Chapter 7 #2
As they rode into the canyon, she sat forward, not allowing anything more than their legs to touch, but her mind kept returning to his teasing.
At least, she thought he’d been teasing her.
As she lifted her arm and took a sniff, he let out a raucous laugh that set off a riotous energy in her mid-section.
She slapped his thigh with her hand and half-turned toward him in the saddle.
His icy-blue eyes sparked with intensity, and hot, boundless sexual need spread throughout her body, ending in the juncture between her legs.
A sensation, like fire rolling through liquid fuel, traveled between them at the meeting of their gazes.
For the briefest of moments, time stood still and all that mattered was the swift beating of her heart and the loud, rapid breaths that moved in and out of her lungs in a rush.
They stayed like that for some time before Rise cleared his throat, adjusting himself in the saddle, and Liv straightened and turned forward once more.
What was that? She’d never felt anything like it.
It had been terrifying and…delicious, all at the same time.
And she recognized what it was. She wasn’t that na?ve.
Clearly, she was attracted to him. That didn’t mean she had to act on it, but it did mean she needed to be more careful. He could use it against her.
Of course, the opposite was true, as well. She could use it against him…as long as she didn’t get caught up in her own game.
Once she’d gotten her reaction to him under control, knowing he’d only been teasing her, she asked, “Tell me the truth. Do I really stink?”
He laughed some more, but as his humor faded, she finally spied the pool of water he had promised they would find at the bottom of the canyon.
It shimmered in the sunlight, like pink diamonds on the ground.
Not only did it make her mouth water for the liquid satisfaction it would bring, but she could just imagine how cool it would feel on her hot, sticky skin.
“Now, that looks like a nice way to spend the day. Not to give you too big of an ego, but, for what it’s worth, I approve.”
They didn’t say another word to each other as the horse descended the steep incline and the dancing water seemed to grow larger the nearer they got.
Liv felt her excitement build at the thought of feeling the silkiness of the liquid on her skin.
She wanted to bounce in the saddle at just the thought of being clean once more, but she had learned long ago to mask her reactions.
Her father had taught her well. Too often, he had read her reactions and used them against her.
She wouldn’t allow that level of vulnerability ever again.
Instead, she let the nervous energy ping around inside her like a wild animal in a cage.
It was difficult to contain the closer they got, and the minute he stopped the horse, she wanted to leap from the saddle and dive right in.
But she remained still until he’d dismounted.
When he reached for her, she waved him off and hopped down without his help, but then ruined her perfect dismount with a wobbly knee-buckle the minute her feet hit the ground.
He reached out and wrapped his hands around her bare midriff to steady her, and the warmth of those hands on her exposed skin caused her breath to catch in her throat. Their gazes clashed. His burned full of intense heat. She felt it all the way to the apex of her legs. She swallowed…hard.
She only held it for a second before she began to breathe again, rapid intakes and exhales that she couldn’t seem to regulate back into a steady rhythm. His gaze lowered to her lips. Red, hot lust rolled through her abdomen…and lower as his own desire grew clear. He wanted to kiss her.
And, goddess help her, she wanted him to.
They stood facing each other for several heartbeats, not moving, not speaking. And his skin touching hers felt good—so good. An urgency like she’d never felt before, like she would die if he didn’t pull her closer and lay his mouth on hers, filled her to the brim.
His nostrils flared as he suddenly dropped his hands as if he’d been burned, and he took a step back, away from her. The feeling of loss was immediate.
“Dammit, woman! Your lust is palpable. Stop working your sorcery on me.” He actually followed his statement with a growl as he turned and walked away.
She could still feel the weight of his hands on her skin, and she wanted them back there. She wanted them all over her body, and that was dangerous. She wasn’t ashamed of the admission, only confused. Shouldn’t she wish to be more like the simpering ladies that passed as princesses?
Maybe it was another sign that she had been born evil—just like her father.
“Just to remind you, if I used even a little bit of sorcery, Grawl would know. He would be here by now.”
Rise called over his shoulder, “You take the first bath. I’m going to look around, make sure we won’t have any more surprises.
” He continued to walk away, but before he was completely out of sight, he turned and walked backwards, saying, “And for what it’s worth, you don’t stink.
You smell delicious, and I wish to hell I didn’t like it, but, damn me, I do. ”
She stood, unable to move as she watched him swivel and take a left out of sight. Had he just complimented her? Her kidnapper had just paid her a compliment. Was she crazy? Or maybe, he was just trying to drive her insane.
After a few moments, she shook herself out of her musings and turned her attention to the waiting water.
She had more pressing matters to attend to.
It didn’t take her long to strip every bit of herself bare, before thinking twice and putting her bra and underwear back on before diving in.
The water felt better than she’d imagined, cool and smooth over her skin.
After she washed thoroughly, she simply floated on her back with her eyes closed.
It was relaxing, and as she soaked, her cares melted away.
For a short amount of time, she didn’t think about good or evil or how to defeat her father.
She didn’t worry about what would happen once Grawl discovered her sister and she had returned and were plotting against him.
She certainly wasn’t thinking of the big, gorgeous man who had carried her off and was giving her all kinds of lusty ideas.
No, her focus was completely on the quiet moment…
until a nearby splash brought her back to reality.