House of the Rising Son Read Online Free PDF Page B

binding.”
    She gasped. “Where were you hurt?”
    â€œAcross my hip.”
    Aricles caught her hand as she reached to see it. His breathing ragged, he stared at her with a pain-filled expression. “Please, goddess. I’m hard enough already. If you touch me there … it’ll only be worse for me.”
    â€œMy touch hurts you?”
    He nodded.
    â€œThen why do you spend time with me?”
    He smiled at her as he let go of her wrist. “Because the pleasure of your company is worth the pain it causes me.”
    That made no sense to her whatsoever. “I cannot comprehend mortal emotions. How can any pleasure be worth pain?”
    â€œIt just is.”
    The fact that he was willing to suffer to be in her presence brought a strange sensation to her stomach. She wasn’t sure what it was, but it compelled her to lift her hand and lightly brush her fingers against his lips again. “Will you kiss me, Aricles, so that I can see why people do it?”
    He expelled a long breath and the light faded from his eyes. “I would love to, my lady. But I fear I’ve never kissed anyone like that. I’m sure I would bungle it.”
    â€œI wouldn’t know if you did since I’ve never had a kiss either. And even though you might bungle it, I still think I’d like to see what the fuss is about. Are you not curious, Ari?”
    Aricles felt his heart pound at her question. He was more than curious about how her lips would taste. But he was also a bit scared.
    Who are you to question a goddess?
    He was her servant and her warrior.…
    Still unsure, he gently laid his hand against her cheek and stroked her lips with his thumb. “Are you certain you want me to do this?”
    She nodded.
    Ever so slowly, he lowered his lips to hers. The moment he tasted her, his entire body erupted with a heat so high that it made his past attractions to other women seem mild and insignificant. He shook all over as images of making love to Bathymaas tormented him. He would give anything to hold her like that, but he knew it could never be and he was lucky she’d allowed him this much.
    Bathymaas wasn’t sure what to expect, but as his tongue swept across hers and his scent filled her head, something inside her splintered. Her breathing intensified even more … as did his. She felt his heart pounding against her hand. Strong and powerful.
    Like him.
    He was so hard and fierce, except for his lips that were soft and gentle. And in spite of his inexperience, his kiss was wonderful and it did the oddest things to her body. Made her throb and ache.
    Aricles’s head spun at the taste of Bathymaas. In all his fantasies, he’d never dreamed a kiss could be so sweet. His body roared to life, making demands on him the likes of which he’d never felt before. It took every ounce of self-control he had to placate himself with just this tiny part of her.
    Pulling back, he stared down at her beautiful face.
    She opened her eyes and for the first time, he saw real emotion in those golden depths. Her eyes flared before she cupped his head in her hands and pulled him back for another sizzling kiss.
    Bathymaas knew she should release him. It would be the smart thing to do, and yet …
    She wanted to possess him in a way she couldn’t comprehend. More than that, she wanted to push him back and straddle him. To run her hands all over his body, and she had no idea why. While she’d occasionally seen animals have sex, she’d never really thought about it. It was what they did to have offspring.
    But right now, she wanted him inside her. It was as if her body starved for him the way her stomach craved food.
    And she had no idea why.
    Did he feel that, too?
    Forcing herself to withdraw, she tried to steady her breathing as she looked up at him from beneath her lashes. “Is this emotion, Aricles?”
    â€œIt is for me, goddess.”
    â€œWhat do you