The Warlord by Gena Showalter (free ebook reader for pc .txt) 📕

Did he secretly want her to take control?

Such a heady thought. Something she planned to explore further.

“That feels so good,” she said, offering praise. “You’re making me ache.” She gyrated against him and cried out. The pleasure! “Don’t stop.”

“Won’t.” He kneaded her breasts with greater force. “Can’t.”

“I’ll make you feel good, too.” She grazed the tip of her nose over the tip of his, about to claim his lips in a hungry kiss. His lips were parted for her, ready. At the last second, she rerouted and pressed her cheek against his. What if she couldn’t curb her hunger? Even though Roc possessed a block, preventing her from feeding, she might try. He would absolutely know, and he would absolutely rage.

His hatred for phantoms spanned centuries. He’d known Taliyah for a matter of days. Maybe in time...

Inner shake. She drew his earlobe between her teeth. “Put your biceps to good use, baby, and turn me around.” Lifting her face, she grazed the tip of his nose again. “Your gravita has a craving.”

“Does she, then?” he asked, then growled. He popped his jaw, a telling sign. He’d realized she’d been issuing orders.

In a flash of insight, Taliyah realized he’d never hand over the reins of control without a fight. He might enjoy her leadings, but he didn’t believe he must obey—yet. If she wanted control...and she did...she would have to wrest it from him.

The thought of winning such a powerful man...did things to her.

“Turn me around,” she repeated, rubbing against him, “so you can get your fingers in nice and deep.”

He nipped at her bottom lip, roguish but fierce.

“Turn me, and I’ll let you touch me anywhere you wish.” She let her voice drop. “However you wish...”

With a snarl, he lifted and spun her. His chest seared her spine, his heartbeat suddenly thumping between her shoulder blades. Fast. Faster. He lightly gripped her throat, his arm draped over her chest. With her legs slung over his, her thighs remained parted.

Wings flattened and of no use to her at the moment, she gripped the edges of his thighs. Cool, damp air teased her aching core as he drew his knees farther apart, forcing her legs to spread wider.

“I’ll touch you anywhere I wish,” he rumbled into her ear, applying pressure to draw her head to the hollow of his shoulder.

Goose bumps only he could rouse spread over her in seconds. “Touch me, then.”

With his free hand, he palmed her breast, kneading it with more pressure than before.

A moan escaped. No stopping it. Taliyah rocked her hips, grinding her backside against the white-hot, steel-hard length cradled there. His inhalations sharpened with every brush of contact.

A snakeshifter wielding her charms, she asked, “Do you like touching me, Roc?”

He didn’t try to deny it. “Yes.” A snarl. “You know I do.”

She didn’t stop. Rocking, rocking. “You want more of me. You want me to make you come.”

“Yesss,” he hissed, sliding the hand at her throat to her breast. He trapped the nipples between his knuckles and tugged and gently twisted.

She swallowed a cry born from razor-sharp pleasure. “Put your fingers inside me,” she commanded, unable to filter out her neediness, “or I stop moving.” Could she stop? Roll. Roll... She must. Stop.

Taliyah could do anything she needed to do. She always got the job done.

He hissed once again before running her earlobe between his teeth, sending shafts of greater arousal careening through her. His cheek pressed against hers. “Still trying to manipulate me, harpy? You want control, and you seek to drive me mad to get it. But I can wait you out. Move your body against mine, like before, or I won’t give you my fingers.” He traced his fingertips down her belly. “Do it, and I’ll sink them deeper than before.”

“Put your fingers inside me,” she repeated, nearly choking on her need. Not enough. More, more. “I’ll make you come so hard.”

“Move against me, and I’ll ensure you come first.” He combed through her tuft of curls and tapped her clit, making her gasp.

More! No, no. Must. Resist. Never accept a picture of defeat. “Put your fingers inside me,” she croaked, reaching up and behind to grip his hair. The new position thrust her breasts forward.

“I want your fingers. I need them. Mmm. You’ll stretch me so good. I’ll moan so loud. All my aches will go away.” She scraped her nails over his scalp. “Make my aches go away, baby...or I’ll do it myself. Do you want to watch me? Hmm?”

“Your pleasure is mine!” He thrust two fingers into her, robbing her of breath, of thought. “Can’t get enough of you,” he confessed against her flesh. His husky voice vibrated through her bones, raising new goose bumps on her limbs. As he thrust his fingers in and out, he stroked her little bundle of nerves with his thumb.

Her inner walls clenched to hold him inside. She moved with him, chasing her orgasm. “Already so close.”

When he stopped and withdrew his fingers from her, Taliyah nearly threw fists of fury. He’d given her a taste, then taken her drug away. Payback was going to suck for him. Except, his power play never came.

He ran his tongue up both fingers, his eyes closing. “The sweetness of you.” The noise he released then...unfathomable need. He dropped his chin to her shoulder, telling her, “I want more—straight from the tap. Give it to me.”

His voice had changed. He sounded like a man possessed.

“Yes,” she rasped.

The next thing she knew, they were standing. Once again, she faced him. He towered over her, panting. Strain etched each of his features. He looked harsh and battle-ready, his muscles like rocks.

“If you want more,” she told him, noting her voice had changed, as well, “get on your knees and take it.”

Their gazes clashed.

“You wish me to kneel before you.” He gritted out the words.

“No,” she said, and he flinched with disappointment because he wanted to kneel. He could have flashed her flat