Warriors of Poseidon 01 - Atlantis Rising

and her body, he kissed her, claiming her with his mouth.
    His hands tightened on her until she cried out a little. The tiny whimper wrenched him out of his mindlessness and he stilled, sanity trying to resurface.
    Atlantis Rising – Warriors of Poseidon 01
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    She pulled her head back, eyes dazed and lips swollen. "You're hurting me," she whispered.
     
    He released her instantly, hands trembling, cursing himself for having caused her pain.
    "I'm sorry—damn it. I'm—there is no excuse."
     
    He bowed his head, breathing hard. Self-loathing iced over any remnants of passion.
    He bowed deeply and then raised his gaze to hers. "Please accept my apologies. I have never—no. I'm as much of a brutish asshole as the scum that just ran away from here."
     
    She smiled a little, the edge of fear receding from her eyes but still present in her mind.
    She was trembling. Maybe as much from fear as passion, now.
     
    He was lower than scum.
     
    She tried to speak, breath coming rapidly and clearly trying for calm. "I don't… I can't…
    you can't…"
     
    She heaved in a deep breath and backed away from him. "What the hell was that? I don't do things like that. I mean, I just did, so you must think—but I don't. Oh, stop babbling, Riley."
     
    She gave him another shaky smile, still breathing hard. "Since you probably saved my life and all, you're forgiven for, well, practically assaulting me right here on the beach.
    Not that I wasn't cooperative, or whatever. But I have to leave." Riley backed carefully away from him, seeming not to realize that he lingered in her mind.
     
    Honesty. Even embarrassed by what she thought of as her own wanton behavior, she was honest enough to admit to him that she'd felt the same raging desire. His respect Atlantis Rising – Warriors of Poseidon 01
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    for her bravery increased, even as he had to fight his body's demands that he sweep her back to his palace and hold her captive for a year.
     
    Or two.
     
    Preferably naked at all times.
     
    Conlan felt the fierce smile spread across his face. She was courageous, and beautiful beyond belief, and she was aknasha.
     
    It was his duty to study her. To spend a great deal of time with her.
     
    To rationalize the hell out of the fact that I want to get her naked and underneath me. In my bed. Here on the sand. Anywhere. Just soon.
     
    Now.
     
    He sucked in a deep breath, fighting for control. The Trident. He had to find the Trident.
    He'd tuck her safely away in Atlantis in the meantime.
     
    He thought of the warriors standing guard, training—hell, just the thought of other males walking around anywhere near Riley—and his breathing tightened in his chest.
     
    Okay, so she could stay in the temple.
     
    With the priests. The celibate priests.
     
    Away from Alaric, oath of celibacy or no.
     
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    Riley took another step back, and he still could sense her confusion. She doubted her sanity. Exhaustion was overwhelming her. The night's events had battered her—he'd battered her.
     
    He couldn't regret touching her. Kissing her. But he regretted pushing her already stretched resources even further. An alien sense of tenderness washed through him. He wanted to protect her.
     
    Even from himself.
     
    He smiled down at her, but it wasn't enough to reassure her. Riley nearly stumbled in her haste to get away from him. "I have to go home. It's late. The curfew and all. I have to—good-bye."
     
    As he moved to follow her, he sensed that Ven and the Seven had finally broken through the waves, and that Alaric was close behind. He knew that he could track her from a distance. He'd scanned the area to confirm that the attackers were long gone.
     
    But it took everything in him to stand still and let her go.
     
    Just long enough for her to reach her home. She'd want to pack some of her things.
     
    He didn't know how long he'd keep her in Atlantis.
     
    Something deep inside him protested at ever letting her go.
     
    Not for long, this time at least. I'll be at her side in less than an hour. The rest—the rest I'll have to figure out later.
     
    He refused to think of his duty. Of his intended queen he'd never met.
     
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    As he watched her run from him, his mind supplied her name, almost caressing the syllables. He whispered it aloud. "Riley."
     
    When his body hardened even further at the