Brides of the Kindred(53)

“Let me show you, then.” In one swift movement Baird lifted her as though she weighed no more than a doll and laid her on the bed beside him. Rolling up on his side, he propped his head up with one hand and watched her with hot eyes. “Are you ready for me to touch you, Lilenta?”

Liv felt a small surge of triumph. That’s it—foreplay’s over and he’s ready to go for the sweet spot. Just like Mitch. Just like every guy I’ve ever been with, she told herself. They’re all exactly the same whether they’re from across the street or a galaxy far, far away.

“Sure,” she said, having an easier time keeping her voice steady this time. “Do whatever you want.”

“That’s a dangerous invitation to make, Lilenta.” Baird smiled wolfishly. “But I’ll take it in the spirit it was offered in.”

Here it comes, Liv told herself and got ready to endure his clumsy fumblings while he pawed at her breasts and tried to get between her thighs.

But Baird surprised her again. Leaning over her, he gathered her close in his arms and pressed her body against the length of his own. Liv could feel the hard planes of his chest against her cheek and the arms encircling her felt like warm, flexible steel. His big body dwarfed hers, making her feel tiny against him although she’d never felt particularly small with any of the other guys she dated. Of course, Mitch had only been an inch or two taller than her. In contrast Baird was a head and shoulders taller but instead of making her feel threatened, his size made her feel protected and warm.

“So beautiful,” he whispered into her hair again as he stroked her back with his large, warm hands. He didn’t restrict himself to her back either. His hands wandered over her shoulders and arms and down the curves of her hips, exciting her nerve endings and making her tingle all over. But the strange thing was, he never touched any of her erogenous zones—at least none of the obvious ones. It didn’t seem to matter though—Liv was beginning to feel like her entire body was en erogenous zone as far as the big Kindred warrior was concerned. And as he touched her, he kissed her. Softly at first, dropping butterfly kisses all over her upturned face and then more directly, feeding hungrily on her mouth until Liv could barely hold back a moan.

God, how could he do this to her? How could he make her so hot without doing anything but stroking her arms and back and kissing her? Because Liv had to admit it—she was hot. Maybe not hot enough to come—that required some direct stimulation. But hot enough that she felt dizzy and her entire body was buzzing and tingling with need. Hot enough that she actually wanted him to touch her somewhere besides her back and arms and neck.

As though reading her mind, Baird pulled out of a particularly long and passionate kiss and met her eyes. “How do you feel now, Lilenta? All warmed up?”

“Warm enough,” Liv admitted guardedly. “But I’m nowhere near coming—so sorry to disappoint you.”

He grinned. “Oh, I’m not disappointed. Of course you’re not ready to come—we’re just getting started.”

“We are?” Liv looked at him in disbelief. They had already been lying together in bed while he touched and kissed her for about twice as long as it had used to take Mitch to make love to her and Baird was telling her they were just getting started? “What…what else are you going to do?” she asked in a breathless whisper.

“You’ll see,” he murmured, leaning over her again and cupping her face in one warm hand.

That’s exactly what I’m afraid of! Liv thought. Despite her apprehension she found herself relaxing beneath his touch as he stroked her cheek.

“You know, Olivia,” he murmured. “Some men might feel limited by the ways they could touch you with this little lace dress in the way. But to me it’s a challenge. And I always rise to a challenge.” The nudge of his hard shaft against her hip let Liv know he was speaking in a much more than metaphorical sense.

“I bet,” she whispered and for the first time, she wondered what it would feel like if she let him slide the thick, hard cock she could feel throbbing against her thigh inside her. Would it hurt? He was so much bigger than anyone she’d ever been with. But maybe if he took it slowly…Stop it, Liv, she scolded herself. You’re as bad as Kat! Get control of yourself. Trying to do just that, she forced herself to focus on what Baird was saying. But that scarcely helped considering that he’d started talking about what he wanted to do to her again.

“Can’t wait to taste these,” he murmured, tracing two long fingers down the valley between her breasts. “Can’t wait to suck those ripe pink nipples, Lilenta.” He cupped the undercurve of her right breast and thumbed the sensitive bud of her nipple, making her gasp. “Will you show them to me?”