Iris Johansen by The Ladyand the Unicorn Page A

what the primitive tribes must have envisioned as the perfect earth mother.”
    His head slowly lowered as if driven inexorably, and his lips brushed a taut nipple in a delicate caress that caused a shudder of sheer, primitive need to run through her. His tongue joined his teasing lips in the gentle salutes to each breast before he glanced up at her, his dark eyes holding hers with mesmerizing intimacy. “Bring me to your lovely breasts and let me suckle, little earth mother,” he said thickly, and almost without thinking Janna’shands reached up to curl in the heavy darkness of his hair and pulled his lips to her breasts.
    He gave a feverish moan of satisfaction as his lips closed on her engorged nipple and suckled at it with tongue, teeth, and the strong suction of his lips. It was an incredibly arousing caress, and with each tantalizing tug she felt a jolt of heat shoot through every limb. His mouth moved over to the other breast and began the same ritual of burning caresses. By this time Janna could only clutch his silky dark head to her in a bewildering daze of heat and aching need, her breath coming in little gasps and her eyes closed against the wave of desire that was running through her like a rioting river.
    “Open your eyes, Janna,” Santine demanded hoarsely, raising his head. “I want to know that you’re wanting me as much as I want you.”
    Her lids fluttered open with almost drugged languor, and she gazed up at him, her brown eyes clouded with emotion. She was vaguely aware that his eyes were fastened on her with an urgent demand in their depths, but she was too bewildered, too lost in the haze of desire he’d woven about her, to comprehend what it was he wanted of her.
    “Janna, I’m in a fever for you,” he said thickly. “Will you come to my bed and let me love you tonight?”
    The stilted phrasing sounded oddly formal on Santine’s lips, she thought dreamily. But why was he asking her such a ridiculous question, when he must realize she wanted nothing more than the fiery completion that he’d been building toward? Besides, hadn’t something been said about that last night? she thought hazily. She frowned and tried to concentrate, but the languid tightening in her loins was mounting steadily, and she suddenly didn’t want to think. She only wanted him to stop gazing at her with that fierce frown and take her back in hisarms. But it appeared he wasn’t going to do it unless she answered that absurd question.
    Her brow wrinkled in an impatient frown as she said huskily, “Yes, of course. I told you last night that I would.” She waited expectantly for him to draw her back in his embrace.
    But his reaction wasn’t what she had anticipated. Instead of the renewed blaze of desire, his dark eyes widened with a curious look of shock. Then they flared with a smoldering anger that caught Janna completely by surprise. Her eyes widened as his expression hardened before darkening stormily. “That’s right, you did,” he said coldly as he scooped her off his lap onto the cushioned bench beside him. “I’m afraid I’d forgotten how readily you agreed to my terms.” His lips twisted bitterly. “What did you call it? Oh yes, a ‘simple biological coupling.’ ”
    Janna gazed at him bewilderedly as he smoothed his hair and got jerkily to his feet. One moment she’d been involved in the most passionate experience of her entire life and the next she’d been shunted away from Santine as if she had the plague. Distractedly she reached up to brush a stray lock of hair behind her ear, and moistened her lips nervously. “What happened?” she faltered huskily, looking up at him dazedly. “Don’t you want me any more?”
    “You’re damn right I want you,” Santine said with soft violence, leaning down and jerking her gown up to cover her naked breasts. “I’m tempted to spread these cushions on the floor and take you right here and now.” He put her left arm through the single strap of the