14. Chapter 14 #2
“No one’s caught my eye in some time. What about you?” Though his face resembled a blank mask, tightness tugged at the link, and his jealous curiosity radiated warmth throughout her cheeks.
“Knowledge is the only real lover I’ve ever had.”
Daxton gave her a charming grin. Other men had looked at her in the same seductive way. But Daxton was the only one who made her feel. And that was dangerous.
“Don’t you want to know what would happen if there wasn’t a shield between us?” He twisted her hair softly.
The idea of an unguarded link sent her breathing and heart rate into overdrive. She couldn’t afford any more emotions sabotaging her mind. But if Izzy wanted to discover a cure for the link, she’d have to open herself up to it.
“I didn’t mean to cause you any discomfort,” she murmured.
“What do you mean?”
She drew back her shield from the link.
His spirit barreled into her consciousness. Her head pressurized, as if she’d gone through an altitude difference. A mixture of chest-tightening shock, heart-soothing relief, and deeply rooted satisfaction filtered through the link. His closeness allowed her to touch him with a mere thought.
Daxton’s eyes sparked with a metallic gleam. Was that a trick of the light?
“Thank you, Izzy.”
His husky voice did it again—made her heart speed up.
It was an annoying organ whenever he was around.
Since her throat was parched, she longed to reach for the glass of water beside her, but that would require him to relinquish his hold on her hair.
She longed for his touch, but she needed to keep distance between them.
She leaned back, freeing herself from his hold, and erased all emotion from her face.
She crossed her arms. “It’s only fair. Plus, I can’t learn about the link if I block it.”
He closed his hand. “I’m to be your next science project then?”
She wanted to say something to deter his advances, but the words died in her throat.
An unfamiliar side of her flinched at the thought of hurting him.
To appease both sides of her battling mind, she shrugged.
His stare burned into her, so she faced the window.
In the corner of her eye, she caught him standing as if to leave.
A heavy emotion weighed down her thoughts—disappointment.
Without warning, her chair dipped as Daxton placed his hands on her armrests, caging her. As she pitched forward, she grabbed his wrists.
Her gaze collided with his bronze-colored eyes.
The molten metal flowed with surreal viscosity as he stood above her. He leaned down, and she fell back into the chair. The dragon prowled near the surface of his gaze. She swallowed hard but didn’t dare look elsewhere. A strange thrill raced down her spine.
Heat pulsed under her palms. She didn’t want to let go of him. Emotions ran through her in rampant chaos. Anxiety. Delight. Curiosity. All crashing into one cohesive human experience. She concentrated on the sensation of his skin under her hands to distract herself.
“Are you always this warm?” she asked, breathless.
His lips turned into a teasing grin. She wanted to brush her fingertips across them to find out if they were soft.
“We can experiment all you wish, but I won’t be your obedient lab rat.”
He closed in on her, and she pressed her hands against his chest in fragile resistance.
Her eyelids felt heavy as he moved in toward her neck.
His temperature burned like a fever. Goosebumps prickled her skin.
His tantalizing spicy scent drifted past her, and like the molecule he smelled of, his aroma persisted.
He breathed in deeply, as if taking her in too. “A dragon doesn’t enjoy being caged.”
“What does a dragon like?” she whispered.
His unmovable muscle enthralled her. She leaned forward until his breath scorched her skin.
Wait. What am I doing?
She gasped and rocked away from the pull between them. Daxton’s attention swiveled to her lips, which had been mere breaths from touching his. Her gaze followed his strong jawline to his plush mouth, and her lips ached for his touch.
“This,” he said and started to close the gap between them, slow and steady, letting her pull away if she wanted. Warmth built in her chest and lips until he kissed her.
His lips were softer than a silk-covered pillow.
An electromagnetic pulse shook her system. His roughened palms caressed her cheek, and she let out a shaky breath. Her humanity fought for the freedom to just feel and for that moment, she allowed it. Lost to sensation, she shut her eyes and leaned farther into him, lips parting softly.
The link between them thrummed, tugged tight, and elicited tiny tingles throughout her body. She felt the inhuman claw of the dragon reach for her—wanting to link with her once more. Her energy whispered of want.
Daxton jerked into a standing position. The intensity of his inhuman growl felt like he ran the tips of his fingers over her chest.
She opened her eyes. An expression of pain scrunched his face as if he were waging an internal battle. Before she could speak, he strode toward the rear of the plane.
She didn’t dare move until he’d laid on the couch behind her. Tracing a finger over her lower lip, she still felt the impression of his. The link between them pulled at her mind, and it had almost felt like his dragon tried to link them again, but Daxton had stopped himself.
Drawing a shuddering breath, she grabbed her water with shaking hands and gulped it down. She vibrated with anticipation, as if wanting another kiss, and a smile threatened to own her face.