HerMatesEmbrace (12 page)

Chapter Twelve

Cami walked beside Colm as he led her back inside the walls
of the fortress. A scowl curved his lips. The expression seemed etched on his
face. It was the first thing she’d seen when she’d opened her door this morning
and it hadn’t changed the entire time she’d been with him. She didn’t know why
he was here if he didn’t want to be near her. Supposedly, he’d wanted to
introduce her to a woman named Tori, but Tori hadn’t been home. Colm hadn’t
been prepared to look or wait for the woman.

He hadn’t said more than a few words to her the entire
morning. It was getting on her nerves. If he really wanted to be doing
something else or be with someone else, she wasn’t holding him back. She glared
at him as his hand settled on the small of her back and guided her up the
stairs to the main doors.

He slanted a look at her, but it was the only sign that he
realized she wasn’t happy. His hand firmed and he guided her down the entry
hallway and to a part of the
Thent
that she hadn’t explored yet. He
pushed open a door. Ushering her into the room, he followed and shut the door.
She continued to walk forward, but he stayed where he was and leaned his
shoulder against the frame.

“What’s this place?” She looked around the room.

There was an ornately carved table and behind that two large
chairs. A couple of lantern stands had been placed to the side of the table,
but this didn’t seem to be the kind of room where someone would stay for a long
time, even though it was rather large. An ornate rug ran up the floor straight
to the table.

“A private audience chamber. Sometimes we use it if we want
to look at documents or maps or talk to someone privately.” Colm’s shoulders
lifted in a negligent shrug.

“What are we doing in here?” She looked around as she waited
for him to reply. There weren’t any shelves or extra chairs.

“We’re going to talk.” His voice was calm, but the way his
feet braced apart said that he wasn’t moving until they had fully discussed
whatever was on his mind.

“What do you want to talk about?” She walked over to the
edge of the table and leaned a hip against it.

“Why are you so angry?” he asked.

“Why do you think I’m angry?” She tilted her head and simply
watched him. It wasn’t precisely true. She’d been a little frustrated and
definitely confused, but she wasn’t furious.

“It could be the glares and the simmering looks, but I think
it’s the attitude you’re projecting with your body language.” He shook his
head. “Remember that I’m not stupid.”

She wasn’t sure exactly what he meant by the attitude she
was projecting, since she couldn’t see what he saw. Maybe she had been a little
stiff, but he hadn’t been talkative or nice.

“And your distant attitude was so encouraging.” She crossed
her arms over her chest and rolled her eyes.

“Distant?” His eyes narrowed.

“Yes, it’s obvious that you’d rather be anywhere but taking
me to see Tori. If you didn’t want to do it, you didn’t have to. You could have
told me where she lived and I could have asked one of the other warriors to
walk me over there.” She straightened away from the table. Her hands bunched at
her sides. Thinking about it was making her angry again.

He straightened and was halfway across the room almost
before she realized he’d started moving. His hands settled on her hips and
lifted her off her feet. He sat her on the table and stepped forward until her
knees brushed against his thighs. Her eyes widened and she stiffened. A little
fear rose. He leaned down until they were almost nose to nose.

“What did we tell you about jumping to conclusions?” His
voice grated out between clenched teeth.

“I didn’t jump to conclusions. You weren’t happy about
walking with me. You didn’t say more than a few words to me while we were
walking over there and you were frowning and barely even touched my hand. That
doesn’t seem as if you want to be anywhere near me.” She pushed against his
chest. He didn’t move backward, but he didn’t advance any closer either.

“I wasn’t happy? You decided that because I wasn’t talking
to you every step of the way that I was angry and didn’t want to be with you?
You didn’t ask me if anything was wrong. You didn’t pause to think that you’re
dealing with different men here. I’m not Linc.” His hand tipped up her chin.
“That sounds as though you jumped to conclusions to me.”

Well, put that way, it did. There wasn’t much she could say
to defend herself, but she’d try. “I only went on what I could see.”

“We told you to come to us before you started making
assumptions from what you think or what you’ve seen. I know you think you know
more about us than what you’ve learned from being with us. I don’t know what
that is or if any of it is true. Maybe you’ll tell me about it sometime, but I
wanted to be with you.” His thumb stroked along her jawline.

“Then why did you seem so angry?” She wasn’t sure whether to
believe him or not, but he seemed serious.

“I wasn’t angry. My lips might have been in a straight line,
but that didn’t mean that I was angry.” Colm shook his head. “You did make an
assumption. I think you owe me an apology for that.”

She licked her lips and saw his eyes lock on that movement.

“Are you afraid of me?” His brows arched up in a direct
challenge.

“No,” she said the words quickly. She wasn’t going to let
him think that she was scared of him. She wasn’t. A little cautious, well, she
definitely felt that.

She couldn’t let that challenge go unanswered. Some perverse
part of her had to prove that she wasn’t some flinching little cub he could
intimidate into backing down. She knew it wasn’t a good idea, but did it
anyway.

Cami straightened and let her hands rest against his chest.
She felt the muscles shift beneath her palms. The warmth radiated through his
shirt and drew her closer. She leaned in closer and brushed her lips over his
jaw. The soft buss wasn’t enough. She wanted a taste of him.

He remained still beneath her hands and that only frustrated
and spurred her to push more. She wanted to feel his hands on her skin and his
mouth moving against hers. Nipping at his lips, she sought to incite him to
kiss and touch. He wouldn’t remain as unresponsive as a stone to her. The big
man might be aloof, but she’d seen the hard ridge of his cock. He did want her.

His mouth opened and she took full advantage. Her right hand
stole up behind his neck and cupped the back of his head as she angled her lips
over his. She ate at his lips. Colm moaned and leaned into the pressure. His
tongue drove into her mouth. Desire erupted as his response became more
intense. His teeth nipped at her lips before he sucked at the full lower curve.

She squirmed on the table and tried to tug him closer. She
needed to feel more than his mouth against her. Her thighs widened making a
place for him. She ran her fingers over his chest and found his nipples. She
plucked at one of the hard little nubs before trailing her hand around to his
back.

He groaned and his hands clasped her hips. One hand reached
down to tug the end of the skirt above her knees. He stepped forward as he
pulled her to the edge of the table. Her skirt rucked up to her hips with his
advance. The hard ridge of his cock brushed against her pussy. She shivered. A
ball of desire began tightening in her stomach and she tightened her legs
around his hips. Her juices gathered and she knew they were probably moistening
the bottom of her skirt.

His hand slipped between their bodies and cupped her pussy
through her skirt. He pressed and one of his fingers slipped between the folds
and stroked against her clit. The feel of the fabric rubbing against that
sensitive skin sent bolts of heat streaking through her. The pounding beat of
her heart echoed in her ears.

“You’re wet already.” His hand ground against her, pushing
her arousal higher.

She held on to him, almost panting for more. She kissed
along his jaw until her lips brushed over his. The moment his lips opened, she
kissed him hungrily. Her hips lifted into his hand, but he pulled his hand
back. She wanted to ride those fingers until she screamed. He didn’t give her
the chance. Her inner muscles clenched and the emptiness left her aching.

Tearing her mouth away from his, she pressed her face to his
neck to resist the urge to kiss him again. “Give me more.”

He chuckled and began unbuttoning her shirt. “Not yet, Cami.
Touch me. I want to feel your hands on me.”

She began working on the buttons of his shirt. One caught
and hung, frustrating her. Tugging at the shirt and pushing at the button, she
tried to get it through the hole, but it popped off and flew across the room.
She lost interest in it as soon as his shirt gaped open.

Smoothing her hands over his chest, she took her time and
explored his broad chest. The heat and rippling muscles beneath the skin
fascinated her. If she didn’t burn for him, she could spend the day exploring
his hard body. But she did and she wasn’t denying herself this taste. She
scraped her nails across his nipples. Flicking at the hard beads, she hoped
that the teasing touch sent shards of pleasure through him as it did her.

He grasped one of her hands and drew it down to the hardened
ridge pushing against his pants. “I want your fingers on my cock.”

She untied the laces with fumbling fingers. The normal task
seemed harder than it should be. The leather string finally fell free and his
cock pressed the flaps outward even as she reached for his thick length. The
moment her fingers curled around his shaft, he drew in a hissing breath. She
dropped kisses over his chest as her hand began stroking. He groaned and his
hips rocked forward into her hand.

“That feels good.” His voice sounded even rougher than
normal and the rumble seemed to roll over her body just as if it were a
physical caress. “Tighten your fingers a little.”

She did as he said. Her thumb circled the rounded head and
then she drew her hand back down to the base. She licked and nipped at the skin
just above the darkened skin around his nipple. He tensed and his hips bucked.
Reaching down, he gripped her hand and slowly drew it away from his cock.

His chest heaved as he pulled in a harsh breath and she felt
his chin rest atop her head for a moment before he straightened. Her hands
grabbed at him as he stepped back. He clasped her wrists and pushed them down
to the tabletop.

She sat there stunned for a moment as he unfastened her
skirt. He lifted her and tugged the garment until it slid down her thighs.
Almost before she knew what had happened, her buttocks were back on the table.
The wood felt cool against her skin and a shiver skittered up her spine. He
unbuttoned her shirt and pushed it over her shoulders. She pulled her hands
free. She wanted to touch him.

His hands glided up her thighs as he slowly knelt between
her thighs. She stiffened when his fingers brushed over the scar on her thigh,
but he didn’t flinch or react in any way other than to keep stroking her legs.

She drew in a slow breath and slid her hands over his
shoulders. Anticipation built. Her mind locked on the thought of his mouth on
her pussy.
Oh yes.

She felt his breath on her thigh and closed her eyes as
tingles skimmed across her flesh from that moist puff. His mouth brushed
against the outer lips and she tensed. His lips were soft and warm, tempting
her with thoughts of what he could do with that mouth. She wanted to feel his
tongue gliding over her skin. Almost groaning, she struggled to keep from
reaching for him. She’d love that. She’d love it even more if that tongue
flicked across her clit.

His hands tightened on her thighs, pushing them a little
farther apart. His hands smoothed over her inner and outer thighs in long,
sweeping strokes that sent tingles radiating through her instead of soothing or
calming her. Her stomach muscles clenched and she felt an answering spasm of
the muscles in her pussy.

One of his hands drifted up her thigh and parted her folds.
The puff of his breath against the sensitive inner skin seared across her pussy
in a stinging brand. She tensed and nearly lifted right off the table. The move
only served to lift her closer to his mouth. His tongue swiped over the plump
lips.

She trembled and settled back onto the table. His other hand
stroked over her inner thigh. She looked down and saw a predatory smile on his
lips just before his head dipped. At that look, she realized he could see how
strongly he affected her. His tongue stroked over her clit. Her eyes closed and
her head tipped back. Her thighs tightened, but his shoulders kept them just
where he wanted them.

Sharp pleasure slammed through her, pushing away the last of
her ability to think. Her hands tightened on his shoulders and she dragged in a
ragged breath. He lapped at her and she felt the rumble of a purr against her
clit. The vibrations added to the slightly rough feel of his tongue and nearly
sent her right over the edge. It felt unbelievably good and she’d never
experienced anything similar to it. He’d barely started and she was ready to
claw and scream.

“Please, Colm.” She whispered the words, but almost didn’t
recognize her own voice. It sounded strained and hoarse.

His lips closed over her clit and he drew the bud into his
mouth and sucked. The building sensation coiled and grew until she was
trembling and gasping. His teeth scraped over the hood and she jerked. A sharp
cry burst from her throat and she dug her nails fiercely into his shoulders. So
close. She could feel the edge looming right in front of her. He hummed and his
tongue drifted down. He lapped at her juices.

Her hips rocked into his touch. She couldn’t focus. His
tongue seemed to be everywhere at once, flickering over her clit with a
featherlight tormenting touch and stabbing into her entrance. It could easily
have been his fingers, but she didn’t care. Her breath caught in her throat.
Boiling pleasure rolled up her spine and she clung to him. A low moan rolled
from her as the waves rolled through her body, leaving her shaking and
pleasure-drugged.