The Claiming by Kaitlyn O'Connor Page B

expression, laughing.
    “Jana! It’s the flowers! We shouldn’t be here!”
    Jana felt her smile fade as she stared up at him, studying his features. She realized quite suddenly that she had not fully appreciated his masculine beauty—for he was quite devastatingly handsome. Her heart fluttered in her chest just looking at him, whenever he came near—whenever she heard the sound of his voice. No one had ever effected her as he did except….
    Strangely, the memory danced away before she could grasp it. She decided it wasn’t important.
    Enjoying the moment was more important.
    She realized quite suddenly that, for the first time in her life, she felt want, felt need to be possessed. She lifted her hand, touching his cheek, running a fingertip lightly over his lips. Something flickered in his eyes, but he did not, as she’d hoped, lower his head and kiss her.
    “It’s the flowers,” Alain murmured gently. “They emit a drug when you pluck them. Some people are more susceptible than others—obviously you are.”
    Jana smiled faintly. “I want you to kiss me.”
    Alain shook his head slightly. “You don’t. Come. We need to leave.”
    Jana threaded her fingers through his hair, cupping the back of his head and tugging. He resisted. She slid her other arm around him, rose up, placed nibbling kisses along his throat to his chin, kissed the corners of his mouth. “You don’t want me?”
    Alain wanted to make love to her until she couldn’t move, but unlike Jana, he was only intoxicated with her, not the drugs the flowers produced, and he was not so caught up in his desires as to have lost all sense of their surroundings—yet. Kissing her would be a very bad idea in his present state of arousal.
    Reluctantly, he pulled her arms loose and rose, helping her to her feet. She swayed. He lifted her into his arms and started back toward the Zells.
    Jana locked her arms around his shoulders and nuzzled his neck.
    “Jana!” Alain said through gritted teeth.
    She smiled and bit down on his ear lobe.
    Alain stopped abruptly, set her on her feet and then pulled her roughly against him. “Have it your way,” he muttered, claiming her mouth with his own.
    Dizziness shot through Jana with a flash of heat as his hard mouth came down on hers. She gasped, parting her lips beneath his, welcoming his invading tongue as it raked across hers, caressed the sensitive inner recesses of her mouth, touching off jolts of pleasure that snaked through her body and caused her belly to clench with anticipation.
    She rose up on her tiptoes to press more fully against him, tightening her arms around his neck. Her breasts flushed with heat, with sensation. She felt her nipples hardening with the desire for his caress, felt her femininity weep for his possession.
    He released her almost as abruptly as he’d taken her, breathing heavily.
    Reluctantly, Jana opened her eyes and looked up at him in disappointment.
    “Don’t look at me like that unless you want me to take you here and now,” Alain murmured hoarsely.
    Jana smiled. It was exactly what she wanted.
    Alain gripped her arms, but in the next moment stiffened, lifting his head.
    Jana frowned, but then she heard the sound as well … a wagon was coming along the road.
    Alain started toward the tree where he’d left the Zells, dragging Jana along with him. Reaching the tethered beasts, he grasped Jana around the waist and lifted her, settling her on her saddle. Untying the animal, he handed her the reins and mounted his own.
    The wagon rounded a curve and came into view as they urged their mounts forward.
    Jana felt a headache descend upon her as the euphoria dissipated, but it was not altogether the effect of her body throwing off the drugs the flowers had infused into her system.
    She knew now why Alain had seemed so familiar to her when she’d met him for the first time. He’d seemed familiar because it wasn’t the first time she’d met him.
    Alain had been the last client she’d