Total pages in book: 115
Estimated words: 107619 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 538(@200wpm)___ 430(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107619 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 538(@200wpm)___ 430(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
It’s a bit of a change in thinking, but just the act of stripping off my clothes makes me bolder. I toss them aside and then pick up the book even as the scent of smoke begins to drift through the air. I flip through a few pages, fascinated, and lose myself for a time. I’ve never read a book about sex and I never saw a dirty movie. Back when I was growing up, I was too young, and then the Rift hit. I’ve never even seen a porny magazine, though I’ve read books and let my imagination go wild. It’s fascinating to look at the pictures and wonder about all the movies that I never got to see. Were they as lurid as this picture of this man rubbing his cock on his partner’s ass? Or were they tamer?
I’m transfixed.
24
EMMA
I turn the page in the book and I can’t stop staring at the next image. It’s the couple, but this time he’s holding her in his arms and his hand is between her legs, her pussy spread as he fingers her. The woman’s head is thrown back in ecstasy and she has this look of utter lust on her face that’s just riveting.
I want to see that, Zohr tells me, and his thoughts are full of heat.
I shiver, setting the book aside but leaving it open to that page. Are you…are you almost done?
He sends me a mental image of the meat roasting, smoke pouring out of the back of the car with the trunk lowered. It is only a tiny blaze, he tells me. It will cook it very slowly. Now I go to wash myself. I can feel his thoughts shift as he changes to human form, and then he sends a mental image of himself at the sink, washing his hands. I want to be clean when I touch you, he tells me.
It’s the most functional, practical of statements and it makes me squirm. I want him to touch me, too.
I return, he warns, his thoughts full of promise and seduction.
I’m here. I finger-comb a few strands of my hair, feeling a bit silly and a lo loco as I wait. Like Zohr’s going to care what my hair looks like.
Then he’s there, stalking down the aisle of books toward me, and I feel all restless and breathless with anticipation. He moves with incredible grace, my dragon, but I can’t deny there’s a predatory hint to his steps, as if he’s hunting me.
It’d be the shortest hunt ever—I don’t plan on going anywhere.
As he moves toward me, I start to get to my feet.
Do not stand, Zohr says, and his eyes are impossibly gold, so gold that they could be the sun itself. I will just bear you to the floor once more.
Oh. I hug my arms over my chest as he approaches, and I notice again that I’m eye level with his cock. My mouth goes dry at the sight of him, all magnificent equipment and the barest hint of a scale pattern on his skin. I can’t help but admire him like a starving woman. He’s just so…nice to look at. I wonder if Sasha feels like this with Dakh? I always thought he looked a little crazy-eyed and intimidating, but she looked at him as if he’d hung the moon.
At the time, I was a little skeptical of how hung up she was on him. That maybe she wasn’t very strong at heart and needed someone to look after her. She was always so sweet and girly, and I’ve never been like that. At least, I haven’t since the Rift. But looking at Zohr right now, I’m pretty sure I have a dopey, lovesick expression on my face.
Then I stop myself. Love?
Too soon. Just an expression.
What is an expression? he asks, prowling over to me.
He gets down on hands and knees and moves over me, covering me with his big body. He smells like smoke and barbecue, and his mouth tastes a bit like fire. It’s fascinating and I’m distracted by his tongue and his lips and just how good he kisses. It doesn’t seem fair that he’s that good already and we just started. How’s a girl supposed to keep up with a natural talent like this?
Expression? he asks again, nipping at my mouth with his fangs. Funny how I never think of them when we’re kissing. I was so terrified of them when I first saw them, thinking he’d bite the crap out of me at every opportunity.
Only when I wish to give you my fires, he tells me, and his thoughts are amused. You are easily distracted when kissed.
I really, really am. I can’t even remember what we’ve been talking about. All I know is that his big, yummy body is over mine and I can feel the heat pouring off of him. His thigh wedges between my own, and it sends a pulse of need shooting through me. I’m breathless with anticipation, wondering where—and how—he’s going to touch me.