Fiery Fate by Jaci Burton Page B

his control and ejaculate. His cock throbbed, the sensitive head rubbing against his breeches. Despite his attempts to the contrary, his mind conjured up images of Solara walking over to him, unlacing his breeches and taking his shaft in her heated mouth, then sucking him until he exploded down her throat.
    And yet she continued to watch him, her green-eyed gaze focused on his face. She hadn’t uttered a word, as if she expected him to make the first move.
    “I…I…”
    Brilliant. Now he sounded like a lovesick boy who’d just had his first glimpse of a tit and couldn’t form a coherent word. The faerie exercised some kind of magic over him, making him unable to utter intelligent words.
    “Is there something you’re trying to say, Roarke?” She fixed him with an innocent batting of her eyelashes, but clearly the vixen had spellbound him somehow.
    Had the mere sight of a half-naked breast caused a total loss of his ability to speak? “I…I have work for you.”
    “I see. And what is it that you would like me to do for you?” Suck my cock. Ease this tormenting ache in my balls. Lie down upon the grass and spread your sweet thighs so that I might sheathe myself in you. “There are accounts we need to go over.”
    “Can it wait? I’m pruning the seedlings.”
    “Can’t someone else do that?”
    She huffed and crossed her arms. “You were the one who told me that I should see to the seedlings myself.”
    “Oh. I did, didn’t I?” Now he sounded like an imbecile. “Very well, then. I shall go over the accounts myself.”
    He should turn and walk away. Their conversation was over. But she looked so delectable sitting there on the ground, her scarlet wings combating for wild color with the fierce green grass, he stood rooted to the spot.
    Solara shrugged and turned her attention to the seedlings and dirt. “You do that. I still have much to do.
    First I must finish up here, see to the evening meal, check on Noele, and then I feel in need of a bath.” Truly he was about to turn away, but the mere mention of her bathing conjured up those blasted images in his head again. He coughed to clear the dry lump in his throat. “I see. Well, I will take my leave of you now.”
    “Very well.”
    She didn’t even look up at him. He walked away, feeling for all the world like he’d just been spurned by a woman whose attentions he sought.
    This entire charade grew more ridiculous by the second.
    He had work to do. Yes, work would occupy his mind.
    And he would not think about her bathing!

    * * * * *
Solara smiled as she watched Roarke stomp away, supremely satisfied by his discomfort.
    He’d left his emotions unguarded, and she felt every tantalizing moment of his frustration as he’d watched her. His desire matched her own, his need as fierce and uncontrollable as hers.
    Touching his emotions was dangerous. She knew she should not pry into his mind, into his soul, and yet the opening he’d left surprised her. Like an irresistible temptation, she felt compelled to seek out the truth.
    Yes, he’d hidden his desires quite well, at least internally. But the hard evidence of it could not be hidden from her. One look at his erection had her mouth going dry, her nipples beading against the thin material of her shift. Moisture gathered between her legs and she fought to keep her hand from straying there to massage the ever-growing ache.
    An ache she would have to relieve herself, despite her wish to take Roarke’s hand, place it on the curls of her sex and beg him to release her from the torment.
    With a sigh, she realized this game she played would have more than one victim. Yes, she would teach Roarke a lesson, but she would also painfully face the same realizations as he.
    But she vowed to continue, a plan for tonight already forming in her mind. She had seen the way his eyes darkened when she mentioned bathing this eve, and she would make sure that he was in a position to watch her.
    It may agonize them both in the