounty that she offered. She heard him utter a deep, animalgroan somewhere deep in his throat, and she could feel his muscles tauten with an almost unbearable tension.
    With one swift movement, without even breaking the contact of their lips, he scooped her up and transferred her to his lap, where he cradled her in his arms. She was dazedly conscious, through the thin jersey of her gown, of his hard arousal, and she felt a little frisson of fear run through her. She was suddenly aware of how small and fragile she was in comparison to his virile maleness. He was all massive muscle and aggressive drive. If he chose, he could break the delicate femininity in his grasp with effortless ease. Then, incredibly, she felt that massive body tremble, and she knew it was need for her that had shaken him. Her own fear suddenly vanished in the wake of the surge of joyous power that flowed through her.
    His lips left hers, and he buried his head against her throat, his breathing hard and shallow. “God, I want you,” he said thickly. “I was jealous as a schoolboy tonight when I watched you laughing and talking with Dawson. I didn’t want you smiling at anyone like that except me.”
    “But you sent me away with him,” she protested faintly as he pushed the yellow gown totally off her shoulder and nibbled gently at the smooth skin of her upper arm.
    His teeth suddenly nipped sharply at her soft flesh. “You weren’t supposed to enjoy it so much,” he said tersely. “Next time, you’re not going to be more than a foot away from me all evening.” His hands moved around to her back, and suddenly she felt a cool waft of air as he deftly slid down the zipper. She inhaled sharply when she felt his large warm hands on her naked back, and she stiffened involuntarily in his arms.
    “Easy, love,” he murmured softly, and his voice was amazingly tender, completely lacking its usualbrisk abrasiveness. “I’m not going to hurt you. You’re such a sweet, wild thing.” His hands were moving soothingly on her back, gentling her as if she were the wild thing he had called her. “I just want to fill my hands with you. You feel like golden silk beneath my fingers.” His hands moved around and were suddenly cupping the fullness of her breasts in his palms. “God, what a lovely, sweet weight they are,” he said hoarsely, his lips pressing tiny hot kisses on her throat and cheeks. “I want to see them.”
    His lips covered hers in a hot, liquid kiss, while his hands slowly nudged the bodice of her gown to her waist and then were once more on the peaked thrust of her breasts, his thumbs teasing the nipples into burgeoning hardness. Janna felt her breasts swell and harden beneath that sensuous touch as if they were offering themselves at his demand. She made a tiny little sound that was half plea, half moan, but it was lost beneath the urgency of his lips on hers. Then he was releasing her and pushing her gently away, his eyes narrowed on her breasts with an intensity that was as scorching as the teasing manipulation of his hands. One finger delicately traced the dusky pink nipple.
    “Beautiful,” he breathed huskily, his hand lifting the firm mounds in his hands. “All lovely shades of cream and tan and pink. You’re