Burning Up

strikes me that the king may have made too many assumptions.”
    Amaris looked up at him, lifting a brow. “Oh?”
    “Yes.” He swallowed. “The fief might have been his to give, but not the Rose. And I would not have you if it’s but a matter of duty.”
    Amaris stared at him, incredulous. “Duty?”
    He nodded, his eyes serious as he looked down into her face. “I know your sense of honor is strong, but . . .”
    She stretched upward until her mouth met his in a kiss that blazed with all the heat and passion she felt down to her soul. His lips parted under the fierce assault, and she slid her tongue inside his mouth.
    Stroked, licked, tasted.
    When she finally drew back, she saw with satisfaction that Raniero’s eyes looked a little dazed. “Did that feel like duty, my lord?”
    He licked his lips. “No. It felt like . . .” He stopped and swallowed.
    “Love.” Amaris did not let her eyes drop, though a part of her wanted to flinch at the nakedness of the word.
    But she trusted him. She’d learned out there on the battlements that Raniero was not like those who’d betrayed her. He was a man who could be trusted unto death.
    So she met his eyes and said it again. “I love you, Raniero.”
    Light flared in his eyes, bright with relief and passion. “And I love you, Amaris.”
    Then his mouth covered hers, and he hauled her into his arms. As Raniero kissed her with starved intensity, his hands began to explore, cupping first one breast, then the other, thumb playing back and forth over the nipple that hardened hungrily under his touch. She kissed him back, a slow mating of tongue and lip and careful nipping teeth, reveling in the taste of him, male and magic.
    “You drove me mad in that cell,” he growled against her mouth, “touching me when I couldn’t touch you, fucking me half blind while I was chained and helpless.”
    “Mmm,” she purred, remembering those sweet, wild rides. “As I recall, you were well-revenged by that wicked mouth of yours. That sly tongue touched plenty. I thought I would lose my mind.”
    “Serves you right.” Chuckling, Raniero danced his fingers down her torso, following the curve of her belly down to the soft nest between her legs. He rumbled a growl as he found her already growing slick and swollen. “You tasted so sweet.” White teeth flashed. “In fact, I find myself hungering for more.”
    Amaris yelped a giggle as he tumbled her back on the bed and began to work his way down her torso, pausing for a nip here, a suckle there. Her breasts drew him into a passionate detour for a sweet eternity that was far too short, his tongue circling each nipple in turn, drawing wet runes that set her blood ablaze. She squirmed and sighed as he stiffened his tongue to flick and tease, then used his teeth with gentle ruthlessness until she quivered.
    Finally he continued down her body, exploring the rise of her rib cage with kisses, pausing to swirl his tongue into her belly button. She laughed at the cool tickle, threading her hands into his long, dark hair.
    But when he finally settled between her legs, she lost all urge to laugh. The width of his powerful shoulders nudged her thighs apart, and he wrapped his strong arms around her legs as he lay full length down the bed.
    Amaris lifted her head to watch with breathless attention as he tilted his head, considering her sex. His dark eyes flicked up to meet her gaze, and he gave her a wicked white grin.
    The first pass of his tongue between her swollen folds made her quiver in helpless need. He licked again, slow and lazy as a cat cleaning his paws, each creamy stroke sending jolts of pleasure sizzling up her spine. Gasps and whimpers escaped her lips as he tasted her as though she dripped honey, deliberate, maddening, spinning rapture over her like a spell. She could almost see the golden glow of his magic behind her eyelids.
    And still his tongue worked, dancing over her clit, sliding between her folds, thrusting deep into her core. As though that wicked enchantment wasn’t enough, he reached up around her thighs to squeeze and tease her nipples, winding the delight tighter and tighter.
    The orgasm stormed out of nowhere, shaking her body, jerking the muscles of her thighs like lute strings. She screamed at the sheer sweet glory blazing through her mind.
    When Amaris could see again, he was braced over her on one hand as he aimed his thick, hungry cock with the other. “Oh, yes!” She drew her legs wide in