A Kiss of Magic: A Kiss of Magic Book One (19 page)

“A real kiss,” he demanded, ringing an arm around her and jerking her forward against him.

“Dendri your shoulder!”

“I don’t care,” he said right before he slanted his mouth over her and rushed her into a hot-blooded kiss full of fire and need. His tongue dipped past her lips and met with hers, and he growled again. This time she knew it wasn't frustration that prompted it, it was unfettered desire. She wanted to growl a little herself. There was something…Dendri was a man of refined tastes, in his mode of dress, his manner of carrying out his daily life, but here he was primitive. All the veneer of civilization washed away and he kissed her with unvarnished passion.

Yasra’s entire body responded, her knees weak and her breasts aching. The points of her nipples prodded at his chest through the fabric of her cotton shirt. He reached down to the gathered fabric of her shirt at her waistband and pulled it free, creating a gap large enough for him to slide his hand beneath her shirt. His fingers glided up over her ribs and his hand came up to embrace the whole of her breast. She drew in a soft breath as he pulled her nipple between his knuckles and pinched and tugged at it.

“Ahem,” came a sound from the day room’s entryway.

Yasra broke the kiss with a gasp and Dendri withdrew his hand from beneath her blouse as he turned his attention to the man with a balding head and a white moustache in the doorway. He was carrying a doctor’s satchel in one hand and was mopping at his sweaty face with a handkerchief in the other. He was breathing hard, clearly having run a distance.

“Well now, let’s see what we have here,” the doctor said, bustling forward. Yasra moved to get out of the way, but when she would have stepped back, Dendri reached out and snagged her hand, holding her to his side. His liquid green eyes were full of heat and intensity. They told her that he had every intention of finishing what they had started as soon as he was able.

The doctor tended Dendri’s wound with efficiency, appreciating Dendri’s removal of the bullet which spared him having to dig for it.

“A few inches lower,” he said in his gruff voice, “and he would have hit your heart.”

“The bullet wouldn’t have penetrated past the ribs. It didn’t have enough velocity,” Dendri argued with a shrug of his good shoulder.

“Maybe. Maybe,” the doctor said.

He finished stitching the wound and bandaged him up. “Try not to use the arm too much,” the doctor warned. “At least for a couple of days.”

“I don’t have a couple of days,” Dendri said grimly, raising his arm and testing his range of motion. He winced a little. “I can continue to alter my pain perception. There’s no need of that,” he added when the doctor held out a bottle of laudanum.

“You can’t alter pain perception in your sleep,” the doctor argued with him.

“Just the same…I don’t want it.” Dendri looked up into her worried face. “As a majji who uses his mind to use his majics, altering my ability to concentrate would be crippling to me. It’s one of the reasons you will never see me get drunk or smoke opium or anything that might haze my mind.”

“All right,” she said. “I understand.”

The doctor packed up his bag and took his leave, Tudman showing him the door. Dendri arose from his place on the carpet and drew her close.

“Now,” he said, his tone smoky and intense. “Where were we?”

She pulled back away when he went to catch her mouth with his.

“You really should go to bed and rest,” she said.

“Bed, yes. Rest, no.” He caught her around her waist with his good arm and drew her up tightly to his body. She could feel all the lean, leashed power of his taut body, and the blatant arousal that came with it. “I’m thinking of all the ways I can give you pleasure,” he said. “Things we haven’t even begun to scratch the surface of.”

His words made her melt with an arousal of her own. But she felt she had to be the voice of reason.

“There will be plenty of time for all of that after you’re well.”

“I am well,” he said. “And since I am going to be going after Delongo tomorrow, I want to spend the rest of this day lost inside of you.”

“Tomorrow! But you have to heal first! You can’t go after him injured!”

“We don’t have time to waste. Every day he is out there means another day of suffering for others at his mercy. I can’t abide that. Besides, in a few days I will be helping with the Kiltian negotiations and there won’t be time for anything else until it is over. The talks could take days. Weeks even.”

“You can’t be expected to do everything! It’s too much!”

“It’s fine,” he soothed her. “This is what I do. My life is constantly full of demands of others. It’s how I make my living and it’s what I desire. I like to be kept busy. Although, I find I might be inclined to slow down a little and make time for you.”

He dipped his head and pressed a kiss on the yoke of her neck. There was an immediate, answering flutter in her belly. His tongue darted out and he drew a soft, short line up the length of her neck.

“Stop,” she said half-heartedly. “You really must rest.”

“Come and tuck me in and I promise to stay in bed the rest of the day and into tomorrow.”

“You intend to go to bed, but you don’t intend to rest,” she pointed out. She gasped when his hand came up and covered her breast boldly.

“Would that be so bad?” he asked silkily.

“No,” she sighed. “I mean yes!” she cried a moment after she found herself leaning into his fondling hand. “Dendri…you ask too much of yourself.”

“No one knows my tolerances better than I do. Trust that. Trust in me.” He pulled her close to the length of his body, their hipbones touching, his obvious erection rubbing against her boldly. “If you are so worried about my aches and pains, do something to relieve them.”

Unable to help herself, she reached down between their bodies and rubbed the heel of her palm down the length of him through his breeches. She went all the way to the base, the cupped him brazenly in her hand. He groaned and shifted into her touch.

“Come with me,” he whispered hotly against her ear.

“All right,” she whispered back.

Chapter Fourteen

Yasra had barely closed the door to Dendri’s bedroom when he herded her back toward the bed, his hand going to her shirt where it was half tucked in at her waistband. His deft fingers pulled the fabric free and he whipped the shirt up over her head and let it fall carelessly to the floor.

“I think I would like you naked in my bed up until the moment I leave to get Delongo and waiting for me when I get back.”

She smiled at that, her fingers going to the laces of his breeches just as his went to hers. She directed him to sit on the bed and reached down to pull first one of his boots off, and then the other. Then she unlaced her own boots and kicked them aside. Dendri reached to slide his hands into her loosened waistband, his palms molding to her backside briefly before he stripped the skintight cloth down her legs. She stepped out of them and he made her pause so he could look at her, standing naked before him.

“Undo your hair,” he demanded gruffly.

She did as he asked, unbraiding it and then combing her fingers through it until it settled around her shoulders, down her back and even over her breasts. He patiently brushed all of her hair back behind her shoulders.

“I want to be able to see your pretty breasts at all times,” he told her.

She was standing and he was sitting on the bed, allowing him to dip his head and catch one of her nipples into his mouth. Whorls of heat spun through her body and he sucked and tongued her gently. He paid equal attention to the opposite breast and her fingers threaded into the silky length of his hair. He had reclasped it after making love to her initially, and now she undid the tie again. She let it fall to the floor, disregarding it completely. She combed her fingers through the long length again and again as he worked his spell on her breasts.

“Now for something special,” he said softly against her skin.

He guided her down onto the bed, laying her out horizontally. His hands skimmed over her entire body. She looked at him questioningly.

“Close your eyes,” he instructed.

“I don’t want to. I want to look at you. You’re so pretty.”

He chuckled at that. “Just for a little while,” he insisted.

She sighed and closed her eyes.

Suddenly a sensation of liquid heat melted down her body. Pleasure unfurled within her, building slowly and gaining momentum. But how? He wasn’t even touching her. She gasped as the feeling of pleasure began to overwhelm her. Then she realized what he was doing. He was using his mind to pleasure her. She went unbelievably wet, her body craving him almost painfully. She felt empty, wanted to be filled. Filled with him.

“Soon, love. Very soon,” he said, his voice husky and rich as it flowed over her. But still he did not touch her. He built the need in her to a frenetic point, her skin going damp, heat radiating off of her as she stretched and writhed on the bed.

“Dendri!” she gasped, her hands going to her own body. Dendri watched her touch herself and felt blood throbbing hard into the center of his hips. He was so hard for her and she looked so damn good. He wanted to devour her. And as soon as the thought entered his mind he was putting his hand between her knees and pulling her legs apart. His fingers drifted up her inner thigh, trailing all the way up to sparse, wet curls. He slipped his fingers into the wet folds between her legs, his touch gliding and seeking. Then he moved forward and lowered his mouth to her. All the while he stimulated the pleasure centers of her brain.

Sex majic.

They had done a version of it the moment they had first touched, but there were many ways to do it. This way he was simply arousing every nerve in her body all at once. Softly. Pleasurably. Wickedly.

When his mouth touched her she gasped and jolted. Her legs heedlessly lifted, her calves hooking onto his shoulders. He winced as pain ratcheted through him. He couldn’t stimulate her and divert his pain at the same time. But he ignored the burning of his shoulder and fastened his mouth on her in earnest. She tasted so sweet. Like liquid nectar, smooth and delicious on his tongue. His tongue found her clit and she sucked in her breath. As he swirled his tongue around the swelling bud, she continued to writhe on the bed. Her hands came to her breasts, desperately tugging at her nipples. She shouted out, her orgasm rippling through her and he lapped up every drop of sweet cream she produced.

His tongue continued to dance against her and she murmured restlessly, feeling her pleasure building again.

“Not again,” she cried.

“Yes again,” he countered, sucking on her as he swept through the pleasure centers of her mind. She was such a passionate creature. Desire like a fire in her mind and body. Every sinuous move she made was like an erotic dance. He wanted to feel her from the inside out. From her mind out to her body. He left her then, impatiently stripping off his trousers, holding her pleasure, keeping her hovering at the next crest. She cried out, begging for him, her hands reaching into the empty air, hoping he would come to her and fill her.

He did. He drove his body up the center of hers, settling between her thighs as her calves hooked around his buttocks, pulling him in to her demandingly. Her hands coasted up his chest and onto his shoulders. He had her so immersed in pleasure that she didn’t even notice the bandage at his shoulder.

Dendri slid his cock through the wet center of her body, passing by the cusp of her opening twice before finally notching himself to her. Then with a single rending thrust he slammed into her. He had not meant to be so brutish, but he was impatient for the feel of her. He was dizzy with his need of her.

Once she was satisfactorily surrounding him he stroked deep within her. The movement was all it took to set her careening into a wild orgasm and it took all of his self -control to not follow her in her wild abandon. But he wasn't ready to be finished with her yet. He buried his face into the damp, fragrant crook of her neck. His mouth trailing sweet misty kisses everywhere within reach. He moved some more, creating a deep, slow rhythm. He stayed in her mind, holding her to her pleasure.

“No more!” she cried. “I can’t take any more!”

“You can and you will,” he said hotly. “Just as I will. God, your body is the most amazing place to be. You’re so tight. I can hardly stand it.”

He lost his ability to speak after that. He was so wrapped up in the tight heat of her. He thrust harder…deeper…steadier. She moaned and writhed, coming alive in his arms. It was too much to bear. Especially when she climaxed again, tightening around him, milking at him relentlessly. He gasped for breath, thrust deep, and came so hard it made his head spin. He jetted a wild release into her, draining himself beyond what should be normal. His arms were shaking as he held his weight over her, his shoulder throbbing mercilessly. He looked down and saw a red spot on the bandage.

She opened her eyes and looked into his, letting him fall into the sated blue of her gaze.

“You’re amazing,” she breathed.

“Thank you,” he said, chuckling as he moved his weight off of her and rolled to his side. He couldn’t support his weight on his injured shoulder a moment more. Now that he could focus on other things, he quickly began to shut down the pain receptors of his mind.

“Are you all right?” she asked, looking at his shoulder. “You’re bleeding!”

“Just a little. Nothing to fuss about.”

She sighed. “You’re very stubborn and nonchalant about this.”

“Believe me, I’ve had worse.”

“Worse!” she exclaimed. “How? Why?
What
?!”

“That’s a long story. Maybe I’ll tell you one day. Right now I just want to hold you. And kiss you.” He kissed her, drinking a deep draught of her lips. “Then in a little while I want to lick you again.”

She smiled, her lips tilting as her eyes roamed him in a hungry fashion. “I want to do some licking of my own in a minute.”

“Again with the minute? What am I, a machine?” he asked with amusement in his eyes.

“Well…if you can’t keep up…”

“Hush up. I can keep up just fine.” He stroked a finger down her hairline, brushing back raven black hair from tanned perfect skin.

“Are you out of doors a lot?” he asked her. At her quizzical lift of a brow he said, “You’re tanned.”

“Yes I am. I like to take long walks. I know I’m not pale as is fashionable, but I can’t seem to want to wear a bonnet. It cuts off my field of vision. Besides, they only look right with dresses and I don’t often wear dresses.”

“No parasol?”

She shook her head.

“I like you fine just the way you are,” he told her, running a knuckle down the slope of her breast. “I like everything about you just the way you—“

He broke off, his head lifting and his eyes narrowing a moment. Then he looked down at her with a crooked grin. “Bess is back,” he said.

“Oh! Maybe I should—“

She went to sit up and he placed a hand flat in the center of her chest and pushed her back down.

“Bess can fend for herself for a while.”

“But she’ll be looking for me.”

“She’ll figure it out once she asks the servants where we are.”

“The servants know where we are?” she asked with a blush.

“The whole world knows where we are. You have a mighty set of lungs on you.”

“Dendri!” she gasped. Her color deepened to a charming rosy hue.

“Are you ashamed to be with me?” he asked.

“No! Not at all,” she said with feeling.

“Then what’s the trouble?”

“I just…I’m a very private person.”

“Don’t worry. My staff is very well trained. They may gossip amongst themselves, but they won’t say a word outside of this house.”

“Oh. I see. Well, I guess it’s not a problem.”

“Besides. Everyone knows the sex between a Gestalt couple is outstanding. They are going to be expecting us to—“

“They
know
that? I didn’t know that!”

Dendri chuckled. “You know it now.”

She stopped.  Then she laughed sheepishly. “I guess I do.” She then gave him a sly look. “You’re going to have to teach me that thing you did with your mind.”

“You mean stimulating the pleasure centers of your mind?”

“Yes,” she breathed, flushing with just the memory. “That.”

“It’s a very sophisticated skill,” he said with a smile. He bent his head to kiss the side of her neck. He loved her neck, he decided. It was fast becoming his favorite part of her.

“Don’t you think I’m capable of it?”

“Perhaps not now. But I have high hopes for soon.” He gave her a lecherous expression.

“Oh you!”

“I’ve never made love with an Aspano with enough skill to return the favor.”

“Really? I would have thought you knew many Aspanos. You had to have grown up with them.”

“I do know many Aspanos. But few have developed the skill and fewer still have ended up in my bed.”

“Oh.” She bit her lip. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to pry. It’s none of my business who you’ve slept with.”

“No, I don’t suppose it is. They do not matter at the moment. All that should matter to you is you and I and the here and now.”

“It is all that matters to me,” she assured him.

“Good. I won’t pretend to have had no lovers before you.”

“That would be silly. I wouldn’t expect that any more than you would. Although I’m sure I have no great pedigree with only one lover in my past.”

“Only one?” he asked. “How old are you?”

“Twenty autumns.”

“Twenty…and yet only one? Are men so stupid?”

She laughed and blushed at the compliment. “Perhaps I am merely discerning.”

“I’m sure that has something to do with it. But I promise you, had I seen you for any length of time…I would have pursued you.”

She looked away. “You don’t have to say that. I know you would have barely noticed me otherwise.”

“That is untrue,” he said sternly. “We talked about this. I was aware of you as a man from the very moment I saw you. I may not have immediately recognized it, but you would have niggled at my thoughts, eventually making me realize I had let you get away from me without pausing to discover you. I can be rather dense like that sometimes. I would have sought you out. I would have found you.”

“Perhaps.” She stared at a spot on his shoulder. It didn’t follow that they would have had any kind of a significant relationship, she thought. He might have bedded her, but that would have been all. He would not have chosen to have an overlong relationship with her. She was sure of that.

“I see the wheels turning in your head. What are you thinking?” He gave her forehead a light tap.

“Nothing,” she said dismissively. “It’s not important.”

“Must I take the information for myself?”

Alarmed she said, “Please don’t do that!”

He chuckled. “Why? If it’s nothing?”

“You said you would respect my private thoughts.”

“That I did. I do not read the minds of my friends unless absolutely necessary.”

She could believe that. What would he say if he read Olla’s mind?