Scarlet Nights by Lucinda Betts

Author:Lucinda Betts
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Kensington Publishing Corp.
Published: 2009-12-15T00:00:00+00:00

The goddess had been pleased with their offering. Solstice knew this from the ethereal sense of goodwill pulsing through her body. Or maybe that was the orgasm, she thought lazily.

Solstice allowed her eyes to drift close as she luxuriated in the feeling of delicious satisfaction. The goddess was toying with her. She’d speak to her soon enough, but not yet.

What would She Who Listens say to Lord de la Couere, if she could? He wasn’t Temple trained—at least not yet. She allowed herself a private grin at that thought. But the goddess’s presence had been so strong in the room while they’d been honoring her, Axel must have felt some glimmer of her.

Instead of asking, Solstice lay curled in the comfort of de la Couere’s arms, spent. He smelled good. Like pine boughs cut for the midsummer festival. Or maybe more like the pungent smoke made by hickory fires.

She sighed and snuggled into his arms more deeply. She’d been so focused on seducing him for the goddess’s sake that she hadn’t noticed how much he pleased her. Of course, his rude mouth made it difficult to appreciate him, but maybe that was part of his charm. Maybe the challenge of taming such an offensive man made success taste that much sweeter.

At least, she thought with a silent chuckle, she’d recognized how much he pleased her when she’d come—with an intensity that she hadn’t had for years, no less.

There was something very nice about the enthusiasm of the uninitiated.

Everything about him—except his attitude—was a delight. And she wouldn’t be very surprised if he’d changed his opinion about Temple Virgins after that romp.

Through half-closed eyes, she examined him. The skin of his face and arms was golden brown, not that much lighter than some of the paler Temple Virgins. But the flesh of his legs and stomach was white as bone. Amazing. Attractive and amazing.

Light muscles covered every part of him: his thighs, his stomach, even his jaw. She supposed years on horseback, trading across the lands—and chasing slavers, she reminded herself—would do that to a man.

Sunlight gleamed over his forearms and she saw something she’d missed. Unlike the rest of him, his arms were more than lightly muscled. If she weren’t feeling so laconic, she could trace the deep grooves along his upper arms. She could even trace the muscle ridge curving across the top of his forearm.

How had he gotten those muscles? With a sword? Throwing punches?

She decided she didn’t care. She felt safe here, safe to be away from the palace politics, safe to be away from the dead librarian. No one except Grip knew that she’d ostracized herself on purpose. She’d been successful.

Sun gleamed through the room and seemed to light up Lord de la Couere’s hair. It shined a brighter gold than any of the queen’s ritual goblets, and Solstice couldn’t help herself. She had to stroke it.

His hair was so soft, softer than any other hair she’d felt, even softer than the Supplicant Queen’s. That realization gave her a jolt.

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