Chapter 079

He exhaled.

“Yes.”

With tantalizing slowness, she ran her hands along the edge of the

waistband, and then—and then—he held his breath as she reached beneath

the silk. She stroked the hardness of his shaft, running her fingers along the

ridges and tip.

He heard a low hoarse gasp, and realized it was his own. Her eyes were

huge as they met his. And then...

She suddenly smiled.

It was a smug, feminine smile, full of infinite mystery and pride—as if

she’d realized the depths of power she held over him, as she held him

completely in her hands.

She pulled down the silk, revealing his body completely to her gaze. She

ran her hand over him, exploring. His breathing became ragged. He closed

his eyes. Her slightest touch made him wild. He felt as though he could

explode at any moment...

No. His eyes flew open, narrowed. With a growl, he pushed her back

against the bed. Pulling at her panties, he tugged them slowly down her legs

and tossed them to the carpeted sand. He stroked her calves, her knees, then

moved back upward, to her thighs. Gently, he pushed her legs apart.

He felt her tremble at being so exposed. She tried to close her knees.

“What are you doing?” she breathed.

“Surrender to me,” he whispered. And he lowered his head.

First, he kissed her inner thighs. Then he moved higher. Holding her

against the mattress, he stretched her legs wide. For a moment, he just

allowed her to feel the warmth and sensation of his breath. Then, very

slowly, he moved his kisses to the core of her pleasure. She abruptly

stopped struggling.

He took a long, delicious taste. “Like honey,” he murmured.

She gave a soft gasp beneath him. He licked her again, swirling his

tongue lightly against her, then widening his tongue fully. He pushed a

single thick fingertip an inch into her tight, wet core.

She cried out, writhing beneath him as she gripped the sheets. Licking

her, sucking her hard nub, he thrust a second finger inside her gently, and

she moved her hips unthinkingly, twisting in an agony of need. He lapped

her with his tongue, swirling against her taut center, as he felt her tense up. Her back arched off the bed, higher, higher still, until she exploded with a

scream of joy.

And just in time. His whole body was sweaty and aching from holding

himself back. As she exploded in her pleasure, he could no longer wait. In a

swift mindless movement, he drew back and positioned himself between

her legs. Lowering his head, he kissed her mouth, and then thrust himself

roughly inside her, sheathing himself deep, deep, deep.

Lyra gasped against his lips as he thrust inside her, and she felt an

unexpected fleeting pain.

Still deep inside her, he did not move, allowing her to gently stretch to

accommodate him. His mouth was motionless against hers in a suspended

kiss as she grew accustomed to the now dulling pain. She barely heard the

wind outside, or felt the soft mattress beneath her and the weight of him

over her. She was overwhelmed by the huge feel of him inside her.

Then, keeping his body still, he flicked his tongue against hers,

tantalizing her with a hot, seductive kiss as she grew accustomed to the

thick feel of him, like silk and steel inside her. The pain receded, like a

wave drawing back beneath her feet. He pressed his naked body over hers,

cupping her face with one hand to kiss her more deeply, and her hand

trailed down his shoulder to his back as pleasure began to build anew inside

her.

She’d never known the pain would be so great—and yet so suddenly

gone. She’d never known pleasure could be so intense, so explosive—and

could just as suddenly begin again. Sex was a more intense experience than

she’d ever imagined. It left her breathless and weak.

So did he.

Lyra’s heart raced, pounding frantically in her throat, as she looked up at

his handsome, sensual face. She’d been bold and daring enough to tell him

the truth, and this was her reward. This.

Their hot, naked bodies twisted and moved together, sweaty, hard,

sliding. She ran her hands down his chest, feeling his hard muscles and taut

hollows. His body felt as amazing as it looked. Pulling him down against

her, she kissed his shoulder, tasting and nibbling the salt of his skin.

With a shudder, Viktor pushed her back against the bed, kissing down

her throat. She gasped, tilting her head.

He finally began to move inside her, riding her. He filled her in a way

she’d never imagined, deeper with each thrust. Her hands scratched slowly

down his back, finally clutching his hard backside. She felt new tension inside her, coiled to spring. She felt the tautness of his muscles, heard the

hoarse pant of his breath, and knew he was fighting to keep his body under

control.

And she was causing that. She was the one driving him wild with desire.

Her. Plain, frumpy Lyra.

But she wasn’t that Lyra anymore. He’d changed her. Or she’d changed

herself. But either way, she’d become the woman she’d always known she

was born to be. Brave. Reckless. Even a little wicked...

His eyes closed. His sensual lips parted in a silent gasp as he pushed

inside her, filling her to the hilt, stretching her to the breaking point. He was

trying not to hurt her, she realized. He was still holding himself back.

Reaching her arms around his shoulders, she dug her fingernails into his

flesh and whispered, “Don’t be afraid.”

His eyes flew open. He looked down at her with a choked intake of

breath.

Giving him a little smile, she ran her hand softly down his hard, muscular

body. “Stop holding back.”

A growl came from the back of his throat, ending in a hiss. Pushing her

back hard against the bed, he pushed more roughly inside her, riding her

faster and deeper.

Now it was deepening pleasure. Their intertwined bodies tangled in

desperate passion, clutching each other tightly as her hips lifted to meet

each explosive thrust. Lyra heard the hot wind howling outside and didn’t

care if a sandstorm flung the tent up into the sky. She was already flying....

The new pleasure continued to soar, rising and surpassing the first. It was

deeper and different and sharper than before. Clutching his shoulders, she

hung on for dear life as the pleasure grew so big it was almost too much to

bear. Finally, it exploded inside her. Sucking in her breath, she tossed back

her head and screamed with joy, heedless of who might hear, as she fell,

fell, fell, plummeting off the edge of reason.

In that same instant, she heard his low answering roar. He slammed

inside her with one final deep thrust, gripping her tightly with a low hoarse

shout.

His muscular, sweaty body was heavy as he collapsed on top of her.

Rolling next to her on the bed, he clutched her to his heart. A smile traced

Lyra’s lips as she closed her eyes, pressing her cheek against his chest. She

felt changed, reborn in his arms. She’d been born to be his wife....