Free Heart of a Warrior by Theodora Lane Page A

to my bedroom.” She eyed him and then walked to her closet.
    “I wanted to see your room,” Nic said as he leaned against the door frame and watched her pack a duffel bag. She stole glimpses of him while she stuffed panties, bras, jeans, shirts, one black knit dress, and several pairs of shoes into the bag. How did he manage to look so good in just a pair of worn jeans and a black T-shirt? She headed to the bathroom.
    “What’s the dress for?” Nic called.
    “In case you want to take me to dinner somewhere nice,” Fiona answered from the bathroom.
    She put her cosmetic bag in the duffel and pulled it shut. Dragging it out of the bathroom and into her room, she looked around.
    Nic came into the room to take it from her.
    “Let me.” He grabbed the strap.
    “That’s okay, I can handle it.” Fiona pulled back.
    “Really, I want to.” He pulled harder.
    “No, I’ve got it.” She yanked it back.
    He let the strap go and she stumbled. He caught her arms and pulled her to him. Looking down into her eyes, he focused on her lips.
    “What do you think you’re doing?” She looked back into those dark eyes of his. Her heart beat hard in her chest.
    “I’m going to kiss you, Fiona.” He lowered his mouth and softly pressed his lips against hers. She tensed; his lips were insistent, yet tender. Fiona locked her knees to keep from falling into him . Wow. When he pulled away, she wavered, chin tilted upward, eyes still closed. She found it hard to open and focus her eyes, much less pull a rational thought from her muddled mind.
    “Nic, I’m not sure this is a good…” Fiona started, but his lips were on hers again.
    For once, she shut up. The duffel bag slipped from her hand. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders as he pulled her tight to him, lifting her off the ground. Her legs, with a mind of their own, wrapped around his waist and pulled him so close the roughness of his jeans rubbed against her inner thighs.
    His tongue insisted she open her mouth, and she gave in. He tasted incredible, unlike any of the men she’d ever kissed. The urge to taste every inch of him overwhelmed her, to find out if he tasted that way all over or if it was only his mouth.
    That had never happened before.
    Somehow, they found their way to the bed. His body lowered on top of hers, his arms wrapped around her. She arched into him as her tongue explored his mouth. He responded, pushing back at her with his hips. His hard cock, hidden beneath those glorious, tight blue jeans of his, pressed into her belly. Her heart skipped a beat. She focused all her senses on the spot where he pressed, feeding information into her brain.
    God, he was so damn big and so damn hard, and it felt so damn good. Her eyelids fluttered just thinking of him inside her. Oh, shit . Swallowing hard, she opened her eyes. She knew where this was leading, and she was sure she didn’t want to go there right now.
    “Nic, stop!” She pushed against him. Nic sat up and looked at her. His eyes were impossibly dark, lashes long and thick, as they focused on her face, her lips, even her nose.
    “What’s wrong? I thought you were enjoying it. I sure was.” Nic reached for her again.
    “No, I mean, yes, I was enjoying it, but you’re going to want to go further, and I’m not prepared to do that.” She stood and straightened her clothes.
    “All right. Maybe later.” He looked confused and that just pissed her off.
    “You don’t get it, do you? There was a reason I was taken by that vampire, Nic. I’m a virgin. And I plan on being one for a long time, or at least until there’s a ring on this finger.” She stood there, holding up the ring finger on her left hand in a parody of the one-fingered salute. “Sex is not casual for me. It means a lot more to me, obviously, than it does to you.”
    Fiona stomped to the middle of the room, grabbed her duffel bag, and glared at him.
    “Sorry, Fiona. My mistake. I won’t let it happen again.” Nic slid to the