Read Online Immortal Surrender by Claire Ashgrove - Free Book Online
Authors: Claire Ashgrove
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sick. Sick, sick. “Were you in the war?” she asked quietly.
“Aye,” he exhaled.
“Oh, Farran, I’m so sorry.” And she was—sorrier than she’d ever been for anyone. All the stories she’d heard about beheaded captives, tortured soldiers, and political screw-ups amounted to nothing when faced with the stark truth of what he’d been through. He’d suffered. Through some miracle, he’d survived a wound that would have killed a lesser man.
On sheer impulse, she leaned in and pressed a kiss to the ringed pommel.
As she leaned back, Farran’s palm cupped her chin. He lifted her face, locked his eyes with hers. The light that always burned so bright within those ale-brown depths now glowed a rich golden color that reached down into her and touched some unnamable part of her soul. Her heart skipped a beat, then launched into erratic rhythm. She drew in a short breath, and Farran’s lips touched hers.
She’d been kissed a handful of times before, but nothing like this. Compared to the sloppy, inexperienced searchings she knew, no hesitation came with the caress of Farran’s mouth. He slid his hand from her chin to her hair and settled in, knowing what he wanted and exactly how to take it. Velvety warmth nudged her lips apart, and Noelle yielded with a surprised gasp. The tip of his tongue coaxed hers to join its seductive dance. As the quivering in her belly turned into liquid heat, she all too willingly complied.
Sensation burst through her veins as his woodsy-orange scent soaked into her. So clean, so tempting, so completely masculine. The softness of his mouth, so unlike the hardness of his body, had the effect of wine on her thoughts. It made her dizzy, yet she couldn’t get enough. She braced a hand on his shoulder to steady the rapid swirl of her head and eagerly tangled her tongue with his.
A husky murmur rumbled in the back of Farran’s throat. His fingers tightened against her scalp, and he tipped her head back. Where he wanted it, where he could explore more thoroughly. As his mouth took on more pressure, demanding something she didn’t fully comprehend, the heat pooled in her belly fanned into her blood. Her skin felt tight. Restlessness possessed her body.
The feel of Farran’s palm against her breast soothed the need to move. Those strong fingers lifted and squeezed. Firm, but like every other time he’d touched her, filled with an underlying tenderness. So unlike the fumbling attempts of her one, almost lover right after college, he knew how to touch a woman. Knew it well. And the unrelenting caress stirred that aching need to move to intolerable limits. When his thumb grazed across her swollen nipple, Noelle shuddered. Her womb contracted. The heat in her blood spread uncomfortably between her legs.
Then everything changed. Farran abruptly drew away, his kiss terminating with his raspy gasp. He stood. Ramrod straight, his back faced her. He stared at the wall as he spoke. “We are fated. You will come with me.”
It took a minute for his words to reach her brain. When they did, she laughed. That again. If he wanted to date her, this was a bit ridiculous. All he needed to do was ask. “I have to get home, Farran.”
As if he hadn’t heard her, he pulled on his shirt. “I apologize for my trespass, damsel. ’Twill not occur again whilst you reside in the temple. Though we are fated, you shall have freedom to the pleasures you wish, and I shall take mine elsewhere.”
Her features scrunched together as she tried to process his meaning. The temple, reside … “What?”
He gave her an incredulous look. “Do not be daft. You may have the men you wish. I prefer whores. You shall have no demands from me in that respect. But damsel, you will come with me. We both must answer duty.”
Shock rocketed through her. She stared, speechless. He was still clinging to that ridiculous tale? Was he nuts? He had to be. Whatever had happened to him as a captive had affected his brain. Made him
“Aye,” he exhaled.
“Oh, Farran, I’m so sorry.” And she was—sorrier than she’d ever been for anyone. All the stories she’d heard about beheaded captives, tortured soldiers, and political screw-ups amounted to nothing when faced with the stark truth of what he’d been through. He’d suffered. Through some miracle, he’d survived a wound that would have killed a lesser man.
On sheer impulse, she leaned in and pressed a kiss to the ringed pommel.
As she leaned back, Farran’s palm cupped her chin. He lifted her face, locked his eyes with hers. The light that always burned so bright within those ale-brown depths now glowed a rich golden color that reached down into her and touched some unnamable part of her soul. Her heart skipped a beat, then launched into erratic rhythm. She drew in a short breath, and Farran’s lips touched hers.
She’d been kissed a handful of times before, but nothing like this. Compared to the sloppy, inexperienced searchings she knew, no hesitation came with the caress of Farran’s mouth. He slid his hand from her chin to her hair and settled in, knowing what he wanted and exactly how to take it. Velvety warmth nudged her lips apart, and Noelle yielded with a surprised gasp. The tip of his tongue coaxed hers to join its seductive dance. As the quivering in her belly turned into liquid heat, she all too willingly complied.
Sensation burst through her veins as his woodsy-orange scent soaked into her. So clean, so tempting, so completely masculine. The softness of his mouth, so unlike the hardness of his body, had the effect of wine on her thoughts. It made her dizzy, yet she couldn’t get enough. She braced a hand on his shoulder to steady the rapid swirl of her head and eagerly tangled her tongue with his.
A husky murmur rumbled in the back of Farran’s throat. His fingers tightened against her scalp, and he tipped her head back. Where he wanted it, where he could explore more thoroughly. As his mouth took on more pressure, demanding something she didn’t fully comprehend, the heat pooled in her belly fanned into her blood. Her skin felt tight. Restlessness possessed her body.
The feel of Farran’s palm against her breast soothed the need to move. Those strong fingers lifted and squeezed. Firm, but like every other time he’d touched her, filled with an underlying tenderness. So unlike the fumbling attempts of her one, almost lover right after college, he knew how to touch a woman. Knew it well. And the unrelenting caress stirred that aching need to move to intolerable limits. When his thumb grazed across her swollen nipple, Noelle shuddered. Her womb contracted. The heat in her blood spread uncomfortably between her legs.
Then everything changed. Farran abruptly drew away, his kiss terminating with his raspy gasp. He stood. Ramrod straight, his back faced her. He stared at the wall as he spoke. “We are fated. You will come with me.”
It took a minute for his words to reach her brain. When they did, she laughed. That again. If he wanted to date her, this was a bit ridiculous. All he needed to do was ask. “I have to get home, Farran.”
As if he hadn’t heard her, he pulled on his shirt. “I apologize for my trespass, damsel. ’Twill not occur again whilst you reside in the temple. Though we are fated, you shall have freedom to the pleasures you wish, and I shall take mine elsewhere.”
Her features scrunched together as she tried to process his meaning. The temple, reside … “What?”
He gave her an incredulous look. “Do not be daft. You may have the men you wish. I prefer whores. You shall have no demands from me in that respect. But damsel, you will come with me. We both must answer duty.”
Shock rocketed through her. She stared, speechless. He was still clinging to that ridiculous tale? Was he nuts? He had to be. Whatever had happened to him as a captive had affected his brain. Made him
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